Sacramento, CA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

430(A) makes it unlawful to own, harbor or keep a cat over four months old within Sacramento without first obtaining a city license, and subsection C goes further by making it unlawful to keep an unsterilized cat over four months unless the owner holds an unaltered-cat license, an unaltered license at a reduced fee, or falls under the health exemption in subsection G. Subsection B separately bars breeding an unaltered cat while it is unlicensed. Owners who want to keep an intact cat for showing or breeding can qualify for a reduced unaltered-license fee by registering the cat with a national registry such as the International Cat Association or Cat Fanciers Association, showing it at a sanctioned event within the prior twelve months (or holding a purebred title), and not breeding it while holding the reduced-fee license (subsection F).

The health exemption in subsection G lets a licensed veterinarian certify in writing that a cat is unfit for sterilization due to age or health, in which case the cat is assessed the altered-license fee instead of the higher unaltered rate, subject to re-evaluation once the vet determines sterilization has become suitable. 440, the license period runs up to three years, tied to the cat's rabies vaccination cycle, with fees set by city council resolution and cut in half for cats with proof of spaying or neutering; licenses can be transferred to a new owner for a fee, and lost or damaged tags can be replaced through animal care services.