Irresponsible Owners

[TheresaW]

I had a cat that I’m 95% was injured by greyhounds a few gardens away. He came in one evening with a completely degloved tail, puncture wounds in his legs. I think he’d gone into their garden, got caught legging it. Even if I’d known for definite that is what had happened, I wouldn’t have pursued it.

 

[MurphysMinder]

Defo more pragmatic here out in the sticks.

I dunno, I am rural and would hate it if one of my dogs killed a cat. Somewhat hypothetical as we don't have visiting cats since old neighbours moved. I have cats, which my dogs are fine with but I think they would chase an intruder, as birds get short shrift, and the heelers would possibly grab a cat as they have a strong prey drive.

 

[Escapade]

I'm in town and it's enter at your own risk as far as I'm concerned. There was a kitten roaming around when I first got the lurcher so I did make a better effort then to do a sweep of the garden before letting her out. I don't actually even know which houses any of the cats belong to, its a housing estate of hundreds and they go all over.

There is a lot of cover out back that gives them escape routes and she doesn't go out unsupervised, but the cats have definitely learned not to linger here.
Since getting her it's been lovely having more birds nesting in the bushes. God knows I've cleaned up enough after random cats

 

[Cinnamontoast]

I would be really upset if the dogs killed a cat in our garden. They’re a pita when they persistently sh!t everywhere and dig up stuff, but It’s someone’s pet. I had to tell the neighbours to properly puppy proof the gaps in the fence when they got their tiny puppy, Zak would not have held back had it got in our garden.

 

[Clodagh]

I would be really upset if the dogs killed a cat in our garden. They’re a pita when they persistently sh!t everywhere and dig up stuff, but It’s someone’s pet. I had to tell the neighbours to properly puppy proof the gaps in the fence when they got their tiny puppy, Zak would not have held back had it got in our garden.

but if they loved their cats they’d be responsible for them?

 

[Cinnamontoast]

but if they loved their cats they’d be responsible for them?

It’s very difficult to contain cats. Do you mean make a safe space for them?

 

[Clodagh]

It’s very difficult to contain cats. Do you mean make a safe space for them?

I don’t really care, but keep them killing on your own land!

 

[SadKen]

I definitely don’t want mine to kill anything, cats included even though I think cats are stone cold killers and the only other animal besides humans that seems to enjoy torturing and killing things.

When my dad was little he lived on a farm, and there used to be a gradual accumulation of feral cats. When there were too many, my grandad loaded them up in his van and went to visit one of the other farmers, a good few miles away. There, he casually left the van door open. As the cats steadily emptied out of the van, he said to the other farmer ‘hey, John, you’ve got a lot of cats here’. I think they all did it, it was called ‘taking them a ride’. Obviously not a suitable modern option.

 

[Clodagh]

I definitely don’t want mine to kill anything, cats included even though I think cats are stone cold killers and the only other animal besides humans that seems to enjoy torturing and killing things.

When my dad was little he lived on a farm, and there used to be a gradual accumulation of feral cats. When there were too many, my grandad loaded them up in his van and went to visit one of the other farmers, a good few miles away. There, he casually left the van door open. As the cats steadily emptied out of the van, he said to the other farmer ‘hey, John, you’ve got a lot of cats here’. I think they all did it, it was called ‘taking them a ride’. Obviously not a suitable modern option.

Back in Essex in the 70’s they used to have an annual cat shoot at one awful farm near us. I presume neutering wasn’t a thing then.

 

[cauda equina]

I don’t really care, but keep them killing on your own land!

and crapping
I'm always finding cat shit on my lawn

 

[some show]

and crapping
I'm always finding cat shit on my lawn

This is also really annoying when your dog likes eating it

 

[CorvusCorax]

Ah yes, the Forbidden Chocolate Mousse....

 

[Clodagh]

Tawny has tested positive to historic toxoplasmosis infection, last year when she had her mystery illness. So not only is it antisocial letting fluffikins shit wherever suits him you are also spreading disease.

 

[splashgirl45]

I also would hate my dogs to kill or injure a cat but I pay a lot of money to own my cottage and it’s fenced well to keep my dogs in and there is no way they will be restricted in their access to the garden. In the summer my door is permanently open so they can go in and out and no cat is going to stop that . I don’t see why cat owners can’t fence their gardens so the cats can’t get out and kill the birds and also not get run over themselves..

 

[SilverLinings]

I realise that this is a bit of a niche reason for disliking cats, but as a result I have gone from liking them to really disliking them. I have owned yard cats in the past, and I felt a lot of affection for them. I have a severe autoimmune disease that has progressed to the point that I pretty much catch anything going; 10 years ago I was told by the hospital to be really careful around certain animals, avoid handling them and wash my hands carefully if I touch anything they touch; cats are top of the 'don't touch' list because of toxoplasmosis.

Since then I have been unable to own a cat, but I have to clear cat faeces out of my garden on a daily basis, as well as vomit and partly eaten birds and rodents. So I can't have the nice side of cat owning (companionship etc), but have the bad side forced on me. I can no longer have a bird feeder as that attracted even more cats, and as I don't currently have a dog it is hard to deter them from the garden (I have tried pretty much everything).

If I let my dog foul in my neighbours gardens (or even in public areas), let them kill all the wildlife they could catch, and let them roam the streets causing car drivers to slam in their brakes to avoid hitting them then there would (quite rightly) be an outcry. I am aware that some people have allergies to dogs or are scared of them so I don't allow any dog I am walking to hassle strangers, but cats do as they please on other people's property. It is well known that pregnant women shouldn't come into contact with cat faeces so the health risk is public knowledge.

I miss being able to lie on my lawn reading a book (small lawn so difficult to avoid patches where faeces have been picked up), and I feel sad when I see the partly eaten (or not eaten at all) remains of yet another songbird. I hate having to wear gloves every time I do any gardening, and I resent having to pay for endless packets of dog bags (particularly as I miss having a dog) to pick up the mess. In warm weather I can't enjoy leaving my french doors or any ground floor windows open as the cats then come into the house.

I have no problem with people owning cats, but like any pet, they shouldn't be inflicted on everyone else, and shouldn't invade other people's property.

 

[Jeni the dragon]

As a cat owner and dog fan, this thread has gone really horrible recently. I'm genuinely shocked at what some people have posted.

 

[paddy555]

I definitely don’t want mine to kill anything, cats included even though I think cats are stone cold killers and the only other animal besides humans that seems to enjoy torturing and killing things.

yep that was one of my cats. He was a total killer, there was nothing else in his life. No cuddles, no affection just a killer and his target was rats, the bigger the better and as many as possible. I encourage cats to come here. Every feral is welcome, Whiskas pouches at the ready.

 

[JJS]

I sense a rural vs urban divide

I dunno, I am rural and would hate it if one of my dogs killed a cat. Somewhat hypothetical as we don't have visiting cats since old neighbours moved. I have cats, which my dogs are fine with but I think they would chase an intruder, as birds get short shrift, and the heelers would possibly grab a cat as they have a strong prey drive.

Nope, I’m rural too (about as rural as it gets).

 

[EllieBeast]

I’ve always had both dogs and cats, I love them both.

My dogs adore the cat, my parents cats and show no chase instinct to any neighbour's cats that enter the garden thankfully. We don’t have a lot of them here and I can’t say I’ve noticed any cat crap in my garden!

My own cat isn’t allowed to roam outside. He has a secure outdoor area and plenty of house to explore. This is mainly for his own protection as he has no sense of danger (especially with dogs, he loves to greet any dog that comes to our house), but I also like that he cannot be an inconvenience to anyone else/the bird population too. He’s excellent at stalking and killing all spiders/moths/daddy longlegs in the house so that keeps him busy and useful. As he’s never been out, he shows no inclination to escape anyway.

I get that not everyone is a cat fan, and people should try to minimise the impact their pet has on others. But as a cat lover myself, some of these responses have been hard to read.

Clodagh- I’m very sorry for your loss. I have chickens too and would be devastated, my chickens happily see off anything- cats included that are silly enough to enter their area. But your ladies being small and elderly would have been less able to defend themselves. Your neighbour's cat sounds relentless- I sincerely hope they realise the gravity of what’s happened.

 

[skinnydipper]

Dogs who have killed a cat in a public place should be kept on lead and muzzled.

 

[skinnydipper]

Cats hunt due to innate behaviour whereas people breed and shoot birds for pleasure.

In all my years of owning cats I have never known one to urinate or defaecate on the lawn.

Dogs crap on grass and they could be infected with toxocara.

 

[Clodagh]

Cats hunt due to innate behaviour whereas people breed and shoot birds for their own enjoyment.

In all my years of owning cats I have never known one to urinate or defaecate on the lawn.

Dogs crap on grass and they could be infected with toxocara.

I can stand at my mums house and watch them shit on the lawn outside her kitchen window. Not her lawn, it’s her neighbours. Mum has cat scarer noise things which seem to work, before she got those her garden (a work of art) was pure cat poo.

 

[gunnergundog]

Cats hunt due to innate behaviour whereas people breed and shoot birds for pleasure.

In all my years of owning cats I have never known one to urinate or defaecate on the lawn.

Dogs crap on grass and they could be infected with toxocara.

Err.....cats hunt for pleasure. Never seen a cat toying/playing with a half dead mouse? One old boy used to catch his prey and then bring the poor unfortunate, alive, into the house in winter to play in the comfort of his own centrally heated playground!

Cats also carry toxocara.

Cats crap on grass.

 

[ycbm]

I definitely don’t want mine to kill anything, cats included even though I think cats are stone cold killers and the only other animal besides humans that seems to enjoy torturing and killing things.

Whales play with seals like a cat with a mouse.

 

[Jenko109]

In all my years of owning cats I have never known one to urinate or defaecate on the lawn.

Cats often go on my front lawn

I also see one go on the slate on one of the houses opposite.

I'm not personally fussed on cats going to toilet on my lawn. It's only mildly inconvenient. It's more annoying that they set off my security camera alerts.

 

[ycbm]

I get the cat issues, and I wouldn't have chosen to keep cats in an urban environment but we had them when we moved here and felt it would be unfair to pen in animals which had been used to free roaming in farmland. We paid a high price recently for that choice.

I do think with the road issues, the bird issues, the garden fouling issues and other people rights to have guinea pigs, rabbits etc out in their gardens and not to have their dogs barking at night, that it probably is time to tell people that cats in urban areas need to be contained and not allowed to roam free. Though I think there should be years of notice given, because it would be hugely expensive to cat proof a house if you have single doors to the outside and ever want to open a window.



Edited to remove nightime cake-making dogs.
.

 

[Esmae]

I realise that this is a bit of a niche reason for disliking cats, but as a result I have gone from liking them to really disliking them. I have owned yard cats in the past, and I felt a lot of affection for them. I have a severe autoimmune disease that has progressed to the point that I pretty much catch anything going; 10 years ago I was told by the hospital to be really careful around certain animals, avoid handling them and wash my hands carefully if I touch anything they touch; cats are top of the 'don't touch' list because of toxoplasmosis.

Since then I have been unable to own a cat, but I have to clear cat faeces out of my garden on a daily basis, as well as vomit and partly eaten birds and rodents. So I can't have the nice side of cat owning (companionship etc), but have the bad side forced on me. I can no longer have a bird feeder as that attracted even more cats, and as I don't currently have a dog it is hard to deter them from the garden (I have tried pretty much everything).

If I let my dog foul in my neighbours gardens (or even in public areas), let them kill all the wildlife they could catch, and let them roam the streets causing car drivers to slam in their brakes to avoid hitting them then there would (quite rightly) be an outcry. I am aware that some people have allergies to dogs or are scared of them so I don't allow any dog I am walking to hassle strangers, but cats do as they please on other people's property. It is well known that pregnant women shouldn't come into contact with cat faeces so the health risk is public knowledge.

I miss being able to lie on my lawn reading a book (small lawn so difficult to avoid patches where faeces have been picked up), and I feel sad when I see the partly eaten (or not eaten at all) remains of yet another songbird. I hate having to wear gloves every time I do any gardening, and I resent having to pay for endless packets of dog bags (particularly as I miss having a dog) to pick up the mess. In warm weather I can't enjoy leaving my french doors or any ground floor windows open as the cats then come into the house.

I have no problem with people owning cats, but like any pet, they shouldn't be inflicted on everyone else, and shouldn't invade other people's property.

There is a sonic type system that you can place in spots around the garden which keeps cats out. It emits a high pitched sound that only they hear I think. A friend has it at their place and it works. Might be a useful option for you. I'll try to find out the make etc.

 

[Jenko109]

Even if they had to be in overnight.

Any cat outside after 8pm, goes in a pie.

 

[some show]

I do think with the road issues, the bird issues, the garden fouling issues and other people rights to have guinea pigs, rabbits etc out in their gardens and not to have their dogs baking at night, that it probably is time to tell people that cats in urban areas need to be contained and not allowed to roam free. Though I think there should be years of notice given, because it would be hugely expensive to cat proof a house if you have single doors to the outside and ever want to open a window.
.

Absolutely the most sensible idea.

 

[ycbm]

Absolutely the most sensible idea.

Though possibly the dogs baking would be welcome by some if they make a mean Victoria sponge?