Anderson, IN Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Cat restraint
- Required (Sec. 91.51)
- Community Cat Program
- Sec. 91.72 (Ord. 30-25, 2025)
- Ear-tipped strays
- Returned, not impounded
- TNR funding
- Private volunteers, not city
- Owner-check hold
- 72 hours before procedure
Summary
Cats in Anderson must be kept under restraint like other animals (Sec. 91.51). Sec. 91.72 adds a Community Cat (TNR) Program: ear-tipped, sterilized, vaccinated free-roaming cats trapped by volunteers are returned to where they were found rather than impounded.
A community cat that has been impounded which has already been ear-tipped shall be returned immediately to the location at which it was found, unless veterinary care is required. Community cats shall not be impounded under other circumstances.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-25: Local legislation current through Ord. 11-26, passed 7-9-26 | State legislation current through 2025 ALS Pamphlet No. 3).
Full Breakdown
Cats fall under the general restraint rule of Sec. 91.51 and the kennel-count limits of Sec. 91.01 (altered, confined cats are excluded). Sec. 91.72, added by Ord. 30-25 in 2025, creates a Community Cat Program: a 'community cat' is any domestic cat with no indication of ownership that lives primarily outside. An impounded ear-tipped community cat is returned immediately to where it was found unless it needs vet care, and community cats are otherwise not impounded. Trap-neuter-return is funded and run entirely by private volunteers, not the city. Before any procedure, trapped cats without clear feral traits must be held at least 72 hours to allow owner identification.
Violations & Fines
Owned cats are subject to the same at-large and impound rules as other animals under Sec. 91.51 (reclaim fees $50/$100/$250 plus $10/day).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do cats have to be leashed or confined in Anderson, Indiana?
What is Anderson's community cat program?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Anderson
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