Cat rules and catios in the Shire of Strathbogie.

There's no 24-hour or night-time cat curfew in Strathbogie at the moment. The council's 2025-2029 Domestic Animal Management Plan lists a cat curfew as something it may investigate, not a rule that's in place today. For now the state rule applies, which means your cat can be picked up if it wanders onto someone else's property without permission. A fully enclosed cat run keeps your cat on your own block, so the trespass issue never comes up.

Yes. Every cat living in the shire must be registered with the council once it reaches three months of age, and it has to be microchipped first because the council can't register a cat without a chip. Registration renews every year on 10 April, with reminder notices posted out in March. You can register online or grab a hardcopy form from the council.

Microchipping is required before you can register any cat with Strathbogie. Desexing isn't compulsory across the shire right now, though the council encourages it and has flagged looking at mandatory desexing down the track. Desexed cats also usually attract a lower registration fee, so it's worth doing. Cats adopted from the council pound must be desexed before they go home.

Under the council's Community Local Law No. 2, you can keep up to two cats on a standard residential block and up to five on land larger than 10,000 square metres. To keep more than that you'll need an Excess Animal Permit from the council. Those cats also have to be registered and securely confined to your property, which a good enclosure takes care of.

You don't need an animal permit just to build a cat run, as long as you're within the number of cats the local law allows. A separate building or planning permit can come into play depending on the size and height of the structure and where it sits on your block. If you're not sure, a quick call to the council's building or planning team will confirm what your particular site needs.

As a general Victorian guide, a small freestanding structure under about 10 square metres and no more than 3 metres high often won't need a building permit, but boundary setbacks and any planning overlays can change that. Strathbogie has plenty of rural and heritage land where extra controls may apply. We build to your site's rules and can help you check with the council before we start, so nothing gets knocked back later.

The council's authorised officers respond to wandering and nuisance cat complaints, and they can lend residents a cat trap for cats trespassing on their property. A cat that's picked up and impounded needs to be registered and microchipped before it's released, and fees can apply. Keeping your cat contained in an enclosure is the surest way to avoid the stress and cost of it being trapped or impounded.

You can, though a couple of extra steps help. If you rent, get your landlord or agent's written okay first, and we can design a freestanding or removable enclosure that doesn't permanently alter the property. For apartments or units, a balcony or window enclosure works well, but check your body corporate or owners' corporation rules. We tailor the build to whatever your tenancy or building allows.

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 Shire of Strathbogie. 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 Shire of Strathbogie 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.