Cat containment rules for the City of Casey.

Casey doesn't run a night-only curfew, it's a full-time containment rule. Under the Casey Community Local Law and the Domestic Animals Act 1994 your cat has to be kept on your property at all times, and you can be fined if it's found off your land. There are also a few estates near the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne, including Botanic Ridge and Settlers Run, where cats can't be kept at all. A fully enclosed cat run is one of the easiest ways to meet the rule, since it lets your cat enjoy the outdoors while staying safely on your property.

Yes. Cats in Casey must be registered with the council from three months of age, and registration runs on a yearly cycle that renews on 10 April. The council sends a reminder a few weeks before it falls due. Fees are set each year, and desexed cats and concession card holders pay a reduced rate, so check the council's registration page for the current amounts.

In Casey your cat needs to be microchipped and desexed before the council will register it, unless a vet has granted a medical exemption. The council has required desexing for cat registration since 2007, and microchipping is a state requirement under the Domestic Animals Act 1994. A microchip also makes it far more likely you'll be reunited with your cat if it ever gets out, which is another good reason a secure enclosure helps.

You can keep up to two cats at a property in Casey without needing a permit, and this applies no matter how big your block is. If you want to keep more, you'll need to apply for an excess animal permit, which involves a property inspection and an annual renewal by 10 April. It's worth checking the council's excess animal permit page before you take on extra cats.

The cat run itself doesn't need an animal permit. What can come into play is a building or planning permit, which in Victoria is usually triggered by the size, height or position of the structure rather than the fact that it's for a cat. As a general guide a small enclosure often sits under the building-permit threshold, but boundary setbacks and planning overlays can change that, so it's best to confirm with Casey's building or planning team before you start.

There can be. As a general guide in Victoria, a freestanding, lightweight structure will often avoid needing a building permit if it stays under about 10 square metres in floor area and no more than 3 metres high, but that's a state guide rather than a Casey-specific number. Setbacks from your boundaries and any planning overlays on your block still apply. We design our cat enclosures to sit within those kinds of limits where we can, and if your site needs anything unusual it's worth a quick check with the council first.

If your cat is found off your property you can be fined, and the council may seize a cat that's at large. A registered, microchipped cat is much easier for the council to return to you, while an unregistered one is harder to trace and can mean release and holding fees. Keeping your cat contained, ideally in a secure enclosure, is the simplest way to avoid the whole situation.

You can, though if you're renting you'll want your landlord's written permission first, and we can design freestanding or easily removable enclosures that don't damage the property. For units or apartments, a balcony or courtyard enclosure works well and still keeps your cat safely contained as Casey's rules require. It's also worth a look at any owners corporation rules before you commit.

A fully enclosed catio keeps your cat safely on your property, which is exactly what containment rules ask for, while still giving them fresh air and the sounds and smells of outside. We build a range of escape-proof enclosures, from a discreet patio catio to a side run or netting over the whole backyard, so there's an option to suit your home. Build a quote to get started.

Yes, we build custom catios right across greater Melbourne, including the City of Casey. If you're not sure you're in range, get in touch and we'll let you know.

Always confirm the current rules with the council directly via the City of Casey website (opens in a new tab). The guide above is research we've collated to help you get started, not legal advice, see the note at the foot of this page.