Apple Valley, CA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Apple Valley treats cats more leniently than dogs. The Town confirms there is no leash law for cats, so cats are not required to be leashed or confined when off the owner's property. Cat numbers are governed by the Town's animal limits: most residential households may keep up to four cats, while apartments and condominiums are limited to one cat or one dog. A household may exceed the standard number under a $25 Animal Control Permit, allowing up to eight animals in any combination, but all dogs and cats kept under that over-limit permit must be sterilized within 30 days of the permit number being assigned. Apple Valley requires licensing of dogs over four months old but does not impose the same town-wide cat licensing requirement, focusing instead on number limits, sterilization for over-limit animals, and nuisance control. Cats adopted from the Town of Apple Valley Animal Shelter must be spayed or neutered at the time of adoption under Section 15.01.095. Owners must still provide potable water, adequate food, and shelter for cats as domestic animals, and conditions such as unsanitary keeping or animals that create a nuisance can be abated under the Town Code. California Penal Code Section 597 cruelty protections also apply to cats throughout the state.