Chino Hills, CA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Cat license required
- no, only dogs are licensed
- Cat leash required
- no, Section 6.08.130 covers dogs only
- Impoundment reclaim
- redemption fee + food/care cost
- Unclaimed cat, known owner
- adoption after 10 days' notice
- Unclaimed cat, no owner known
- adoption after 3 days
- Feral cat colony program
- none exists in the Code
Summary
Chino Hills does not license or leash cats: Chapter 6.08's licensing duty in Section 6.08.040 and leash rule in Section 6.08.130 both name only dogs. Cats are still subject to impoundment under Section 6.08.150, and reclaiming one requires a redemption fee plus food and care costs set by City Council resolution.
A.Release to Owners—Fees. The owner, caretaker, or custodian of a cat impounded may reclaim such cat upon the payment of a redemption fee and food and care cost in an amount as established by resolution of the City Council. These fees are to be paid to the Enforcing Officer.B.Adoption—Disposal. Where the owner, caretaker, or custodian of the cat is known, he or she will be notified by mail that his or her animal has been impounded. If the cat has not been reclaimed within ten (10) days from mailing of the notice to the owner's or custodian's last known address on file, or within three days of the impoundment where no owner, caretaker, or custodian is known, the Enforcing Officer, in lieu of destroying such cat, may offer the cat for adoption.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 61).
Full Breakdown
08, 'Dogs and Cats,' treats the two species differently. 040 applies only to 'each dog over four months of age harbored within the City'; nothing in the chapter requires a cat license or rabies certificate the way it does for dogs. 040, which covers any animal that trespasses or is repeatedly at large. 150 lets the city hold an impounded cat and requires the owner, caretaker, or custodian to pay a redemption fee plus food and care costs, set by City Council resolution, to the Enforcing Officer to get it back.
If the owner is known, the city mails notice of the impoundment; an unclaimed cat can be offered for adoption after ten days from mailing, or after three days if no owner is known, though the Enforcing Officer may authorize same-day humane destruction with a licensed veterinarian's or state humane officer's approval if the cat is in great pain from injury or a contagious disease that could endanger other sheltered animals. 03's shelter exemptions apply to cats exactly as they do to dogs, but there is no chapter creating a feral cat colony or trap-neuter-return program in the Chino Hills Code.
Violations & Fines
There is no direct cat-licensing or cat-leash citation because neither requirement exists in Chino Hills. A cat that is repeatedly at large, trespasses, or otherwise creates a nuisance can be addressed as a public nuisance under Section 6.04.040, punishable as a misdemeanor under Section 1.36.010 after written notice, and impoundment fees under Section 6.08.150 apply regardless of ownership status once a cat is picked up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to license my cat in Chino Hills?
Is there a leash law for cats in Chino Hills?
What does it cost to get an impounded cat back in Chino Hills?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chino Hills
California rules heatmap·Compare Chino Hills to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Cat Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle cat rules.