Bossier Parish, LA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Rabies vaccination
- Required for all cats at large
- Extra rules apply in
- 41 named subdivisions
- First-offense fine
- $20.00 or 10 days
- Third-offense fine
- $100.00 or 30 days
- Court that can restrict ownership
- 26th Judicial District Court
Summary
Bossier Parish requires every cat running at large to carry a current rabies vaccination. In 41 named subdivisions, the Police Jury adds duties to confine cats and unneutered females in heat and to prevent nuisance behavior, backed by a rising fine schedule from $20.00 to $100.00 per offense.
All cats running at large in the parish shall be vaccinated against rabies. ... (2)Every female dog or cat in heat shall be confined so that the animal cannot come into contact with an unneutered male, except for planned breeding.
Full Breakdown
Section 14-1 requires all cats running at large in unincorporated Bossier Parish to be vaccinated against rabies, a parishwide duty that traces to Code 1975, Section 4:100. Section 14-3 layers additional cat rules onto 41 specifically named subdivisions, from Tall Timbers and Dogwood Park to Sterling Ranch and Willow Lake: owners there must confine any animal, including cats, in a yard, enclosure, or by humane restraint, and keep every female cat or dog in heat confined so she cannot reach an unneutered male except for planned breeding.
The same subdivisions' animal owners must exercise proper care to prevent a cat from becoming a public nuisance, defined to include repeatedly being at large, chasing vehicles, or scratching, digging, or urinating or defecating on someone else's lawn, shrubs, or buildings. A judge of the parish's 26th Judicial District Court can order a reduction in the number of animals an owner keeps, or other restrictions, when a nuisance is found. Failing to adequately house, feed, or water a cat is a separate misdemeanor, and an animal seized for that reason can be sold or euthanized at the discretion of the parish rabies control unit after conviction.
Violations & Fines
Section 14-3 sets a rising fine schedule for the subdivisions it covers: $20.00 or ten days in jail for a first offense, $50.00 or 20 days for a second, and $100.00 or 30 days for a third and subsequent offense. Poisoning, ill-treating, abandoning, or cruelly beating a cat draws the maximum penalty the section allows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all Bossier Parish cats need a rabies vaccination?
Is my subdivision covered by Bossier Parish's extra cat confinement rules?
What happens if my cat becomes a nuisance in a covered subdivision?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bossier Parish
Compare Bossier Parish to another location·View the Louisiana animal ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.