slo’s TUESDAY 10/17 poll - Cats 🐱

[holden]

I've had a cat in my life since I was 5. We currently have two. I'm a cat lady.

 

[macraven]

Always had cats that were indoors only.
Sad to say we are down to 2

Wish they would not hog the bed but they feel like the own it…

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I have been reading up a bit on cats and behavior today. I did not realize that Siamese cats were supposed to be one of the most aggressive breeds. I guess it makes sense, her intense hatred for other cats and dogs. The dog finally just learned to keep a healthy distance. I just thought it was because she was an "only" pet for a while, but I guess that is characteristic to the breed. I remember when she was young we had the glass window open and only the screen during nice weather. There had been a stray cat that would come up on the porch and look at her and she would get all worked up about it. I didn't think anything of it until she jumped against the screen so hard that it came loose and she got out the window and whipped the living heck out of that stray cat. From then on, no more fresh air.... windows SHUT. Strange how a cat can hate animals so much, but be so affectionate towards people.

 

[emmybee]

I've been a cat person all my life. My husband is militantly pro-cat. We lost our two elder cats during covid and have since picked up four We started off our new crop w/ Babu, and I was strongly mourning the loss of my Butters, so we got Dug. Dug is the absolute cutest and fluffiest, but I was instantly smitten with Monkey. He is my problem child, and I'm no longer allowed to pick out cats So I was already thinking we were crazy w/ 3 indoor cats when MeowMix showed up starving at my patio door. He has chonked up nicely, and while still small, he is fearless & doesn't back down from the rest of the boys. He reminds me of Joe Pesci. Anyhow, 4 boys & 3 humans in a 2B/2B apartment...Help!

 

[DisneyHardin]

Here are my two little besties when they were kittens (they are full grown now, but look just the same. The black one is Jessie and the Gray one is Minnie.

 

[BrianL]

Always had cats that were indoors only.
Sad to say we are down to 2

Wish they would not hog the bed but they feel like the own it…

Fixed that for you.

 

[ncc1701]

Don't care for them. May have an allergy since I usually start sneezing & get a runny nose when around them.

 

[MamaMermaid]

Absolutely a cat person! I’ve had 5 cats total. 2 currently that we adopted in January - they just turned 1. We adore them!

 

[Dan Murphy]

I have a question for the 'cat folks' here. And please, no throwing of stones, please.

Why do some cat owners let their cats out to roam their neighborhoods? I do see a number of what looks like they may have been cats, along with racoons, skunks and what-have-you lying dead on the roads. I also do see a number of cats wandering around our neighborhood, no person around, just kind of out for a stroll on their own. On the other hand, any dogs I see are always on a leash and with an owner or dog walker. Any thoughts?

Remember, no stone throwing.

 

[AppleDumpling]

Love cats and had several growing up. DS, DH, and I had a sweet boy who was a member of the family for almost 20 years. We lost him last year and are taking a break now, but plan to adopt again. It makes a huge difference in their life expectancy being an Indoor cat vs. those that go outside.

Why do some cat owners let their cats out to roam their neighborhoods?

Can’t speak for all cat owners, but I think some people feel that an indoor cat is missing out somehow and that they need their freedom. But they really are much safer and healthier staying indoors. In my area, there are also many feral cats that roam the neighborhood that don’t belong to anyone (though someone feeds them).

 

[BrianL]

Love cats and had several growing up. DS, DH, and I had a sweet boy who was a member of the family for almost 20 years. We lost him last year and are taking a break now, but plan to adopt again. It makes a huge difference in their life expectancy being an Indoor cat vs. those that go outside.


Can’t speak for all cat owners, but I think some people feel that an indoor cat is missing out somehow and that they need their freedom. But they really are much safer and healthier staying indoors. In my area, there are also many feral cats that roam the neighborhood that don’t belong to anyone (though someone feeds them).

To add, the practice goes back a ways to before people would get a pet fixed. Intact cats would howl at night to go carousing, so you put them out - hence the term, put out the cat. It is much safer for them to stay indoors though and these days, it is really for the best.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I have a question for the 'cat folks' here. And please, no throwing of stones, please.

Why do some cat owners let their cats out to roam their neighborhoods? I do see a number of what looks like they may have been cats, along with racoons, skunks and what-have-you lying dead on the roads. I also do see a number of cats wandering around our neighborhood, no person around, just kind of out for a stroll on their own. On the other hand, any dogs I see are always on a leash and with an owner or dog walker. Any thoughts?

Remember, no stone throwing.

It's also culturally. If you go outside the U.S. you will see more and more commonplace to allow cats to roam, indeed it can be for them cruel to leave them inside. However, in the U.S. we have a lot of predators and cars as well as cats themselves being destructive to wildlife such that it's really best to have indoor only cats. I know our vet asked us if we would ever be letting our cat outside because if we did we would need to give him more vaccines. There was an interesting docuseries I watched from the UK IIRC where they strapped trackers on cats and it was fun to see their territories and frequent houses they go to.

As far as dogs well that may just be your wishful thinking. That isn't a dog vs. cat thing. Plenty of people walk their dogs without them being on a leash even if there's an ordinance for leashes. Conversely there are cat owners who take their cats out on leashes.

One thing that the rest of the world is better at than we are is outlawing declawing cats. It's illegal in at least 42 countries (per an article) but only illegal in 2 states plus D.C. (MI is in the works) and a handful of cities in the U.S. Never mind the ethical issues of declawing to allow a cat to roam outside without claws is awful.

 

[DisneyHardin]

I have a question for the 'cat folks' here. And please, no throwing of stones, please.

Why do some cat owners let their cats out to roam their neighborhoods? I do see a number of what looks like they may have been cats, along with racoons, skunks and what-have-you lying dead on the roads. I also do see a number of cats wandering around our neighborhood, no person around, just kind of out for a stroll on their own. On the other hand, any dogs I see are always on a leash and with an owner or dog walker. Any thoughts?

Remember, no stone throwing.

We used to have a big orange Tom Cat. Even though we adopted him at 12 weeks old and he was never outside, he somehow knew what outside was and could not be kept in. He peed/sprayed all over the house (even though he was fixed) until we started letting him out. He’d go out all day while we were at work and come in when we got home. Unfortunately, he got hit by a car when he was only 6, but he just loved the outside so much, I really didn’t have a choice.

 

[OKW8297]

We have two, Wendy and Walter. We love cats and dogs!

 

[Lisa_lvspplmvr]

I’m allergic to cats also . Boy do they know it and come right up to me ! I swear they love to torture us allergic ones !

 

[Diznygrl]

Cat lady here. We currently have 5, plus one semi feral that we feed so I guess I still consider her our cat even though she just comes to eat and then leaves. We trapped her and got her spayed and ended up socializing and adopting her two kittens, but unfortunately mama was past the ability to be socialized so she will forever be loved from a distance.

I've had 9 cats total in my life. I used to be quite allergic to cats when I was younger (grandma had a lot of cats!), but after I got my first one I sort of built up an immunity to it. Once in a blue moon if one of them is particularly dander-y my eyes and nose might start to itch a little, but it's no big deal.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Another one who loves all animals. Right now we have 2 cats (indoor only). Have had 6 total over the years. I'm allergic to cats, but wouldn't give them up for anything. Antihistamines and air filters do help. None of our cats have ever been allowed on the kitchen counters or on the tables. They all have been quite good about learning the rule and accepting it. Next project: getting a dog!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Why do some cat owners let their cats out to roam their neighborhoods?

The shelter had us sign a contract that said the cats would be indoor only (no signature = no adoption). We would have done this anyway, contract or no contract, because we really do believe it is safer and healthier for the cats. And we have lots of predators in our area, e.g. coyotes, mountain lions, hawks, etc., so indoor only just makes sense.

 

[leebee]

I am 100% a cat person; no dogs for me! I've almost always had at least one cat in my home, unless I lived someplace where pets were prohibited. Right now, we are without cats. Our dear kitties, Potter and Weasley, were brothers and we got them when they were kittens. We had Potter for 17 years and Weasley for 20. I would like to have another cat, but there are a couple of considerations. First, given our ages, a kitten or young cat could very likely outlive us so we have to think about that. Secondly, both DH and I have had orthopedic surgeries in the past year and having a cat/cats underfoot isn't a good idea, given our stability. However, my most important issue is that, right now, we have a full house- at least for me. Four adults, a 7 year old, and a hamster. It's all I can do to keep up with everyday life. One more living creature under my roof, for me to care for, is beyond my limit at the moment. I just can't do it. Maybe someday, when life slows down a bit, we'll look for an older cat or 2 to keep us company. As much as I miss having a cat around the house, now is just not the time for me to take on the added responsibility of being a pet owner.

 

[TCRAIG]

I love cats!!!