He practiced law for more than thirty years, in Sacramento, San Francisco, and for a short time in Alaska.

As a young boy, he knew John Sutter, Sacramento's founder; James W. Marshall, discoverer of gold; Edwin B. Crocker and Leland Stanford, who pioneered the western portion of the first transcontinental railroad; and John Bidwell, founder the city of Chico, California.

[3] In July 1892, Catlin was admitted to the bar of San Francisco and established a law practice in Sacramento until 1899.

He worked at different law firms, including for a short time in Alaska in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush.

He knew American writer and actor Perry Newberry in San Francisco in 1915, when they were on the board of the Children's Theater.

Catlin, Una Jeffers, and others created sets for the Forest Theater's production of Hamlet in 1926.

[7] Catlin built the original Forge in the Forest home at 6th Avenue and Junipero Street with a small blacksmith shop in the garage in 1926.

Catlin was successful to overturn a law enforced by the Carmel Development Company that profited alcohol consumption for property owners.