Wylie, TX Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Program
- City-sponsored trap-neuter-release (TNR)
- Feeding location
- Private property with owner authorization only
- Feeding method
- Bowls, plates or pans, not poured on ground
- Marking
- Ear-tipping identifies sterilized cats
- City authority
- May impound sick or unmanaged colony cats
Summary
The City of Wylie sponsors a trap-neuter-release program for feral cat colonies and lets caregivers seek city help with trapping and spay/neuter costs, but requires that colonies never be fed on public property and only be fed from bowls or pans on authorized private property.
(a)In order to effectively and humanely control feral cat populations within its jurisdiction boundaries, Wylie shall sponsor a trap-neuter-release program (TNR) in an effort to reduce the feral cat population over time without the necessity of wholesale capture and euthanasia. Wylie may establish and or provide services to offset the costs of trapping, neutering, and vaccinating captured feral cats that can be released to an appropriate site. ... (c)Caregivers assuming responsibility for feeding feral cats will be responsible for adhering to the following regulations:(1)Feral cat colonies shall not be fed on city-owned or public property, to include, roadways, alleys, easements, and right-of-way.(2)Feral cat colonies shall only be fed on private property with authorization from the property owner or an authorized agent.(3)Feral cat colonies shall be fed using bowls, plates, pans, or a similar utensil to contain the food; food shall not be poured on the ground for the purpose of providing food.
Full Breakdown
Wylie Code of Ordinances § 18-16 establishes a trap-neuter-release (TNR) program to humanely reduce the feral cat population over time without wholesale capture and euthanasia. The city may establish or fund services offsetting the cost of trapping, neutering and vaccinating captured feral cats before release, and caregivers of one or several cats may get city help with traps, transportation to a spay or neuter facility, and cost offsets where funding allows. Caregivers are expected to sterilize captured cats, using ear-tipping to visually mark sterilized animals, vaccinate against rabies and any other legally mandated infectious disease, and help remove sick or injured cats from the colony.
Feeding is tightly restricted: colonies may never be fed on city-owned or public property, including roadways, alleys, easements and rights-of-way; feeding is allowed only on private property with the property owner's or an authorized agent's permission; and food must be served in bowls, plates, pans or similar containers rather than poured on the ground. Caregivers must also follow the chapter's general trapping rules under § 18-12, such as checking traps daily. Animal services personnel maintain sterilization, vaccination, relocation, adoption and medical records for the program and help resolve colony-related complaints.
The city retains enforcement rights under § 18-16(e) to trap and impound a sick or injured feral cat, or any feral cat when a caregiver cannot properly manage the colony and no replacement caregiver is found. Separately, § 18-7(c) treats any cat caught in a properly set humane trap without a current city license and rabies tags as feral, subjecting it to normal disposition under the chapter's impoundment rules.
Violations & Fines
Feeding a feral cat colony on city-owned or public property, feeding without the private property owner's authorization, or pouring food on the ground rather than using a bowl or pan violates § 18-16(c); the city may also trap and impound feral cats from a colony that is sick, injured, or left without adequate caregiver management under § 18-16(e).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I feed a feral cat colony in a Wylie alley?
Does Wylie help with spaying and neutering feral cats?
Will Wylie animal services take a feral cat colony's cats?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wylie
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Cat Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Collin County handle cat rules.