Clark County, NV Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- At-large law
- Sterilized cats exempt from ban
- Microchip
- Required for cats over 4 months
- Household limit
- 3 cats over 4 months old
- Feral colonies
- TNR permitted in listed unincorporated towns
- Enforcement
- Clark County Animal Protection Services
Summary
Clark County exempts sterilized cats from its general at-large law, but requires microchipping, rabies vaccination, and caps household cats at three per residence, while permitting managed feral 'community cat' colonies under CCAPS oversight.
(a) No person owning or having possession of any animal other than a cat, shall cause, permit or allow the animal to stray, run or in any manner be at large. (b) Every person who is the owner of any unsterilized dog or cat as permitted by Chapter 10.08, and keeps the same upon his premises under his control, shall keep the animal restrained by a fence, cage, coop, chain, leash or other adequate means so that the unsterilized dog or cat shall not leave or escape from the premises upon which it shall be kept.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 147).
Full Breakdown
Under Clark County Code Section 10.36.040, the county's general ban on animals running at large excludes cats -- only unsterilized cats must be fenced, caged, or leashed on the owner's property. Every owned cat over four months must still be microchipped and currently vaccinated against rabies (Section 10.08.070, Section 10.08.080), and households are capped at three cats over four months old (Section 10.08.130). Separately, Chapter 10.06 lets residents run 'community cat' feral colonies through trap-neuter-return, but only in listed unincorporated towns -- Enterprise, Paradise, Spring Valley, Sunrise Manor, Winchester and others -- which includes the Las Vegas Strip corridor, since it sits in unincorporated Paradise and Winchester.
Violations & Fines
Owning an unmicrochipped, unvaccinated, or (if intact and unrestrained) at-large cat, or keeping more than three cats without a permit, is enforced by Clark County Animal Protection Services (CCAPS) with citations, fines, and possible impoundment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do cats have to be leashed or confined in Clark County?
Can I keep a feral cat colony in Clark County?
How many cats can I own in unincorporated Clark County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clark County
Compare Clark County to another location·View the Nevada animal ordinances overview
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