Harrisburg, PA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Chapter 3-503 of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was adopted by Ord. No. 11-1992. Section 3-503.1 bars anyone from keeping, harboring or maintaining a cat over the age of three months without a license from the Chief of Police or an authorized agent. The license runs from January 1 to December 31 of each year. It does not apply to cats whose owners are in the City for 60 days or less, or to cats brought into the City to take part in a cat show or similar event.

At application, § 3-503.2 requires the owner to state name, address and telephone number, plus the name, breed, color and sex of each cat. Fees under § 3-503.3 are Five Dollars for unspayed female or unneutered male cats and Three Dollars for spayed female or neutered male cats, cats a veterinarian certifies as incapable of breeding or being bred, and cats less than six months of age. Catteries must have the owner purchase and place a license on every cat purchased or placed from them, and the Chief of Police provides licenses for the remainder of the license year to nonprofit shelters inside City limits, to be distributed free of charge to cats placed with City residents.

Section 3-503.4 requires a tag for each licensed cat, changed every year with the year stamped on it. Every cat that ventures upon a public street, sidewalk or other public place must wear a collar with the tag affixed. The tag number preceded by the letters HBG and the license year, written clearly and legibly on the collar, is an acceptable substitute. Tags are not transferable from one cat to another, and a lost or stolen tag is reissued for $1.

The Chief of Police can revoke a license for failure to comply under § 3-503.5; the holder then has 10 days to humanely dispose of or remove all animals. A person denied a cat license cannot reapply for one year.

Section 3-505.1 makes it unlawful to own or harbor a dog or cat over three months old without a valid rabies vaccination. Section 3-505.2G declares a cat that interferes with passersby, attacks or molests persons or animals, or is repeatedly unrestrained or at large a nuisance, and § 3-505.2F requires a female cat in season to be kept confined.