Cats bring a positive health and wellbeing benefits to their owners and play an important but complex role in our community. 

Camden Council has developed a Cat Management Plan to help guide the responsible management of cats in the Camden LGA. 

Eligible cat owners are offered subsidised desexing through Council's desexing program.

All cats must be microchipped to be eligible for the desexing program. Council run a Free Microchipping Program if your cat requires to be microchipped. 

How is a resident eligible?

The applicant must:

• Be a resident of the Camden Local Government Area
• Have a pension, concession or health care card issued by Centrelink or
• Be taking responsibility for and providing ongoing care for a stray cat that will be microchipped in their name

Please note: Applications will be assessed on an individual basis by Council and are subject to available funding.

How It Works:

• Submit your application
• Council will assess your application to ensure eligibility
• A desexing voucher and list of participating Veterinary Clinics will be provided
• Make an appointment with your chosen Veterinary Clinic and pay $40.00 direct to them

Applications: 

• Cat Desexing Voucher Application - Eligible Pensioner
• Cat Desexing Voucher Application - Stray Cat 

Once your pet is desexed, the next step is Lifetime Registration. 

Roaming cats

Under the Companion Animals Act, cats are allowed to roam, except in prohibited places, such as protected wildlife areas and where food is prepared or consumed. 

Council encourages cat owners to keep their pets inside or in an outdoor enclosure to minimise the opportunity for injury to the animal, protect wildlife and reduce instances of nuisance behaviour.

If you have a cat that you think may be lost and you are concerned, there are a few things you can do to locate an owner:

• Print out the attached Stray Cat Paper Collar and follow the instructions on how to use it
• Door knock your neighbourhood to see if anyone knows where the cat comes from
• Complete a Letterbox drop

For further information contact Council's Customer Service Team 13 CAMDEN (13 226 336) or email

When can I seize a stray cat? 

Under the Companion Animals Act, any person can seize a stray cat if: 

• It is in a prohibited area
• For the protection of any person or animal, only if it is reasonable and necessary 

Council is not permitted to accept cats that have been seized unlawfully. 

If you are being disturbed by a cat in your neighbourhood, we encourage you to discuss your concerns with the cat's owner. Alternatively, if you are unsure of where the cat comes from you can try using a paper collar or doing a letterbox drop in your area.

Stray Cat Paper Collar

Letterbox drop

If the cat belongs to a neighbour it's best to talk with them directly. If talking with your neighbour is unsuccessful, the next step is to seek assistance via the Community Justice Centre. They are experts in resolving neighbour disputes.

For more information, visit their website or phone 1800 990 777.

If attempts to resolve the matter directly with the cat owner or through mediation have not reduced the nuisance caused by the cat, you may lodge a written complaint with council.

For Council to investigate a nuisance cat we need to know the following:

• Where the cat lives or who is caring for it
• A description of the cat, and
• Details of the nuisance behaviour