Curfew rules for cats in the City of Frankston.

Yes, and it is getting stricter. Under Community Local Law 2020 your cat must stay on your property during the cat curfew between dusk and dawn, and a cat found wandering during the curfew can be picked up by the council or by other residents. On 17 November 2025 the council adopted a new Domestic Animal Management Plan that moves Frankston to a 24-hour cat curfew, which is being brought in with an amnesty and education period across 2026 and 2027. A fully enclosed cat run keeps your cat on the property day and night, so you meet the curfew now and are ready for the 24-hour rule.

Yes. Every cat over three months of age has to be registered with Frankston City Council. Registration runs for a year and falls due on 10 April, so you renew it annually and the council sends a reminder before the due date. Fees are set by the council each year, with lower rates for desexed cats, so check the council's page for the current amount.

Your cat must be microchipped before you can register it, and the microchip links your cat back to you if it is ever found away from home. Cats also need to be desexed to register, unless you hold a valid exemption such as written vet advice against it or membership of an approved cat organisation. You provide the microchip details along with a desexing certificate or exemption when you register.

You can keep up to two cats at a property without a permit. To keep more than two you need an excess animal permit from the council, and the maximum is five cats or dogs in total regardless of how big your block is. Keeping more than that for breeding or rescue needs a planning permit, so check with the council first.

You don't need an animal permit just to build a cat enclosure for your own cats. A building or planning permit can still come into play depending on the size and height of the structure and where it sits on your block, and some Frankston properties carry overlays that add extra planning rules. It's worth a quick check with the council's building and planning team before you start on anything sizeable.

A modest cat run usually sits under the point where a building permit is needed. As a general Victorian guide, small, low structures set back from the boundary are often exempt, but that can change with the height, the setback and any planning overlay on your block. We build to your site and keep enclosures neat and within the usual limits, and if there's any doubt we'll help you check with the council first.

A cat found off your property, especially during the curfew, can be trapped by a neighbour or impounded by the council. If your cat is registered and microchipped the council can identify you quickly and get it home, usually once any release or impound fees are paid, and repeat wandering can lead to fines. Keeping your cat contained in a secure enclosure avoids the stress and the cost altogether.

Yes, though if you rent you'll want your landlord's written okay first, and in an apartment you'll also need the owners corporation's approval. Many of our enclosures are free-standing or made to come apart, which suits rentals and smaller spaces like courtyards and balconies, and they can often move with you. That way you still meet Frankston's cat curfew and give your cat safe time outside. If you're not sure what your lease or body corporate allows, it's worth checking before we start.

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 Frankston. 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 Frankston 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.