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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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) 03/22/2005 (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               300,820.99 (1) D   Common Stock               93,866 I By ESOP Common Stock               239,308 I Husband & Wife 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

$ 8.25

09/17/1999(2)

09/17/2008

Common Stock

70,000

70,000

D

Stock Option

$ 10.625

01/20/2001(2)

01/20/2010

Common Stock

73,320

143,320

D

Stock Option

$ 15.0475

01/18/2002(3)

01/18/2011

Common Stock

74,160

217,480

D

Stock Option

$ 16.275

02/21/2003(4)

02/21/2012

Common Stock

79,320

296,800

D

Stock Option

$ 19.925

01/16/2004(5)

01/16/2013

Common Stock

153,060

449,860

D

Stock Option

$ 24.8

03/22/2005

D(6)

391,730

11/20/2004(7)

11/20/2013

Common Stock

246,940

$ 0

696,800

D

Stock Option

$ 37

02/17/2006(8)

02/17/2015

Common Stock

154,940

851,740

D

Stock Option

$ 32.47

03/22/2005

A

245,060

03/22/2005(9)

03/22/2015

Common Stock

245,060

$ 0

1,096,800

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

Dunson K. Cheng		03/24/2005
**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)	Includes 223.58 shares acquired through dividend reinvestment year-to-date.
(2)	The option is fully exercisable.
(3)	The option vests in 5 equal annual installments beginning 1/18/02.
(4)	The option vests in 5 equal annual installments beginning 2/21/03.
(5)	The option vests in 5 equal annual installments beginning 1/16/04.
(6)	391,730 shares cancelled by mutual agreement between the reporting person and the issuer on 3/22/05.
(7)	The option vests in 5 equal annual installments beginning 11/20/04.
(8)	The option vests in 5 equal annual installments beginning 2/17/06.
(9)	30% exercisable immediately; 10% exercisable on 11/20/05; the rest of the option vests in 3 equal annual installments beginning 11/20/06.

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