Oklahoma City, OK Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Feral/stray intake
- Cat becomes city property immediately
- Community Cats Project
- TNR, ear-notch, return outdoors
- At-large law
- Excludes cats (§ 8-5(a)(4))
- Rabies vaccination
- Required at 4 months (§ 8-166)
- Ineligible strays
- Held 3 working days
Summary
Feral and stray cats picked up by Animal Welfare become city property and can skip the normal stray hold if eligible for the Community Cats Project, which sterilizes, vaccinates, and returns them outdoors instead of routing them through the standard shelter track.
Cats that appear to be feral and to be stray may be deemed to be community cats and shall immediately become the property of The City of Oklahoma City. They may be placed into the Community Cats Project upon intake without being held a minimum number of days. Feral or stray cats not placed into the Community Cats Project shall be held for three working days, not including holidays or days the shelter is closed.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 5 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Under Municipal Code § 8-59, any cat that appears feral and stray becomes City property immediately upon intake and can enter the Community Cats Project without the standard three-working-day hold. Eligible cats include feral/stray outdoor cats, feral kittens at least 12 weeks old, and friendly strays; indoor-only cats, cats with a known owner, sick cats, FeLV/FIV-positive cats, and declawed cats are excluded. Community cats are sterilized, rabies-vaccinated, ear-notched, and returned to where they were found unless documented abuse bars it. Unlike dogs, cats are not covered by the City's 'at large' confinement definition in § 8-5(a)(4), but every cat over four months old must still carry current rabies vaccination under § 8-166.
Violations & Fines
Owners who skip rabies vaccination for a cat over four months old violate § 8-166 and risk citation; feral cats not entering the Community Cats Project are held only three working days before disposition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get cited for my cat roaming free in Oklahoma City?
What happens to a feral cat Animal Welfare picks up?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Oklahoma City
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Cat Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle cat rules.