Whittier, CA Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Cat limit without license
- 5 per residence
- Condition
- Cats kept primarily indoors
- Adopted by reference
- L.A. County Code Title 10, Animals
- Exceeding limit requires
- Animal facility license
Summary
Whittier's animal code, built on the Los Angeles County Code adopted by reference, sets its cat ceiling separately from its dog ceiling. Section 6.04.050(D) locally amends County Code Section 10.20.038(B) to allow up to five cats per residence without an animal facility license, but only if the owner keeps every cat primarily indoors.
Cats. Up to five cats may be kept at any residence without an animal facility license, provided the cats' owner keeps all cats primarily indoors.
Full Breakdown
040 deems every county reference in that title to include Whittier. ' Exceeding five cats, or keeping cats that are not primarily indoors, without an animal facility license, is what triggers the licensing requirement rather than an outright ban, so a resident with more cats or free-roaming cats can still keep them lawfully by obtaining that facility license from the county-run program serving the city. The provision the city adopted and amended does not separately address managed feral cat colonies or trap-neuter-return programs, so no rule on that specific subject could be confirmed from this section.
Violations & Fines
Keeping more than five cats at a residence, or failing to keep the cats primarily indoors, without first obtaining an animal facility license violates Section 10.20.038(B) as locally amended by Whittier Municipal Code Section 6.04.050(D). The same county-administered licensing and field enforcement structure that applies to excess dogs under Sections 10.20.130 and 10.90.010 governs the facility-license process for cats kept beyond the five-cat exemption.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cats can I keep in my Whittier home without a permit?
Do Whittier's five exempt cats have to stay indoors?
Does Whittier require individual cat licenses like it does for dogs?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Whittier
California rules heatmap·Compare Whittier to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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How other cities in Los Angeles County handle cat rules.