Cary tells cat owners to leash their kitty outdoors or face a fine

Revered in ancient Egypt, where they were believed to bring good luck, cats today often move to the beat of their own drums.

But in Cary, cats are not supposed to move about as freely as some might think.

A more than 50-year-old town ordinance requires domestic animals, including cats, to be leashed off their owner’s property. Many Wake County municipalities and North Carolina cities have such rules. Cary’s resurfaced this week on social media after Cary Animal Services reminded owners to keep their cats safe and not roaming the streets.

Tens of thousands of homes in Cary have a cat. Each year, about 20% of the calls Animal Services gets are about stray or feral cats, litters of kittens, or cats hunting backyard birds.

“And we get about 5,000 calls a year,” said supervisor Chuck Haggist.

In an interview, Haggist said while Animal Services isn’t out looking for cats off leash, it does encourage residents to better understand the dangers.

What are the dangers of letting cats loose outside? Depending on a cat’s personality and temperament, most indoor cats don’t tend to venture outdoors where they can get lost, hit by cars, ir hurt or killed by large animals.

“Coyotes are killing cats; there’s hawks, owls,” Haggist said. “The lifespan of an outdoor cat is about half of an indoor cat.”

Cats can also hurt or kill other animals.

The American Bird Conservancy estimates cats kill about 2.4 billion birds every year. In places like Hawaii, the introduction of cats has caused a drastic decline in native birds since the 1700s.

Barbara Driscoll, co-chair for the Bird Friendly Habitat Committee for New Hope Audubon in Chapel Hill, said if people truly care about cats’ well-being they would not allow them to roam.

“They don’t just kill birds, they kill lizards and other small things like voles and moles which are also part of the ecosystem,” Driscoll said. “Plus there is a tendency for cats who are outside to get additional sicknesses and ailments.”

Some bird species, like wood thrushes, that nest on or near the ground are in particular danger. Driscoll said wood thrushes tend to return to the same places to nest or breed and their populations are declining due to development and expansion, and outdoor cats hunting them. Other birds like warblers are in decline, too.

“The nature of the cats are to be predators,” Driscoll said. “Whether you think it is or not, cats are going to attempt to eat things on the outside and kill things.”

What does the ordinance say? Cary’s ordinance states it is unlawful for the owner of any domestic animal to allow it to be at large in the town or on any town property. Dogs may be unleashed inside the town of Cary Dog Parks.

Cats and dogs in heat must also be confined to prevent unintentional breeding.

“For cats, they don’t have to be on a leash on your property but once they step onto a neighbor’s property down the road, that’s where the issue comes in,” Haggist said.

Loose cats and dogs have also bitten humans, which can result in a fine.

Does the state have a leash law? While there isn’t a statewide leash law, North Carolina prohibits dogs from running loose at night and when they are in heat. A violation of either is a Class 3 misdemeanor, according to the UNC School of Government.

Local leash laws fill the gaps in the state’s provisions and help keep local wildlife safe. Like Cary, Raleigh prohibits domestic animals from running unrestrained in the city, as do Apex, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, and Morrisville.

Wake County’s Animal Control ordinance also prohibits cats and dogs from running freely, including dogs in public parks without a leash unless it is a designated dog park.

Can cat owners be fined if they violate the ordinance? Yes. Cary’s fines start at $20 for the first offense. The second time, owners pay $50. A third time, $75; a fourth, $100.

On the fifth offense, owners will pay $250 and their animal can be seized. If Animal Services picks up a cat and takes it to a shelter, owners will also have to pay to reclaim it.

Haggist said Cary Animal Services cites pet owners a couple of times a month. The town has never removed a cat for a violation, though.

“There are instances where a feline has been impounded and taken to the Wake County Animal Shelter and the other never reclaimed the animal,” he said.

Training a cat is tough. What do experts suggest? Driscoll said winter is a good time to transition cats to indoors living because it’s colder.

Cat owners can create enriching environments with exercise wheels, toys, cat trees, or hammocks for cats to look outside.

Experts tell owners to invest in harnesses, collars, breathable backpacks, or strollers for cats to ride in outside. Regular interactive play is also recommended.

“It’s a human factor; people just feel like their cats need to be outside,” she said. “A lot of this takes a little bit of training.”

To get a cat used to being on a leash, the Anti-Cruelty Society recommends owners get their feline used to wearing and walking in a harness indoors before heading outside.

Haggist says owners also can invest in an electric fence or an outdoor “catio,” or cat patio, that allows them to be in nature.

What about feral cats? Cary Animal Services offers traps to residents to capture stray cats that have created a nuisance on their property. Officers will pick up the trapped cats and take them to the Wake County Animal Center in Raleigh.

There, the cats are scanned for identifying microchips and kept on hold for five days for owners to come get them. Those that go unclaimed and are tame enough may be made available for adoption. Others may be made available for rodent control through the county’s Working Cat Program, mostly on farms or in warehouses.