In a bid to control the roaming feline population, the town of Cary in North Carolina is implementing stricter regulations, requiring pet owners to leash their cats when outside their properties or face fines.
Cary, a suburban town with a population of 176,000 near Raleigh, has maintained a leash law for all domestic pets, including cats, for over 50 years. Similar regulations are in place in various towns and cities across Wake County.
The recent resurgence of attention to Cary’s leash law emerged on social media when the town’s Animal Services emphasized the need for cats to be leashed when not on their owner’s property. The agency highlighted the risks associated with allowing cats to roam freely, including the significant impact on bird populations, the threat to small mammals, and the potential transmission of diseases to wildlife and humans.
Animal Services urged cat owners to prioritize the safety of their pets by keeping them indoors, emphasizing that indoor cats generally have longer lifespans and are protected from dangers like traffic accidents and encounters with other animals.
Cary, where tens of thousands of households have at least one cat, witnesses approximately 1,000 calls to Animal Services annually regarding stray or feral cats and kitten litters, according to supervisor Chuck Haggist.
While cats are not required to be leashed on their owners’ property, stepping onto a neighbor’s premises becomes a violation of the leash law. Penalties for breaking this rule range from $20 to $250, with a fifth offense potentially leading to the seizure of the cat and placement in a shelter, subject to reclamation by the owner at a fee.
Haggist emphasized the inherent dangers for outdoor cats, citing threats from coyotes, hawks, owls, and the statistical comparison of shorter lifespans for cats living outdoors compared to indoor counterparts.
Despite their size, cats are formidable predators, responsible for an estimated 2.4 billion bird deaths annually in the United States alone, according to the American Bird Conservancy.
Cary residents have alternative options to traditional leashing, such as constructing outdoor enclosures known as “catios” or utilizing invisible fences commonly used for dogs. However, not all Cary residents support the stringent measures, as evidenced by a 2019 online petition calling for the repeal of the leash ordinance. The petitioner argued that leashing cats contradicts their natural behavior.
