Western Australia bill

Cat Amendment (Local Laws) Bill 2026

WASecond ReadingMetadata only

Zoe only has APH summary and progress metadata for this Bill. Deep analysis is withheld until official Bill text or explanatory material is available.

Jurisdiction

Western Australia

Making Date

2026-02-25

Collection

bill

Parliamentary Progress

IntroducedFirst ReadingSecond ReadingCommitteePassed HousePassed SenatePassed BothRoyal Assent

Plain English Summary

3/10 complexity

**What this Bill changes (mechanically)

Replaces and expands one paragraph of the Cat Act 2011 (section 79(3)(f)) and adds a new subsection (4) to that section (see s.4 of the Bill).
The change makes explicit that a local law may prohibit cats from particular places (either absolutely or with limits).
It expressly allows local laws to:
- ban cats from any or all public places or from anywhere except the cat’s usual premises;
- make those bans apply only at certain times (times of day, seasons, or events), carve out particular places inside a prohibited area, or provide exceptions where conditions are met (for example, the cat is under effective control or is contained); and
- define, within the local law, what “effective control” or “contained” means for enforcement.
The Bill adds three short examples to illustrate how a local law might look (night-time bans in public places; a ban for a specified park; an all-places ban with exceptions for veterinary visits when the cat is contained or under control).

Who this affects

Cat owners and people who care for or transport cats: they may face new limits on where and when their cats can be.
Local governments (councils): they gain clearer legal authority and discretion to draft and enforce place-based limits on cats.
Enforcement officers, vets, boarding facilities and pet-related businesses: changes in access or transport rules will affect day-to-day operations and possibly demand for containment products.

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Source excerpts

Direct links to excerpts of the current source text in Cat Amendment (Local Laws) Bill 2026.

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Document excerpt 1

Cat Amendment (Local Laws) Bill 2026

53—1 page i Western Australia Cat Amendment (Local Laws) Bill 2026 Contents

Short title 2
Commencement 2
Act amended 2
Section 79 amended 2

page 1 Western Australia LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Cat Amendment (Local Laws) Bill 2026 A Bill for An Act to amend the Cat Act 2011. The Parliament of Western Australia enacts as follows:

Cat Amendment (Local Laws) Bill 2026 s. 1 page 2

Short title1 This is the Cat Amendment (Local Laws) Act 2026.2
Commencement3 This Act comes into operation as follows —4 (a) sections 1 and 2 — on the day on which this Act5 receives the Royal Assent;6 (b) the rest of the Act — on the day after that day.7
Act amended8 This Act amends the Cat Act 2011.9
Section 79 amended10 (1) Delete section 79(3)(f) and insert:11 12 (f) the prohibition of cats from places, whether13 absolutely or otherwise;14 15 (2) After section 79(3) insert:16 17 (4) Without limiting subsection (3)(f) or the Interpretation18 Act 1984 section 43(7) or (8), a local law made for the19 purposes of subsection (3)(f) may —20 (a) prohibit a cat from being in a place, including21 prohibiting a cat from being in —22 (i) any or all public places; or23 (ii) any place other than the premises at24 which the cat is ordinarily kept;25 and26

Cat Amendment (Local Laws) Bill 2026 s. 4 page 3 (b) provide that a prohibition —1 (i) applies or does not apply during certain2 times of day or year or during certain3 events; or4 (ii) does not apply to a place within the5 otherwise prohibited area; or6 (iii) does not apply if certain conditions are7 met, including that the cat is under the8 effective control of a person or is9 contained;10 and11 (c) provide what constitutes a cat being under the12 effective control of a person, or being13 contained, for the purposes of the local law.14 Examples for this subsection:15

A local law may prohibit a cat from being in all public places16 between the hours of 7 pm and 5 am.17
A local law may prohibit a cat from being in a specified park.18
A local law may prohibit a cat from being in any place other19 than the premises at which the cat is ordinarily kept,20 unless —21 (a) the cat is being transported to, or is at, veterinary22 premises; and23 (b) the cat is contained, or under the effective control of24 a person.25 26

Source text

Sourced from the Western Australian Legislation website (legislation.wa.gov.au). Not the authorised version.