Community Cat Management & Feeding Rules

The City of Jacksonville explicitly allows managed community cat programs under specific conditions:

Requirements for Managed Community Cats
Community cats must:

Be maintained on private property owned by the caregiver or with the express permission of the property owner
Be spayed or neutered, vaccinated for rabies, and ear-tipped
Receive regular care, including:
- Food
- Clean water
- Reasonable shelter from the elements

Legal Definition (City of Jacksonville Ordinance)
Under Jacksonville Municipal Code, Chapter 462, a “Community Cat” is officially defined as:

A free-roaming cat that may be feral or socialized
Has no identifiable individual owner, but may be cared for by one or more residents
Is sterilized and ear-tipped, which identifies it as part of a managed community cat population

When these conditions are met, community cats are exempt from licensing, stray, and at-large animal provisions that apply to owned cats.

Outdoor Feeding Restrictions

Feeding cats outdoors is only permitted on private property you own or where you have permission
Feeding on public property (parks, rights-of-way, sidewalks, vacant city lots) without authorization is prohibited
Improper feeding can result in code enforcement action or fines

Spay/Neuter & TNR (City-Supported Programs)
While Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR/TNVR) is not mandated by law, the City of Jacksonville supports it as the preferred method of managing community cats.
City-Supported Services

Animal Care & Protective Services (ACPS) partners with local organizations to provide:
- Low-cost or no-cost spay/neuter services for community cats in Duval County
- Rabies vaccination as part of sterilization services

Sterilized and ear-tipped cats are recognized by the City as managed community cats and should not be impounded solely for roaming.

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Community Cat Management & Feeding Rules

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