Sheboygan, WI Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Section 18-51(b) covers the cat license. The owner of a cat kept in the city, which cat is more than 13 months of age on January 1 of any year or reaches 13 months within the license year, must pay the cat license tax and obtain a license annually, or on or before the date the cat becomes 13 months old. The printed minimum is $5.25 for a neutered male or spayed female with evidence of the procedure, and $12.25 for an unneutered male or unspayed female. Both amounts are halved if the cat reached 13 months of age after July 1. The license year runs January 1 through December 31. The collecting official assesses a $5.00 late fee if no license is obtained before April 1, or within 30 days of acquiring a licensable cat.

A license depends on a rabies shot. Section 18-52(a) requires proof of a current rabies vaccination before a license is issued, and 18-52(b)(2) requires vaccination by a veterinarian within 30 days after the cat reaches one year of age, with revaccination within one year after the first dose and then before the stated expiration date or, if none is stated, within three years. Section 18-53 requires all cats and dogs to wear their license and rabies tag on a collar whenever they are not kept in closed confinement such as a dwelling or cage. Under section 18-50, a cat without a license attached to its collar is presumed unlicensed, and section 18-49 makes it unlawful to harbor a cat for which a required license does not exist.

Restraint rules apply to cats the same way as dogs. Section 18-46 requires a cat to be kept on its owner's premises under direct supervision, on a tie no longer than 15 feet, or in an enclosure, and off the premises only on a leash or chain not exceeding six feet. Section 18-5 states that it is unlawful for any owner of any dog or cat to permit the animal to run at large at any time. Section 18-57 requires an animal fancier permit to keep more than three domestic animals over the age of five months.