San Diego does not require leashes for cats but requires rabies vaccination once a cat is over four months old, and any cat off the owner's property may be impounded if found at large under SDMC Chapter 4 Article 4.
San Diego Municipal Code §44.0301 requires every cat in the city over four months old to be currently vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian, with the certificate kept available for Animal Services. The city does not require cat licenses citywide and has no leash law for cats, but §44.0306 lets Animal Services impound cats found at large that create nuisance. SDMC §44.0307 prohibits feeding wildlife or stray animals in a way that creates a public nuisance. Trap-neuter-return colonies are recognized when registered with County Animal Services, which contracts with San Diego Humane Society for field response.
Failure to vaccinate against rabies is an infraction with fines escalating on repeat citations. Cats causing nuisance can be impounded with reclaim fees, and indiscriminate feeding that attracts wildlife can be cited as a public nuisance.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
San Diego, CA
San Diego allows backyard recreational fires under San Diego Fire Code Section 511.0307 (adopting 2022 California Fire Code Section 307) when the fire is no ...
San Diego, CA
San Diego enforces 2022 California Residential Code Section R314 and California Health and Safety Code Sections 13113.7 and 13114 through the San Diego Build...
San Diego, CA
San Diego has no city ordinance regulating residential lawn ornaments, statuary, or religious displays on private property. California Civil Code § 4710 limi...
San Diego, CA
San Diego has no city ordinance specifically regulating residential inflatable holiday displays. Inflatables are permitted on private property subject to SDM...
San Diego, CA
San Diego has no city ordinance specifying installation dates, removal deadlines, or brightness limits for residential holiday lights. Amplified outdoor audi...
San Diego, CA
Built-in outdoor kitchens in San Diego require multiple permits through the Development Services Department: a building permit for the structure, a gas-line ...
See how San Diego's cat rules rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.