Chatham County, NC Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Chatham County's animal code does not create a stand-alone cat license or address feral cat colonies; cats are instead folded into the general at-large, tethering and nuisance provisions of Chapter 91. 036(B) specifically names cats: upon an Animal Services Officer's observation of a dog/cat running at large, or off the premises of its owner and not under the physical restraint of a competent person, the officer may, at his or her discretion, impound the dog/cat. The same discretion to cite, warn or take other action applies when a complaint about a loose cat comes in under (C).

021(8) sets tethering standards that apply equally to cats: a dog or cat under four months old may not be tethered at all, no more than one animal may be tied to a single tether, the tether must attach to a collar or body harness rather than directly around the animal's neck, and the combined weight of the tether and collar cannot exceed 10% of the animal's body weight except when deemed necessary. 001's nuisance definition also reaches cats directly: an unspayed female dog or cat in heat that is not kept away from other animals is prima facie nuisance evidence, unless the owner is intentionally breeding the animal on an enclosed premises. 999.