Burlington, WI Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- License
- Annual, required for cats over 5 months
- Prerequisite
- Current rabies vaccination proof
- Fee increase
- After April 1 each license year
- Impoundment hold
- Only if rabies suspected
- Feral colonies
- Not addressed in the Code
- License revenue
- Goes to City general fund
Summary
Every cat in Burlington over five months old must be licensed annually at City Hall under § 104-4, with proof of rabies vaccination required first. Cats may not run at large under § 104-8, though unlike dogs they are not required to be held during impoundment unless suspected of rabies.
Every owner of a cat more than five months of age on January 1 of any year, or five months of age within the license year, shall annually, or within 30 days from the date such cat becomes five months of age, obtain a license for each cat from the City Hall. The license year shall commence on January 1 and end on the following December 31. Such cat license tax shall be as set by the Common Council. ... An increased fee shall be paid by persons purchasing cat licenses after April 1 or more than three months after such cat becomes five months of age. Each applicant for a cat license shall present a valid certification of vaccination in accordance with § 104-5 before being issued a license. All funds received from cat licenses shall be paid into the general fund of the City.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4997580; v29 updated 2026-07-07; through 07-07-2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 104-4, amended November 18, 2003, requires every cat owner to obtain an annual license for each cat from City Hall once the cat turns five months old, whether that birthday falls on January 1 or later in the license year; owners then have 30 days to license a cat that just turned five months. The license year runs January 1 through December 31, and anyone who buys a license after April 1, or more than three months after the cat turns five months, pays an increased fee set by the Common Council.
A current rabies vaccination certificate under § 104-5 is required before the City will issue the license, and all cat license revenue is deposited into the City's general fund. Once licensed, the rabies tag from the veterinarian must be attached to the cat's collar (§ 104-5D), and § 104-5E bars harboring an untagged cat. Section 104-8A separately prohibits letting a cat run at large, defined as being anywhere except the owner's premises unless leashed and under the control of a person able to handle it; cats are barred from cemeteries under § 104-8B.
If a cat is impounded for running at large or lacking tags, it is not held for a mandatory period the way dogs are; § 104-8D(2) holds it only if rabies is suspected, in which case the hold is seven days, and unclaimed animals may be disposed of under Wis. 23. Burlington's code does not separately regulate feral cat colonies.
Violations & Fines
An unlicensed or untagged cat may be impounded under § 104-5F, with a reclaiming owner paying an impoundment fee under § 104-8D(3) plus the reasonable cost of the cat's care. A cat found running at large is impounded under § 104-8D and, if not reclaimed within seven days (when rabies is suspected), may be disposed of under state law. Chapter-wide violations carry the § 1-4 forfeiture: $5 to $500 for a first offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to license my cat in Burlington, Wisconsin?
Can my cat roam free outside in Burlington?
What happens if my cat is impounded in Burlington?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Burlington
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