Douglas County does not require cats to be leashed or licensed — the license/rabies-tag rule applies to dogs. Cats do count as "household pets" toward the 4- or 8-pet zoning limit, and the county's animal-care and anti-abandonment rules protect cats as "pet animals."
Resolution R-998-100 is titled "Control and Licensing of Dogs and Pet Animals." Its licensing/rabies-tag mandate (§1.01) and leash "control" and running-at-large rules apply to dogs, not cats, so the county sets no cat leash or license requirement. However, cats are "household pets" under Zoning Section 2402, counting toward the 4-per-dwelling (or 8 on A-1/LRR) limit, and are "pet animals" under R-998-100, so the care standards (§1.05(5)) and anti-abandonment rule (§1.05(6)) apply: an owner must provide food, water, and shelter and may not leave a cat unattended without them for more than 24 hours. Colorado's animal-cruelty law (C.R.S. §18-9-202) also applies.
Abandoning or failing to provide care for a cat is a Class 2 petty offense under R-998-100 §1.05 (fine up to $300); serious neglect can be charged as animal cruelty under C.R.S. §18-9-202.
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Douglas County, CO
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See how Douglas County's cat rules rules stack up against other locations.
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