Rockville, MD Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Feral cat caregivers shall be permitted to carry out trap-neuter-return at their own expense. A feral cat caregiver who chooses to carry out trap-neuter-return shall:(1)Vaccinate the feral cat(s) at the time of sterilization.(2)Eartip the left ear of the feral cat(s) at the time of sterilization.(3)Provide food and water to the feral cat(s) on a regular basis, year round, using best practices to minimize, as reasonably as possible, any nuisance and/or unsanitary conditions.(4)Provide adequate shelter (in number and quality) for the feral cat(s) using best practices to minimize nuisance.(5)Make reasonable, good faith efforts to provide needed veterinary care to the feral cat(s) that are visibly ill or injured.(b)A feral cat caregiver is encouraged to make a reasonable effort to update the vaccinations on cats that can be recaptured.(c)In the event that kittens are born to a feral cat, the feral cat caregiver is encouraged to take reasonable steps to remove the kittens after they have been weaned, ideally before eight (8) weeks of age. The kittens shall be placed in permanent or foster homes or turned over to an animal rescue organization for the purpose of subsequent permanent placement.(d)An eartipped feral cat shall not be removed by animal control unless veterinary care is required.(e)A feral cat caregiver who returns a feral cat as part of trap-neuter-return is deemed to not have abandoned the feral cat. (Ord. No. 12-15, 6-15-15)

Secs. 3-29, 3-30. - Reserved.