St. Charles County, MO Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Registration deadline
- By 4 months old, not before 3
- Enforcing agency
- Division of Humane Services
- Unclaimed impound hold
- 5 consecutive business days
- At-large fine (registered cat)
- $20 to $100, escalating
- Feral program minimum
- Cats over 2 lbs, 8 weeks old
- Registration/vaccination fee
- $5 altered, $10 unaltered
Summary
St. Charles County requires every kitten to be rabies-vaccinated and registered with a numbered tag by four months of age, and a cat found at large without that tag can be impounded as a stray. The county also authorizes approved feral cat programs to sterilize and ear-tip free-roaming community cats rather than remove them.
Section 205.110. Registration/Vaccination. A. Every owner or competent person who is responsible for any ferret, puppy, or kitten shall have such ferret, puppy, or kitten vaccinated by a veterinarian against rabies and registered as provided in this Article when or before the ferret, puppy or kitten reaches four (4) months of age, but not before it reaches three (3) months of age. ... It shall be the owner's duty to attach the tag to a collar or harness of the vaccinated animal ... Any ferret, dog, or cat found at large without a tag may be deemed to be a stray animal and not vaccinated under this Section. Section 205.225. Feral Cat Program. A. Feral cat programs shall consist of any program that provides spay/neuter services and education for and related to only feral and community cats. Such programs shall: 1. Provide low-cost or free sterilization for feral and community cats weighing more than two (2) pounds who are at least eight (8) weeks of age; 2. Not provide sterilization services for pet cats or pet kittens; 3. Ear tip all feral and community cats for which it provides services.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4863880; v61 updated 2026-05-11; through 05-11-2026).
Full Breakdown
110(A), the owner or competent person responsible for any kitten must have it vaccinated against rabies by a veterinarian and registered before it reaches four months of age, though not before three months. 110(D), (H)), and the owner must keep that tag on the cat's collar or harness whenever it is outside the home; a cat picked up without a tag may be treated as an unvaccinated stray. 120(A)). An impounded cat with no tag or ownership identification is held five consecutive business days at the St.
120(D)). 235). 225 lets the Division approve Feral Cat Programs that provide low-cost or free sterilization for feral and community cats over two pounds and at least eight weeks old, ear-tip every cat they treat, and vaccinate for FVRCP and rabies, but such programs are barred from sterilizing owned pet cats or kittens.
Violations & Fines
An at-large cat that is registered and vaccinated draws a $20 fine on the first offense, $35 on the second, $50 on the third, and $100 for the fourth and every offense after that (§205.240(B)). An unregistered, unvaccinated cat at large costs more: $25 first offense, $50 second, and $100 for the third and beyond. Any cat picked up without a tag can be impounded outright under §205.120(A)(9), and if it sits unclaimed for five consecutive business days it is adopted out or euthanized under §205.120(D), unless it is rabid or known to have bitten someone, which bars adoption entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does St. Charles County require cats to be licensed?
What happens to a stray cat picked up without a tag?
Are outdoor feral cat colonies legal in St. Charles County?
What's the fine if my registered cat gets loose?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Charles County
Compare St. Charles County to another location·View the Missouri animal ordinances overview
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