Taylor, TX Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Registration age
- 4 months or older
- Registration authority
- City or designated veterinarian
- Altered tag fee
- $5.00 per tag
- Unaltered tag fee
- $25.00 per tag
- Max fine
- $500/day, $2,000 for health
- Feral cat colonies
- Exempt from running-at-large
Summary
Taylor requires every cat four months or older to be registered annually with the city or a designated veterinarian under Code of Ordinances § 4-42, with proof of rabies vaccination and a license tag the owner must present on request. Feral cats fed under a recognized trap-neuter-return program are exempt from the running-at-large definition in § 4-1.
Running at large shall mean not completely confined by a building, wall or fence of sufficient strength or construction to restrain the animal, except when such animal is either on a leash, or held in the hands of the owner or keeper, or under direct supervision of the owner within the limits of the owner's private property. Any animal confined within an automobile or other vehicle shall not be deemed running at large. All feral cats that are fed as part of a trap neuter return program shall not be deemed to be running at large. ... The owner of a dog or cat four months of age or older shall annually register the animal with the city. Written application to register the animal for a license and payment of the applicable license fee shall be made to the city or to a designated veterinarian. The application shall include the name and address of the applicant, a description of the animal, and proof of a current rabies vaccination. ... The license tag shall be securely attached to the collar or harness of a dog and worn at all times or able to be presented for a cat.
Full Breakdown
Under City of Taylor Code of Ordinances § 4-42, the owner of a dog or cat four months of age or older must register the animal annually with the city or with a veterinarian the city has designated for that purpose. Registration requires a written application giving the owner's name and address, a description of the cat, and proof of current rabies vaccination; the city or veterinarian then issues a numbered license tag for the year. Owners must keep that tag on the collar of a dog or be able to produce it for a cat immediately upon request, and the fee schedule in Appendix B, Fee Schedule for City Services, Sec.
00 for an unaltered one. 00 if the violation touches public health or sanitation. Separately, § 4-1 defines running at large to exclude any cat confined on the owner's property or on a leash, and it specifically carves out feral cats fed as part of a trap-neuter-return program, so a colony caretaker who is not the cat's registered owner cannot be cited for allowing it to roam. The animal control officer may deny or revoke a cat's registration under § 4-43 for repeat violations or impoundments, with a right of appeal to the animal control appeals board under § 4-44.
Violations & Fines
Owning, keeping or harboring an unregistered cat over four months old, or failing to display or present its license tag on request, is a strict-liability offense under § 4-42(c) through (e), punishable under § 4-15 by a fine up to $500.00 per day the violation continues, or up to $2,000.00 if it involves public health or sanitation. The animal control officer can also deny or revoke registration under § 4-43.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to license my cat in Taylor, TX?
Is it cheaper to license a spayed or neutered cat?
Can I feed a feral cat colony without breaking Taylor's at-large rule?
What happens if my cat's registration is not current?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Taylor
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Cat Rules in Nearby Cities
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