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It should be unlawful to allow cats to roam loose outside (in cities and towns). Not a "leash law" per say. I think here, if a dog is picked up running loose it's called "dog at large" and there is an impound with a fine. The fine is higher if your dog is unspayed/neutered. It should be the same for cats.
So what if a cat isn't a physical threat? Cat's poop can carry disease and parasites, especially cats who spend most of their time outdoors. Around here, outdoor cats run wherever the please and poop wherever they please. I would be pretty darn ticked off if someone was letting their poodle come into my fenced yard and do it's business where my child likes to play, and if I called AC on the owners they would get fined for allowing their dog to run at large. But a cat? There's no law. And the owners sure as heck don't care that my yard has become kitty's toilet.
And no, outdoor cats hunting birds and small animals is not natural. Cats are not native, local wildlife. One cat can kill a pretty good number of small creatures in a year AND they displace the area's natural, NATIVE predators. Not to mention al the little nasties your cat can pick up be eating wild animals (birds, rats, mice, rabbits, ect). Out here, we still have the plague crop up occasionally. Next time your outdoor cat brings you a "gift" give serious though to what unseen troubles might come with it.
Finally, it's in your cat's best interest to stay indoors. My kiddo would be happy if I let her eat icecream for breakfast... happy dose not = healthy. An outdoor cat faces many dangers: hit by car, cruel teenages, rain & snow, vast potential for injury in too many ways to count, exposure to parasites and diseases such as FIV, feline leuk, rabies, a vast host of worms ect. If you want your cat to have outdoor playtime, make a secure, enclosed area. It can be done for pretty cheap, your cat will love it, your neighbors will thank you for containing your furry poop-machine, and your cat will be far safer.
Leash law? No. Containment law? YES!
Wow someone else who gets it, thank you. And yes, "containment laws" is better and more to the mark of what I'm getting at. My point was if someone feels their cat "HAS" to be outside, it should be leashed, in a contained area, or otherwise not permitted to roam free. Pardon if that was not clear.
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Originally Posted by MissNM
Domesticated animals should not be allowed to roam freely, off your property - be it your dog, cat, peacock, livestock, etc. Fence them, cage them, baby stroller, stupid Beverly Hills dog bag, leash or whatever. (Envision large bull in stupid dog bag.)
Cats poop where cats poop! Cat's spray where cat's spray! Cat's destroy what cat's what to destroy! Thats a lame excuse to justify the superior attitude of cat owners and escape having to take responsibility for what their pets do on other people's property. So your cat has some greater rights than other people's animals? Why, just because you want to fake the facts that cat's will do what they do and just because you don't want to belive they do it, that means they don't do it? Your cat is your cat, and what you think is acceptable behavior when on other people's property is not my requirment to accept. If you love and care for it so much, take responsibility for it's actions when on other people's property and stop trying to make excuses for what they do.
I hope you mean that as only a threat and would not actually do it. I don't see what is so terrible about a cat on one's property. If you are any sort of a "cat person", you would never shoot one with a pellet gun.
At the risk of giving all the cat groupies a stroke, I HAVE done it. This is a cat who comes into the yard daily, tears up the flowers, etc etc and yes the owner has been asked to do something about it. PS and FYI it did NO serious injury to the cat - (I know this as I have seen it many times since and it is clearly fine) - it was a tiny pellet after all, not a cannon ball or bullet. And I made sure to aim/hit it in the rear. But what do you know, hasn't been in the yard since. The thing is if the owner was a responsible pet owner (to say nothing of a courteous neighbor), none of it would have happened.
OK you can have your hissy now.
Oh and you not seeing why people don't want cats on their property (which is more than a little baffling) doesn't make it OK, FYI. While not a "cat person," I don't hate cats either - I love all animals - but that doesn't mean I want them in my yard either or will put up with anything they do.
PS: if I let my dog out on a daily basis, he kept roaming into someone's yard, did nothing about it and the owner hit him with a pellet gun, unlike many of the other close-minded people here, I'm aware I wouldn't have a leg to stand on.
I am truly amazed how hard this is for some of you to get. It isn't rocket science. Letting your pet - WHATEVER it is - roam freely (with perhaps certain obvious exceptions, eg very rural areas) - is not just rude and thoughtless towards your neighbors, but grossly irresponsible to the pet. And the fact that so many state/local govt's refuse to do anything about it for cats while being all over it for dogs is also absurd.
At the risk of giving all the cat groupies a stroke, I HAVE done it. This is a cat who comes into the yard daily, tears up the flowers, etc etc and yes the owner has been asked to do something about it. PS and FYI it did NO serious injury to the cat - (I know this as I have seen it many times since and it is clearly fine) - it was a tiny pellet after all, not a cannon ball or bullet.
Its just that it is somewhat of a risky move. Because you might actually hurt the cat. And, if you did hurt the cat your luck may have run out. Not everyone is as well balanced and as restrained as you might suspect. You know how surprising it is that someone would leave their kid in the car, or drive 100 mph drunk or or cheat on their taxes? Seems pretty stupid, huh? Well, there are a lot more people out there who would cap you for shooting their cat than you might think.
Perhaps, if I lived in a place where people even used the word "cap" as you are, let alone were so screwed up in the head that they would actually "cap" someone over a cat. But I don't. And the odds of me seriously hurting the cat are so remote as to be effectively zero, because I'm not that cruel, dumb, or bad of a shot. Appreciate what you're saying, it's just N/A for me.
Perhaps, if I lived in a place where people even used the word "cap" as you are, let alone were so screwed up in the head that they would actually "cap" someone over a cat. But I don't. And the odds of me seriously hurting the cat are so remote as to be effectively zero, because I'm not that cruel, dumb, or bad of a shot. Appreciate what you're saying, it's just N/A for me.
Well, you can think that, but my choice of words was designed to appeal to you who acts as though that would be a comfortable expression for you. But, I really think you would be surprised. Read the posts on this forum and you will find that many of us think of our cats as our children, some even more affectionately, because the children can take care of themselves for the most part. Then switch child for cat in your analysis and ask your self: "If I shot Mr. Smith's child and didn't mean to hurt her, but did, am I in danger?"
Now most people if you shot their child would just call the cops and head off to the hospital. But most is not good enough.
Read the posts on this forum and you will find that many of us think of our cats as our children, some even more affectionately, because the children can take care of themselves for the most part. Then switch child for cat in your analysis and ask your self: "If I shot Mr. Smith's child and didn't mean to hurt her, but did, am I in danger?"
So you would let your child wonder through the neighborhood unsupervised, free to pee and poop on others property? My god!, maybe we should be nuetering people and not animals!
The thing is you and others are side stepping the issue. You want to find fault with others actions but refuse to take your responsibility to task. You are the one letting your cat roam free and when that cats crosses on other's property, you gave up the right to care what happens. If you care, keep the thing out of harms way by keeping it on your property. All these stupid excuses about the natiral cat behavior and finger pointing of other's action is just excuses for irresponsible cat ownership!
You love your cat? Well keep its furry butt off my property because I don't have to like that whoose at all!
Well, you can think that, but my choice of words was designed to appeal to you who acts as though that would be a comfortable expression for you.
I see - so I pop a cat in the butt with BB gun and now I'm a "gangsta." More brilliant analogies.
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But, I really think you would be surprised. Read the posts on this forum and you will find that many of us think of our cats as our children,
I think this was addressed quite adeptly by Pacific. Anyone who would let their children roam around outside unsupervised should have been neutered at an early age, and THEY are to blame if something happens to that child.
Same goes for a pet.
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children can take care of themselves for the most part.
This gem also speaks for itself.
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Then switch child for cat in your analysis and ask your self: "If I shot Mr. Smith's child and didn't mean to hurt her, but did, am I in danger?"
I have a better idea. Ask yourself "isn't that child-to-cat analogy completely ricidulous when taken too far?" Don't get me wrong, my pet is like a child to me too...in a way, and to a point. But you and a few others frankly sound like you are well over the top in that regard.
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Originally Posted by wilson1010
My cat is an inside cat. But with an attitude like yours you should invest in term life insurance. A good bet for you I'd say.
Joey, I like your attempt to rationalize this discussion when I said from the beginning that you may encounter some irrational people if you go around shooting their cats. What is it about that you don't get? When your wife is trying to identify you in the morgue because you shot the wrong guy's cat, she can also tell the police what a rational guy you were.
Just trying to get you to see this "right" you have to go around shooting cats another way.
My neighbor threatened to shoot my cats because they were staking out her bird feeder trying to catch the birds.
I told her if she shot my cats I would shoot Edgar, her husband.
She told me to go ahead and shoot him.
We finally compromised and I agreed to put bells on all of my cats to warn the birds.
Then a bear came and tore down her bird feeder.
I bet she's glad I didn't shoot Edgar because she had him build a new bird feeder.
My cats still wear their little bells.
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And yes, "containment laws" is better and more to the mark of what I'm getting at. My point was if someone feels their cat "HAS" to be outside, it should be leashed, in a contained area, or otherwise not permitted to roam free. Pardon if that was not clear.
I don't see what is so terrible about a cat on one's property. If you are any sort of a "cat person", you would never shoot one with a pellet gun.
