Del Norte County, CA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Cats are covered as allowed personal property under Title 8, Chapter 2 (Dogs and other Pets) of the Del Norte County Code, which lists 'dog, cat, guinea pig, hamster, pot-bellied pig, birds, lizard, snake, turtle, or tortoise' among the pets it applies to. The ordinance's key control measures - the Leash Law, dog licensing, dog tags, and the dog kennel license - are written specifically for dogs. There is no county cat-licensing requirement and no county cat-leash or confinement mandate; free-roaming owned cats are not subject to the dog 'leash law.' Cats remain subject to the general duty-of-care provisions (proper food, water, shelter, and humane treatment) and the County's nuisance provisions. Note the ordinance also makes it unlawful to sell or give away dogs or cats of any age in or near public places, including shopping centers, parks, business districts, and public streets or sidewalks. For rabies control, California state law (Health and Safety Code rabies provisions) governs cat vaccination; in practice the County's Animal Services and the Humane Society of Del Norte ((707) 464-1686) provide low-cost spay/neuter resources. Because the county code does not impose cat licensing or leashing, the main legal duties for cat owners in the unincorporated county are humane care and not creating a nuisance.