Proposed Cats Local Law 2025

Proposed Cats Local Law 2025
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  • Open date

    19 June 2025

  • Closing date

    14 August 2025

Last update date: 20 June 2025

The City has drafted a proposed new City of Stirling Cat Local Law 2025 to repeal and replace the City of Stirling Keeping and Control of Cats Local Law 1999.

In July 2023, the City received community feedback to gain a deeper understanding of new and emerging issues related to the Keeping and Control of Cats Local Law 1999

In early 2024, the Keeping and Control of Cats Local Law 1999 underwent a statutory review as part of the Local Laws Review - 2024, during which the public was invited to provide comments.

On 25 June 2024, the outcomes of public consultation were presented to Council. At this meeting, Council resolved for the Keeping and Control of Cats Local Law 1999 to be amended (Council Resolution Number 0624/018).

On 27 May 2025, Council considered and resolved to advertise a proposed Cat Local Law 2025, which will repeal and replace the Keeping and Control of Cats Local Law 1999 (Council Resolution Number 0624/018).

Legislation is required to be reviewed from time to time to ensure it reflects current practice and anticipates future needs.

The drafting of the proposed Cat Local Law 2025 has been completed, guided by the following themes:

  • Consider the appropriateness of the number of cat-prohibited areas to provide increased protection of flora and fauna within natural areas from cats.
  • Review the requirements for permits for the number of cats per property.
  • The potential removal of permits to identify cat owners.
  • Ensuring alignment with the Cat Act 2011 (WA).

Public Notice: Proposed Cat Local Law 2025 Public notice.

Project timeline

August - October 2023

Feedback from first phase of consultation considered

December 2023

Generate priorities for proposed Local Law review

2024

Keeping and Control of Cats Local Law 1999 statutory review

June 2024

Outcomes of public consultation presented to Council

May 2025

Council resolved to advertise a proposed Cats Local Law 2025

19 June – 14 August 2025

Proposed Cats Local Law 2025 Consultation

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Lodge your submission

Please submit your feedback on the proposed Cat Local Law 2025 before 5.00pm, Friday 14 August 2025

FAQs

The City of Stirling has made a number of Local Laws which regulate and manage activities throughout the City. These Local Laws are enforceable through the courts.

For more information, visit our Policies and Local Laws page.

The City will consider all the submissions from the community and present a report back to Council.

Council will then consider the report at a meeting and determine in the proposed Cat Local Law 2025 should be adopted.

The inclusion of additional Cat Prohibited Areas and the permit requirements within Fauna Protection Buffer Zones aims to encourage responsible cat ownership, and thus a reduction in predation of native animals by roaming pet cats in bushland conservation areas. The City has confirmed the presence of roaming pet cats in several bushland conservation reserves through a trail camera assessment, highlighting the prevalence of roaming cats in our bushlands. Roaming pet cats are recognised as a major threat to biodiversity within urban areas in Australia. Within the City of Stirling, they are estimated to be killing more than 360,000 native animals per year.

The City of Stirling has drafted the proposed new City of Stirling Cats Local Law 2025 to provide the City of Stirling with sufficient measures, in accordance with the Cat Act 2011 (WA) to control the keeping of cats and protect native fauna and flora across the City.  

Key changes include:

  • Cat limits: Households may keep up to two cats without a permit. A permit is required to keep three or more cats or to operate a cattery.
  • Permit areas: Properties located within 200 metres of a Cat Prohibited Area - now expanded from 11 to 43 reserves - must also obtain a permit to keep cats. These areas, known as Fauna Protection Buffer Zones, are designed to safeguard local biodiversity.

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For more information, or to receive this information in an alternate format, please contact the City on (08) 9205 8555 or visit www.stirling.wa.gov.au/enquiry.

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