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Rio Rancho, NM Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

License required
Cats over 5 months
Off-property leash
Max 8 feet
Running at large
Unlawful citywide
Feral colony/TNR program
None in code

Summary

Rio Rancho requires every cat over five months old to be licensed and kept confined to the owner's property; loose or off-leash cats fall under the same at-large ban that covers dogs.

All persons owning or having charge, custody, or control of any animal shall keep the animal confined to his own premises. ... When animals are out of their premises, they must be under leash of not more than eight feet in length and under control of the owner or of his designee. ... Licensing of cats required. Any person keeping, harboring or maintaining any cat over five months of age within the city shall obtain a license from the RRARC for each cat.

View official code

Full Breakdown

Rio Rancho requires any cat over five months old to carry an RRARC license and tag under Section 90.19(D), with proof of sterilization (or an intact-animal permit) and current rabies vaccination required to get one. Like every animal in the city, cats must otherwise stay confined to their owner's premises under Section 90.18(A); once off-property they need an eight-foot leash under the owner's control, and letting any animal run at large is unlawful citywide under Section 90.18(B). The code has no separate feral-colony or trap-neuter-return provision -- unowned cats fall under the general stray and impoundment rules.

Violations & Fines

An unlicensed cat, or one running loose off its owner's property without a leash, is a citable violation RRARC agents and police can enforce under the same rules that cover dogs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do outdoor cats need a leash in Rio Rancho?
Yes -- off the owner's premises, cats fall under the same 8-foot leash and at-large ban that applies to dogs, under Section 90.18.
Is there a registered feral cat colony program?
No. The code has no colony or TNR provision; unowned cats are handled as strays under the general animal-control chapter.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Rio Rancho

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All Rio Rancho rules

Compare Rio Rancho to another location·View the New Mexico animal ordinances overview

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