Moore, OK Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- At-large exemption
- Cats excluded from Sec 4-101 at-large definition
- Vaccination
- Rabies shot required at 4 months (Sec 4-121)
- Registration
- Annual license tax required (Sec 4-122)
- Collar tag
- Not required on cats, unlike dogs (Sec 4-124)
- Max fine
- $500.00 plus court costs
Summary
Moore's Code exempts cats from the at-large and leash requirements that bind dogs, but still requires every cat over four months old to be rabies-vaccinated and registered with an annual tax, per Sections 4-101, 4-121 and 4-122. Unlike dogs, a cat's owner is not required to attach the license tag to its collar.
At large or running at large means any animal (except cats) not under the control of a competent person. ... Off-premises. Any animal (except cats) which is not restrained by means of a leash or chain of sufficient strength and not more than six feet in length to control the actions of such animal while off the owner's property; ... No person shall own, keep or harbor any dog or cat within the city limits unless such dog or cat four months of age or older is vaccinated for rabies. ... Every person owning or harboring within the city any dog, cat, or ferret over the age of four months shall pay an annual tax in such sums as set by the council by motion or resolution for each male or spayed female, and for each unspayed female, owned or harbored. ... The owner of a cat shall not be required to place the tag on a cat.
Full Breakdown
Section 4-101 defines 'at large' and 'running at large' to expressly exclude cats from both the off-premises leash requirement and the on-premises fencing/tethering requirement that apply to every other animal, meaning Moore Animal Control does not cite a cat owner for the animal roaming loose the way it would a dog owner. Despite that exemption, cats are not unregulated: Section 4-121 requires any dog or cat four months or older to be vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian within the past 12 months, with a ten-day grace period to revaccinate after the prior certificate lapses, and Section 4-122 requires every person owning or harboring a dog, cat or ferret over four months old to pay an annual registration tax set by council resolution, with the license only issued once vaccination is documented.
Section 4-123 requires the animal control officer to keep a register of all pet licenses showing the animal's breed, age, size, color and vaccination date. Section 4-124 then draws the collar distinction: a dog owner must keep the tag affixed to the dog's collar at all times, but 'the owner of a cat shall not be required to place the tag on a cat,' even though the cat still needs the underlying vaccination and registration. These provisions were adopted together by Ordinance 944(20) on June 15, 2020.
Violations & Fines
Failing to vaccinate or register a cat under Sections 4-121 or 4-122 is an offense punished under Article 4-1G's Section 4-181, which applies the Section 1-108 general penalty: a fine up to $500.00 plus court costs through Moore Municipal Court. Because cats are excluded from the 'at large' definition in Section 4-101, a roaming cat is not separately cited for running at large.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my cat roam free in Moore, OK?
Do cats still need to be licensed and vaccinated in Moore?
Does my cat have to wear its license tag?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Moore
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Cat Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle cat rules.