Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
CHENG DUNSON K
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP [CATY]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Chairman, President, & CEO
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
777 NORTH BROADWAY
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
03/22/2013
(Street)

LOS ANGELES, CA 90012
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 03/22/2013   M(1)   12,384 A $ 0 39,286 D  
Common Stock 03/25/2013   S(2)   4,637 D $ 20.18 34,649 D  
Common Stock               62,660 D  
Common Stock               102,224 I By ESOP
Common Stock               445,577 I Husband & Wife Trust
Common Stock               182,452 I Nonmarital Shares Trust

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option $ 24.8             11/20/2004(3) 11/20/2013 Common Stock 246,940   246,940 D  
Stock Option $ 37             02/17/2006(3) 02/17/2015 Common Stock 154,940   401,880 D  
Stock Option $ 32.47             03/22/2005(3) 03/22/2015 Common Stock 245,060   646,940 D  
Stock Option $ 33.54             11/20/2005(3) 05/12/2015 Common Stock 264,694   911,634 D  
Stock Option $ 36.24             01/25/2007(3) 01/25/2016 Common Stock 154,940   1,066,574 D  
Stock Option $ 23.37             02/21/2009(3) 02/21/2018 Common Stock 154,970   1,221,544 D  
Stock Option $ 23.37             02/21/2009(3) 02/21/2018 Common Stock 100,000   1,321,544 D  
Restricted Stock Units $ 0 (4) 03/22/2013   M     12,384   (5)   (5) Common Stock 12,384 $ 0 1,321,544 D  
Restricted Stock Units (6)               (7)   (7) Common Stock 21,913   1,343,457 D  
Restricted Stock Units (6)               (8)   (8) Common Stock 11,862   1,355,319 D  
Restricted Stock Units (6)               (9)   (9) Common Stock 30,481   1,385,800 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
CHENG DUNSON K
777 NORTH BROADWAY
LOS ANGELES, CA 90012
  X     Chairman, President, & CEO  

Signatures

 Monica Chen, attorney-in-fact   03/26/2013
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Represents the conversion into Common Stock upon vesting of the restricted stock units reported on Table II.
(2) These sales were effected to satisfy the reporting person's tax withholding obligations with respect to the vesting of the restricted stock units.
(3) The option is fully exercisable.
(4) Each restricted stock unit represented a contingent right to receive one share of Common Stock of the Issuer.
(5) The reporting person previously reported the award of 12,384 shares of restricted stock units on Form 4 filed March 25, 2011. All of these restricted stock units vested on March 22, 2013
(6) Consists of long term restricted stock units within the meaning of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder ("EESA"). Each unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of CATY Common Stock.
(7) These restricted stock units are scheduled to vest in a single installment on December 15, 2013, or earlier in the event of death or disability, and are subject to certain transfer restrictions under EESA.
(8) These restricted stock units are scheduled to vest in a single installment on May 8, 2014, or earlier in the event of death or disability, and are subject to certain transfer restrictions under EESA.
(9) These restricted stock units are scheduled to vest in a single installment on December 20, 2014, or earlier in the event of death or disability, and are subject to certain transfer restrictions under EESA.

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