Wake County treats cats the same as dogs under Ch. 91 — owners must vaccinate against rabies at 4 months and keep current tag displayed at all times per §91.32 and NCGS §130A-185. Unlike dogs, cats are NOT subject to a leash law and may roam at large.
Wake County's animal ordinance applies the rabies-tag rule to cats, dogs, and ferrets equally. The 'animal at large' prohibition in §91.07(A)(1) historically targeted dogs in practice — cats have de facto been allowed to roam, and Wake County does not actively enforce leash/at-large against cats. However, §91.08 (nuisance) and §91.27 (cruelty) still apply: a cat creating a sanitary nuisance for neighbors can be cited. Feral colonies are commonly managed through trap-neuter-return (TNR) programs supported by the Wake County Animal Center.
No current rabies tag: civil penalty + impoundment if cat is captured. Animal at large complaints involving cats: rarely enforced, but neighbors can file civil nuisance suit.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Wake County.
See how Cary's cat rules rules stack up against other locations.
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