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Spokane Valley, WA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Cat license required
Yes, citywide
Underlying rule
County Code § 5.04.030
Adoption authority
SVMC § 7.30.010(B)
Adopted text on file
City Clerk's office (§ 7.30.020)
Park leash cap for pets
15 feet (§ 6.05.060(J))
Feral cat ordinance
None in reprinted City code

Summary

Cats in Spokane Valley must be licensed under the same rule the City borrows from Spokane County. SVMC § 7.30.010(B) adopts Section 5.04.030 of the Spokane County Code, "Cat License – Required," by reference, reading every mention of "Spokane County" in it as "Spokane Valley," so the licensing requirement applies citywide.

Pursuant to RCW 35A.11.020 and 35A.12.140, the City of Spokane Valley adopts by reference Section 5.04.030 of the Spokane County Code, entitled "Cat License – Required," as now in effect and subsequently amended. Any reference to "Spokane County" shall be construed to refer to Spokane Valley.

View official code

Full Breakdown

Rather than write its own cat code, Spokane Valley incorporates Spokane County's. 12, "Inherently Dangerous Mammals/Reptiles," as the City's general animal control regulations. 060(J), which caps any leash at 15 feet where pets are allowed at all, bars pets from posted picnic and play areas, and makes the owner responsible for the animal's conduct and for removing its waste. The reprinted Title 7 SVMC text does not contain a separate feral-cat-colony ordinance; cat regulation runs through the adopted county chapter.

Violations & Fines

The reprinted City code does not set a separate dollar penalty for an unlicensed cat; licensing enforcement runs through the adopted Spokane County Code Chapter 5.04 procedures referenced at SVMC § 7.30.010(B). Where a cat's presence otherwise creates a nuisance under Chapter 7.05 SVMC, that violation is processed under Chapter 17.100 SVMC, with civil penalties starting at $500 for a first offense under § 17.100.250.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to license my cat in Spokane Valley?
Yes. SVMC § 7.30.010(B) adopts "Section 5.04.030 of the Spokane County Code, entitled 'Cat License – Required,' as now in effect and subsequently amended," and any reference to Spokane County in that provision is read as Spokane Valley, so the same licensing requirement binds City cat owners.
Where can I read the actual licensing rule the City adopted?
SVMC § 7.30.020 requires that "one copy of Chapters 5.04 and 5.12 of the Spokane County Code shall be available in the office of the city clerk for use, inspection and copying by the public," so the full adopted text is on file at City Hall.
Do cats have to be leashed in Spokane Valley parks?
Where pets are allowed at all, yes. Section 6.05.060(J)(2) caps any leash at 15 feet and requires the animal be "kept under control at all times," a rule that applies to cats brought into parks the same as dogs.
Does Spokane Valley have its own feral cat ordinance?
The reprinted City code has no separate feral-colony provision; cat regulation runs entirely through the adopted Spokane County Code Chapter 5.04 referenced in SVMC § 7.30.010(B).

Sources & Official References

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All Spokane Valley rules

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