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Nuisance Cats

 

In the City of Boulder, cats are considered free-roaming animals and leash and licensing laws do not apply to them. Animal control cannot pick up stray cats unless they are sick, injured or have bitten a person. 

Cats are subject to vaccination, nuisance, and aggressive animal laws. 

Vaccinate

All cats must be vaccinated against rabies, beginning at four months of age.  After the initial vaccination, animals must be kept current on rabies vaccinations by either a one-year or three-year vaccination.  Properly vaccinating your animal, ensures them and your family stay healthy from disease. 

Many times free roaming cats will dig up flower beds, leave feces in unwanted areas or even kill wildlife. 

If a cat is causing a nuisance by defecating or destroying property, a property owner has the legal right to remove the cat from their property and bring it to a local animal shelter. Impound and board fees apply to the impounded animal.

The guardian of the cat may also be charged with a violation of owning a nuisance cat resulting in monetary fines and other restrictions.

Solutions for homeowners

If you are having trouble with cats coming onto your property and defecating, uprooting plants and otherwise creating problems, here are some things you can do to discourage them from coming around:

  • Place pine cones or broken up, cleaned out eggshells in the soil of your garden. Cats don’t like walking on bristly objects like these.
  • Spray vinegar water, coffee grounds or cayenne pepper flakes around area.
  • Another great way to keep cats out of your yard is to purchase a motion-activated sprinkler that sprays a jet of water at the cat when it is in the range of the device.
  • If all else fails, you can trap and remove the cat from your property.  Live cat traps can be purchased at most hardware stores, or borrowed from the Animal Control Unit. Several precautionary measures need to be taken if you choose to utilize the trapping method.  Please contact Boulder Police Animal Control for more information at 303-441-3333

Last Updated on Friday, 07 September 2012 12:15