Targeted cat desexing program
Desexing cats before they can reproduce is essential to manage and reduce cat overpopulation issues.
There are approximately 227,000 registered cats in Victoria. However, there are many more unowned and semi-owned cats roaming our streets that end up in shelters and pounds each year.
Grants are available to local councils to deliver a trial Targeted Cat Desexing (TCD) grants program that will focus on semi-owned and unowned cats in their municipalities. The Victorian Government has committed $300,000 to support local councils to provide free or low cost desexing to:
- residents in low-socioeconomic areas
- target problem cat population areas that disproportionately contribute to high impoundment, euthanasia and nuisance complaints within council.
The grants program aims to increase cat desexing rates within council, reduce impoundment and euthanasia rates over the medium term (2-5 years) with a focus on low socio-economic areas and improve cat welfare and council registration rates.
The intended outcomes of the program are to:
- reduce the number of semi-owned and unowned cats and kittens over the medium to long term
- influence semi-owners to take full responsibility for cats they feed (for example registration, vaccination and microchipping)
- change community behaviour to increase full ownership through targeted education.
Online applications for the grant funding opened on 5 March 2024 and close on 22 April 2024 at 11.59pm AEST. Applications are open to Victoria’s 79 local government authorities.
Applicants are encouraged to read the program guidelines before completing an application.
The Victorian Government invested $1.3 million from the Victorian Budget 2022–23 for 3 cat management initiatives including a trial targeted cat desexing program.
If you have any questions about the program or guidelines please email us at pet.welfare@agriculture.vic.gov.au
Categories of cats for management purposes
Domestic cats have some form of dependence on humans, either directly or indirectly. They can be classified into 3 subcategories based on their relationship with humans:
Owned—these cats are identified with and cared for by a specific person and are directly dependent on humans. They are usually sociable although sociability varies.
Semi-owned—these cats are fed or provided with other care by people who do not consider themselves owners. They are of varying sociability, with many socialised to humans, and may be associated with one or more households.
Unowned—these cats are indirectly dependent on humans, with some having casual and temporary human interaction. They are of varying sociability, including some being unsocialised, and may live in groups (e.g., at rubbish tips, shopping centres and other urban environments where they can scavenge for food).
Feral cats are unowned, unsocialised, have no relationship with or dependence on humans, and reproduce in the wild.
(Adapted from RSPCA Australia. (2018). Summary of findings and recommendations: Identifying best practice domestic cat management in Australia. Note: In Victoria, the feral cat is a declared established pest animal on specified public land under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994.)
Program guidelines
Targeted cat desexing grants program guidelines (PDF - 544.2 KB)
Targeted cat desexing grants program guidelines - accessible (WORD - 679.9 KB)