Cat Issues or Feral Cats: Related Statutes

Statute by categorysort descending Citation Summary
CA - Cats - Consolidated Cat Laws West's Ann. Cal. Food & Agric. Code § 31750 - 31766; West's Ann. Cal. Fish & G. Code § 4150 - 4151 These statutes comprise California consolidated cat laws. Among the provisions include possession requirements for non-domestic cats, vaccination and impound procedures for domestic cats, and legislative policy statements about feral cats.
CA - Cruelty - § 597.6. Exotic or native wild cat species; alteration of toes, claws or paws West's Ann. Cal. Penal Code § 597.6 This California law provides that no person may perform, or otherwise procure or arrange for the performance of, surgical claw removal, declawing, onychectomy, or tendonectomy on any cat that is a member of an exotic or native wild cat species, and shall not otherwise alter such a cat's toes, claws, or paws to prevent the normal function of the cat's toes, claws, or paws. Violation results in a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year and/or a fine of up to $10,000.
CO - Exotic - Article 81. Hybrid Animals C. R. S. A. § 35-81-101 to 102 This Colorado statute authorized the commissioner of the department of agriculture to appoint and convene an advisory group to study the behavior of hybrid canids (wolf hybrids) and felines, including a review of any incidents involving property damage and personal injury caused by such animals. The department was to present its findings and proposals for legislation in January of 1998.
CT - Feral Cats - § 22-339d. Municipal control of feral cats C.G.S.A. § 22-339d This Connecticut statute permits municipalities to adopt ordinances requiring registration of feral cat "keepers," defined as anyone who harbors or regularly feeds a feral cat. If a municipality enacts such an ordinance, the ordinance must require the keeper to sterilize the cat and have it vaccinated against rabies. The statute also enables municipalities to adopt ordinances holding cat owners and keepers responsible if their cats cause significant property damage or severe health violations.
IN - Exotic Pet - Chapter 2. Definitions I.C. 14-8-2-87 This Indiana statute provides the definition of an exotic mammal, which does not include a feral cat or dog.
MA - Cat of commonwealth - Chapter 2. Arms, Great Seal and Other Emblems of the Commonwealth. M.G.L.A. 2 § 30 The Tabby cat shall be the official cat of the Massachusetts commonwealth.
ME - Cat - Consolidated Cat Laws 7 M. R. S. A. § 3916 - 3919C; 1 M. R. S. A. § 217 These statutes comprise Maine's cat laws. Among the provisions include rabies vaccination requirements, stray cat procedures, and the designation of the "state cat."
MN - Declaw - 504B.114. Pet declawing and devocalization prohibited M.S.A. § 504B.114 This Minnesota law, effective January 1, 2024, prohibits a landlord who allows an animal from: (1) advertising the availability of a real property for occupancy in a manner designed to discourage application for occupancy of that real property because an applicant's animal has not been declawed or devocalized; (2) refusing to allow the occupancy of a real property, refusing to negotiate the occupancy of a real property, or otherwise making unavailable or deny to another person the occupancy of a real property because of that person's refusal to declaw or devocalize an animal; or (3) requiring a tenant or occupant of real property to declaw or devocalize an animal allowed on the premises.
RI - Cats - Chapter 22. Cat Identification Program and Chapter 24. Permit Program for Cats Gen.Laws 1956, § 4-22-1 - 10; § 4-24-1 - 13 These Rhode Island section is entitled the "Cat Identification Program." Under this law, cats are required to display some form of identification (tag, tattoo, etc.) in an effort to reduce the feral/stray cat problem. The law reduces the retention period for cats impounded without some form of identification.
UT - Cats - Chapter 46. Animal Welfare Act. Part 3. Community Cat Act U.C.A. 1953 § 11-46-301 to 304 A shelter may release a cat prior to the 5-day holding period to a sponsor operating a community cat program. Such a cat is exempt from licensing requirements and feeding bans.  Community cat sponsors or caretakers do not have custody of any cat, and sterilization and vaccination records must be kept for three years.
VA - Licenses - § 3.2-6524. Unlicensed dogs prohibited; ordinances for licensing cats Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-6524 This Virginia statute provides that it is unlawful for any person to own a dog four months old or older in the state unless such dog is licensed. With regard to cats, the governing body of any county, city or town may, by local ordinance, prohibit any person from owning a cat four months or older within such locality unless such cat is licensed.
WI - Cats - Question 62 - DEFEATED Wisconsin 2005 Question 62

This controversial measure would have allowed hunters to hunt any cat that was found free roaming, meaning it did not exhibit a collar or other signs of domestic ownership.  At the Monday, April 11, 2005 meeting of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress, those in favor of the feral cat hunting proposal  approved the measure by a vote of 6,830 to 5,201.  This approval was then forwarded to the state Natural Resources Board for consideration.  Proponents of the measure suggest feral cats expose domestic animals to disease and endanger native songbirds.  Opponents of the measure counter that such a law would be cruel and archaic, putting domestic cats who have escaped from their homes at risk of death.  On May 25, 2005 at the Natural Resources Board regular spring meeting, a representative of the Congress indicated that the Executive Committee has declined to pursue the issue any further.  (See the official meeting minutes at page 5 at http://dnr.wi.gov/org/nrboard/minutes/M05/0505%20minutes.pdf ).  Feral cat advocates claimed a public relations victory, as the measure gained national and even international criticism.  (See Alley Cat Allies at http://www.alleycat.org/wi.html ).  (For more on the procedural history of this measure, see the "Long Summary" under the "Statute Details" above).