New York City has no cat leash law, but Health Code Title 24 §161 requires rabies vaccination for cats over four months and bans keeping animals in unsafe conditions. Outdoor cats causing nuisance, attracting rats, or roaming uncontrolled may trigger DOHMH or 311 enforcement.
Under NYC Health Code §161.03, every cat over four months must be vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian, with proof retained and produced on request. There is no city-wide leash or confinement rule for cats, but §161 makes it unlawful to keep animals so they create a nuisance, attract rodents, or threaten public health. TNR colonies are managed by registered caretakers trained through ACC and the Mayor's Alliance; ear-tipped community cats may be returned after sterilization. Random feeding that produces filth or attracts wildlife can be cited as a nuisance, and unlicensed boarding of cats requires DOHMH approval.
Failure to vaccinate against rabies brings DOHMH fines starting around two hundred dollars; nuisance complaints can lead to abatement orders and Environmental Control Board summonses, and unsterilized colony feeding may be ordered to stop.
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