Parma, OH Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

05, Running at Large Prohibited, Exemptions, is Parma's core at-large ordinance and it names cats alongside dogs in its opening line: no owner or guardian of any animal, 'including, but not limited to, dogs and cats,' may permit the animal to run at large within the city at any time. The section defines running at large broadly: an animal is at large unless it is inside a residence, behind a secure fence or pen, on a leash held by someone able to control it, or tethered so it cannot reach the public right-of-way or a neighbor's property.

The only carved-out activity is a dog being obedience-trained by a certified trainer, a narrow exception that does not extend to cats. 20. Division (c) imposes a companion duty on pigeon owners: while a racing pigeon flies loose, its owner must stay outdoors to watch the flight and correct any nuisance the bird causes, an at-large-adjacent duty unique to that species. 05, including letting a cat roam, is a misdemeanor of the second degree, and the code treats each day the animal remains at large as a separate offense, so an uncontained cat can generate a new charge daily until the owner regains control of it.