St. Louis County, MO Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Registration deadline
- Kittens vaccinated and registered by 4 months old
- 1-year tag fee
- $8 spayed/neutered, $16 if not sterilized
- 3-year tag fee
- $20 spayed/neutered, $40 if not sterilized
- Feral cat exemption
- Ear-tipped cats exempt from impoundment hearing and fees
- First-offense fine
- $25, rising to $500 by fifth offense
- Enforcing agency
- St. Louis County Dept. of Health Animal Care and Control
Summary
St. Louis County requires every cat over four months old to be vaccinated for rabies and registered with a tag through the Department of Health, with registration fees running $8 to $40 depending on term and spay/neuter status. Ear-tipped community cats are exempt from impoundment hearings and fees, and unclaimed ear-tipped cats go to a registered community cat caregiver instead of the shelter.
Every person responsible for any puppy or kitten shall have such puppy or kitten vaccinated for rabies and registered as provided in this section on or before the puppy or kitten reaches four (4) months of age, but not earlier than three (3) months of age... Every person responsible for any dog or cat shall have the dog or cat vaccinated as indicated by the Compendium... For purposes of section 611.090.1, ear-tipped cats are exempt... Ear-tipped cats and kittens shall be released to a requesting community cat caregiver, unless such release impairs the safety of the public or animal. Community cat caregivers are exempt from the hearing process and fees.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 85 | Traffic: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
050 of the County's Animal Control Code makes registration mandatory: every kitten must be vaccinated for rabies and registered before it reaches four months of age, and every cat must stay current on rabies vaccination as scheduled by the national rabies compendium. The Director of the St. Louis County Department of Health issues the tags, and a veterinarian collects the registration fee at the time of vaccination: $8 for a one-year tag on a spayed or neutered cat, $20 for three years, $16 for one year if not sterilized, and $40 for three years if not sterilized.
090. 1, and if an ear-tipped cat is picked up it is released to a community cat caregiver who requests it rather than run through the standard hearing process or pay shelter fees. 270 that places cats unsuited for adoption or trap-neuter-release with owners of barns and similar structures for rodent control. 240. These county rules bind unincorporated St. Louis County and municipalities that have not adopted their own conflicting health ordinance; check with your city hall if you live inside one of the county's roughly 88 incorporated cities.
Violations & Fines
Cats found without a current registration tag can be impounded by the County Shelter and are presumed unvaccinated under Section 611.090. Registration violations carry an escalating fine set by Section 611.240: $25 for a first offense within twelve months, $100 for a second, $200 for a third or fourth, and $500 for a fifth or subsequent offense, at which point the county counselor prosecutes. Ear-tipped community cats are not cited.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to register my cat in St. Louis County?
Is a feral or community cat exempt from registration?
What happens if my cat is caught without a tag?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis County
Compare St. Louis County to another location·View the Missouri animal ordinances overview
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