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Story County, IA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Light Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Vaccination rule
§45.06(1): cats over 4 months need rabies shot
Cat licensing
No separate Story County cat license
Bite quarantine
Up to 10 days, owner pays cost
Report duty
Owner or witness must report bite (§45.06(4))
Kennel license trigger
5+ cats over 6 months (§45.11)

Summary

Story County has no stand-alone cat license, but Code of Ordinances §45.06(1) requires every companion cat over four months old to carry a valid rabies vaccination in unincorporated Story County. A cat that bites a person or another animal faces the same up-to-10-day rabies quarantine, at the owner's expense, that applies to dogs.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Story County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

1. Dogs and companion cats over the age of four months must have a valid rabies vaccination.

View official code

Full Breakdown

06(2) subjects any dog or cat that bites a person or another animal to a rabies quarantine of up to 10 days, with the owner responsible for the quarantine costs. 06(4) requires the owner, or anyone with knowledge of a bite, to report it to the Story County Animal Control Department. 03 apply to "animals" generally, which reaches cats along with dogs, but the code sets out no cat-specific licensing scheme. 11. 04, which treats a failure to perform a required act as a simple misdemeanor.

Violations & Fines

Failing to keep a cat's rabies vaccination current is a simple misdemeanor under §45.04(1), carrying the county's standard penalty of $65 to $625 and up to 30 days in jail (§3.01) absent another specified fine. If the unvaccinated cat bites someone, the owner also pays the full cost of the up-to-10-day quarantine or, at the ACO's discretion, humane euthanasia and testing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Story County require cats to be licensed?
No. The county has no cat-licensing ordinance. Chapter 45 only requires that companion cats over four months old carry a valid rabies vaccination under §45.06(1); enforcement runs through the Story County Animal Control Department the same as for dogs.
What happens if my unvaccinated cat bites someone?
Under §45.06(2)-(3), the cat can be quarantined for up to 10 days at your expense, or, if it shows signs of rabies, promptly and humanely euthanized and tested. You must also report the bite to Animal Control under §45.06(4).
Are outdoor or feral cat colonies regulated in unincorporated Story County?
Chapter 45 has no feral-colony or trap-neuter-return provision. Cats fall under the same general at-large and nuisance rules in §45.03 that apply to any animal, plus the rabies-vaccination duty in §45.06(1); there is no colony-specific rule to comply with.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Story County

Dog Leash LawsSome RestrictionsChickens & LivestockSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Height LimitsSome RestrictionsVeterinary Clinic ZoningSome RestrictionsBreed RestrictionsSignificant RestrictionsExotic PetsSignificant RestrictionsPet LimitsSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor SoundSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Barking DogsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Abandoned VehiclesSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Retaining WallsSome RestrictionsLandscaping Rules: Tree Removal & Heritage TreesSome Restrictions

All Story County rules

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