The cat came back — again and again. And now, because Dan Smith didn’t get it registered, he may be going to jail.

Smith, 65, has been chased for months by animal control officers and police in Gatineau over a $276 charge — fine and court costs — after being found guilty last summer of not having a licence for a cat, as required under municipal bylaw.

Smith, however, says that “Winnie” isn’t his, and it’s feral anyway, and he doesn’t even live in Gatineau.

He says Winnie belongs to his estranged wife, Elizabeth Smith, with whom he still shares a Gatineau home even though he also a place in Vanier.

Elizabeth says Dan is telling the truth: She started caring for Winnie after it began showing up at their Essiambre Street bungalow 12 years ago. She considers it her pet and not Dan’s. Because Winnie is a feral cat, she never thought of buying the annual licence for the animal.

Dan Smith says requiring a licence for a feral cat is stupid. The cat just kept showing up and they fed it because it was hungry.

But he recalls being told by a surly Outaouais SPCA animal control officer who ticketed him in September 2014: “You feed it, you own it.”

Smith says he refused to pay the $276 on “principle.” He even contacted the Gatineau mayor’s office this week to explain his situation, but says the mayor has not returned his call.

When the SPCA officer arrived at his home in September 2014 over a complaint that he had an unlicensed cat on the premises, the officer told Smith he had 10 days to get the $30 licence or face a $100 fine. “I said: Do what you want. I don’t own a cat.

“So the guy comes back and I said: Look, I told you I don’t own a cat. Will you get the hell out of here?” The SPCA officer left and returned with two Gatineau police officers. Soon after, he was handed the ticket.

At his court hearing, Smith says he went through the same song and dance with the judge, explaining the cat wasn’t his, his permanent address is in Vanier. He was asked to present his Ontario driver’s licence, which showed a Vanier address. The judge wanted more ID, but Smith couldn’t provide a second document.

“I don’t believe you,” Smith recalls the judge saying before pronouncing him guilty. Funny, the judge didn’t believe him about his residency, says Smith, as a municipal court invoice was mailed to his Vanier address in September.

Gatineau police Const. Andrée East says the force has been told a bench warrant for Smith’s arrest over the unpaid money has been issued, but police have not yet received it.

Smith tried to turn himself in Friday, but he was turned away at the Gatineau police station.

Smith says he’ll turn himself in as soon as police notify him that they have his warrant.

Elizabeth Smith doesn’t see to mind jail time for Dan: “Maybe, I’ll have a rest for a few days.”