Prince George's County, MD Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

1) defines an "ear tipped cat" as one that has had a quarter-inch cut off the left ear while anesthetized, indicating it has been neutered and vaccinated, and Section 3-101(45) confirms a "free-roaming cat" is not an owned animal, and the person feeding or sheltering it is not treated as its owner. Section 3-122(h)(1)-(2) declares the County's support for trap-neuter-return and bars impounding a free-roaming cat as a public nuisance solely for being at large or unlicensed, though the Administrator may still impound one if resident or business complaints go unresolved.

Section 3-122(h)(3) requires that an impounded free-roaming cat lacking an ear tip be redeemed only to a County-approved trap-neuter-return organization that will vaccinate, sterilize, and ear-tip it before returning it to the area it came from, and (h)(4) says feeding a free-roaming cat is not itself a public nuisance condition unless it disturbs a neighbor's peace, comfort, or health. Section 3-122(e) requires a field-trapped ear-tipped cat to be released immediately at the location trapped unless it is diseased, injured, or the subject of a pending nuisance complaint, while a cat brought to the shelter is held at least three working days so rescue organizations can retrieve it, and a cat impounded three or more times cannot be returned to its original location. Separately, Section 3-145(a) still requires any owned cat four months or older to carry a $25 annual license (reduced to $10 if altered).