Wilmington does not require cats to be leashed but does require licensing and rabies vaccination under Delaware Code Title 3 and New Castle County animal rules. Outdoor and feral cats fall under TNR programs.
Delaware became the first state to require cat licensing under Title 3 Ch. 80 in 2017, replaced by current registration requirements administered by New Castle County Animal Services. Cats must be vaccinated against rabies starting at six months of age. Wilmington Code Ch. 2 incorporates state rules and does not impose a leash requirement specifically for cats, but cats causing nuisance (defecation, property damage) can trigger complaints under Ch. 17. Trap-Neuter-Return programs operated by Faithful Friends and other partners manage community cat colonies.
Failure to vaccinate or license a cat can lead to citations and impoundment fees. Nuisance complaints may require owners to confine outdoor cats.
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See how Wilmington's cat rules rules stack up against other locations.
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