Terrebonne Parish, LA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Parish Code § 5-1 defines a community cat as any free-roaming cat cared for by one or more residents, known or unknown, that may or may not be feral; community cats that are ear-tipped are considered sterilized and having received at least one rabies vaccination. The same section states community cats are exempt from any licensing, stray, abandonment and at-large provisions directed toward owned animals, and defines trap/neuter/return (TNR) as the process of humanely trapping, sterilizing, vaccinating and ear-tipping community cats before returning them to their original location.

Section 5-1 also defines a community cat caregiver as a person who provides food, shelter or medical care without being deemed the cat's owner; caregivers must minimize impact on local wildlife, feed proper quantities in appropriate containers, discard containers daily, and feed only on their own property or with permission, and may redeem community cats from the shelter without proof of ownership and free of any charges or fees. ' The impoundment article closes the loop at § 5-10(c): there is no stray hold period for a community cat, so it may be sterilized and returned to its home location or relocated and rehomed, and there is likewise no stray hold for a puppy or kitten under three months.