In Utah, community cats—defined as feral or free-roaming cats without visible owner identification that have been sterilized, vaccinated, and ear-tipped—are not granted specific protections under state law. However, the Utah Community Cat Act provides certain exemptions and guidelines for their management:

• Exemptions: Community cats are exempt from licensing requirements and feeding bans. 
• Shelter Release: Animal shelters may release community cats to sponsors operating community cat programs before the standard five-day holding period. 
• Custody: Community cat sponsors or caretakers do not have legal custody of these cats, as defined in Section 76-9-301.

While these provisions facilitate the management of community cats, they do not equate to legal protection. Local ordinances may vary, and not all municipalities participate in Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs. For instance, Draper does not engage in any TNR initiatives.

Community Cat Act – Utah