Warwick, Rhode Island

• Spaying and neutering is mandatory for all cats over the age of 6 months.
• Certain animals can be exempted with a license to keep an unaltered cat or a license for breeding cats.

Sec. 4-117. – Spaying/neutering.

(a) No person shall own or harbor within the city any cat over the age of six months which has not been spayed or neutered, unless such person holds a license to keep an unaltered cat, or a license for breeding cats issued by the director of the animal shelter of the City of Warwick.
(b) A license to breed and sell shall be issued to an individual for an unaltered cat if the owner pays a fee of $100.00 per cat per year with a signed application. All funds from breeding licenses shall be deposited in the City of Warwick’s Spay/Neuter Account to be managed by the Director of the Warwick Animal Shelter.
(c) Any person providing care or sustenance for a period of 30 days or longer shall be deemed the owner of such cat and shall adhere to the provision of this section.
(d) Subsection (c) above shall not be interpreted to apply to a person caring for a colony of feral cats if such person:
(1) Regularly feeds or arranges for the feeding of the colony, including on weekends and holidays;
(2) Traps or makes a reasonable effort to trap all feral cats over the age of eight weeks in his/her care, and has them spayed or neutered;
(3) Has all trapped cats tested for feline leukemia and has those who test positive humanely euthanized or isolated indoors;
(4) Identifies feral cats that have been spayed or neutered by means of ear notching, ear tipping, or ear tagging; and
(5) Has all trapped cats vaccinated according to state and local laws.
(Ord. No. O-06-1, § II, 1-9-06)