Riverside, CA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- At-large restriction
- None: cats expressly excluded, §8.04.080
- Dog at-large rule
- Separate leash law, §8.04.050
- Cat licensing chapter
- None; Ch. 8.12 covers dogs only
- Waste duty
- Must pick up cat waste off your property, §8.04.150
- Cattery threshold
- 10+ cats triggers license, §8.18.020
Summary
Riverside has no leash law or at-large restriction for cats. RMC §8.04.080 bans letting 'any animal, except a cat' roam unsupervised in public: the carve-out means free-roaming cats aren't a Code violation the way a loose dog is under the separate leash law at §8.04.050. Cat owners still owe a poop-scoop duty under §8.04.150.
No person owning or having possession, charge, custody or control of any animal, except a cat, shall cause, permit or allow such animal to be at large upon any street, lane, alley, court or other public place unless under the immediate effective physical control of a competent person or under the immediate vocal control of said person; provided, however, the provisions of Section 8.04.050 of this chapter shall govern as to dogs. ... It is the duty of each person in control of a dog or cat to promptly dispose of their pet's solid waste deposited on any property, public or private, not owned or possessed by that person.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 33).
Full Breakdown
080 isn't just an oversight, it's a deliberate structural choice that leaves Riverside without any citywide restriction on free-roaming, unowned, or outdoor cats. 21 apply to owned cats but don't require a license tag the way dogs need one. 150's specific duty for 'each person in control of a dog or cat to promptly dispose of their pet's solid waste deposited on any property, public or private, not owned or possessed by that person', a pooper-scooper rule that reaches beyond your own yard. 020, regardless of the at-large exemption.
Violations & Fines
Because §8.04.080 doesn't reach cats, there's no at-large citation risk for a free-roaming cat itself. Failing the §8.04.150 waste-disposal duty, or the §8.04.025 sanitary-conditions duty, is enforced under the City's general penalty provision at §1.01.110: up to $250 for an infraction or up to $1,000 and six months in jail for a misdemeanor, with each day of a continuing violation charged separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my cat legally roam outside in Riverside?
Do I need to license my cat in Riverside?
Is there a rule against feral cat colonies in Riverside?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Riverside
California rules heatmap·Compare Riverside to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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Cat Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle cat rules.