(a) The Legislature finds and declares the following:

(1) Domestic cats’ temperaments range from completely docile indoor pets to completely unsocialized outdoor cats that avoid all contact with humans.

(2) “Feral cats” are cats with temperaments that are completely unsocialized, although frightened or injured tame pet cats may appear to be feral.

(3) Some people care for or own feral cats.

(4) Feral cats pose particular safety hazards for animal shelter employees.

(5) It is cruel to keep feral cats caged for long periods of time; however, it is not always easy to distinguish a feral cat from a frightened tame cat.

(b) For the purposes of this section, a “feral cat” is defined as a cat without owner identification of any kind whose usual and consistent temperament is extreme fear and resistance to contact with people. A feral cat is totally unsocialized to people.

(c) Notwithstanding Section 31752, if an apparently feral cat has not been reclaimed by its owner or caretaker within the first three days of the required holding period, animal shelter personnel qualified to verify the temperament of the animal shall verify whether it is feral or tame by using a standardized protocol. If the cat is determined to be docile or a frightened or difficult tame cat, the cat shall be held for the entire required holding period specified in Section 31752. If the cat is determined to be truly feral, the cat may be euthanized or relinquished to a nonprofit, as defined in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, animal adoption organization that agrees to the spaying or neutering of the cat if it has not already been spayed or neutered. In addition to any required spay or neuter deposit, the animal shelter, at its discretion, may assess a fee, not to exceed the standard adoption fee, for the animal released.

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 7, Sec. 9. (AB 1553) Effective January 1, 2020.)