Cats must be vaccinated for rabies and kept under direct control. A cat outdoors and not under direct control must be sterilized. Registered community (feral) cats are managed through a trap-neuter-return program (Sec. 2-4-11, 2-4-12).
Under the Manatee County Animal Ordinance, cats four months or older must be vaccinated against rabies (Sec. 2-4-4) and identified. Cats are covered by the at-large rules: a cat outdoors and not under direct control must be sterilized to be exempt from Sec. 2-4-12's control requirement. Sec. 2-4-11 establishes a community cat diversion program: a community cat is any feral or free-roaming cat cared for by a caregiver that is sterilized, rabies-vaccinated, and ear-tipped. Caregivers must comply with neglect and cruelty laws and may reclaim impounded ear-tipped community cats without proof of ownership or a redemption fee. Owned cats should still be licensed and kept from becoming nuisance or at-large animals.
At-large, unvaccinated, or nuisance cats are civil infractions under Sec. 2-4-25 (max $500). Unsterilized free-roaming cats lose the control-requirement exemption.
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