Bernalillo County, NM Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- cats over 3 months old
- TNR feral cats
- exempt from abandonment ban
- Household cat limit
- 4 without permit, 6 if sterilized
- Enforcing agency
- Animal Care Services Department
- Vaccination
- current rabies certificate required
Summary
Bernalillo County requires an annual license for every dog, cat, or ferret over three months old, but exempts trap-neuter-return colonies of feral cats from its animal abandonment ban.
It is unlawful for any person to own or harbor a dog, cat, or ferret over the age of three months without obtaining a license for such animal. Persons who are not county residents and who keep such an animal in the county for less than 30 consecutive days shall be exempt from this license requirement.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 92).
Full Breakdown
County Code Sec. 6-41 requires anyone who owns or harbors a cat over three months old to obtain an annual license, show a current rabies certificate, and microchip the animal; the license tag must stay on the collar except in kennels or shows. Sec. 6-45 exempts trap-neuter-return colonies: a person or organization managing un-owned feral cats through TNR is not treated as the cat's owner, so releasing a sterilized feral cat outdoors after TNR is not unlawful abandonment. Households can keep up to four cats without a multiple-animal permit, or six if all are sterilized.
Violations & Fines
Unlicensed cats can be impounded, with owners responsible for impound and boarding fees regardless of reclaim. Keeping an intact stray cat without an intact-animal permit, or exceeding the household cap without a multiple-animal permit, is also a violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to license my cat in Bernalillo County?
Is trap-neuter-return legal for feral cat colonies?
Does this chapter apply if I live in Albuquerque?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bernalillo County
Compare Bernalillo County to another location·View the New Mexico animal ordinances overview
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