Columbia, MO Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- Cats over 3 months, annually renewed
- Cat cap per address
- 4 cats over 6 months
- License fee (intact cat)
- $15/yr; $5/yr if neutered
- Feral colony feeding
- Requires city caretaker permit
- Penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine or 30 days
Summary
Columbia, Missouri requires every cat over three months old to be licensed and vaccinated, caps ownership at four cats per address in the city, and impounds cats found running at large in Boone County.
No person shall own, keep, harbor or permit to be or remain on or about such person's premises any dog or cat over three (3) months of age which has not been licensed.
(Code 1964, § 5.050; Ord. No. 13502, § 1, 11-2-92; Ord. No. 23568, § 1, 6-4-18)
Cross reference— Licenses, permits and miscellaneous business regulations, Ch. 13.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 138).
Full Breakdown
Columbia's animal control code, Chapter 5 of the Boone County seat's Code of Ordinances, requires every dog or cat over three months old to carry a current city license (§ 5-63) and rabies vaccination (§ 5-61) before the license issues. No location within the city may keep more than four dogs or cats over six months old, though registered feral-cat colony caretakers are exempt (§ 5-60). Cats and dogs may not run at large on Columbia streets or public places; the animal control officer impounds them, and owners pay boarding, impoundment, and microchip fees to redeem them (§§ 5-4, 5-5). Anyone who feeds an established feral cat colony must first obtain a caretaker permit (§ 5-111).
Violations & Fines
Violating chapter 5 draws a fine up to $1,000, up to 30 days confinement, or both under § 5-16; feeding a feral colony without a permit or refusing to license a cat are separate citable offenses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to license my cat in Columbia, Missouri?
Can I feed a colony of stray cats in Columbia?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Columbia
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