Abington, PA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Abington Township Code §§ 58-32, 58-33, 58-35
- Free-roam requirement
- Spay/neuter, rabies shot, left ear tip
- Enforcing agency
- Animal Control Officer, Township Police
- Penalty
- $100-$500 fine, up to 30 days jail
- Colony program
- Township-sponsored trap-neuter-return
- Adopted
- 12-11-2003 by Ordinance No. 1903
Summary
Abington Township only allows a cat to run free outside its owner's residence if the cat has been spayed or neutered, immunized against rabies under Pennsylvania law, and had its left ear tipped to show that status. Chapter 58, Article VI defines feral and stray cats separately, and the Township runs a trap-neuter-return program for colonies that meet its feeding rules.
FERAL CAT Any homeless, wild or untamed cat. STRAY CAT Any cat whose owner or keeper from time to time allows the cat to run free off of the property of the owner or keeper. § 58-33. Responsibilities of cat owners regarding stray cats. It shall be unlawful for any owner of any cat to permit such cat to run free outside the residence of its owner or keeper unless said cat has been: A. Neutered or spayed to prevent it from procreating; B. Immunized against rabies in compliance with Pennsylvania law; and C. Appropriately "tipped" on the left ear to signify that it has been neutered/spayed and immunized. § 58-3 ... ... 5. Violations and penalties. Any person falling to comply with any of the provisions of this article shall, upon summary conviction before a District Justice, be subject to a fine of not less than $100 and not more than $500, and to imprisonment for not more than 30 days for each offense, together with the costs of prosecution.
Full Breakdown
Section 58-32 of the Abington Township Code defines a STRAY CAT as any cat whose owner or keeper allows it to run free off the owner's property, and a FERAL CAT as any homeless, wild or untamed cat. Section 58-33, adopted 12-11-2003 by Ordinance No. 1903, makes it unlawful for an owner to permit a cat to run free outside the residence unless the cat has been neutered or spayed, immunized against rabies in compliance with Pennsylvania law, and appropriately "tipped" on the left ear to show both.
That ear-tip is the enforcement signal the Animal Control Officer and Abington Township Police use in the field: an untipped cat found running free is presumptively in violation regardless of whether it actually belongs to someone. The Township's colony program, run under Section 58-34, lets residents who feed stray or feral cats cooperate with a Township-sponsored humane trapping program that spays or neuters, immunizes and ear-tips a cat before returning it to the vicinity where it was trapped, which is the recognized path to bring a colony into compliance with Section 58-33 rather than face removal.
There is no cat license requirement printed in this article; licensing in Chapter 58 attaches to dogs only. A violation is a summary offense under Section 58-35, prosecuted before a Montgomery County Magisterial District Judge.
Violations & Fines
Under Section 58-35, failing to comply with any provision of Article VI is a summary offense carrying a fine of not less than $100 and not more than $500, plus imprisonment of up to 30 days and costs of prosecution for each offense. Each day a cat continues to run at large without the required sterilization, rabies immunization and ear-tip can support a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Abington Township require a license for cats?
What does the ear-tip actually prove?
Can I feed a feral cat colony without violating the code?
Who enforces the stray and feral cat rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Abington
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