A cat curfew is a set time when cats must stay on their owner’s property. We are exploring three options:

• A night-time curfew: Cats must stay on their owner’s property from sunset to sunrise.
• A 24-hour cat curfew: Cats must stay on their owner's property at all times.
• No curfew: Continue with the current approach, allowing cats to roam freely.

We committed to exploring a cat curfew as part of our Domestic Animal Management Plan 2022–2026. Under the Domestic Animals Act 1994, all councils must have a plan for managing cats and dogs in their communities. This followed strong feedback from our community, where many people told us they wanted us to consider how to keep cats — and other wildlife — safer in Glen Eira.

Many other councils in Victoria, including Melbourne, Bayside, Port Phillip, Monash, Knox, and Greater Dandenong councils, have already introduced or are planning to implement cat curfews.

We’ll review the feedback we receive during this engagement and make a decision that balances the needs of cat owners, the health of our local environment and the liveability of the wider community.

If a cat curfew is introduced, Council will collect cats that have been trapped and respond to complaints. Glen Eira residents can borrow a cat trap from Council if they have problems with roaming cats entering their property.

If a cat is found in a trap, we will first check for identification information and take steps to ensure cats are returned to their owners before being taken to a pound or shelter.

We understand that transitioning a free-roaming cat to stay on their owner’s property takes time. We will work to educate cat owners on curfew compliance. If a cat continues to be found outside their owner’s property during curfew hours following Council’s directions to comply, the owner may be fined.

A cat trap is made of wire and looks like a rectangle box with a metal plate on the floor. It does not hurt the cat. The Cat Protection Society, Lost Dogs Home and RSPCA Victoria use the same traps as Council.

To ensure the health and safety of cats, it’s important that only traps issued by Council are used and that the instructions provided by Council are followed.

Yes, it is legal for someone to trap a trespassing cat.

Cat curfews may assist with managing 'semi-owned' or stray cat population, if they are deemed a nuisance by property owners and are caught in a Council issued cat trap.

A semi-owned cat is a cat that is not officially a pet, but a person still feeds it or cares for it regularly. The cat may live mostly outdoors, come and go as it pleases, and doesn’t always have a clear "owner."

If a cat curfew is introduced, your cat can be outdoors within your property. Installing cat proof fencing or outdoor cat enclosures is a good way to allow adequate exercise, while ensuring the cat stays on your property.

The RSPCA and Safe Cat have many resources to help adjust a roaming cat to stay on your property. Visit the RSPCA and Safe Cat websites for more information.

Indoor cats, or those contained safely with outdoor enclosures, tend to live longer, healthier lives. They are less likely be harmed in traffic accidents, fights or unwelcome encounters with other animals, or be exposed to harmful diseases, especially overnight.

It’s required by law to register your cat if it’s more than three months old, under the Domestic Animals Act. If you don’t register your pet, you could receive a fine.

Registration is also a great way to ensure your pet’s safety — as you have a much better chance of finding a lost pet if it’s registered.