Southfield, MI Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Southfield's Chapter 113 treats cats much like dogs for licensing purposes but with lighter equipment rules. Section 9.83 requires any cat six months or older to carry a valid license obtained from the police department, with an application listing the owner's name, address and phone number and the cat's name, age, sex, color and breed, plus a certificate of vaccination. License fees are set by city council resolution, and the metal tag is valid for one or three years, expiring December 31 of the covered year. Section 9.74 then requires the license to be affixed to a collar at all times, but specifically allows a breakaway collar for cats, unlike the substantial collar required for dogs.

Section 9.81 caps the number of cats allowed per address: no more than six cats six months or older per premises, regardless of how many separate owners live there, with an exception preserved for cats already licensed under § 9.83 before the cap's effective date and for kennels licensed under § 9.79. Section 9.82 bars letting a cat stray; the owner must keep it under reasonable control or confined to the property, and a leash continuously held by a person counts as reasonable control. A first straying violation is a municipal civil infraction under Chapter 15; a second offense within two years becomes a misdemeanor carrying up to ninety days in jail or a $500 fine. Owners must also clean up cat waste on public and other private property under § 9.84.