There is hereby levied an annual license fee of $5.00 on each neutered male cat and each spayed female cat and a license fee of $10.00 for each unspayed female cat or non-neutered male cat over the age of six months that is harbored or kept within the city limits. The fiscal year for the licensing of cats shall be from May 1st to April 30th of the following year. Each and every person owning or harboring a cat within the city limits of the city shall license and pay the license fee herein to the clerk of the city on or before the 30th day of April of each year, or upon acquiring ownership of any cat or upon establishing residence within the city.

(Ord. 442; Ord. 616)

No license shall be issued for any cat, except upon the presentation of a certificate from a licensed veterinarian to the effect that the cat has been, and is currently vaccinated for rabies. It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or harbor a cat over six months old within the city limits, unless the cat shall have been vaccinated for rabies during the preceding 12 months.

(Ord. 442, Sec. 2)

It shall be the duty of the city clerk to keep a suitable record for the registration of cats, and to register the names of the owners or harborers who have paid the fee here in above provided for, setting forth the name, sex and description of the cat, and upon the registration of any such cat, he or she shall furnish to the person registering the cat, a copy thereof, together with a license and the year for which the license was issued. The tag shall be immediately fastened to the collar of the cat, and it shall be the duty of the owner or harborer to see that the tag is worn by the cat at all times. If the tag is lost, the city clerk shall, upon the presentation of the receipt issued therefor, issue a duplicate of such tag. The fee for duplicate tag shall be $2.00. The license tag provided for in this article shall be non-transferrable.

(Ord. 442, Sec. 3)

Any cat found in a building, avenue, alley or public place in the city, contrary to any of the provisions of this article shall be impounded, and it shall be lawful for the city to cause the cat to be pursued, captured and disposed of as provided herein.

(Ord. 442, Sec. 4)

Any person harboring a cat three consecutive days shall, for all purposes of this article, be deemed to be the owner thereof.

(Ord. 442, Sec. 5)

(Reserved for Future Use)

(Ord. 442, Sec. 6)

If any person owning, harboring or keeping a cat which has in the preceding 72 hours bitten any person or animal, shall, upon demand, surrender such cat to any police officer or to the humanitarian, and such cat shall be impounded and kept in a separate kennel for a period of 10 days, during which period it shall be determined by proper health officials, whether such cat is suffering from any disease. If it is determined such cat is diseased, the humanitarian shall immediately destroy such cat. If it is determined that such cat is not diseased, then the cat shall be delivered to the owner thereof, upon payment by the owner of the board fees herein provided.

(Ord. 442, Sec. 7)

The humanitarian appointed pursuant to section 2-102 of the revised ordinances of the city is authorized to enforce all of the provisions of this article.

(Ord. 442, Sec. 8)

It shall be the duty of the humanitarian to pick up and impound in a suitable animal shelter, approved by the city council, all cats running at large and in violation of the provisions of this article, and any such cats found running at large and impounded shall be disposed of as follows:

(a)   They shall be confined in a place approved by the city council for a period of at least 72 hours and provided with sufficient food and water during the period.

(b)   Any owner claiming a cat under the provisions of this article shall pay a pickup fee of $10.00 for the first time the cat is picked up or captured by the humanitarian; $15.00 for the second time; and $20.00 for each time thereafter, and a board fee of $10.00 per day, which sums shall be paid at the office of the city clerk and a receipt issued therefor.

(c)   All cats not claimed within the period above provided shall become the property of the city and may be sold or destroyed at the discretion of the mayor.

(d)   The humanitarian shall, upon taking any cats into custody and impounding the same, make a record thereof with a description of the cat, and the date and place where it was taken into custody, and the place of impounding, and thereupon shall immediately post a public notice in the city building setting forth such facts; provided, whoever, if a license is fastened to the cat, the humanitarian shall notify the owner, as reflected in the license record in the city clerk’s office.

(e)   No cat shall be returned to its owner until the cat has been licensed, and all other fees provided herein are paid in full.

(Ord. 442, Sec. 9; Code 2007)

The provisions of this article shall not apply to cats owned by nonresidents passing through the city so long as the cat is under the immediate control of the owner thereof.

(Ord. 442, Sec. 11)