Carroll County, MD Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Restraint duty for cats
- None, exempted by § 90.05(B)
- Cat licensing requirement
- None (dogs only, § 90.02)
- Standard impound hold
- 5 days (not cats)
- Undomesticated cat/kitten hold
- May be euthanized immediately
- Feral cat program
- Defined only, no registry
Summary
Carroll County exempts cats from the leash/restraint and licensing rules that bind dogs, but its code still defines a "feral cat" and gives Animal Control discretion to euthanize undomesticated or very young impounded cats immediately.
(B) The owner of an animal shall prevent the animal, except a cat, from leaving the owner’s property unattended or unrestrained.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-15: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through July 30, 2026).
Full Breakdown
05(B) states the county's restraint duty applies to "the animal, except a cat," so an owner is not required to prevent a cat from leaving the property unattended the way a dog owner must. 02 requires "an owner of a dog" to obtain an annual license with a durable tag, proof of rabies vaccination, and a fee of $5 to $25 depending on spay/neuter status, but the section never extends that licensing duty to cats, so Carroll County has no cat license requirement. 01 as "a domestic cat that does not appear by its behavior or appearance and possibly location found to have been domesticated.
A domestic cat that is not tame and behaves as if it were wild," but it does not set up a feral-colony registration or trap-neuter-return program under that definition. 01 as any domesticated animal without a collar, tag, license, or microchip, or unclaimed by an owner, a definition that still applies to cats even though cats aren't licensed.
Violations & Fines
Because cats are exempt from the at-large restraint duty, an owner cannot be cited under § 90.05 for letting a cat roam. A cat can still be impounded as a stray under § 90.11, and an owner who wants a cat back must claim it before the Animal Care and Control Authority exercises its discretion to place it for adoption or, for an undomesticated cat or very young kitten, euthanize it immediately rather than holding it the standard five days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do cats have to be licensed in Carroll County?
Can my cat roam outside legally in Carroll County?
What happens if an undomesticated cat is impounded?
Does Carroll County define "feral cat"?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Carroll County
Compare Carroll County to another location·View the Maryland animal ordinances overview
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