Auburn, WA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Heat confinement rule
- ACC 6.02.020
- Licensing rule
- ACC 6.04.010
- License required from age
- 8 weeks
- Heat-violation penalty (1st/4th)
- $50.00 / $250.00
- Unlicensed cat penalty
- $50.00 flat
Summary
Auburn cats need a current city license after 8 weeks old under ACC 6.04.010, and a female cat in heat must be confined so she cannot reach a male, per ACC 6.02.020, or she can be seized, impounded and ordered spayed regardless of any prior impound history.
A. Every female dog and cat in heat shall be confined in a building or secure enclosure in such a manner that such female dog or cat cannot come into contact with a male of the species, except for planned breeding. It is a violation for any person having control or custody of a dog or cat in heat to allow such animal to be unconfined. Any dog or cat not so confined when in heat, whether or not such dog or cat is licensed, may be seized and impounded, and will be subject to mandatory spaying in accordance with the process set forth in ACC 6.01.110 without regard to prior impoundment. B. A person who violates this section shall be punished as set forth in ACC 6.01.210.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 7023, passed July 6, 2026).
Full Breakdown
110 regardless of the animal's prior impoundment history. 010 makes it unlawful to own, keep or control a cat over 8 weeks old within city limits without a current license tag on the collar or harness, or a lawfully implanted microchip, and any cat off its owner's premises must carry a current license regardless of age. 020 requires displaying the license tag or letting an officer scan a microchip on demand, and cats kept on private property not open to the public still must show proof of licensing on demand.
015 requires rabies vaccination for cats over 8 weeks, waivable only by a veterinarian's certification that vaccination would be harmful. 210(B) prices confinement-in-heat violations on a graduated schedule and licensing failures at a flat rate, both as Class 1 civil infractions.
Violations & Fines
Failing to confine a cat in heat carries a graduated Class 1 infraction: $50.00 first offense, $100.00 second, $200.00 third, $250.00 for a fourth and any later offense within a rolling 12 months (ACC 6.01.210(B), row 6.02.020). Failing to license a cat is a flat $50.00 infraction (ACC 6.01.210(B), row 6.04.010), and failing to display the license or allow a microchip scan is a separate $50.00 infraction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a female cat in heat have to be kept indoors in Auburn?
At what age does a cat need a city license in Auburn?
What is the fine for an unconfined cat in heat in Auburn?
Can Auburn order a cat spayed after an unconfined-heat impound?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Auburn
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Cat Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle cat rules.