Arlington, TX Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Rabies vaccine age
- Four months
- Shelter location
- Brown Boulevard East Division
- Max fine
- 500 dollars Class C
- ID required
- Tag or microchip
Summary
Arlington requires cats over four months old to be vaccinated against rabies and registered with Arlington Animal Services. Cats running at large may be impounded, and free-roaming community cats must be managed under approved trap-neuter-return programs.
Sec. 826.021. VACCINATION OF DOGS AND CATS REQUIRED. (a) Except as otherwise provided by department rule, the owner of a dog or cat shall have the animal vaccinated against rabies by the time the animal is four months of age and at regular intervals thereafter as prescribed by department rule.(b) A veterinarian who vaccinates a dog or cat against rabies shall issue to the animal's owner a vaccination certificate in a form that meets the minimum standards approved by the executive commissioner.(c) A county or municipality may not register or license an animal that has not been vaccinated in accordance with this section. Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.Amended by: Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219), Sec. 3.1613, eff. April 2, 2015. Sec. 826.0211.
Full Breakdown
Arlington City Code Chapter 5 requires every cat owner to keep current rabies vaccination records and obtain a city pet registration tag. Cats found at large can be picked up by Arlington Animal Services and held at the East Division shelter on Brown Boulevard until reclaimed for a fee. Spayed or neutered cats receive reduced registration costs. Outdoor cats must wear identification, and feeding feral colonies on public property without an approved TNR caretaker permit is prohibited. Repeat at-large incidents may trigger nuisance citations issued by Animal Services officers under city code enforcement authority.
Violations & Fines
First impoundment fees plus boarding charges per day; uncited rabies vaccination citations carry fines up to 500 dollars per Class C municipal court violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are indoor-only cats exempt from rabies vaccination?
Can I feed neighborhood stray cats?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Arlington
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Arlington to another location·View the Texas animal ordinances overview
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Cat Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Tarrant County handle cat rules.