Barrow County, GA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Cats exempt from
- at-large ban (Sec. 14-38)
- Cats exempt from
- restraint duty (Sec. 14-39)
- TNR program
- spay/neuter, rabies shot, ear-tip
- Enforcement
- Barrow County Animal Control
- Rabies vaccination
- required at 3 months (Sec. 14-61)
Summary
Cats get lighter treatment than other pets in unincorporated Barrow County. Sec. 14-38 exempts felines from the at-large ban that binds dogs, and Sec. 14-39's duty-to-restrain rule likewise does not apply to felines. Stray and feral cats without ID are instead routed through animal control's "community cat" trap-neuter-release program defined in Sec. 14-31.
Community cat means any stray or feral cat (unowned and free-roaming) that has been impounded by the animal control unit and marked by surgical ear-tip in accordance with the community cat program. Community cat program means a program of the animal control unit whereby stray or feral cats (unowned and free-roaming) are impounded by the animal control unit, spayed or neutered, rabies vaccinated, marked by surgical ear-tip, and released in the area or location where such cat was captured or by appropriate placement within a barn home or family.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 14-31 defines "community cat" as any stray or feral cat, unowned and free-roaming, that animal control has impounded and marked with a surgical ear-tip under the "community cat program": a protocol in which the unit impounds the cat, spays or neuters it, vaccinates it for rabies, ear-tips it, and releases it back where it was captured, or in some cases places it in a barn home. Sec. 14-91(a)(9)-(10) lets the county impound any stray or feral cat with no traceable ID, ownership marker, or ear-tip, plus any community cat an employee judges unhealthy.
Once processed, Sec. 14-92(d) exempts these vaccinated, sterilized, ear-tipped cats from the chapter's stray-animal provisions entirely and states they are not deemed abandoned once returned. Unlike dogs, cats are carved out of two core control duties elsewhere in the chapter: Sec. 14-38's duty to keep animals from running at-large and Sec. 14-39's duty to keep an animal restrained on its owner's property both state they do not apply to felines. A cat can still become a nuisance animal, though: Sec. 14-40(9) makes it unlawful for a feline to roam off its owner's property unless it has been spayed or neutered.
Barrow's rabies chapter still reaches every cat regardless of at-large status: Sec. 14-61 requires owners to have cats three months or older vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian, though cats are exempt from wearing a vaccination tag if proof is produced on demand from animal control.
Violations & Fines
The Code sets no separate fine for the cat provisions in Sec. 14-31, 14-38, or 14-39, so a citation defaults to the chapter's general enforcement path: animal control officers under Sec. 14-33 can cite an owner to appear before Barrow County Magistrate Court, and a violation otherwise falls under the Sec. 1-7 general penalty of a fine or up to 60 days' confinement, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my outdoor cat legally roam unincorporated Barrow County?
What happens if animal control picks up a stray or feral cat?
Does my cat need a rabies vaccination tag?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Barrow County
Compare Barrow County to another location·View the Georgia animal ordinances overview
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