Solano County, CA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Solano County Code Chapter 4 treats cats more permissively than dogs on licensing but still imposes rabies and nuisance rules. Section 4-142 provides that any person owning or having control, custody, or possession of a cat 'may' procure a license - making cat licensing voluntary - with the same procedure as dog licensing and a fee set by the Board of Supervisors. Where a cat license is obtained, section 4-143 requires satisfactory proof of rabies vaccination before any license is issued. Importantly, rabies vaccination itself is mandatory: section 4-156(b) requires every cat over four months of age to have a medically current anti-rabies vaccination, and section 4-156(c) gives new owners of an unvaccinated cat over four months 14 days to comply. The general 'at large' definition in section 4-11 specifically references cats - an at-large cat is one off the owner's premises and not under physical restraint or otherwise controlled by a competent person - and cats are covered by the barking/howling and trespassing nuisance rules in section 4-73, which apply to any 'dog, cat or other animal.' Impounded cats are held for minimum periods (three to five working days depending on identification) under section 4-43 before disposition. The County contracts cat and dog licensing through Animal Care Services.