Cat Sitting in Melbourne: Choosing a Cat Sitter or Cattery

Melbourne cat owners have a few extra things to think about when they go away. The weather can swing from cool to scorching in a day, many councils have cat curfews, and Victoria has its own code of practice for boarding catteries.

Summer holidays, Christmas with family and work trips all raise the same question. Below, you'll find how to decide between a cat sitter and a cattery, what to look for under Victorian rules, and how to get your cat ready so your time away goes smoothly.

The two main options

Home cat sitting

A sitter comes to your home for one or two visits a day, or stays at your place while you're away.

Why owners choose it:

• Your cat stays in its own territory, with familiar smells and routines.
• No trip in the car, which many cats find stressful.
• No contact with unfamiliar cats.
• Several cats can stay together.
• Your home looks occupied, with mail collected and plants watered.

What to watch out for:

• With drop-in visits, your cat spends most of the day alone, so illness or an accident might not be noticed for hours.
• You need to trust the sitter with your keys and your home.
• Experience varies widely, especially with medication or shy cats.

Boarding cattery

A cattery is a business that houses cats in individual pens or walk-in modules and cares for them every day.

Why owners choose it:

• Trained staff check every cat daily, and Victorian rules require catteries to have vets on call.
• Secure housing means your cat can't wander off or get lost.
• Good catteries are used to giving medication and managing special diets.
• Better for long trips, where daily visits would leave a cat alone too much.

What to watch out for:

• A new place can be stressful, especially for shy or older cats.
• Your cat will be near other cats, so vaccinations must be current.
• Good Melbourne catteries fill up fast over Christmas, New Year and school holidays.

Which suits your cat?

What Victoria's boarding code requires

Catteries in Victoria are covered by the Code of Practice for the Operation of Boarding Establishments, published by Agriculture Victoria. Knowing the main standards helps you spot a well-run cattery. Under the Code:

Health and vaccinations

• Cats must be vaccinated against feline infectious enteritis and feline respiratory disease.
• A current certificate must be shown before admission, with vaccination given within the previous 12 months and the next due date not yet passed.
• Cats must be treated for intestinal worms before admission. If they haven't been, the cattery worms them on arrival at the owner's cost.
• Cats known or suspected to have an infectious disease can't be admitted.
• Cats under three months old shouldn't be boarded overnight except in exceptional circumstances.

Separation from dogs

Cat facilities must be physically separated from dog facilities, and cats and dogs must be transported separately to reduce stress.

Housing standards

The Code sets minimum sizes for cat pens:

• Stays up to 7 days: at least 1 m² of floor space and 900 mm high
• Stays over 7 days: at least 1.5 m² of floor space and 900 mm high, or a larger walk-in module

Cats are housed one per pen, except in walk-in modules, where compatible cats from the same household can share if the owner agrees in writing.

Daily care

• Pens must be cleaned at least daily, and litter trays cleaned daily.
• Cats must always have fresh, clean water and be fed at least once a day. Kittens aged four to six months need two meals a day.
• Staff must watch for and report signs such as vomiting, diarrhoea, weight loss, loss of appetite and difficulty urinating.
• Phenol, a disinfectant that is toxic to cats, must not be used for cats.

Vet care

• The cattery must have a written agreement with enough vets to be on call.
• Prompt vet care must be arranged when needed, and the owner told.
• Cats suspected of having an infectious disease must be isolated under vet supervision.

Records

The cattery must keep your contact details, your cat's description and identification, admission and pick-up dates, medical, diet and grooming needs, vaccination status, your vet's contact details and any changes in behaviour while boarding.

If a cattery is vague about any of these, keep looking.

Questions to ask before booking a Melbourne cattery

Visit in person before you book. A good cattery will happily show you around.

1. Can I see the pens? Check they look clean and dry, with room to move, a shelf and somewhere to hide.
2. How big are the pens? Compare them with the Code's minimum sizes, especially for longer stays.
3. Are cats completely separate from dogs?
4. How do you handle hot days? Melbourne can swing to extreme heat quickly. Ask about cooling, ventilation and shade. See our guide to keeping cats cool in an Australian summer.
5. And cold nights? Ask how pens are kept warm in winter.
6. Which vets are on call, and what happens in an emergency?
7. What vaccination and worming proof do you need?
8. Can you give medication, and how is it recorded?
9. Can I bring my cat's food, bedding and a favourite toy?
10. What are your hours, and are you open on public holidays?
11. What's the full cost? Ask about extras for medication, special diets and peak periods.

Questions to ask a Melbourne cat sitter

1. How much experience do you have with cats like mine? Shy, senior, multi-cat or on medication.
2. How many visits a day, and how long is each?
3. Will you send photos or updates?
4. Can you give tablets, liquids or injections?
5. What will you do if my cat stops eating or seems unwell?
6. Are you insured, and have you had a police check?
7. Can we meet first? Watch how they handle your cat.
8. What's your backup if you're sick?
9. Will you keep my cat indoors and follow my council's curfew rules?

Cat curfews: check your council's rules

In Victoria, section 25 of the Domestic Animals Act 1994 lets councils make orders setting where cats may be and at what hours. Some councils use this to require cats to stay on the owner's property at night, and others require cats to be contained 24 hours a day. The City of Greater Bendigo, for example, introduced 24-hour cat containment from 1 July 2024.

Rules differ between Melbourne councils, so check your own council's website. Make sure your sitter knows the rules, keeps your cat inside, and keeps doors and windows secure. A cat that slips out while you're away is at risk of getting lost, and your council may also issue a fine.

Registration and microchipping in Victoria

Before you travel, make sure your cat's details are up to date. Rules are set by the Domestic Animals Act 1994 and managed by local councils. For example, the City of Monash explains that:

• Cats over three months old must be microchipped and registered with the council.
• Registration is renewed each year on 10 April.
• New cats must be registered within 14 days of moving into the council area.
• For a first registration, the council requires the cat to be desexed unless an exemption applies.

Monash lists a standard 2026–27 registration fee of $47.50 for desexed cats. Fees and rules vary between councils, so check yours. Most importantly, check your phone number and address are correct on your cat's microchip record before you go away.

Getting your cat ready

A few weeks before

• Book early for Christmas, New Year, Easter and school holidays.
• Check vaccination and worming dates if you're using a cattery.
• Update your cat's microchip and council registration details.
• See your vet if your cat is elderly or has health problems.
• Stock up on food, litter and medication, with extra in case of delays.

The week before

• Meet your sitter or visit the cattery.
• Leave the carrier out with a soft blanket and treats so it feels familiar.
• Write a care sheet.

Your care sheet should include

• Feeding amounts and times
• Medication name, dose and timing
• Litter tray locations and cleaning routine
• Your cat's usual hiding spots
• What's normal behaviour for your cat
• Your contact details and a local emergency contact
• Your regular vet's details
• Your nearest 24-hour emergency vet
• Written consent for vet treatment, and how it will be paid for
• Your council's curfew rules

Bringing your cat home

After a cattery stay, many cats are a little unsettled for a day or two. Give your cat a quiet room with food, water, a litter tray and a familiar bed, and let it explore at its own pace. If you have more than one cat, reintroduce them slowly, because the returning cat may smell unfamiliar to the others.

Keep an eye on eating, drinking and litter habits for the first few days. A cat that isn't eating within a day of coming home, has diarrhoea, sneezes or seems lethargic should see your vet, since stress and new surroundings can sometimes bring on illness.

Melbourne-specific risks

Sudden heat

Melbourne's weather can change fast, and hot northerly days can arrive with little warning. Ask your sitter to keep blinds closed on hot days, leave cool rooms open and put out extra water. On very hot days, an extra visit can be worth it.

Paralysis ticks

Paralysis ticks are more common further north, but the eastern paralysis tick's range extends into Victoria, and a survey of the Greater Melbourne area has recorded tick paralysis cases there. If your cat goes outdoors or you've travelled to bushland or the coast, ask your sitter or cattery to check for ticks. Read our guide to paralysis ticks in cats.

Snakes

Snakes are active in warm weather, especially near creeks, parks and bushland on Melbourne's fringe. Indoor cats are far safer. Read our guide to snake bites in cats.

Holiday flowers

If flowers arrive while you're away, ask your sitter to keep any lilies out of the house. Even pollen can cause fatal kidney failure in cats. See why lilies are deadly to cats.

24-hour emergency vets in Melbourne

RSPCA Victoria lists these 24-hour emergency veterinary hospitals across Melbourne. Give your sitter the details of the closest one to your home, as well as your regular vet. Call ahead to confirm hours before you travel.

Frequently asked questions

When should I book a cattery in Melbourne?

As early as possible, especially for Christmas, New Year, Easter and school holidays. Many popular catteries are booked out weeks or months ahead.

What vaccinations does my cat need for a Victorian cattery?

Under Victoria's boarding code, cats need a current vaccination against feline infectious enteritis and feline respiratory disease, given within the past 12 months, plus worming before admission.

Can my two cats share a pen?

Only in a walk-in module, and only if they're compatible cats from the same household and you agree in writing, under the Victorian Code.

What if my cat escapes while I'm away?

Make sure the microchip details are current before you leave, and that your sitter has your council's and local shelters' phone numbers. Ask your sitter to keep doors and windows closed and to follow your council's cat curfew.

Is a cat sitter or cattery cheaper?

It depends on the number of visits, length of stay and time of year. Get quotes from both. For several cats, a sitter can work out better value; for long trips, a cattery may be simpler.

How long can a cat stay home with only sitter visits?

Many healthy adult cats manage well for a few days with one or two visits a day. Kittens, seniors, cats on medication and cats in hot weather may need more frequent visits or a cattery. Ask your vet.

More city guides and related reading

• Cat sitting in Sydney
• Kittens for adoption in Melbourne
• How to tell if your cat is sick

Sources

• Agriculture Victoria, Code of Practice for the Operation of Boarding Establishments
• RSPCA Victoria, Emergency contacts
• City of Greater Bendigo, Domestic Animals Act s25 and s26 orders
• City of Monash, Register your animal

This guide is general information only. Check details directly with your cattery, cat sitter, council and vet.