Wyndham cats may be trapped if they are found wandering at night.
The council has started reinforcing a curfew that requires cats to be confined to their owner’s property between 10pm and 6am.
The curfew has been in place for many years, but it wasn’t actively enforced.
But the council is beginning to reintroduce the curfew after adopting a new domestic animal management plan last year.
The city is home to 5939 registered cats.
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Cr Heather Marcus said the curfew was in the best interest of cats.
“When they roam at night, they can get into fights, attack wildlife, damage neighbouring properties and run the risk of being hit by cars,” she said.
“They’re safer if kept inside, particularly at night, and statistics show they also live longer. Allowing cats to roam can also put a strain on relationships with neighbours, as the cats potentially dig up gardens and get into fights.”
Cr Marcus also said keeping cats indoors reduced the risk of unwanted litters.
Many other councils have cat curfews to help reduce the number of strays.
About 90 per cent of cats taken to Wyndham’s municipal pound each year are not microchipped or registered, with stray cats a major problem because they can carry disease.
More details at www.wyndham.vic.gov.au.
