Upland, CA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Cat licensing
- Voluntary since July 1, 1993
- Max cats per residence
- 3, age 4 months or older
- Leash requirement
- Does not apply to domesticated cats
- Rabies vaccination mandate
- Written to apply to dogs
- Administering official
- Chief Animal Services Officer
- Over-limit penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine / 6 months jail
Summary
Upland lets cat owners license their cats voluntarily rather than mandatorily, exempts domesticated cats from the citywide leash requirement, and caps ownership at three cats age four months or older per residence, under Municipal Code §§ 6.04.020, 6.04.115, and 6.04.120.
All dogs which are four months of age or older and which are harbored or maintained by their owners in the city shall be annually licensed and registered by and through the city. The licensing of cats shall be voluntary commencing July 1, 1993. ... No person owning or having control of any animal, not including any domesticated cat, shall permit such animal to be present upon any public street, sidewalk, school ground, public park, playground or any other public place... unless such animal is secured by a leash no more than six feet in length.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4480959; v4 updated 2025-09-22).
Full Breakdown
030). 115 caps the number of cats four months or older kept at any residence at three, alongside a separate three-dog cap, unless expressly permitted by law. 120(A) bars an owner from letting an animal roam public streets, sidewalks, parks, or private property without consent unless leashed, but the section explicitly carves out 'any domesticated cat' from that leash requirement, so cats may be let outdoors off-leash where dogs may not. 070-100 apply to whichever animal is actually licensed. 220.
Violations & Fines
Keeping more than three cats at a residence without an express legal exception violates § 6.04.115 and is punishable under the chapter's general penalty clause, § 6.04.230, which applies Chapter 1.16: a misdemeanor fine up to $1,000, imprisonment up to six months, or both, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense. Because cat licensing is voluntary, failing to license a cat itself is not a violation, unlike an unlicensed dog four months or older, which is subject to impoundment under § 6.04.110.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to license my cat in Upland?
Does my cat need to be on a leash in public in Upland?
How many cats can I keep at my Upland home?
What happens if I keep more cats than the code allows?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Upland
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