Why Communities Should Add Cat Licensing

Last week I shared on LinkedIn about the great work being done by the CATalyst Council and my pride in being a member of its board for many years. I have also shared my own family’s journey to becoming a cat household. None of this was lost on me as I focused my professional energy on the very dog-centric world of BarkPass.   With that in mind, I started to look at why so few communities have licensing requirements for cats.

Alex Coming Home

For decades, pet licensing policies have focused almost exclusively on dogs. This made sense when dogs represented the majority of owned companion animals, and when cats were more likely to roam freely without consistent veterinary care. But times have changed, and our local policies need to change with them.

The Shift in Cat Ownership

Over the last 30 years, cat ownership has grown dramatically. Today, cats rival dogs as the most popular household pet in many communities. More importantly, how people care for cats has evolved:

• Most pet cats are now indoor-only or indoor-primary.

• Veterinary care, including vaccinations and microchipping, is widely adopted for cats.

• Spay and neuter rates for cats have increased dramatically.

• Pet owners view cats as full-fledged family members.

  
  

In short, the public's expectations around responsible cat ownership have shifted significantly. However, most local laws still treat cats as if it's 1970.

Why Cat Licensing Makes Sense Today

Adding cat licensing is not about creating new burdens for pet owners. It's about recognizing modern ownership trends and providing tangible community benefits:

1. Improved Lost Pet Recovery

   Licensing, combined with microchipping, significantly increases the likelihood of lost cats being returned to their owners. With cats often less likely to wear collars, licensing provides an additional, official way to identify and reunite pets with families.

   
   

2. Support for Community Cat Programs

   Licensing fees can help fund trap-neuter-return (TNR) programs and community cat management, reducing stray populations humanely and effectively.

   
   

3. Better Public Health Data

   Licensing provides data for animal services to track population trends, vaccination coverage, and emerging public health needs.

   
   

4. Equity with Dog Ownership

   Many responsible dog owners are required to license their pets. Offering a comparable system for cats acknowledges their equal status as beloved family pets.

   
   

Addressing Common Concerns

Community leaders may worry about administrative burden or public resistance. But modern licensing systems, like BarkPass, integrate with existing dog licensing platforms, making adding cats relatively seamless. And with clear communication emphasizing the benefits: protection, recovery, and improved welfare—many cat owners welcome the opportunity to participate.

The Time is Right

The cultural shift around cat ownership is undeniable. Our laws and policies should reflect these changes to better serve both the animals and their human families. By introducing cat licensing, communities can proactively support responsible pet ownership, improve animal welfare outcomes, and build more resilient public health systems.

Adding cat licensing isn't just catching up to the times, it's leading the way into a more humane, data-informed, and responsive future for our entire pet population.