Pleasanton, CA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Pleasanton's 'at large' and leash provisions in Title 7 are written for dogs, so cats are not required to be leashed or confined the way dogs are, and the city does not impose a cat-licensing mandate comparable to its dog license. That said, cats are not unregulated. The general animal regulations in Chapter 7.36 require that places where animals are kept be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition, and a cat owner who lets cats damage neighboring property or create filth can face nuisance enforcement. The citywide noise ordinance (Section 9.04.030) limits noise from any animal on residential property to 60 dBA at the property line. Roaming and free-ranging cats are handled mainly as a nuisance and welfare matter rather than through a leash law; complaints typically go to Pleasanton Police Animal Services and the East County Animal Shelter in Dublin, which also handles strays and trapping issues. California state law fills in the rest: the Penal Code prohibits cruelty, neglect, and abandonment of cats, and the broader animal-welfare statutes apply equally to felines. Owners are encouraged - though not city-mandated by leash law - to keep cats indoors or supervised to protect wildlife and the cats themselves.