There were a couple of shouts for City penalties, one of which saw Gavin Gordon booked for diving, but it was not Cardiff's day.
The win was only Bournmeouth's third of the season in the combination league which City still lead.
Bournmouth: Scriven, Hubbard, Hunt, J O’Connor, Broadhurst, G O’Connor, Thomas, Stock, Holmes, Williams, Elliott. Subs: Saadi, R Moss, Cannon, Coutts, Rowe.
Cardiff: Lee-Barrett, Anthony, Taylor, Cronin, Huggins, Bowen, Bonner, Parkins, Jerome, Gordon, Fleetwood. Subs: Kift, Attard, Jenkins, Jacobson, Hartley.