Should cats be allowed to roam free

[Reverend Blair]

RE: Should cats be allowe

She's a small thing, but she's been eyeing the crows in the neighbour's tree. She's going to give that a shot one day if she gets the chance. She has scars on her nose from the woodpecker incident...she got pecked. She has no tail. We aren't sure what happened, likely a car, but it got smashed up and cost about a gazillion dollars to have it taken off and the pus drained out.

She is adventure kitty, afraid of nothing and capable of everything.

 

[no1important]

RE: Should cats be allowe

A few municipalities here have terminated their contracts with the SPCA in the last couple of years due to questionable spending by them.

I also see on the island a cat was jabbed with a needle the other day. He/she is getting better,slowley, but the vet has not been able to determine what was in the needle.

I don't think most people mind the neighbours cat wandering through their yards, but there are a few sicko's out there.

I remember when I was 12 my mom found our cat "Georgina" (named after my middle name George) laying in the carport dead after being cut up with a knife. I still wish to this day (25 years later) to find the prick or pricks who were responsible for that. My blood still boils thinking about that.

 

[Twila]

RE: Should cats be allowe

She is adventure kitty, afraid of nothing and capable of everything.

ADVENTURE KITTY!!!!! To the rescue.

Adventure kitty. that is toooooooo funny. does she have a cape? Cause I think she may need a cape. what about a side kick? Does she have a side kick. All great super heroes need a side kick.

You have to post a picture of her.

 

[Reverend Blair]

what about a side kick? Does she have a side kick. All great super heroes need a side kick.

That'd be Meagan.

 

[Twila]

RE: Should cats be allowe

And Meagan is.......?

How about a theme song? something catchy...

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: Should cats be allowe

Meagan is the youngest cat we have. Somebody dropped her off on a gravel road north of town. I was working there, so I brought her home.

 

[Jo Canadian]

There has to be a That depends button on that poll. It's all circumstance. I would let my cats out if they were fixed, but would be more apprehensive about it in an urban setting.

They hunt, they roam but that's pretty much it when they're fixed. Fighting, spraying, and wandering for months on end is significantly reduced when they're fixed.

Unlike dogs they don't pack and get into all sorts of trouble. At their worst you'll find buried treasure in your sandbox if you have one, and maybe select tidbits removed from your garbage if left out.

 

[JorCON5]

In some areas cats pose a large threat to birds. Humans have brought cats to places they shouldn't be. On some islands, cats brought in by humans have killed off all the birds. Now there is a rampant insect problem. I guess in a city it isn't a big deal but in rural settings cats can be quite destructive.

 

[Jay]

Re: RE: Should cats be allowed to roam free

In some areas cats pose a large threat to birds. Humans have brought cats to places they shouldn't be. On some islands, cats brought in by humans have killed off all the birds. Now there is a rampant insect problem. I guess in a city it isn't a big deal but in rural settings cats can be quite destructive.

Australia is a good example.

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: Should cats be allowe

We don't live in Austrailia though. We live on a continent where a lot of the bird species were imported because they happen to mentioned in Shakespeare's plays. We also live on a continent where we have gotten rid of most of the natural predators.

Predation by cats is not a major issue in Canada.

 

[whicker]

Re: RE: Should cats be allowed to roam free

Wow. I'm putting two and two together, here, and the five that I've come up with is that Canada is currently being terrorised by gangs of rampaging felines. Not being terrorised, just over run. Shelters have numbers on this. I know a woman who has two "housecats" which she never allows to go outdoors. She says they won't come back if she does, although how she knows this is a mystery, and personally I consider her to be quite mad. Keeping hamsters caged is bad enough, but the free spirited felix domesticus? That's potty, if not cruel. Surely in a country of three and a half million+ square miles, there's room for a few kitties? If it was only a few and no more then it wouldn't be so bad but there are too many irresponsible animal owners And anyway, don't you need them to help contain those Hanta virus-ridden rodents?
Having said that, I fail to see the reason that city people feel the need to keep medium to large sized mammals in their homes in this day and age; There are many animals that provide support for their people regardless of where they are. as far as the UK is concerned, I think banning domestic animals, coupled with a spaying/neutering programme, would be no bad thing (but only 'cos woolly human rights laws stops us from neutering the f*cking morons who think owning, then badly training, vicious, many toothed 'fighting' dogs makes them look tough). Agree completely, get rid of the morons and keep the animalsSo, what's the beef in Canada? (And don't say "cows").

 

[whicker]

There are responsible pet owners and there are not so responsible pet owners. If you don't want to care for your pet then don't get one - applied to people who get cats and let them roam free. Even neutered, it is irresponsible to let them roam. imho, one of the biggest reasons that people get cats is for the very reason that they can use the feeble excuse that it is their nature to run free - bs. Twila mentioned some very pertinent happenings to cats that are allowed to run free. But then hey. Cats are cheap and plentiful, so what if something happens to kitty and it dies an agonizing death, hell it can be replaced no problem. Very mature pet ownership. And, besides, if you let kitty run free then you don't have the added chore of keeping the litter pan clean.

 

[AirIntake]

It is possible to let a cat out free without being an irresponsible owner. I certainly did care and worry about my cat getting hurt or dying while outside out of my supervision. However, I also thought it was cruel to keep her inside when she clearly wished to be outside for several hours at a time. Is is NOT BS that it is in a cat's nature to roam free. Cats are not completely domesticated animals. For thousands of years they have lived in close proximity to humans, while still being able to come and go as they choose. This was very important when cats were used to control vermin on farms etc. I don't think that cats should roam free in an urban environment, as that is quite unnatural and unfair to them, and many dangers exist in a city that they have no instincts to deal with. However I have always lived in towns where it was easy for a cat to walk to an non-urban area on the outskirts to hunt mice. One place I lived bordered on farmers fields which is an excellent place for cats to stalk mice. More recently my house bordered on a forest. While I feared that coyotes could my kill my cat, I also respected her wishes to be outside, and trusted her to come back to the house when she felt she was in danger. In her old age, her 'roaming' was reduced to walking around our yard and couple of our neighbors yards, and smelling the trees and bushes, all while someone supervised. One must remember that a cat is inherently different from a dog, and while many cats can be kept inside exclusively, many more cats do not wish to be stuck inside at all. Also for the record, I never thought at any time that my cat was easily replaceable. For 19 1/2 years, she was a beloved member of our family, but like children, if we love them, we have to let them go, and have their freedom.

 

[whicker]

Personally I find it hard to equate responsibility with allowing a cat to roam free. Same as letting a very young child play in the front yard on a busy street. It is nice that you worried about harm coming to your cat, doesn't quite cut it when you see one with its guts spilled out on the road after being hit by a car or foaming at the mouth and writhing in pain after being poisioned because some non-cat lover decided they were tired of the neighbour's cat pooping in their garden. If you thought it would be cruel to keep a cat indoors then why get one? Oh yes, let it out. We had cats and once the cats realized that going out was not an option they settled quite nicely.
Cats are killed, not as often tho, in the country just the same as in towns or cities. And, isn't it swell that those responsible owners who have got tired of their cats decide that it is okay to drop them off in the country - especially when they get tired of their female having kittens because they couldn't be bothered/too cheap to get her spayed before they let her out. Same goes for a tom.
An animal, regardless of what it is, will adapt to the conditions it is given to live within.
We have a neighbour who had 3 cats - one female, one spayed and a neutered tom. Oh yes, she says. I should keep the cats in because something might happen and I get annoyed when cats poop in my garden. Three litters later, plus keeping one male kitten, who oh dear, didn't come back one day, she finally decided to get rid of the female - to a friends farm and now I think only has two. Really responsible.
At this point in time enough people have let their cats roam so that rodent control shouldn't be a problem.
I love my children but they, unlike cats, have the ability as they aged to think above the level of a cat. I love my kids and loved my cats but I sure wouldn't let them out when they had no idea of or protection from harm.
But, not to worry. Hubby thinks I am wrong on this also. If he had had his way the cats would have been out too.

 

[AirIntake]

A cat is hardly at the level of a very young child. Cats are quite intelligent, and are usually capable of dealing with most situations. Can cats get hurt and killed outside? Of course, but it's a risk that almost every cat owner takes. I find it hard to believe that one can supervise their children much more. I was allowed to ride my bike around my hometown of 4000-5000 when I was 8 years old, as were all of my friends. That's a much farther distance than my cat has ever travelled, with many more dangers, yet somehow, without any natural survival instincts I survived. Don't even bother suggesting that my parents were irresponsible either, they were not at all, just realistic and not overprotective. As well, I think it is completely irresponsibe to not spay or neuter your cat. Listen to Bob Barker! I certainly would never let a cat capable of breeding outdoors, because it hurts me very much to see stray cats with no homes.

 

[AirIntake]

I think I changed my mind. People should keep their cats indoors. Why? Because what caused the greatest injury to my cat over her lifetime was not people, coyotes, cars, or dogs, it was always other cats. Other cats would come up even into our yard and on our deck where my cat was sleeping and attack her. So, by all means, if you wish to keep your cat indoors please do so, as this will keep my cat safer when she's outdoors. I just don't think there should be a law requiring cats to stay indoors.

 

[whicker]

Wow!! For one thing you are one of few people that will say that an animal has any sense!!! Again wow!! On the other hand to imply that a cat that wants to go from point a to point b across a road will be cognisant of traffic is a little much.
I used to ride around on my bike also but even being young was aware, after being taught, that a car could hurt if not kill. This can not be instilled in an animal - any animal. Also, a person driving a car will not, if at all possible, hit another human being. An animal however is another matter.
Do you mean Bob Barker from the Price is Right?

 

[AirIntake]

Cats know cars are dangerous, and tend to avoid them, though there can always be stupid cats. A cat may not have been taught that a car can kill, but they sure know that something big, noisy, and quickly coming towards them cannot be good. I have yet to see a cat try chase my car and bite the tires as I have seen many dogs do. It also pisses me off a great deal that some assholes will try to purposely run over cats and other animals, but I'm not going to deny my cat the joy of being outdoors just because of them. Like I said, she lived to 19 1/2 so I can't be completely wrong about the danger.

"Remember folks, help control the pet population. Have your pets spayed or neutered." - Bob Barker, at the end of every episode of the Price is Right

 

[whicker]

I'll try to remember that it is a stupid cat next time I see one lying on the side of the road or on the road.
I had a cat that would chase the neighbour's dogs and kids on bikes!! Was above biting tires and chasing cars
I wasn't thinking of 'purposely' running over an animal, just not as careful of avoiding. I mean, after all, it is only an animal and the driver can't be sued for attempted murder/death or whatever they call it when someone is hit by a car.
Your cat was 'lucky' , others are not so fortunate. What would your response have been if your cat had been killed by a car or poison. Your fault or not????
Haven't watched the Price is Right since Bob had natural brown hair :lol:

 

[AirIntake]

Is it your fault if someone runs over your child? Or is it the drivers? I believe in being a responsible cat owner, but I am also not over protective. I do not live in an area where cats getting run over by cars is a problem. If this is a problem in your area, then keep you cat indoors for its safety. In my lifetime I have only seen two cats get that were hit by cars. I have seen many more than two cats walking around without supervision and doing just fine. In my area it would be overprotective to keep my cat indoors exclusively. Please do what you feel is safest for your cat, just do not force any laws on me and my cat.