If just 5 percent had been registered at $25 a head, the auditor’s office says the city could have saved $536,000 over the past three fiscal years.

Cat owners say the idea defies logic and accounting principles.

“So now you have Animal Control being your tax collector,” says Sandee Gilbert, the owner of a 1-year-old Cornish Rex male named Nike. “And as a tax collector, you’re going to accrue a tremendous amount of cost trying to find the owner of that cat.”…

And while many responsible cat owners take the precaution and happily bear the expense of getting their furry friends whatever shots are necessary — especially pedigreed show cats — charging some people $25 to license and immunize a cat would be non-starter.

“What’s going to happen is, they’re gonna say, ‘Bye, bye, Kitty Cat,’ and throw the little cat out the door,” Gilbert warns.