Kauai County, HI Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Article 24 of Chapter 22, the Cat Microchipping Program, was enacted by Ordinance No. 965 in 2014 and amended by Ordinance No. 1093 in 2021 and Ordinance No. 1107 in 2022. Section 22-24.1 defines "at large" as being on someone else's premises without the owner's or occupant's consent, or on a public street, public or private school grounds, or any other public place, which covers both a wandering pet and a feral colony operating outside an owner's own property. Section 22-24.2 requires every cat over three months of age to be microchipped, exempting only cats brought to the island exclusively for a cat show or exhibition and kept off being at large.

Section 22-24.3 requires the owner to register the microchip and contact information with a microchip registration company and to update that information within 30 days of any change. Under Section 22-24.4, the Animal Control Provider holds a microchipped at-large cat for at least five days while attempting phone and mailed notice to the owner, and holds a non-microchipped cat for at least 48 hours, before returning, adopting out, or euthanizing it; reclaiming the cat costs $12 per full or partial day held. Section 22-24.6 sets a $20 fee for the Provider to issue a microchip, and Section 22-24.7 adds a redemption fee, rising from $25 to $75 across repeat offenses, for reclaiming an impounded but unsterilized cat. Section 22-24.11 sets Article-wide penalties from $100-$200 for a first violation up to $300-$500 for a third or later violation.