Smithtown, NY Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Chapter 135 defines CAT as any member of the species Felis domestica, but the chapter's licensing (§ 135-4) and running-at-large ban (§ 135-3) apply only to dogs; New York's Agriculture and Markets Law, which the chapter incorporates by reference in § 135-1, does not require cat licenses either. Where Smithtown regulation does reach cats is redemption. 1, once a seized cat has been in the Animal Shelter and Adoption Center's custody for at least three days (seven if the owner was notified by mail), the shelter may not release it to a person claiming ownership unless the cat has been sterilized by a licensed veterinarian.

The only exceptions are a veterinarian's certification that sterilization would endanger the cat's life for medical reasons (youth alone does not count once the animal is at least eight weeks old), or proof the cat has a Cat Fanciers' Association (or similar registry) breed or championship record within the prior 12 months, or is under 12 months old with a parent that would qualify. Redemption itself, per § 135-17B(3), carries an escalating fee within any 365-day period: $25 for a first offense, $50 for a second, $100 for a third, and $200 for a fourth, plus $10 for each additional dog or cat redeemed at the same time, plus a $10 nightly boarding charge per animal. The flat intake fee for adopting a cat from the shelter is $75, per § 135-17B(1)(c).