Irvington, NJ Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Licensing section
- Irvington Township Code § 167-5
- License fee
- $21/year or $63 for three years
- Senior rate
- $15.25 annually (age 60+)
- Feral cat program
- TNR under Ord. No. MC 3628 (§ 167-33)
- Colony feeding limit
- Daylight hours, max 2 feedings/day
- First offense fine (unlicensed)
- $50
Summary
Irvington Township Code Section 167-5 requires every cat owner to obtain a license from the Township's Division of Licensing, requires all cats and dogs to be vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian, and requires anyone walking a dog on a public street or park to carry waste pickup materials. A separate program under Article V lets residents maintain registered feral cat colonies through trap-neuter-return.
All owners of cats must obtain a license from the Township of Irvington's Division of Licensing. All cats and dogs shall be vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian. Any person who walks a dog upon the public streets or in any park in the Township or other public property must carry with him/her appropriate materials to pick up and dispose of any waste caused by said animal. ... A TNR Program shall be permitted, and caretakers shall be entitled to maintain feral cat colonies in accordance with the terms and conditions of this article.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4996945; v39 updated 2026-07-13; through 07-13-2026).
Full Breakdown
Cat licensing was added on November 9, 2006, under Ordinance No. MC 3329, and amended on March 27, 2007, under Ordinance No. MC 3341, aligning cat rules with the pre-existing dog licensing requirement in Section 167-4. 25 senior rate for owners 60 and over, a $5-per-month late fee after January 31, and a five-day grace period before that late fee attaches. Feral and stray cats are handled differently: the Trap-Neuter-Return Program adopted October 11, 2017, under Ordinance No. MC 3628, lets a registered caretaker maintain a feral cat colony under Section 167-33 without it counting as abandonment, so long as the caretaker traps and has colony cats neutered or spayed, vaccinated and ear-tipped by a licensed veterinarian under Section 167-34, keeps medical records available to the Township on request, and works with the Irvington Health Department's Animal Control Officer on complaints.
Feeding a colony is only lawful during daylight hours, limited to the amount the cats need, with food dishes removed within one hour and no more than two feedings a day under Section 167-35.
Violations & Fines
Failing to license a cat carries the same escalating fine as an unlicensed dog under Section 167-19: $50 for a first offense, $100 for a second, $150 for a third and $250 for a fourth, with a court appearance required at that stage. TNR violations and other Article V breaches fall back to the general penalty in Chapter 1, Article III, Penalties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to license my cat in Irvington?
Can I care for a feral cat colony in Irvington?
When can I feed a registered feral cat colony?
What's the fine for an unlicensed cat in Irvington?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Irvington
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