South Fulton, GA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- At-large exemption
- Cats exempt, City Code § 18-1006(a),(c),(d)
- Vaccination/license still required
- § 18-1003
- Impoundable for
- No rabies vaccination or license, § 18-1010(b)
- Enforcement
- City manager / contracted animal control
Summary
South Fulton's leash and confinement law names cats as the one animal exempt from its at-large restrictions three separate times, so cats may roam without a leash while dogs, livestock, and exotic animals may not.
(a)Generally. Within the city's territorial boundaries, the running at large of dogs, domestic animals, livestock, owned wildlife, or exotic animals is prohibited, with the exception of cats...(c)Restraint of domestic animals, livestock, owned wildlife, and exotic animals. It shall be unlawful for the owner, custodian, or harborer of any domestic animal, livestock, wildlife, or exotic animal, to allow or permit such animal to leave the premises of the owner or other person having custody of such, unless securely under leash, in a carrying case, or restrained by some other means and under the control of a competent person, with the exception of cats.(d)Confinement of domestic animals, livestock, owned wildlife, and exotic animals. Domestic animals, livestock, owned wildlife, and exotic animals, shall be securely confined to the premises of the owner or other person having custody of such by means as required by this title, and/or as required by state or federal regulations, with the exception of cats.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 13 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 18-1006 sets the city's running-at-large and confinement rules, and it exempts cats by name in each operative subsection. ' Subsection (d) requires domestic animals, livestock, owned wildlife, and exotic animals to be securely confined to the owner's premises, once more excepting cats. Cats are not exempt from every rule in the title, however: § 18-1001 defines a cat as any domesticated feline of either sex whether vaccinated or not, and vaccination/licensing obligations under § 18-1003 apply to cats the same as dogs, requiring the owner to obtain a vaccination/license tag from the city manager or a contracted animal control provider once the cat has a current rabies vaccination and the applicable license fee is paid.
Cats can still be impounded under § 18-1010(b) if found without a current rabies vaccination, without a current city license, or if suspected of rabies exposure, even though they cannot be impounded solely for roaming loose. Any citizen may pick up and surrender an impounded animal under § 18-1010(a) so the owner has a chance to reclaim it.
Violations & Fines
Cats face no citation for running at large under § 18-1006, unlike dogs and other animals. A cat can still be impounded under § 18-1010(b)(1)-(2) for lacking a current rabies vaccination or city license, and the owner must pay the applicable vaccination fee, license fee, and any impoundment or boarding fees under § 18-1011(e) before reclaiming it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my cat roam free in South Fulton?
Does my cat still need to be vaccinated and licensed?
Can animal control pick up my cat even though it can roam free?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in South Fulton
Compare South Fulton to another location·View the Georgia animal ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Cat Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Fulton County handle cat rules.