Charles County, MD Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

" Before the County issues that license, § 230-10(A)(4)(a) requires the owner to produce a valid rabies certificate from a licensed veterinarian, and an unsexed-animal license additionally requires proof of surgical sterilization under § 230-10(A)(4)(b). The resulting license certificate records the cat's sex, species, breed, age, color, markings and rabies expiration date, and the accompanying tag must be worn at all times except when the cat is confined at home or in a kennel, or competing in a show where tags are barred. 1 addresses reproduction directly: "Every female dog or cat in season shall be humanely confined in a building or secure enclosure" so she cannot contact an unneutered male except for planned breeding, though normal supervised outdoor waste elimination on the owner's property is still allowed.

The at-large rules of § 230-12 apply equally to cats, so an unconfined cat on public property, school grounds during session, or another person's land without permission is itself a separate violation. Charles County's code does not carve out an exception or registration path for managed feral cat colonies; free-roaming feral cats fall under the general at-large and licensing provisions like any other cat.