Douglas County, CO Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Cat leash law
- None county-wide
- Cat license/tag
- Not required (dogs only)
- Pet-limit
- Cats count as household pets
- Abandonment
- No care over 24 hours
- Cruelty backstop
- C.R.S. 18-9-202
Summary
Douglas County does not require cats to be leashed or licensed: the license/rabies-tag rule applies to dogs. Cats do count as "household pets" toward the 4- or 8-pet zoning limit, and the county's animal-care and anti-abandonment rules protect cats as "pet animals."
No person or owner shall abandon any pet animal which he owns or has in his custody. The term, "abandon", shall mean to leave a pet animal unattended without food, shelter or water for a period of time greater than twenty-four hours.
Full Breakdown
Resolution R-998-100 is titled "Control and Licensing of Dogs and Pet Animals." Its licensing/rabies-tag mandate (§1.01) and leash "control" and running-at-large rules apply to dogs, not cats, so the county sets no cat leash or license requirement. However, cats are "household pets" under Zoning Section 2402, counting toward the 4-per-dwelling (or 8 on A-1/LRR) limit, and are "pet animals" under R-998-100, so the care standards (§1.05(5)) and anti-abandonment rule (§1.05(6)) apply: an owner must provide food, water, and shelter and may not leave a cat unattended without them for more than 24 hours. Colorado's animal-cruelty law (C.R.S. §18-9-202) also applies.
Violations & Fines
Abandoning or failing to provide care for a cat is a Class 2 petty offense under R-998-100 §1.05 (fine up to $300); serious neglect can be charged as animal cruelty under C.R.S. §18-9-202.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do cats have to be licensed in Douglas County?
Do my cats count toward the pet limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Douglas County
Compare Douglas County to another location·View the Colorado animal ordinances overview
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