My Property

Cats

Cats are much loved and valued pets for many people. It has been estimated however that cats kill more than 75 million native animals a year.  They can also spread diseases to livestock, humans and wildlife.

As we live in an area abundant in native wildlife, some of which are threatened, and where agriculture is an important industry, we encourage all cat owners to be responsible cat owners.  Animal welfare must be the first consideration for cat control.

The TassieCat website is a great source of information for cat owners and others on keeping our cats, communities and wildlife safe.  The TassieCat facebook page is worth a look too.

From 2018 we worked actively with the Northern Regional Cat Management Strategy, implementing local priorities and collaborating with other councils and stakeholders to promote responsible cat management as part of the Tasmanian Government’s first Cat Management Plan initiative.  And look forward to its next Cat Management Plan.

For details and more information about cat management in Tasmaina visit the Responsible Cat Ownership webpages of the Department of  Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRE).

The Cat Management Act includes rules for keeping, breeding and trapping cats (seizing, detaining, destroying and releasing).  Under the Act:

  • Cats older than four months must be desexed and microchipped​ (exceptions apply).​
  • Only registered breeders or a person holding a cat breeding permit are permitted to breed cats (and that includes simply allowing a cat to breed).
  • Cats that are sold or given away must be more than eight weeks old, desexed, microchipped and have passed a health check.
  • ​​A Permit is required to keep more than four cats on an individual property (with some exeptions, such as registered breeders and visiting cats).
  • In certain circumstances, trapping, seizing and humane destruction of cats is permited and landowners and managers can control ‘roaming and nuisance’ cats​ found on their land.

 

Subsidised microchipping and desexing 2026

Our 2026 desexing and microchgipping subsidy is open for applications until the end of August (or our funds run out).

We encourage Break O’Day residents to have their pet cat de-sexed and microchipped.  And to use the subsidy opportunity if meeting the costs are a challenge or you have a stray cat that visits and you are will take it in as your own pet cat. We had over twenty cats and their owners take up the 2024 subsidy offer to desex and microchip their cats.

The 2026 subsidy is available through either of the two Veterinary Clinics in St Helens as a reduction of their fee.

  • new microchip $20
  • desex male $60
  • desex female $100

Conditions will include.

  • cats residing in Break O’Day
  • 2 cat limit
  • microchip required & information shared
  • not for breeders or cats being sold or given away.

Access the online application form with the QR code
or this link:  Application Form – BODC Cat Subsidy 2026

There are futher details and instructions on the form.

If you are having trouble applying online, or have any queries, you can get help by dropping in to Council’s St Helens office or by giving us a call on 6376 7900.

 

Why microchip and desex your cat?

Your desexed cat is a friendlier companion and safer, by not wanting to roam so much.  Having your valued cat microchipped means if it does get out and strays from home it can be identified as yours and come home safe. It is important to maintain your cat’s details with the database linked to it’s microchip.

Desexing your cat means it’s not going to add to the struggling stray and roaming cat populations around our townships.  Or be making the feral cat problem worse in Tasmania’s native habitats.

Millions of native mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs are killed by stray, roaming and feral cats every year.  And cats also carry dieseases, like toxoplasmosis, that affect farm animals and people, and cats themselves.  As well as microchipping and desexing of cats, reducing populations of stray and roaming cats in our townships is another cat management priority in Break O’Day.

The Cat Management Act makes it mandatory for all cats to be microchipped and desexed at 4 months or older. (Exceptions include veterinary health reasons or for lawful breeders.)

 

For more information on cat management in Tasmania see the TassieCat website, TassieCat facebook page and visit the Responsible Cat Ownership webpages of the Department of  Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania.

The introduction of the Cat Management Act in 2009 initiated new efforts to tackle cat problems in Tasmania.  In 2016 the Tasmanian Government released its Cat Management Plan and in 2019 it launched the Tasmanian Cat Management Project ‘TassieCat’ and amendments to improve the Cat Management Act came into force between 1 March 2021 and 2022.

It has been estimated that cats kill more than 75 million native animals a year in Australia, including some species threatened with extinction. Cats also can carry diseases which affect sheep, other animals and humans, such as toxoplasmosis which can cause miscarriage and birth defects.

As we live in an area abundant in native wildlife and livestock grazing is important to our local economy, we encourage all cat owners to understand their responsibilities as a cat owner.  Three things to do are microchip and desex your cat and keep it safe, at home and not roaming.

To find out more about what responsible cat ownership means and information about management of roaming and feral cats visit the TassieCat website and the Responsible Cat Ownership webpages of NRE.

Trapping cats

If you are concerned about stray and roaming cats near you the Cat Management Act includes rules for trapping cats (seizing, detaining, destroying and releasing).  Always treat animals humanely and respect their welfare (the Animal Welfare Act applies).

Under the Cat Management Act:

  • A person is permitted to trap a cat on their private property, provided the trap is checked at least once within every 24-hour period after the trap is first set; and a trapped cat is either returned to its owner; or taken to a Cat Management Facility or a nominee of a Cat Management Facility, within 24 hours of being trapped. Arrangements should be made with cat management facilities before setting a trap.
  • A person managing ‘primary production land’ or occupier of ‘production premises’ is permitted to humanely destroy a cat on ‘primary production land’ or at ‘production premises’. Persons undertaking lethal cat management action would need to comply with other relevant legislation, such as the Animal Welfare Act 1993 and the Firearms Act 1996.

Managers of Crown Land and formal nature conservation reserves (Prohibited Areas for cats) may trap, seize or humanely destroy a cat found on those areas. Council can declare Council land as Prohibited Areas also, and declare Cat Management Areas elsewhere, to support actions to reduce cat populations and to encourage responsible car care.

TassieCat has good information (here) that will help you and your neighbourhood if you are concerned about stray or roaming cat problems.  Council does not have any Cat Management Facilities for the surrender and sheltering of cats.

You can find more information from the Responsible Cat Ownership webpages of the Department of  Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania.  For more information on feral cat management see the Department’s feral cats webpage.