The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021: guidance for cat breeders
This guidance is issued by the Scottish Ministers to provide details of the requirements of the new Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021, in relation to cat breeding in Scotland.
Annex C
Minimum cage/enclosure sizes (where used) for cat breeding activities
Minimum enclosure size for adult cats (older than 26 weeks old)
The size of a cat unit includes the sleeping area plus the exercise area. These sizes are outlined below.
The sleeping area may be full height or penthouse sleeping accommodation (an enclosed boxed sleeping area or pod raised off the ground). The pod needs to be high enough off the ground to be able to clean underneath but not too high as to make cleaning inside the box difficult. The height of the pod must be between 75cm and 1.5m and the total height of the sleep area must be a minimum of 1.8m whether full height or a pod. The area under the pod cannot be considered as part of the exercise area.
In some catteries that are completely indoors, it is not necessary to have completely separate sleeping and exercise areas. The floor area must be equal to the sum of the above sleeping and exercise areas and the cat needs a unit to sleep on.
| Size | Min area for the sleeping area | Min area for the exercise area | Minimum total area if single indoor unit | Min height |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One cat | 0.85m2 | 1.65m2 | 2.5m2 | 1.8m |
| Up to 2 cats | 1.1m2 | 2.2m2 | 3.3m2 | 1.8m |
| Up to 4 cats | 1.7 m2 | 2.8m2 | 4.5m2 | 1.8m |
Minimum enclosure sizes for kittens up to 26 weeks old
| Cats | Minimum floor area (m2) | Example dimensions (m) W x L | Minimum cage height (m) | Additional space |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Kittens <12-weeks old | 1 | 1 x 1 | 0.6 | 0.25m2 / kitten |
| Single cat 12 – 26 weeks old | 0.85 | 0.9 x 0.95 | 1.8 | - |
| 2 cats 12 – 26 weeks old | 1.5 | 0.9 x 1.66 | 1.8 | - |
| 3 to 4 cats 12 – 26 weeks old | 1.9 | 0.9 x 2.1 | 1.8 | - |
Kittens require adequate space to play together and to have space for a litter tray and bed. Where practical, varying floor heights to enable climbing should also be provided. There should be adequate space for feeding, drinking, sleeping and litter tray to be kept separate.
Contact
Email: Animal.Health@gov.scot
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