Burlington, NC Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Section 6-21 makes it unlawful for the owner of any dog, cat or ferret to keep, maintain or harbor the animal unless it has been vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian, as required by G.S. 130A-185. That vaccination duty is the only city-wide restraint requirement that applies to cats: Section 6-20's running-at-large and leash rule is written to cover only dogs, so a cat is not required to be confined to its owner's premises or restrained by a leash the way a dog is, and there is no cat-licensing requirement anywhere in Chapter 6.

The shelter side of cat ownership is covered separately. Under Section 6-44(a), an owner reclaiming an impounded cat must show proof of rabies vaccination, and if none exists, the animal is vaccinated at or before redemption by a veterinarian or certified rabies vaccinator on duty at the shelter. Section 6-44(c) requires anyone adopting or reclaiming a cat to comply with North Carolina's rabies law under G.S. 130A, Article 6, Part 6 before taking possession, with proof of any prior vaccination required. Section 6-44(d) adds a spay-or-neuter mandate specific to shelter adoptions: cats released for adoption from the shelter must be spayed or neutered before the adoption is completed, and the animal goes to the first qualified adopter who pays the adoption fee.

A cat that is not reclaimed within the seventy-two-hour holding period under Section 6-39 may be adopted out under those terms or humanely euthanized under Article 3 of G.S. 19A.