Tasmania's Cat Laws May Be Changing: What Every Cat Owner Needs to Know

The Tasmanian Government is preparing a new Tasmanian Cat Management Plan to replace the first one, which ran from 2017 to 2022. Its discussion paper asked the public about keeping cats within their owner's property and about registering cats, as dogs are registered. All cat owners across Launceston, West Tamar, George Town, the Northern Midlands and the East Coast could be affected.

Dr Kristina Fisher

Veterinarian, BVMS

What the Government Is Asking About

The discussion paper is the first step towards a new five-year plan to replace the original Tasmanian Cat Management Plan, which ran from 2017 to 2022. It asked the public about:

Containment: keeping cats within the owner's property boundary, which current law does not require
Registration: whether cat owners should register their cats with the council, as dog owners do
Rural cat control: whether the 1 km distance from a home that applies to the humane destruction of cats on private land should be reduced
Support programs: what education, incentives or support would encourage responsible cat ownership

Public consultation ran from 6 March to 15 May 2026 and has closed. NRE Tasmania says the submissions will guide the new plan, which will set the framework for cat management in Tasmania for the next five years. As at September 2026 the new plan had not been released. The discussion paper and the consultation details are on NRE Tasmania's consultation page (updated 17/06/2026).

What the Law Already Requires

Even before the new plan takes effect, Tasmanian cat owners already have legal obligations many are unaware of:

All cats over four months old must be desexed and microchipped (exemptions apply for registered breeders or on veterinary advice)
A maximum of four cats over four months old per property without a multiple cat permit
Any cat sold or given away must be at least eight weeks old, desexed, microchipped, vaccinated and wormed
Cats must be microchipped and desexed before being reclaimed from a cat management facility

These rules come from the Cat Management Act 2009 and are set out in NRE Tasmania's responsible cat ownership pages (updated 02/07/2026).

What This Means for Cat Owners in Our Service Area

If mandatory containment is introduced, cat owners across Launceston, Legana, George Town, Longford, Swansea and the East Coast would need to:

Transition outdoor and roaming cats to an indoor or enclosed lifestyle
Build or purchase a cat enclosure (catio) to provide outdoor access safely
Ensure microchip registry details are current, as registration would require verified contact information

Rural and semi-rural properties across the Northern Midlands and East Coast, where cats often roam large areas freely, would face the biggest adjustment.

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