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Ipswich City Council

Cats

Keeping Cats in Ipswich

Almost 30 percent of Australian homes have a cat. Cats are wonderful companions and are a popular pet choice.  Highly adaptable and flexible, cats fit into domestic life easily.

However, cats are predators by nature and will go looking for mates, defend territory and hunt wildlife outdoors.  This predatory nature is particularly active after dark; the same time your cat is most vulnerable if outdoors.  Ipswich City Council, through its permits, Local Laws and animal programs, assists owners to understand feline behaviour and protect their animal, whilst minimising potential disruption to community and the local environment by cats that are not managed responsibly.

Cat owners in Ipswich must comply with a number of Local Law and environmental health requirements, including the compulsory registration of all cats with Ipswich City Council.  See Permits and Local Laws for further information.

Number of Cats Allowed 

You can keep two cats on your property without the need for a permit.  A kitten is considered a cat at three months of age.

If you wish to keep more than two cats, you must apply to Ipswich City Council for a permit.

It is important to note all cat owners in Ipswich, regardless of whether they require a permit or not, must comply with Local Law standards.

Should you wish to make a request for Council to investigate the keeping of more than two cats on a person's property, please contact Council on (07) 3810 6666 with the necessary information including location and address of the property and estimation of the number of cats being kept.

Permits and Local Laws

Local Laws 

Local Laws are provided by Council to assist owners to look after their cat/s, and to promote ownership responsibility in the protection of our local environment.  All cat owners in Ipswich must comply with the following minimum standards in accordance with Local Law 4 (Keeping and Control of Animals), regardless of whether they require a permit or not:

  • All cats must be confined to the property at all times - cats are not allowed to roam
  • An adequate supply of food and water must be provided
  • All faeces and urine must be disposed of without causing nuisance
  • All cats must be vaccinated as appropriate to the age of the animal
  • Cats are to be kept in such a manner so as not to be harmful to the health of a person or a nuisance to the community


There are also further responsibilties under the State Government's Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008:  

  • All cats must be registered with Ipswich City Council
  • Owners must ensure any cat is microchipped before they are sold or given away
  • Adequate fencing or an enclosure must be provided to confine your cat to your property at all times, or to be able to demonstrate to a Council Officer how the cat is confined in the absence of enclosure or appropriate fencing

 

Permits

Cat owners do not require a permit to keep two cats.  If you wish to keep more than two cats, you must apply to Ipswich City Council for a permit.

Council issues Standard Permits to residents in the following circumstances:

Standard Permits

Name

Description

Conditions

Domestic Cat Permit  Issued to keep more than two and up to four desexed cats not for breeding and/or sale
  • All cats must be desexed
  • All cats must be kept in a manner so as to not cause a nuisance
  • All pet food must be stored in vermin proof containers
  • All cats must be confined to the premises at all times unless restrained by a lead or other means

Note: An application for a Non-Standard Permit is required where the cat owner is unable to comply with the standard conditions.  A Non-Standard Permit is more expensive to apply for as it requires an inspection of the property.


Council issues Non-Standard Permits to residents in the following circumstances:

Non-Standard Permits

Name

Description

Conditions

Restricted Cattery Permit Issued to keep more than two and up to four entire cats for breeding and/or sale
  • All pet food must be stored in vermin proof containers
  • Records must be kept of the methods of disposing of cats including sale and giveaways and include new owner's name and address
  • Facilities are available to effectively isolate diseased cats when necessary
  • All cages or enclosures to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected on a daily basis to avoid the spread of disease
  • All cats must be kept so as not to cause a noise, odour or fly nuisance
  • Other conditions may apply upon assessment
Cattery Permit  Issued to keep more than four cats

Note: All cats must be registered.  Registration fees are separate to permit fees.  Permit application fees must be paid at time of lodgement.  These fees are non-refundable.


Cats - Permit Application Kit Cats - Permit Application Kit (PDF, 268 kb)


Note: A cattery is defined as ‘Intensive Animal Husbandry' under the Ipswich Planning Scheme 2006.  Such uses may require planning approval from Council.  It is recommended before you apply for a permit, you contact Council's Planning and Development Department on (07) 3810 6666 for further information.


If you require any further information about keeping cats in Ipswich, please contact Council during business hours on (07) 3810 6666.

Nuisance Cats

If you encounter a nuisance cat from a neighbouring property, the first step could be to discuss the issue with your neighbour.  Sometimes the issue of nuisance cats can be resolved by speaking to the cat owner first, without the need to involve Council.  Once a person is made aware that an issue is causing a nuisance to their neighbours, most of the time, they will take steps to fix the problem.  Council strongly encourages the community to discuss these issues with their neighbours.

The Queensland Government Department of Justice and Attorney-General have developed a Neighbourhood Mediation Kit which provides advice on how to approach your neighbour to discuss a concern and tips on setting up mediation. 

If neighbourhood disputes can not be resolved you may wish to take advantage of the Governments free Mediation Services.  If so please contact the Dispute Resolution Branch on 1800 017 288 (toll free), or by post to:

Dispute Resolution Branch
GPO Box 149
BRISBANE  QLD  4001

For more information on this service please visit the Queensland Government Department of Justice and Attorney-General website.

Alternatively should you wish to make a request for a Council Officer to investigate a nuisance cat, please contact Council on (07) 3810 6666 with necessary information including details of the nuisance, location, breed of cat (if known), etc.

Injured Cats

If you encounter an injured cat, it is recommended you contact the RSPCA on (07) 3426 9955 or take it to a veterinarian.  If the cat is deceased, contact Ipswich Waste on (07) 3810 6666 for collection.

Euthanasia

Council offers the service of euthanasia for cats at an appropriate cost.  Cats are euthanised by lethal injection.  It may be more cost effective to have your local veterinarian perform this service.  An alternative to euthanasia is to have the cat rehoused.  Cats can be collected from the owner's property however a higher fee will be charged to cover travel and staffing costs.  Council does not offer this service (euthanasia of dogs and cats) for any other animals.

Further Information

 

Last Updated 22 Jan 2013 | Printer Friendly Version Print this page | Contact Us Contact us | Subscribe to our RSS News Feeds News Feeds | Copyright © 2013 Ipswich City Council
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