Columbia Requirements for care of feral cat colonies ordinance (§ 5-113)

Every person issued a feral cat colony caretaker permit shall comply with the following requirements:

(1) Regularly feed the cat colony, including weekends and holidays.

(2) Annually trap each cat over the age of eight (8) weeks in order to comply with requirements (3) through (6).

(3) All cats must be spayed or neutered.

(4) All cats must be tested annually for feline leukemia and feline immune deficiency virus. Those cats testing positive must be humanely euthanized or isolated indoors.

(5) Identify all trapped cats by tipping their ears and insertion of a microchip.

(6) Have all cats vaccinated for rabies in addition to any other vaccinations or immunization requirement imposed by the state.

(7) Maintain records on the location and size of the colonies as well as the vaccination, microchipping, ear tipping and spay and neuter records of the colony cats.

(8) Take all reasonable steps to a) remove kittens from the colony after they have been weaned; b) place the kittens in homes or foster care; and c) capture and spay the mother cat.

(9) Obtain medical attention for any colony cat that exhibits illness, signs of rabies or unusual behavior and remove the cat from the colony to prevent disease or injury to other cats in the colony.

(10) If possible, report number of cats that died or otherwise ceased to be a part of the colony and the number of cats placed in animal shelters or permanent homes as companion cats.