Dogs and other animals
Cats: Care and control of your cat
Taking care of your cat
Companion Cats – Code of Welfare (2018)
Cat owners have the responsibilities in the Animal Welfare Act (see above, “Caring for your pets: An owner’s responsibilities”).
There’s also a specific code for pet cats, the Companion Cats Code of Welfare (2018), which has detailed standards and requirements.
You don’t have to register your cat.
Damage caused by pet cats
It’s generally accepted that cats are allowed to wander on to other people’s property and that the owner isn’t responsible for any damage they do. Cats can cause a lot of damage to wildlife. There are no laws about this, but the SPCA and Forest & Bird have guidelines for responsible cat ownership that include desexing cats that aren’t intended for breeding, putting bells on cats to help warn birds and discourage hunting, and keeping your cat inside at night.
