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I never understood the mindset of having an "outdoor" cat. Why even have one then? Just because cats like roaming doesn't mean you should let them. Where I live, outdoor cats don't live long. We have so many predators that would love to meet kitty ranging from fox to coyotes to the occasional Lynx and of course there's traffic which accounts for most of the carnage. I'm not a cat lover, my wife is and she'd no sooner let her cats wander than we do our dog. Also, the poster who said cats kill a billion birds a year is right. They are the number one cause of death for our feathered friends.
I never understood the mindset of having an "outdoor" cat. Why even have one then? Just because cats like roaming doesn't mean you should let them. Where I live, outdoor cats don't live long. We have so many predators that would love to meet kitty ranging from fox to coyotes to the occasional Lynx and of course there's traffic which accounts for most of the carnage. I'm not a cat lover, my wife is and she'd no sooner let her cats wander than we do our dog. Also, the poster who said cats kill a billion birds a year is right. They are the number one cause of death for our feathered friends.
My cat is 10 years old. She likes to lay on the deck in the warm weather and soak up the sun. We have a huge yard she likes to prance around and doesn't leave it, they can be trained. Either my husband or myself are at home when she is out and if she is off the deck in the yard she comes back when called.
We don't throw her out the door at night to prowl, she just enjoys the warm weather, she won't put a paw out the door in cold, rainy or windy weather.
As far as cats who kill birds that is something that always has and always will be, there are also predator birds who will rob nests and kill, no different then a coyote killing a deer in the woods.
You honestly believe you can train a cat They may come when called but that doesn't mean when you're not watching that they're being little angels. Also, there is a big difference between a coyote killing deer and cats killing 1,000,000,000 birds annually...about 999,999,000 less.
Arent break-away collars ok for cats? I s/h been more specific. I would hope no neighbor would deliberately remove a neighbor's cat to another neighborhood unless they mistakenly think it's a stray cat (alth. then it s/b taken to a shelter so the owner has a chance of finding/reclaiming it), that w/b mean - but wearing a safe cat collar w/ an id tag and addy might help prevent it.
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Originally Posted by njkate
Should never collar an outdoor cat. Too many things, brush, branches etc can get caught in the collar and keep him trapped or worse. Micro chip yes, collar no
Was it okay for your neighbors dogs to get through their fence and run into your yard? No. Is it okay for your cat to be able to wander into theirs? No! Just because you've never seen it you think it's never happened. Give me a break.
Around here we call outdoor cats coyote food. I shake my head whenever I see "Lost Cat" flyers. I did go check out the trapping of cats here in our town. Totally legal to trap a problem cat and take them to the humane society.
Others people's cats in my yard drive me nuts. They even have been caught sleeping on our furniture on our front porch. And I've caught them in our fenced back yard. Would our dog go after them? You bet. She has gotten squirrels. I'm sure cats would be just as easy.
For the record. I love cats. I have two. That stay indoors.
As far as trapping squirrels. That is futile. I would tell them about the ways you have kept squirrels from getting at your feeders. Maybe they don't know.
This morning my husband tells me that he was outside and heard a scratching noise. He turned around and our neighbor (the same one that wanted to trap my cat) had trapped a squirrel. He told my husband that the squirrel was eating out of his bird feeders and he was releasing him elsewhere. The neighbors did this regularly at their last home. Instead of investing in squirrel baffles, the cheapskates trap and relocate the wildlife!
Wildlife may be trapped only if the wild animal is showing obvious signs of rabies or has exposed or potentially exposed humans, pets, or livestock to rabies. Nuisance wildlife must be trapped by a Wildlife Depredation Agent. For a list of local Depredation Agents, call 1-800-662-7137.
You honestly believe you can train a cat They may come when called but that doesn't mean when you're not watching that they're being little angels. Also, there is a big difference between a coyote killing deer and cats killing 1,000,000,000 birds annually...about 999,999,000 less.
TwoStep was voice trained and a very good squirrel cat to boot.
My cat is 10 years old. She likes to lay on the deck in the warm weather and soak up the sun. We have a huge yard she likes to prance around and doesn't leave it, they can be trained. Either my husband or myself are at home when she is out and if she is off the deck in the yard she comes back when called.
We don't throw her out the door at night to prowl, she just enjoys the warm weather, she won't put a paw out the door in cold, rainy or windy weather.
As far as cats who kill birds that is something that always has and always will be, there are also predator birds who will rob nests and kill, no different then a coyote killing a deer in the woods.
I have two cats. One is five years and the other is 'about' 13. Both are indoor cats but they do enjoy going outside for short periods of time. They are very paranoid though and any noise/people will send them back in. They never leave the yard but I didn't 'train' them...they just don't. They also come when I call them, no problem. My grandson lives next door and has three BIG dogs. Neighbor on the other side has two. Then there's a big apt. complex behind me...and amazingly, even with all that, my neighborhood is very quiet and peaceful. I'm really glad that my cats are so paranoid! I've had indoor/outdoor cats and no, I won't again. Lost one to a car and one to a coyote years ago. Lesson learned.
We do have cats that roam the neighborhood but they don't bother me. I do get tired of them 'spraying' my sliding glass doors though! Don't know why they do that unless it has something to do with MY cats being here??
Oh yeah...my 5 year old cat LOVES to chase lizards! She'll bring them in the house, when I'm not looking, and I find mummified lizards under the furniture now and then. My other cat is just plain old, fat and lazy so spends most of her time 'relaxing'. lol
LOL!!!! Hilarious. There are no leash laws for cats anywhere. None.
Sorry, not true. We don't call it a leash law at all, for dogs or cats, but where I live cats are not allowed to roam freely. They are supposed to be confined to the owner's property. In some districts here, they must be kept indoors, period.
I would check the ordinances for dogs and cats. All one has to do is google "cat leash laws" and find that many areas have them now. There is one where we are living right now and I'm glad! Thrilled! I have owned cats but they were indoor cats, pets. I can understand having an outdoor cat on a farm, worker/pet. There is a stray cat that has not been caught yet in the neighborhood. I learned some time ago that human urine is a real turnoff for cats and they'll choose a different yard if you put it where they are pooping. I'm voting with the neighbor and cannot understand why the OP was upset that the neighbor only cared about his dog getting hit but not her feral cat. Sadly, it is the fault of the owner what happens to the cat but cat pays the price.
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They may come when called but that doesn't mean when you're not watching that they're being little angels. Also, there is a big difference between a coyote killing deer and cats killing 1,000,000,000 birds annually...about 999,999,000 less.
