King County Code Title 11 requires cats over eight weeks old to be licensed with Regional Animal Services, but unlike dogs, cats are not required to be leashed; chronic nuisance cats can still trigger civil enforcement.
Under KCC Title 11, cats over eight weeks of age must hold a current RASKC license, with discounts for altered animals. Washington and King County do not require cats to be leashed or confined, so outdoor cats are legal. However, cats causing repeated nuisance, damaging neighbors' property, or running in feral colonies may be subject to civil action under KCC 11.04 and 11.32. RASKC supports trap-neuter-return for community cats and operates a low-cost spay/neuter referral program. Cities that contract with RASKC follow these same standards across most of King County's 39 jurisdictions.
Owning an unlicensed cat over eight weeks old, or allowing a cat to repeatedly damage another property, is a civil infraction under KCC Title 11.
King County, WA
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See how King County's cat rules rules stack up against other locations.
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