Longmont, CO Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- License required at
- 6 months old
- Rabies vaccine required at
- 4 months old
- License expires
- December 31 annually
- Renewal deadline
- February 1
- Importation grace period
- 30 days
- At-large impoundment
- applies to dogs & pigs, not cats
Summary
Longmont requires every cat over six months old to carry a city license, renewed annually by February 1st, and every cat over four months old to be current on rabies vaccination. Longmont Municipal Code § 7.04.020(A) sets the license duty; § 7.04.040(A) sets the vaccination duty, both enforced by the police department's animal control officers.
It is unlawful for any person to own, keep, harbor or possess any dog, miniature pot-bellied pig or cat over the age of six months which has not been licensed.
Full Breakdown
Section 7.04.020(A) makes it "unlawful for any person to own, keep, harbor or possess any dog, miniature pot-bellied pig or cat over the age of six months which has not been licensed." The city clerk or designee issues the license "upon payment, in advance, of the license fee" set by council resolution, and supplies "a metal tag... which metal tag the owner shall have attached to the collar or harness to be worn by the animal so licensed" (§ 7.04.020.B). Licenses "expire on December 31 of each year" and "must be renewed on or before February 1 of each year" (§ 7.04.020.D), and are not transferable to a new owner or animal (§ 7.04.020.E). A cat brought into Longmont from elsewhere, or adopted from the shelter, has 30 days from the move or adoption to get licensed and vaccinated (§ 7.04.030).
Separately, § 7.04.040(A) bars owning "any dog or cat over the age of four months that has not been vaccinated against rabies," using a vaccine "licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, approved by the state department of health" and good for "at least a two-year duration of immunity," administered and kept current by a licensed veterinarian.
Notably, Longmont's at-large impoundment rule in § 7.04.060.D authorizes police to impound "any dog or pig... found running at large," but does not list cats: an unrestrained cat is not itself impoundable under that clause the way a loose dog is. Cats can still be impounded under other clauses of § 7.04.060, including when suspected of injuring a person or when found unlicensed on inspection under § 7.04.100.
Violations & Fines
A violation of the licensing or rabies-vaccination duty is a strict-liability offense under § 7.04.240(A), punishable according to chapter 1.12, meaning up to a $500.00 fine and up to 90 days in jail under the Code's default penalty, § 1.12.010, since chapter 7.04 sets no separate fine for these two sections. An impounded, unlicensed cat cannot be redeemed under § 7.04.080 until the owner pays impoundment fees and pays for a current license.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Longmont require cats to be leashed like dogs?
How often do I need to renew my cat's license?
What happens if I move to Longmont with an already-licensed cat?
What's the penalty for an unlicensed or unvaccinated cat in Longmont?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Longmont
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