Yolo County, CA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Cat at-large status
- Exempt from leash/at-large law (§6-1.401)
- Liability section
- Yolo County Code § 6-1.420
- Penalty tier
- Infraction under §6-1.422(b) / Gov. Code §25132
- Cat licensing
- None; Article 6 licensing covers dogs only
- Enforcement
- Yolo County Animal Services
Summary
Yolo County exempts domestic cats from its leash and at-large law under § 6-1.401, so a free-roaming cat is not itself a code violation. Owners remain on the hook, though: § 6-1.420 forbids letting a cat damage another's property or bite, scratch, or claw a person or another animal.
No owner of a domestic cat shall permit or suffer such cat to damage property, public or private or real or personal, or to bite, scratch, or claw any human being or other animal which is the property of another.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Supplement 2026 S-21 includes: Local legislation current through Ord. 1584, effective June 25, 2026).
Full Breakdown
1. " That does not erase liability. " A neighbor whose fence, garden, or pet is harmed by a roaming cat can pursue the owner under this section even though the cat broke no leash or at-large rule. 615, does not extend to cats. 420 the same way it handles dog complaints.
Violations & Fines
A violation of § 6-1.420 falls under § 6-1.422(b): it is not among the sections listed as misdemeanors, so it is an infraction punishable under California Government Code § 25132. The owner can still face separate civil liability to the injured neighbor for the cost of the property damage or injury the cat caused.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my cat roam free in unincorporated Yolo County?
Am I liable if my cat damages a neighbor's property?
Does Yolo County license cats the way it licenses dogs?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yolo County
California rules heatmap·Compare Yolo County to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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