Stamford, CT Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 111-7, Ch. 111 (adopted Ord. No. 1213)
- Roaming cats
- must be fixed, vaccinated, microchipped to roam
- Stray cats
- report to SACCC within 24 hours
- Feral colonies
- clean feeding, no nuisance, TNVR allowed
- Fine
- $100 after a 30-day grace period
- Enforcement
- Stamford Animal Control & Care Center
Summary
Stamford regulates cats under Code of Ordinances § 111-7: a roaming cat must be fixed, vaccinated and microchipped, a found stray must be reported to Animal Control within 24 hours, and anyone feeding a feral colony must keep the feeding area clean and nuisance-free. Break the rules and the Animal Control Manager can fine you $100.
C.Stray Cats.(1)No person shall feed and/or keep any stray cat unless he/she has notified SACCC within twenty-four (24) hours from the time such cat came into his/her possession. Upon receiving such notice, an Animal Control Officer may take such cat and place it in the animal shelter for the purpose of advertising in an effort to reunite it with its owner. D.Feral Cats.(1)No person shall provide food, water, or other forms of sustenance or care to a feral cat or feral cat colony/colonies unless that person is willing to:(a)Provide a clean feeding area for the cats and takes care to avoid leaving their food out at night when raccoons and other wild animals are around.(b)Prevent feeding activities from creating a nuisance or public health issue for neighbors.(3)No person having the care and control of any feral cats shall abandon said animals anywhere in the city, or introduce animals from outside the city into any existing Feral Cat Colony inside the city. Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Release (TNVR) protocol does not constitute abandonment.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 72).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 111, adopted January 5, 2016 by Ord. No. 1213, treats Stamford's cats in three tiers. B may run free only if spayed/neutered, rabies-vaccinated and microchipped; knowingly deserting or abandoning a cat is separately barred. C: anyone who feeds or keeps one must notify the Stamford Animal Control and Care Center (SACCC) within 24 hours of the cat coming into their possession, and refusing to surrender a stray to an SACCC representative on demand is itself unlawful. D: a person who feeds or shelters a colony ('Keeper') must provide a clean feeding area, avoid leaving food out overnight when raccoons and other wildlife are around, and keep the feeding from becoming a nuisance or public-health issue for neighbors.
Abandoning feral cats in the city, or introducing outside cats into an existing colony, is barred, though the ordinance expressly says a Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Release (TNVR) protocol doesn't count as abandonment. E lets the SACCC investigate any nuisance complaint tied to a colony and directs the Animal Control Officer to work with keepers and animal-welfare organizations that run TNVR programs.
Violations & Fines
The Animal Control Manager issues a notice of violation for any breach of § 111-7, whether it's an unaltered cat roaming free, an unreported stray, or a feral-colony keeper creating a nuisance. A violation not remedied within 30 days draws a $100 fine, and each additional day it continues after that is a separate, separately fined violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I do if I find a stray cat in Stamford?
Can I feed a feral cat colony in my neighborhood?
Is trap-neuter-vaccinate-release legal in Stamford?
What's the penalty for violating the cat rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Stamford
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