-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 BiqypL/Pxvt7jM9BHpKgjEypKIOiZ6xfmXMe7ZqliPsk5P4c7aSuDqxxHUB/0H9h
 ls94hkU0NMs9jMsY5s+dng==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001179110-03-001667.txt : 20030610
<SEC-HEADER>0001179110-03-001667.hdr.sgml : 20030610
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030610133022
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001179110-03-001667
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030606
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030610

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CHENG DUNSON K
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001185628

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-18630
		FILM NUMBER:		03738740

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		777 N BROADWAY
		CITY:			LOS ANGELES
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			90012

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CATHAY BANCORP INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000861842
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	STATE COMMERCIAL BANKS [6022]
		IRS NUMBER:				954274680
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		777 N BROADWAY
		CITY:			LOS ANGELES
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			90012
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2136254700

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		777 NORTH BROADWAY
		CITY:			LOS ANGELES
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			90012
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 -2003-06-06
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-06</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000861842</issuerCik><issuerName>CATHAY BANCORP INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>CATY</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001185628</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>CHENG DUNSON K</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chairman &amp; President</officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</
value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>0</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>154120.56</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-06</value></transactionDate><deemedExecu
tionDate><value>2003-06-06</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>480</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>119082</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Husband &amp; Wife Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>NQ Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>16.50</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transact
ionDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>0</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1999-09-17</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-09-17</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>35000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>35000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownership
Nature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>NQ Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>21.25</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>0</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2001-01-20</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-01-20</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Comm
on Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>36660</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>36660</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>NQ Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>30.095</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>0</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transacti
onAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2002-01-18</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-01-18</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>37080</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>37080</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>NQ Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>32.55</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equi
tySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>0</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-02-21</value><footnoteId id="F6"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-02-21</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>39660</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>39660</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>NQ Stock Option</
value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>39.85</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>0</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-01-16</value><footnoteId id="F7"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-01-16</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>76530</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFoll
owingTransaction><value>76530</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">No transaction, for historical listing purpose.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Includes 164 shares acquired through automatic dividend reinvestment on 4/22/03; but does not include the reporting person's vested interest of 45,636 shares in ESOP as of 12/31/02.</footnote><footnote id="F3">The option vests in 5 equal annual installments beginning 9/17/99.</footnote><footnote id="F4">The option vests in 5 equal annual installments beginning 1/20/01.</footnote><footnote id="F5">The option vests in 5 equal annual installments beginning 1/18/02.</footnote><footnote id="F6">The option vests in 5 equal annual installments beginning 2/21/03.</footnote><footnote id="F7">The option vests in 5 equal annual installments beginning 1/16/04.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature>
<signatureName>/s/ Dunson Cheng</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-10</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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