neighbors cats

[Katy Belle]

Do your neighbors cats run around the neighborhood? If so, do dogs too?

We have rules about no unattended/un-leashed dogs here. But the cats are free to roam where ever they please. It irritates me because they come into my yard and my dog barks, sometimes early, like 5:30 a.m. My dog and I are early risers so she goes out for her first potty break about then.

It just seems to be ok with everyone that the cats are using all of our flower beds as their potty and even trying to come into our houses. One neighbor left a sun roof open on their car and got scared to death by a cat in her car when she opened the door. It all just seems to be acceptable, but I'm irritaed. I'm worried someone will complain about my dog, so I'm constantly bringing her in after just a few minutes so she won't disturb anyone. But she wouldn't if other people would keep their cats out of my yard!

 

[Andy B]

Do your neighbors cats run around the neighborhood? If so, do dogs too?

We have rules about no unattended/un-leashed dogs here. But the cats are free to roam where ever they please. It irritates me because they come into my yard and my dog barks, sometimes early, like 5:30 a.m. My dog and I are early risers so she goes out for her first potty break about then.

It just seems to be ok with everyone that the cats are using all of our flower beds as their potty and even trying to come into our houses. One neighbor left a sun roof open on their car and got scared to death by a cat in her car when she opened the door. It all just seems to be acceptable, but I'm irritaed. I'm worried someone will complain about my dog, so I'm constantly bringing her in after just a few minutes so she won't disturb anyone. But she wouldn't if other people would keep their cats out of my yard!

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.

 

[mrszrw]

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.

They could keep them inside where they should be. I have always had cats and they only go outside as far as the front porch. Inside your home is the safest place for them to be.

 

[Andy B]

They could keep them inside where they should be. I have always had cats and they only go outside as far as the front porch. Inside your home is the safest place for them to be.

Ok I have never heard that cats 'should be' inside before.

 

[littleteapot]

Officially in my county we have rules for cats that are the same as those for dogs. When I had cats, they were indoors only. That said, we have cats roaming everywhere.

The fur balls on my mailbox, the footprints on my car, the pee in the sandbox and the "teasing" of my poor dogs drives me nuts, but what really upsets me about feral and outdoor domestic cats is the massive loss of migratory birds.

www.audubon.org/bird/cat/

Cats should be kept indoors.

 

[MushyMushy]

When we adopted our cat, one of the conditions was that we kept her as an inside cat. Personally, I think it's just too dangerous for kitties to be wandering around outside, especially in a town.

We have lots of loose cats in our neighborhood and I have the same problem as you with the dogs barking at them. But every neighborhood we've lived in with loose cats, we've never had a problem with mice. I guess you have your good and bad with it.

 

[Andy B]

Officially in my county we have rules for cats that are the same as those for dogs. When I had cats, they were indoors only. That said, we have cats roaming everywhere.

The fur balls on my mailbox, the footprints on my car, the pee in the sandbox and the "teasing" of my poor dogs drives me nuts, but what really upsets me about feral and outdoor domestic cats is the massive loss of migratory birds.

www.audubon.org/bird/cat/

Cats should be kept indoors.

That is interesting but it would be more interesting to have some proof. Wild animals are generally thought to be better not in zoos so why are cats better in houses. How do cats in Houses get the exercise that dogs would get on a lead or in a park?

 

[java]

Well that was going on in my neighborhood- only one of the cat owners was letting him wander the neighborhood.
He was using my playground as a litter box. So I called the neighbor and told them I would be turning the hose on the cat until he got the message he was persona non-grata. It actually only took 2 times and I never saw him again.

Maybe set up a motion sensored water sprinkler? The surprise of it all may be enough to get them off your lawn.

That cat is no longer with us. It got hit by a car.

 

[java]

That is interesting but it would be more interesting to have some proof. Wild animals are generally thought to be better not in zoos so why are cats better in houses. How do cats in Houses get the exercise that dogs would get on a lead or in a park?

By running around the house? And climbing all over cat condos.
Really around here (rural) where people have barn cats I have seen many a dead cat on the side of the road. It's just unsafe to have a pet wandering around unattended. imho

 

[HelenePA]

I hate my neighbors... not their cats its not their fault they have such bad pet owners! My neighbors have at least 3 outside cats and come on my porch and tease the hell out of my inside cats.. all of a sudden you'll hear hissing, screaching, growling.. this happened at 2am last night. Scared the living poop out of me! Sadly they dont even feed them. My kids love their cats and always watch out the windows for them.. Well they got a lesson in the circle of life when we saw one of the cats kill a bird.. I also feed them because they dont. Poor things are so skinny. I deworm them monthly too. God I hate my neighbors. They are horrible horrible pet owners.. I wont even tell you about the dogs

 

[HelenePA]

How do cats in Houses get the exercise that dogs would get on a lead or in a park?

ahahaha the only time my cats go outside is on a leash they also have a path they chase each other thru the house.. its fun to watch!

 

[pyrxtc]

Cats get way more excercise being inside than a dog would get outside on a lead ever with all the acrobats they do everywhere.

We ahve a lot of free-roam cats in my neighborhood but I don't ever see thier scat anywhere. Bear and moose scat is seen much more than cat is. They do keep the mice away but unfortunately wld animals have taken mnay of the cats.

Also, dogs, in my neighborhood a lot of our dogs run around free for a while each day, with exception. Our yards are all open with no fencing and the dogs like to play with each other. We tend to walk our dogs with no leash and have not had any problms in the last 6 yrs.

 

[Disney Doll]

We have a leash law for dogs, nothing for cats.

My dog used to go nuts when he was outside and a cat would be around...I'd have to pull him in too, and then deal with the neighbors complaining about his barking...probably the same neighbors who owned the cats!

My DSIL has 2 cats...they are inside cats and they get tons of exercise chasing each other all over the house like crazy thigs. My brother also has always had indoor cats and they seemed to have lived pretty good lives as well. My brother will also take his cat outside and tie him on a line, much like a dog. The cat seems to enjoy it and doesn't seem to feel the need to be running free...he hangs out next to my brother's chair on their patio.

I've seen an awful lot of cats dead on the side of the road, having been hit by cars...I would want that to happen to my pet.

 

[RadioNate]

Are you sure these are owned cats and not just strays?

I own cats but they never go outside. I only know of one person who lets their cat out on any regular basis.

I despise my neighbors dog barking (and waking me daily) at 5:30 am and that was on my list of complaints when we had them evicted so I can see why you'd be concerned about complaints.

I'd hose them or get a fence that makes it more difficult for them to get in.

 

[lspst8]

OP -- I'm completely with you on this. My cat never goes outside. My parents' cat does not go outside. In my opinion, if you have a pet, you are supposed to supervise it 24 hours a day. Besides, indoor only cats live much, much longer than outdoor cats because they don't have to worry about cars, predators, neighbors with BB guns, etc ....

 

[mickeyboat]

I, too am sick and tired of all the neighborhood cats. We have spent hundreds of dollars on door mats and porch rugs, only to have them ruined by cat pee. Outdoor cats have ruined my window screens and have sprayed both the front and back doors.

Things have gotten better since my female cat died last summer, but we come home to cats in our driveway and the smell of cat pee almost every day.

 

[Plumeria]

Ok I have never heard that cats 'should be' inside before.

Really?

Why have pets if you are just going to keep them outside?

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

We llive in the country, and almost every here has cats. They keep many types of undesirable wildlife at bay - but only if they are allowed outside. We bring our cat inside at night, and she spends most of the day inside, too (unless we are outside, as she prefers to be with us, wherever we are).

For those who have cats going potty in your yard - take action. It wouldn't bother me one bit if someone turned a hose on my cat for this purpose. She has a litter box in the house and plenty of space on our property for this sort of thing.

One last note - dogs are a far greater concern to a neighborhood than cats, especially when lazy pet owners are taken into account. I have never stepped into a pile of fresh cat poo or been attacked by a cat...

 

[shellybaxter]

We have a cat door - our cats can come and come as they please. They stay inside sometimes and other times they go outside. We live in the country so it's not really a big deal. Dogs run free here too. We've never had a problem. I can't imagine keeping a pet couped up inside. Our kitties are so happy to run and play outside or just lay out in the sun.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Really?

Why have pets if you are just going to keep them outside?

You don't "keep" them outside, you allow them to go outside to play like you do with a dog - but cats are not leashed animals for many reasons...