Elk Grove, CA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Every cat over four months old that is owned, possessed, kept, harbored, or in someone's custody in Elk Grove must be licensed under EGMC § 8.03.010, with the license renewed annually or prepaid for up to three years if the owner has a rabies certificate covering that period. Getting a license costs less if the cat is fixed: presenting a veterinarian's certificate that the cat has been spayed or neutered, or a certificate that it cannot be altered for medical reasons, cuts the registration fee to at least half the standard rate. Two altered cats belonging to a household head over 65 are licensed free, and licensing itself requires the cat be microchipped under EGMC § 8.03.080 unless the owner pays a separate microchip exemption fee.

Feral and community cats are carved out entirely: EGMC § 8.03.010(E)(3) exempts them from licensing, and the definitions in EGMC § 8.01.020 recognize a "feral cat colony," a "colony caretaker" who feeds and shelters the group, and a formal "TNR program" where feral or community cats are humanely trapped, sterilized, vaccinated, and ear-tipped by a licensed veterinarian before being returned to their original location. That TNR framework lets colony caretakers manage outdoor cat populations without running afoul of the licensing or at-large rules that apply to owned cats.