Lower Paxton, PA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Section 68-5 of the Lower Paxton Township Code, Feeding of feral cats, was added on 11-6-2019 by Ord. No. 18-05 of the Board of Supervisors. It does not ban feeding outright. It conditions feeding on an organized program: the feeding of feral cats may only be done in conjunction with a feral cat management project, which must include a trap, neuter and release program, abbreviated TNR in the text, or other program approved by the Lower Paxton Township Board of Supervisors.

The last sentence sets the default. If a feral cat management project with TNR does not exist, the feeding of feral cats is not lawful. A resident who puts out food for a stray colony with no project in place is therefore feeding unlawfully, however well meant, and the section gives the Board of Supervisors the approval role for any program other than TNR.

Owned cats are a different matter. Section 68-1 makes it unlawful for any person to permit any dog, cat, pet or other livestock owned by him or under his supervision or control to run at large on public streets, on the private property of another, or on any property not belonging to or in the possession of the owner. Section 68-2 applies the chapter to animals running at large irrespective of payment for or issuance of any license. As read in Chapter 68, the Township code contains no cat licensing provision.

Section 68-4 separately bans feeding wild animals, and it names nondomestic felines among them, which is a different category from feral cats. Section 68-6 gives enforcement to any Township police officer or Code Enforcement Officer as assigned by the Township, and § 68-7 sets the penalty.