Billings, MT Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Registration deadline
- 30 days after cat turns 3 months old
- At-large rule
- Sec. 4-406, city-wide
- Vaccination required
- Rabies, by licensed veterinarian
- Senior discount
- 50% off fee, age 65+
- Feral colonies
- Not addressed in city code
Summary
Billings requires every cat to be registered and rabies-vaccinated within 30 days, and bans letting cats run at large off the owner's property.
No small animal shall be allowed to run at large in the city. No owner or keeper shall allow or permit any small animal to be at large off the owner's or keeper's property unless restrained by leash, cord, chain, fence or other physical means of control. Dogs that have been trained and under positive voice control or command shall be allowed to participate in sanctioned obedience training, field trials, dog shows or competition but shall not be allowed to be separated from their owner, keeper or trainer by more than six (6) feet except on private property with owner permission or on public property as referenced in section 4-407. Any small animal found to be running at large in the city or on private property in violation of this section is a public nuisance and shall be impounded in the animal shelter. Persons found to have committed a violation of this section shall be subject to civil penalties as specified in section 18-1304.
(Ord. No. 05-5351, § 7, 12-12-05; Ord. No. 10-5501, § 1, 1-11-10; Ord. No. 11-5536, § 1, 6-27-11)
Editor's note— Ord. No. 05-5351, § 7, adopted December 12, 2005, amended § 4-406 in its entirety to read as herein set out. Formerly, § 4-406 pertained to dogs at large and derived from the Code of 1967, § 8.08.060.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 66 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
City code treats cats as a regulated "small animal." Owners must register every cat within 30 days of it turning three months old (or moving to Billings) and keep current rabies vaccination through a licensed veterinarian. A cat off its owner's property and not on a leash, cord, chain, or other physical restraint is "at large" and impoundable by animal control as a public nuisance. The code does not address feral cat colonies or trap-neuter-return.
Violations & Fines
Unregistered, unvaccinated, or at-large cats draw civil penalties under Sec. 18-1304; impoundment fees also apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Billings require cat licenses?
Can my cat roam free in Billings?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Billings
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