Cats are popular pets and we wish to encourage responsible pet ownership, effectively manage cats and enhance community safety.
Local Laws
Mareeba Shire Council has laws and regulations (Local Law 2) concerning animals. It is an offence to:
- Keep more than two cats on any property
- To allow cats to wander onto public or other private property
- Or to keep cats without a microchip
Failure to abide by these laws and regulations may lead to your cat being impounded and you could be fined. For more information, refer to Council’s Local Laws.
Microchip and desex your cat
- Cats born after 1 July 2009 must be microchipped before three months old
- Cats born before 1 July 2009 need to be microchipped if they are being sold or given away
- De-sexing is encouraged, but not compulsory
It is an offence to keep a cat without a microchip and you may be fined for this however the main reason for microchipping your cat is to increase the chance of being reunited with your cat if it is lost or impounded.
If your cat is not microchipped and is impounded privately or by Council you may not be able to be reunited with your cat quickly. There is a chance that without a microchip to identify that it has an owner it may be considered to be a stray or feral cat.