Hamilton, NJ Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Section 108-24 requires that outdoor cats, defined as domesticated owned cats "allowed to roam freely outdoors by their owners," "shall wear a collar and tag." Community, or feral, cats are handled separately under § 108-25's TNVR program. Colonies may only be maintained on private property, and caregivers must get the landowner's permission first, including on leased or multi-family property (§ 108-25.C(1)); feeding feral cats on Township-owned property is unlawful without prior written Township authorization (§ 108-25.C(1)(c)). Feeding areas may only have food out from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., food must be offered in a container rather than dumped on the ground, and leftovers must be cleared by 9:00 p.m. (§ 108-25.D(1)(a)).

If a caregiver meets the colony's care, sterilization, vaccination and ear-tipping duties, the community cat is exempt from Chapter 108's licensing, stray and at-large provisions (§ 108-25.C(2)). A caregiver who lets a colony create a nuisance is in violation and must abate it within 48 hours of a notice of violation, with up to 30 days to fully resolve it absent a written extension from the Director of Health, Recreation, Senior and Veterans Services (§ 108-25.F(1)). Trapped ear-tipped cats are scanned for a microchip at the Township Animal Shelter, and a caregiver has seven business days to retrieve a cat before a seven-day stray hold under N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.16(d) applies (§ 108-25.G).