Buena Park, CA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Cat limit
- 3 cats over 6 months
- At-large law
- Cats expressly exempt
- Licensing
- Voluntary, not mandatory
- Unspayed females
- 1 without breeding permit
Summary
Buena Park caps most addresses at three cats over six months old, but unlike dogs, cats are exempt from the citywide at-large restriction.
Unless otherwise permitted by the zoning code of the city, no person shall keep or maintain more than three cats that have attained the age of six months, at any street address within the city unless the person, family or group of persons keeping or maintaining such cats is operating a bona fide animal clinic or hospital or a duly licensed pet shop, cat kennel, circus, carnival, traveling show, menagerie, or cat exhibition at such street address.
B. No person shall keep or maintain more than one unspayed female cat at any street address within the city unless the person, family, or group of persons keeping or maintaining such cats is operating a bona fide animal hospital or a duly licensed pet shop, cat kennel, circus, carnival, traveling show, menagerie, or cat exhibition at such street address. (Ord. 1542 § 2, 2010)
Full Breakdown
Buena Park Municipal Code § 6.22.010 limits most addresses to three cats six months or older, plus only one unspayed female cat, absent the same business exemptions that apply to dogs (licensed clinic, pet shop, kennel, circus, or exhibition) or a breeding permit. Notably, § 6.22.130's animal-at-large prohibition, which bars letting an animal stray onto public streets, sidewalks, parks, or unenclosed lots, expressly excludes cats, so Buena Park has no leash or at-large law for cats the way it does for dogs. Voluntary cat licensing is available under § 6.16.020.
Violations & Fines
Keeping more than three cats, or an unspayed female cat without a breeding permit, at one address without a qualifying business use violates § 6.22.010.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can cats roam freely in Buena Park?
How many cats can I keep at one address?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Buena Park
California rules heatmap·Compare Buena Park to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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Cat Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle cat rules.