Durham County, NC Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Rabies vaccination
- Required (Sec. 4-39)
- At-large rule
- Applies to all animals
- Feral cat defined
- Sec. 4-13
- Kennel license
- 5+ cats (Sec. 4-37)
- Nuisance route
- Sec. 4-136
Summary
Durham County's animal ordinance applies to cats: they must be rabies-vaccinated (Sec. 4-39) and, like all animals, are 'at large' when off the owner's property and unrestrained (Sec. 4-13). Feral cats are defined in Chapter 4, and five or more cats trigger the kennel license.
Feral cat means a domestic cat which has adapted to survive in the wild, is homeless and ownerless, and having descended from stray and possible generations of abandoned house pets.
Full Breakdown
Cats ('any and all domestic felines') are covered by Chapter 4. Sec. 4-39 requires rabies vaccination for cats over the state-mandated age, and Sec. 4-36 addresses licensing. The 'at large' definition in Sec. 4-13 reaches any animal off its owner's property and not under restraint, so free-roaming cats can be picked up, though enforcement focuses on dogs. Sec. 4-13 separately defines a 'feral cat' as a domestic cat adapted to survive in the wild, homeless and ownerless, descended from stray or abandoned house pets. Five or more cats of the same species require a kennel license under Sec. 4-37. Nuisance behavior by cats is reachable under Sec. 4-136.
Violations & Fines
Failing to rabies-vaccinate a cat, or keeping five or more cats without a kennel license, is enforceable under Chapter 4 with civil penalties from $50 (Sec. 4-9).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do cats have to be leashed in Durham County?
How does Durham County handle feral cats?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Durham County
Compare Durham County to another location·View the North Carolina animal ordinances overview
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