Selling or giving away a cat

As of 1 July 2019, people advertising kittens and cats for sale or to give away in NSW need to include an identification number in advertisements.

The identification number can be:

• a microchip number, OR
• a breeder identification number, OR
• a membership number of a recognised cat breeder organisation
• a rehoming organisation number.

You can apply for a BIN or a RON through the NSW Pet Registry.

The advertising requirement applies to all advertisements, including those in newspapers, local posters, community notice boards and all forms of online advertising, including public advertisements on websites such as the Trading Post, Gumtree and social media sites.

The requirement helps people looking to buy a cat to know what the current owner has recorded as the breed, sex and age of the cat, whether it is desexed, and whether or not it is already registered. This enables people to do further research and make informed purchasing decisions, and promotes responsible cat breeding and selling. Animal welfare enforcement agencies are also able to use this information to identify irresponsible or unethical breeders and to enforce animal welfare laws.

Microchip number:

A microchip number is a 15 digit unique identification number. In NSW, all cats, other than exempt cats, must be microchipped by 12 weeks of age or before being sold or given away, whichever happens first.

If you are selling a cat, it must be microchipped. If you want to use a microchip number in an advertisement, you can take your cat to a veterinarian or other authorised identifier and have it microchipped. If your cat is already microchipped, a veterinarian or other authorised identifier can use a scanner to retrieve the number for you.

Breeder identification number:

Breeder identification numbers are free and available to cat breeders online through the NSW Pet Registry.

New breeder identification numbers will continue to be issued by the NSW Pet Registry to new owners who identify as breeders. This must happen before an animal is sold or given away.

Cat breeders that are members of a recognised breeding body, are also able to use their membership number as a breeder identification number.

To register a cat or find your breeder identification number, visit the NSW Pet Registry.

Rehoming organisation number:

The NSW Office of Local Government may issue rehoming organisation numbers to local councils, pounds and shelters, approved animal welfare organisations and designated rehoming organisations under the Companion Animals Act 1998.

This helps local councils and other organisations that rehome a large number of cats and improves traceability of cats in NSW.

Find out more information about rehoming organisations and guidelines for approval to be an organisation exempt from companion animals registration under clause 16(D) of the Companion Animals Regulation 2008 (PDF, 69.3 KB).

To comply with the rules when advertising, you can use:

• a microchip number, OR
• a breeder identification number, OR
• a membership number of a recognised cat breeder organisation, OR
• a rehoming organisation number.

If you are only selling one cat and it is already born, you may find it easier to use a microchip number.  If you are selling more than one cat, you will need to list each animal’s microchip number or you can choose to use a breeder identification number.

A breeder identification number will be easier to use in your advertisements when:

• The litter you want to sell hasn’t been born yet, OR
• You are selling multiple cats.

Only recognised rehoming organisations can use a rehoming organisation number.

The requirement applies to all advertisements of cats being offered for sale or being given away for free, whether or not the person selling them is a hobbyist or professional breeder or is a subsequent owner of the pet that has an accidental litter.

It also applies to advertisements to find a cat a new home irrespective of the animal’s age and includes litters that have not yet been born.

The requirement applies to all ‘regulated’ cats.

A regulated cat is defined as any of the following:

• a cat that is or will be required by the Companion Animals Act 1998 to be identified (microchipped), including a cat that has not been born or has not yet reached the age at which identification is required;
• a cat that is in the custody of a council including a council pound; and
• a cat that is the custody of the Animal Welfare League NSW, the Cat Protection Society of NSW, or the RSPCA.

Yes, the requirement applies to all people who are giving away or selling a cat.

By law, it is an offence if a person does not use an identification number in an advertisement. It is also an offence to provide false or misleading information.

Sellers can be issued an on-the-spot fine by an enforcement officer of $330 if they do not include an identification number in an advertisement.

Failure to display an identification number, or falsification of a number can also carry a maximum penalty of $5,500 in court.

Buyers are able to search the NSW Pet Registry to verify certain information.

For a cat this includes the companion animal's microchip number, whether they are registered, and the breed, sex, age, whether it is desexed, and whether an annual permit is required.

A breeder identification number search will also display any recorded business name.

For organisations with a rehoming organisation number this includes: the name and address or email address.

From 1 December 2025, additional status details for breeder identification numbers and rehoming organisations will be displayed to indicate if the number is active, suspended or cancelled.

Safeguards are in place to ensure personal information is protected.

It is important that this information is kept up to date. Visit the NSW Pet Registry website for more information.

The advertising requirement will be enforced by the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 enforcement agencies; these are RSPCA NSW, Animal Welfare League NSW and NSW Police. Local council officers do not have these powers.

If you suspect that an advertisement does not include relevant identification information, or if it might display a false or misleading information, you should contact one of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 enforcement agencies: RSPCA NSW, Animal Welfare League NSW, or NSW Police.

When a complaint is received, an animal welfare inspector will investigate and make a decision based on the evidence.

The inspector may take one or more of the following actions:

• provide advice on appropriate care
• officially warn the person/s
• issue directions to the owner to address welfare issues
• issue an infringement notice
• collect evidence to begin a prosecution
• seize the animal/s

The inspector may then re-visit an individual and/or premises to ensure that directions or advice have been followed.  In the event that these directions or advice have not been followed, further action may be taken.

Inspectors can exercise discretion to ensure appropriate action is taken where someone is not complying with the advertising requirement.