Indio, CA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Indio adopted Riverside County Title 6 as its Animal Control Ordinance, so the county's cat provisions apply within the city. Cat licensing is optional: an owner MAY obtain a cat license and tag by presenting a vaccination certificate, but it is not mandatory (Ord. 630, Section 4). However, several requirements are mandatory. It is unlawful for any person to own, harbor, or keep an unspayed or unaltered cat four months or older and allow it to be or remain outdoors, effectively requiring unaltered cats to be kept indoors. All cats over four months of age must be implanted with an identifying microchip, with limited veterinary exemptions, and the owner must report the microchip number to the department. Humane cat trapping is regulated: it is unlawful to set or maintain an operating cat trap unless a sign is posted, clearly visible from the road, stating a trap is in use; trapping may not continue more than ten days in a thirty-day period, and a trapped lactating female must be released immediately. Indio also amended the cattery definition so that five or more cats (rather than the county's ten) triggers a cattery license. The department takes steps to mitigate the impact of feral cat populations, which may include spay/neuter services.