Cats
From 1 October 2025, all cats in the City of Melbourne must be desexed.
Exemptions to mandatory desexing apply in some circumstances, such as if you are a registered breeder, member of an applicable organisation External link, or if your cat’s vet provides a valid medical reason they cannot be desexed.
Why are the rules changing?
At the Future Melbourne committee meeting on 1 April 2025, Council resolved to introduce new cat management measures, including mandatory desexing, a curfew and restrictions on where cats can roam – for more information, visit Responsible pet ownership. These measures aim to keep our furry friends safe and happy while also protecting our environment and community.
Desexing your cat offers many benefits to both your cat and the community, including:
- a reduced risk of infections and certain cancers, such as uterine infections and mammary gland tumours in females and testicular cancers in males.
- reduced aggression and desire to roam – this lowers the risk of your cat getting injured in a fight or accident and lessens the harmful impact roaming cats can have on our native flora and fauna.
- preventing unwanted litters, resulting in fewer stray cats and relieving the strain on animal shelters.
By joining the majority of cat owners in the City of Melbourne who have had their furry friends desexed, you can help us to manage the overpopulation of cats in our community.
Low-cost desexing program ending on 31 January
City of Melbourne is wrapping up its low-cost desexing program. Eligible cat owners who have already been contacted about participating in the program will have until 31 January 2026 to make a booking for their pet.
Contact our team at animal.management@melbourne.vic.gov.au to secure your spot.
New rules requiring all cats in the City of Melbourne to be desexed, to be contained to their property during certain times, and to be prohibited from certain areas came into effect on 1 October 2025. For more information, visit Cat containment.
Dogs
We recommend that dogs be desexed if they are not intended for breeding. Desexing can help make dogs less aggressive and easier to control.
Benefits of desexing your pet
Desexing makes it cheaper to register your cat or dog. You can save more than a third of the registration cost.
Other benefits of desexing include:
- helping to reduce over-population
- pets being less prone to wander or fight
- reducing territorial behaviour such as spraying indoors
- pets being less likely to suffer from anti-social behaviours
- helping to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer and infections.
If you have any questions or concerns about desexing your pet, it’s best to consult your vet – all veterinary surgeries will offer desexing procedures.
Additional resources and information can be found on the websites linked below.
More information:
