Harris County has no dedicated cat ordinance. Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 826 mandates rabies vaccination for cats over four months old. Harris County Public Health Veterinary Public Health serves as the local rabies authority while cities run licensing and TNR programs.
Under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 826 and Texas Administrative Code Title 25 Chapter 169, every cat over four months must carry a current rabies vaccination from a licensed veterinarian. Harris County Public Health Veterinary Public Health Division acts as the local rabies control authority, coordinating bite reports, ten-day quarantines, and rabies testing through the state lab. Texas counties cannot impose stricter pet rules in incorporated areas, so cat licensing, leash exemptions, trap-neuter-return programs, and community cat feeding rules vary by city. Houston BARC operates an active TNR program; Pasadena, Baytown, and Pearland each set distinct cat policies through municipal codes.
Unvaccinated cats trigger Class C misdemeanor citations under Chapter 826 with fines up to five hundred dollars. Bite incidents force ten-day quarantine at owner expense; chronic noncompliance can lead to impound and additional municipal penalties.
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See how Harris County's cat rules rules stack up against other locations.
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