Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Anyone that is truly connected and loves their cats DOES NOT LET THEM OUTSIDE.
I wouldn't sleep one second knowing my cat is roaming around. Both our cats are part of our family, sleep with us in a warm bed. Would you let your human children roam around outside?
If your answer is ... well, humans are different, they aren't animals, then you shouldn't have a cat. Let someone else own it and be responsible. Period.
You have many types of critters on your land, like it or not. They were there before you and will be there after you and some will just pass through now and again. It's nature and you can't fight it. Why would you even want to? That's sort of the point of having acres of land is it not? If not, go live in a highrise.
I've had both indoor only and outside cats. I'd keep them in if the area was dangerous to them but my suburban neighborhood is full of fun cats that don't harm anything. Occasional cat poo it not a disaster people.
Quote:"You have many types of critters on your land, like it or not."
I do, I like it, but all but a few are wild animals, and I bought this land so the wild animals can live there freely.
Quote:"That's sort of the point of having acres of land is it not?"
The reason why I have a lot of land is so that I don't have to deal with irresponsible neighbors that cannot take proper care of their domesticated animals. I am sick and tired of seeing piles of feathers in my yard, after a successful 'kill', or seeing cats climb up 2 stories to get close to the bird feeders.
Quote:"They were there before you and will be there after you and some will just pass through now and again."
We humans live a fairly long time. Unless it is a Galapagos tortoise or an African parrot (none which could survive the winters here), I really, really doubt it.
Quote:"It's nature and you can't fight it."
Sure can. Cat owners introduced their pets into the wild. After several attempts to resolve the issue, go to a (distance) SPCA and see if you can find it, after trespassing. (To be fair, I give the owners two fair warnings).
Quote:"If not, go live in a highrise"
The statistical likelihood of that happening (ignoring one of my NYC vacation places), hovers around zero.
Good neighbors mean respecting each others' property.
Quote:"Occasional cat poo it not a disaster people."
Ok, do you mind if I come and crap on your front doorstep? "Occasional human poo is not a disaster people".
You are of the belief that wild critters don't defecate? I would think any number of creatures can put a cat to shame in that department.
I maintain a smaller place than yours but it is loaded with song birds, finches, mourning doves, hummers, mocking birds and an occasional pigeon. I find a puff of feathers two or three times a year. I find about the same number of intact bodies. So maybe the cats double the natural death rate.
I think my bird population will stand that. And it may actually do good things to the bird population...get old or sick or hurt and boom.
Giesela: Get a "Sleep Machine" at Radio Shack, or some other noise generator somewhere else!
The last time I had trouble falling asleep, I was thinking those machines that make different sounds like waterfalls should have a cat purring as an option. It's such a soothing sound.
You are of the belief that wild critters don't defecate? I would think any number of creatures can put a cat to shame in that department.
I maintain a smaller place than yours but it is loaded with song birds, finches, mourning doves, hummers, mocking birds and an occasional pigeon. I find a puff of feathers two or three times a year. I find about the same number of intact bodies. So maybe the cats double the natural death rate.
I think my bird population will stand that. And it may actually do good things to the bird population...get old or sick or hurt and boom.
It's nice for you that you don't mind cats predating on the wildlife in your yard. I do...so why should I have to deal with other people's pets?
Cats are not wild animals. I have no issue with, say, a snake eating a shrew in my yard. Your pet cat is not at all the same thing.
Also, cat feces can carry roundworms, hookworms, and a host of other parasites- including toxo, which could have deadly consequences. Again, dealing with possible parasite infection from wildlife is one thing- being infected by my irresponsible neighbor's pet is another. That's like saying storms are a part of nature, so my neighbor should be allowed to install sprinklers in my lawn and a few ungrounded electrical wires for kicks.
It's nice for you that you don't mind cats predating on the wildlife in your yard. I do...so why should I have to deal with other people's pets?
Cats are not wild animals. I have no issue with, say, a snake eating a shrew in my yard. Your pet cat is not at all the same thing.
Also, cat feces can carry roundworms, hookworms, and a host of other parasites- including toxo, which could have deadly consequences. Again, dealing with possible parasite infection from wildlife is one thing- being infected by my irresponsible neighbor's pet is another. That's like saying storms are a part of nature, so my neighbor should be allowed to install sprinklers in my lawn and a few ungrounded electrical wires for kicks.
You are under the impression that wild life defecation carries no diseases? And wildlife are never dangerously infectious? A nice buzz worm is good for the people in the house?
Cats hunt naturally...as do some dogs. Allowing an animal to follow its ancestors does not terribly upset me.
You would, oddly enough, pretty much approve of my cat. He neither urinates or defecates outside. Growls at the door until let in. He also eats nothing other than dry cat food. Won't eat wet anymore a bird. When he catches one he brings it in the house and so far has not even damaged one. I have been considering trying to train him to off pigeons...but it probably won't work.
You are under the impression that wild life defecation carries no diseases? And wildlife are never dangerously infectious? A nice buzz worm is good for the people in the house?
Cats hunt naturally...as do some dogs. Allowing an animal to follow its ancestors does not terribly upset me.
You would, oddly enough, pretty much approve of my cat. He neither urinates or defecates outside. Growls at the door until let in. He also eats nothing other than dry cat food. Won't eat wet anymore a bird. When he catches one he brings it in the house and so far has not even damaged one. I have been considering trying to train him to off pigeons...but it probably won't work.
Read that last paragraph again. Parasites exist in nature, yes. That is NOT the same thing as your neighbor exposing you to them by their own actions.
Fire happens in nature, and the day could someday arrive when my house burns down because of a natural bushfire. It would be horrible, but there would be ultimately no one to blame. But if my neighbor drops a lit match and burns down my house, I'm not going to much care if fire is natural or not.
Your pets are YOUR responsibility. Which means if you choose to let them roam and they give me a parasite/ruin my outside furnishings/crap on my porch/eat the birds/get caught in my fanbelt, it is also YOUR responsibility.
You are under the impression that wild life defecation carries no diseases? And wildlife are never dangerously infectious? A nice buzz worm is good for the people in the house?
Cats hunt naturally...as do some dogs. Allowing an animal to follow its ancestors does not terribly upset me.
You would, oddly enough, pretty much approve of my cat. He neither urinates or defecates outside. Growls at the door until let in. He also eats nothing other than dry cat food. Won't eat wet anymore a bird. When he catches one he brings it in the house and so far has not even damaged one. I have been considering trying to train him to off pigeons...but it probably won't work.
It's more likely that, though there is no visible damage, when your cat catches a bird and brings it into the house, the birds suffer internal damage. When you release them, they go off and die a slow death. If a cat is going to hunt birds, you really want the cat to kill the bird, because then the death is quick. Better, keep him inside so he is no threat to the birds at all. IN addition, if he is out hunting, I hope you deworm him regularly so he is not full of parasites.
It's more likely that, though there is no visible damage, when your cat catches a bird and brings it into the house, the birds suffer internal damage. When you release them, they go off and die a slow death. If a cat is going to hunt birds, you really want the cat to kill the bird, because then the death is quick. Better, keep him inside so he is no threat to the birds at all. IN addition, if he is out hunting, I hope you deworm him regularly so he is not full of parasites.
As I said he never eats anything that did not come out of a bag.
And I doubt very much they are seriously damaged. Aside from psychological trauma I can't see him doing much damage. The one time I saw him do the act he simply jumped out the window, grabbed the bird with his front paws mostly and fell down landing on his hind legs. Then grabbed the bird with his mouth and brought it in. I inspected the bird pretty carefully and saw no damage. Stuck him up on a tree branch and he was instantly winging over the wall.
I will tell you though that was one pissed off little bird.
Not in my neighborhood. There are coyotes and fox running around. If I let the cat run free she would likely become lunch.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
