Este artigo ainda não foi traduzido para o português, por isso aparece em inglês.
Yes, a Toronto cat licence is required. The City of Toronto says all dogs and cats owned in Toronto have to be licensed and wear a tag, with the licence renewed every year. Indoor cats aren't exempt, and the City notes you could be fined without one.
Plenty of cat people assume licences are a dog thing. We did too, once. Here's what the bylaw actually says, how to get or renew a licence, what to do about the tag when your cat treats collars as a personal insult, and how a licence plus a microchip gets a lost cat home faster.
What Toronto's bylaw says about cats
Toronto's bylaw gives cats their own article in Municipal Code Chapter 349, Animals. Section 349-19 says every owner of a cat shall:
- Register the cat with the city, pay the licence fee and get a licence tag.
- Renew the licence before each one expires, for as long as they own the cat.
- Keep the licence tag securely fixed on the cat at all times.
- Pay a replacement fee if the tag is lost.
The only exception in that section is a cat that's a service animal. Fees live in a separate chapter and change now and then, so check the City's licensing page for current rates and discounts.
Every cat owned in Toronto needs a licence and a tag, renewed every year. Indoor cats are included.
How to get or renew a Toronto cat licence
To get or renew a Toronto cat licence, you go through DocuPet, the City's licensing partner, in one of four ways:
| Method | What you need |
|---|---|
| Online | A credit card; for renewals, your online access code or your cat's tag number |
| In person | At one of the city's listed licensing locations |
| By phone | Your cat's details and payment |
| By mail | The completed form and payment |
The City also runs BluePaw Rewards, which gets licence holders discounts on products and services. If you move or get a new phone number, update your account online so what's on file is right.
Got a new cat, or just moved to Toronto? Licence the cat as soon as it's yours, since the bylaw applies to every owner. If your cat was adopted or imported from overseas, the City's licensing page links to extra information worth a read first, and our guide to bringing a cat into Canada covers the border side.
Why a licence matters for a cat
A licence matters because, in the City's words, if your pet is lost or in an emergency it gives them what they need to contact you. Lost pets go home faster and spend less time in shelters.
The bylaw also spells out what happens to a cat the City picks up. Under section 349-20, Toronto Animal Services can seize a cat found at large if it's causing damage or a nuisance, or if it's in distress, injured or ill. Section 349-21 says an impounded cat is held for at least three days, not counting the day it came in or days the animal centre is closed, so the owner can redeem it.
Redeeming the cat means paying an impoundment fee and making sure the cat is microchipped. After that holding period, the cat becomes the City's property and may be adopted out or transferred. Three days goes by fast.
Licence and microchip: use both
Use both, because a tag can fall off and a microchip can't. The Ontario SPCA describes a microchip as a permanent ID about the size of a grain of rice, read by a scanner at a vet clinic, shelter or animal control. It only works if it's registered and your details are current.
Toronto Animal Services' Chip Truck offers low-cost microchips for cats and dogs, and asks for a current City pet licence. The City also suggests having your vet scan the chip at the annual visit to make sure it still reads. And if your cat goes missing, Toronto's lost pet page asks you to report it to 416-338-PAWS (7297) or 311 with the licence and microchip numbers and a photo.
Our guide to the lost pet app covers what else helps, and PetGrid's free lost mode makes a poster and a shareable page in a minute.
Tag tips for cats who hate collars
For cats who hate collars, start with a breakaway collar made for cats, which pops open if it snags on something. Bring it in slowly, with treats, for short stretches at first.
- Check the fit often: you should be able to slide two fingers under it.
- Keep the tag number written down at home and in your phone, in case the tag goes missing.
The bylaw wants the tag on the cat at all times, so yes, even the indoor cat on the windowsill. It's also an instant signal to anyone who finds your cat that someone's looking for it.
Other Toronto rules cat owners should know
A few other rules are worth knowing. Chapter 349 limits a dwelling unit to six cats, with exceptions for members of rescue groups and for cats lawfully kept before the rule came in. Ontario law requires every cat three months or older to be vaccinated against rabies, which our post on the rabies vaccine Ontario law explains. And the City can run a trap, neuter, return program for feral cats.
Need a vet for that rabies shot or a chip scan? Browse vets in Toronto.
Perguntas frequentes
Do cats need a licence in Toronto?
Yes. The City of Toronto says all dogs and cats owned in Toronto must be licensed and wear a tag, and the licence has to be renewed every year.
Do indoor cats need a licence in Toronto?
Yes, the bylaw applies to every owned cat, and the only exception is service animals. A licence also helps an indoor cat that slips out get home faster.
How do I licence my cat in Toronto?
Online through the City's partner DocuPet, in person at a licensing location, by phone or by mail. To renew online you'll need your access code or your cat's tag number.
Is there a fine for an unlicensed cat in Toronto?
There can be. The City says a pet licence is a legal requirement and you could be fined without one, so check its site for current rules.
Does my cat need a microchip in Toronto?
The licence is the general requirement, but if Toronto Animal Services impounds your cat, the bylaw says you have to get it microchipped to redeem it. A chip is a good idea anyway, since tags can fall off.
Em resumo
A Toronto cat licence is required for every owned cat, indoor or out. Register, renew every year, and keep the tag on. Add a registered microchip with current contact details, and a lost cat has the best shot at a quick trip home.
The free PetGrid app keeps your cat's microchip number, vaccines and photo together, ready if you ever need them.
Guarde os registros, as vacinas e as consultas do seu pet em um só lugar seguro. O app PetGrid é gratuito para tutores, com ou sem clínica.
Get the free PetGrid appFontes
Cada fato sobre outro produto ou organização vem destas páginas, consultadas na data indicada.