Laguna Niguel, CA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Section 10-1-85 lets a cat owner obtain a license certificate and tag upon submitting proof of rabies vaccination from a licensed veterinarian and paying the council-set fee, with the license valid for the same period as the vaccination. Removing a registration tag without the owner's consent is separately unlawful. Licensing stays optional for an individual cat owner except where Section 10-1-76 kicks in, requiring the additional animal license once a household keeps four or more cats over four months old. Commercial cat kennels operate under a different, mandatory regime: Section 10-2-407 requires a cat kennel license under Section 10-2-309 and layers on three extra conditions beyond the general animal care standards in Section 10-1-38.

The kennel operator must keep all cats under proper confinement on the premises and may not let them run at large. Every individual cat not kept exclusively in a kennel run or cage needs its own individual license in addition to the kennel license, though a cat in transit or attending a cat show in a kennel representative's care is exempt from that individual-license rule. Every cat at the kennel must also be vaccinated with an FVRCP vaccine against feline distemper and panleukopenia. A cat kennel license is obtained, inspected, denied, revoked and appealed through the same general licensing procedures as any other animal facility license under Sections 10-2-300 through 10-2-311, including the one-year license term in Section 10-2-302 and the 30-day administrative appeal window in Section 10-2-308.