Santa Clarita, CA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Who it covers
- Cat kennel owners/operators
- Duty
- Keep cats confined on premises
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, Penal Code Sec. 19
- Related residential cap
- 10 cats, Sec. 8.20.038(B)
- Adopted
- Ordinance 91-29, Aug. 13, 1991
Summary
Santa Clarita's only cat-specific confinement rule targets cat kennels: Section 8.32.070 requires anyone who owns or operates a cat kennel to keep every cat under proper confinement on the premises and bars letting kennel cats run at large. Violating it is a misdemeanor under Section 8.04.060(B), punishable under Penal Code Section 19.
Every person owning or operating any cat kennel shall keep all cats therein under proper confinement on the premises and shall not cause, permit, or allow such cats to be or to run at large.
Full Breakdown
32 "Animals Running at Large," states that every person owning or operating any cat kennel shall keep all cats therein under proper confinement on the premises and shall not cause, permit, or allow such cats to be or to run at large. 070 applies specifically to a person who owns or operates a cat kennel, a commercial or larger-scale keeping arrangement rather than an ordinary household pet. 038(B), which conditions that cap on the cats being individually licensed, spayed or neutered, and kept primarily indoors.
070 as a misdemeanor punishable as set forth in Penal Code Section 19, rather than the default infraction that applies to most Title 8 violations.
Violations & Fines
A person who owns or operates a cat kennel and lets the cats inside run at large, instead of keeping them under proper confinement on the premises, violates Section 8.32.070. Section 8.04.060(B) singles this section out as a misdemeanor punishable under Penal Code Section 19, a harsher default than the infraction that applies to most other Title 8 violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Santa Clarita ban cats from running loose like it does dogs?
What is the penalty for letting kennel cats run loose?
How many cats can I keep at home in Santa Clarita?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Clarita
California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Clarita to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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Cat Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle cat rules.