neighbors cats

[DisneyBamaFan]

Everyone is different.

I would not let my cat outside, knowing that it was going to be attacked by a dog, hoping it would just learn its lesson instead of die.

If the cat isn't smart enough to stay out of the yard before it is killed by the dog, Darwinism wins and I have to go get another kitty...

 

[ginna74]

We only had outside cats growing up and everyone except one was hit by a car. The other cat DISAPEERED and was never seen again. My parents seem to think she either died in the woods or was kidnapped.... I have only had inside cats in my adult life. It is healthier for them and safer. People have the choice (as sad as it may be) to have their cats outside, but is it in NO WAY good for them EVER and every Vet agrees.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

...People have the choice (as sad as it may be) to have their cats outside, but is it in NO WAY good for them EVER and every Vet agrees.

I will have to let my vet know that he missed some vital training somewhere, or maybe he just missed the memo...

 

[ginna74]

Am sure your VET AGREES with the rest of the VET population.....lol It is ok if you don't though, sad but ok...


"An outdoor cat lives a more stressful life than an indoor cat, and stress leads to a myriad of physical and psychological disorders. Outdoor cats on the street, or even in the country, are faced every day with territorial disputes, threats from other animals, people, cars, environmental noises which cause panic, and situations which generate pure fear. Indoor cats generally live longer and healthier lives than outdoor cats - a fact that cannot be disputed."


from only one site... http://maxshouse.com/Healthy+Happy_Indoors.htm

 

[si-am]

If the cat isn't smart enough to stay out of the yard before it is killed by the dog, Darwinism wins and I have to go get another kitty...

I find your cavalier attitude towards the health and well-being of your cats pretty disturbing, to be honest.

Maybe you're just trying to be provocative here in order to get people riled up. I hope that's the case. If not, I feel sorry for your pets.

 

[Shutterbug]

How would you suggest people manage their cats? they are not the same as dogs and in my experience it is normal for them to wander free.

My brother put his cat on a leash when it was outside.

 

[edandcolleen1995]

My brother put his cat on a leash when it was outside.

For the outdoor cats this was a great stress relief.. Good for a chuckle to see an indoor cat being walked on a leash!

 

[si-am]

For the outdoor cats this was a great stress relief.. Good for a chuckle to see an indoor cat being walked on a leash!

I tried this with one of my cats once, years ago. Funniest thing ever. He just scooted on his stomach. Wouldn't even stand up!

So much for that idea.

 

[ginna74]

twice I tried to get the cat I have now on a harness so she could go outside... She never did get used to it. I think I did it for what 3 weeks this last time(not all day but a couple of times for a few hours) and she just wasn't having it PERIOD! lol I have known people to put there cats on a leash because they started to at a young age. I am so jealous...

 

[HelenePA]

For the outdoor cats this was a great stress relief.. Good for a chuckle to see an indoor cat being walked on a leash!

I put mine on a leash.. they act like its a 1000 pound weight on them and wont move but its the only way they get to go outside.. I'm a mean cat mom who doesn't want them to run away and get hit by a car or killed by a mean neighbor who's yard they've peed in

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Any animal not under control is considered a stray and can be handled as local laws and ordinances provide. You would be hard pressed to find a ordinance/law that specifically excludes felines from it's wording. The neighbor's animals may be returned to them once they've been cleared and the owner's may be cited for not controlling their animals. In some rural areas it is permitted to eliminate them as long as it is humanely done.

I hate to tell you but the person you are responding to is right. YOU have to trap the cat and bring it to the pound. If the owner gets the cat in time then great. If the cat is euthanized and the owner is mad they can sue you. That is the number one reason I will not catch the cats that have ruined so much in my yard. I also do not want to be responsible for an animal being put down.

I even called our town councilperson about this and that is exactly what I was told. I tried animal control directly and got the same answer. It really is ridiculous.
I personally don't care what animals you have in YOUR (a general yard) yard. So play catch with your cat, run races with your Emu but keep them in YOUR yard not mine. I am tired of cleaning up poop. I am tired of my kids stepping in it when they are trying to play. I am tired of my flowers dying because they pee on them, I am tired of them lounging on our stuff leaving hairballs behind. If you chose to have a pet then that is YOUR repsonsibility, NOT mine.

Sorry but this topic always gets me up on the soapbox. I cannot stand irresponsible pet owners.

 

[Scurvy]

It seems to me that, with proper care from the owner, spending time outdoors might actually be good for them.

The problem is that it is difficult to care for an animal properly when it is spending time outside of your control and without your supervision. You can't control outside factors (such as traffic, dogs, or neighbors who put out traps or poison) when you have an outdoor cat.

Everyone is different.

I would not let my cat outside, knowing that it was going to be attacked by a dog, hoping it would just learn its lesson instead of die.

That's because you are a responsible pet owner.

I have yet to find a vet in this country who feels it is healthier for a cat to be outdoors rather than an indoor pet. I suppose it is possible that there are vets who feel that way, but none of the ones I've encountered do - and I've dealt with quite a few.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

And those birds that fly around pooping on cars someone should do something about those.
The British Cats Protection website, says; If your cat has to live an indoor life in a flat, then you can safely give him fresh air by screening your open windows.

But clearly shows the norm is for a cat to spend a significant part of the day outside.

If you own the bird then yes, keep your poop to yourself. If your cat has to go outside then keep it in YOUR yard. I don't have a cat. I don't want a cat. I don't want to clean up after a cat. That is why I am not a pet owner. If YOU want a pet then YOU must do all of those things. What if you had a pool and I didn't and laying in a pool makes me feel better? Should I just set up shop in your yard? Same thing. It is innapropriate and rude.

I am not picking on you, just pointing out that wildlife is not the same as someone's pet.

 

[mjkacmom]

My next door neighbor has an outside cat, but it was a stray in the neighborhood before she adopted it, and by then, he was so used to being outdoors. She lets him sleep in her house, and then he's out in the morning. There are 2 others in the neighborhood. They don't bother me - hopefully, they're taking care of our insane squirrel population!

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

I find your cavalier attitude towards the health and well-being of your cats pretty disturbing, to be honest.

Maybe you're just trying to be provocative here in order to get people riled up. I hope that's the case. If not, I feel sorry for your pets.

LOL - Don't worry. My wife protects our cat from me and my evil ways...

 

[Danauk]

So because I let my cats outside I am not a responsible pet owner? I am always amazed at the cultural differences between the UK and the USA, considering we have a common language, there are still many cultural differences between the two countries. Cat ownership seems to be one of them. Here in the UK it is considered normal to let your cats outside and it is actually considered cruel to have indoor cats, it is the belief that cats are naturally outdoor creatures and all vets I have used over the years agree with this. I know many cat owners and all allow their cats outside. Out of my friends we all have cat flaps so the cats can come and go as they please, we all regularly take our cats to the vets for their injections and worming tablets, our cats are all microchipped, spayed and we are all responsible pet owners. I have 2 cats (both healthy 11 year olds). They can go out into the street if they want to, but they usually choose not to. My cats stick to their patch, our garden, next doors garden and the one next to that where they are welcome. I know they are welcome there as the house owners have said so, next door even keep their door open during the day when we are at work and the cats keep them company (they are a retired couple.) Maybe the differences are due to other wildlife in the two countries, here where I live there are no animals who are a threat to them. But suggesting that I am not a caring and responsible pet owner for allowing my cats outside is to me actually quite insulting.

 

[Hercules10]

I hate to tell you but the person you are responding to is right. YOU have to trap the cat and bring it to the pound. If the owner gets the cat in time then great. If the cat is euthanized and the owner is mad they can sue you.

That's what I said in that animal control will assist by lending of the live trap. Owner's can attempt to sue. However it would be for the value of the pet. I.e most likely just the adoption fee and even that is questionable. If someone wants to pony up for an attorney for that then more power to 'em.

And once again all this depends on where people live. Each city has their own set of rules.

 

[Crystal0608]

I have 2 indoor male cats, one I adopted last Easter from the shelter (found @ 11wks in a ditch) and one that showed up on our doorstep in Feb with his ribs showing (now both fat & healthy ). I put him in the bathroom for the night and he used the litter but sprayed, so he stayed in the bathroom until I could get him a neutering appt & make sure he didn't belong to anyone. He never sprayed after that. I've read that they mark their territory and you can get an ensyme spray to clean it so another cat doesn't come along & do the same thing. I don't let my cats outside at all to protect them. We live in the city and its not safe for animals since I've heard other neighbors comment about bb guns or trapping stray cats, I get frantic when my little scavenger runs out the door and we have to try and catch him.

On the other hand, I grew up in the country and couldn't have indoor pets. A lady down the road had a ton of them and they always wandered our way. Any cat that came in the yard I fed scraps to every night and boy did they multiply. I had one cat that wandered in the yard named Mama Cat that stayed and had litter after litter of kittens in the back shed. I never noticed a cat pee smell in the yard and we never had a mouse.

 

[hogwartsdropout]

So because I let my cats outside I am not a responsible pet owner? I am always amazed at the cultural differences between the UK and the USA, considering we have a common language, there are still many cultural differences between the two countries. Cat ownership seems to be one of them. Here in the UK it is considered normal to let your cats outside and it is actually considered cruel to have indoor cats, it is the belief that cats are naturally outdoor creatures and all vets I have used over the years agree with this. I know many cat owners and all allow their cats outside. Out of my friends we all have cat flaps so the cats can come and go as they please, we all regularly take our cats to the vets for their injections and worming tablets, our cats are all microchipped, spayed and we are all responsible pet owners. I have 2 cats (both healthy 11 year olds). They can go out into the street if they want to, but they usually choose not to. My cats stick to their patch, our garden, next doors garden and the one next to that where they are welcome. I know they are welcome there as the house owners have said so, next door even keep their door open during the day when we are at work and the cats keep them company (they are a retired couple.) Maybe the differences are due to other wildlife in the two countries, here where I live there are no animals who are a threat to them. But suggesting that I am not a caring and responsible pet owner for allowing my cats outside is to me actually quite insulting.

Totally agree with you Danauk, but it may be because I am British too! I have 2 cats, 11 and 13, who have been allowed outside all their lives. It is the same with all the cats in my area, and all I have ever known. Most people have catflaps in their doors so the cats can wander freely. Saying this, it doesn't mean our cats physically LIVE outside, they only go out for exercise and a little play around our garden, they LOVE lying in the sun, but they know not to go far. My cats still sleep inside and eat inside and spend plenty of time with us, but cats love their freedom and I totally thought this was the norm. I guess it is just the UK.

 

[Scurvy]

Maybe the differences are due to other wildlife in the two countries, here where I live there are no animals who are a threat to them. But suggesting that I am not a caring and responsible pet owner for allowing my cats outside is to me actually quite insulting.

I have heard the wildlife idea before and that could well be a big reason for the difference in attitude between the two countries. Certainly, if there are no dangers to the cat outside then I don't think it's irresponsible to allow the cat to be outside. I can only speak about cat ownership in the US, having never owned a cat in another country. In this country, it would be quite difficult to find a vet who would recommend keeping a cat outdoors. Most vets do consider it irresponsible to do so in the US. I have no idea if that's because of the natural predators, cars, or something else altogether. (Though when I was studying to be a vet it was a combination of all of those things that caused most people to recommend only having indoor cats.)

In addition, I think it is irresponsible to allow pets to roam at will and damage others' property, especially in an area where it is prohibited by law. If there is no such law in your area and your neighbors don't mind your cat wandering onto their property, then that wouldn't be a factor for you.