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AIBU?

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Cats everywhere!

360 replies

GoldfinchFeather · 25/06/2025 14:39

Since we have plenty of threads to moan about dogs and dog owners, how about a bit of balance and a thread for the same about cats?

I, for one, am not a fan of the things and think there are too many around. And sure, while the problems they cause may be less obvious than dogs/dog ownership, I personally think they're worse in many ways. Particularly for the terrible effect they have on local wildlife and birds in particular.

On numerous occasions I've had the misfortune to come across birds and animals that have clearly been attacked by cats. One distressing incident occurred just a few weeks ago - on an evening walk I came across a domestic cat that had just attacked a tiny baby wild rabbit. Despite shooing the cat off and it still being alive when I got to it, it didn't survive.

Seeing that made me just want to go and give the bloody thing a boot up the backside.

Yet many cat owners seem to find this behaviour either a mildly amusing part of their cat ownership ("you'll never guess what my Tiddles caught the other day!"), or have no qualms about letting their cats roam freely and slowly kill all wildlife within a several mile radius. When really, they should just be kept indoors.

And if they were, there'd be far less of them that were always going bloody missing or being stupid enough to get themselves run over on the road.

Surely I can't be alone in my hatred of cats?!

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GoldfinchFeather · 25/06/2025 15:32

WutheringShites86 · 25/06/2025 15:28

The RSPB don't agree with you OP, I assume you're not arrogant enough to believe you know more on the subject than them?

A strong opinion is not a fact.

Well they're unlikely to be too critical of cat owners are they, given that a fair few of their members are likely cat owners themselves!

OP posts:
Boomer55 · 25/06/2025 15:31

I love cats and I’ve owned dogs. What I like about cats is that their owners don’t assume everyone wants to be pestered by their darling dog,, and eat in places where there are dogs slobbering and shedding hair everywhere. 👍

heartsinvisiblefury · 25/06/2025 15:30

The fact you want to boot a cat OP says all I need to know about you.

ThreePointOneFourOneFiveNine · 25/06/2025 15:29

I like cats, despite being allergic to them, they are very appealing animals and I know make wonderful pets. The threat to our wild bird population is a very real concern though. I have heard people talking about bells on collars being helpful in warning the birds of the danger. I don’t know if it’s true but if so it could be worth considering making them compulsory on all outdoor cats, the way ID tags are for dogs.

Esgaroth · 25/06/2025 15:29

Mr Tiddles can't believe what he's hearing.

Cats everywhere!
2Magpies24 · 25/06/2025 15:28

I think the issue people have with dogs is down to the entitlement and silliness of some owners. They expect them to be treated like children. People don't want them in cafes begging at tables or licking their children's faces after they have just been licking another dogs arse etc. Some dogs are also dangerous, I'm not sure cats are unless you take a tiger for a walk.
Cats are roaming free and acting on instinct. Killing birds and small prey is instinctual as it is for dogs, a lot of whom will also kill small animals when given a chance.

WutheringShites86 · 25/06/2025 15:28

The RSPB don't agree with you OP, I assume you're not arrogant enough to believe you know more on the subject than them?

A strong opinion is not a fact.

ghostyslovesheets · 25/06/2025 15:27

They come in handy as very sharp weapons

the simpsons GIF
Laiste · 25/06/2025 15:26

Oh yeah, and my cats are indoor or my own garden only cats (Ragdolls) and don't catch anything.

Morgenrot25 · 25/06/2025 15:26

VirginaGirl · 25/06/2025 15:24

Wanting to 'boot an animal up the backside' is not normal.

Agreed.
Even if you hate it's behaviour, it's acting on it's normal instincts and also didn't ask to live near you.

Bored Cat GIF
Laiste · 25/06/2025 15:25

If we're going to make 'killing' the main thrust of the argument 'which is worse, cats or dogs?' i think obviously the one which kills or rips apart human children and adults has to be 'worst' no?

I'm a cat owner now, but have kept grate danes in the past, So love both. But the amount of dogs around these days is OTT.

ghostyslovesheets · 25/06/2025 15:25

enjoy your psychopathic pet!

I will do - all 5 of them - darling little murder floofs

Astrak · 25/06/2025 15:24

I can see your point; however, I think that it depends on the environment that the cat/s and their owners live in.

My cat is an indoor cat. He has the run of the entire dwelling. He's been spayed, vaccinated and regularly health checked by my veterinary hospital. He's is just two years old.
He sits on the window sills and watches the birds, people, dogs and the many forms of wildlife that surrounds us. He chatters his teeth at them and leaps from window to window to follow them as they fly/hop around.
He's played with, groomed daily, has a pristine litter box and veterinary-approved food for his gastritis.
I play hunting/catching games with him with toys on fishing rods, rolling toys with bells inside them and home made ones.
My previous cats have been indoor/outdoor cats. As an elderly (79) person living alone with no near neighbours or family, this cat is my sole companion, and I treasure his company.

GoldfinchFeather · 25/06/2025 15:24

MadCatandBirdLady · 25/06/2025 15:22

Also ground nesting birds face predation from stoats, weasels, badgers, foxes and other birds. Not just cats.

There are an estimated 11 million cats in this country.

I don't know for sure, but I'm willing to say that's far more than the number of stoats, weasels, badgers, foxes and other birds COMBINED.

OP posts:
VirginaGirl · 25/06/2025 15:24

Wanting to 'boot an animal up the backside' is not normal.

Pickingmyselfup · 25/06/2025 15:23

Tiredofwhataboutery · 25/06/2025 15:20

Wouldn’t we be overrun with “wildlife” like mice and rats if it wasn’t for cats? I don’t own one but I assume they are handy for keeping down the vermin.

That's how they ended up being domesticated isn't it? Kept for the purpose as keeping vermin down and then I guess just ended up being kept purely as pets.

GoldfinchFeather · 25/06/2025 15:23

Tiredofwhataboutery · 25/06/2025 15:20

Wouldn’t we be overrun with “wildlife” like mice and rats if it wasn’t for cats? I don’t own one but I assume they are handy for keeping down the vermin.

No, because there's such a thing as birds of prey.

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MadCatandBirdLady · 25/06/2025 15:22

Also ground nesting birds face predation from stoats, weasels, badgers, foxes and other birds. Not just cats.

GoldfinchFeather · 25/06/2025 15:22

ForMerryMauveDreamer · 25/06/2025 15:19

Oh go away. Unless you don’t touch any animal products yourself, you’re a massive hypocrite.

Cats kill wildlife, which is natural behaviour. Got a problem with it then take it up with Mother Nature ffs. They tend to only catch those that are weak and going to die anyway. Most cats are pretty rubbish hunters. Cats aren’t responsible for the eradication of any species, despite what people like you like to think.

Your post really just illustrates why I prefer cats (and any animal actually) to humans.

I don't go out of my way to kill them for no reason, or encourage behaviour that will, no.

On the basis of your strawman argument, if you own a cat, you can't claim to care about nature either. But enjoy your psychopathic pet!

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ghostyslovesheets · 25/06/2025 15:21

I’m going to adopt more cats now ❤️

Beamur · 25/06/2025 15:21

You're entitled to your opinion but if you said this to me in real life, our friendship would probably be over! I don't hate anyone's choice of pet but if you're going to single out one pet as unacceptable above all else I would suggest you think a bit more deeply about it. There's pro's and con's to them all.
True, cats are responsible for killing wildlife. But much less of an impact than farming practices for example and are actually very good, non chemical pest controllers.in themselves.Owning a pet cat contributes hugely to many different businesses, so are a huge economic driver. They are also amazing companion animals and are a therapeutic pet for many people.
I can understand not liking them but wishing to inflict violence on an animal makes you a not very nice person. Putting it mildly.

Tiredofwhataboutery · 25/06/2025 15:20

GoldfinchFeather · 25/06/2025 14:56

Your sentence seems incomplete. Let me finish it for you:

"Cats are the best at killing wildlife and are responsible for killing an estimated 160-270 million animals annually in this country"

An absolute pest on society.

Wouldn’t we be overrun with “wildlife” like mice and rats if it wasn’t for cats? I don’t own one but I assume they are handy for keeping down the vermin.

Icecreamhelps · 25/06/2025 15:20

GoldfinchFeather · 25/06/2025 15:14

Yes, for human consumption. As in, there's an actual purpose to it - whether you agree with it or not.

There is no purpose to allowing cats to kill that much wildlife, putting certain species (particularly ground nesting birds) at risk of extinction in future. Because they don't need to do it to survive, they're fed extremely well at home anyway.

You seriously can't be making a direct comparison between the two?!

Yes I can.

ForMerryMauveDreamer · 25/06/2025 15:19

GoldfinchFeather · 25/06/2025 15:04

So that makes it okay, then?

I imagine people would be pretty horrified if something like fox hunting was allowed again and the defence was "well, it's just human nature to want to hunt animals".

Or imagine if hunting of birds and wildlife was a widespread activity in this country and 160-270 million birds and animals were killed, for no real reason (don't give me the nonsense about cats needing to hunt to eat), and it was just put down to man's strong drive to hunt?

But because it's fluffy cats doing it, it's okay?

Oh go away. Unless you don’t touch any animal products yourself, you’re a massive hypocrite.

Cats kill wildlife, which is natural behaviour. Got a problem with it then take it up with Mother Nature ffs. They tend to only catch those that are weak and going to die anyway. Most cats are pretty rubbish hunters. Cats aren’t responsible for the eradication of any species, despite what people like you like to think.

Your post really just illustrates why I prefer cats (and any animal actually) to humans.

GoldfinchFeather · 25/06/2025 15:18

TulipCat · 25/06/2025 15:15

Meh, it doesn't really matter if you don't like them OP, it's fine not to like certain animals. But it will almost certainly never become illegal to own a cat and let it roam so 🤷‍♀️.

And in the meantime, we'll probably hear about several species of rare birds going extinct in this country in future, and then people will do much hand-wringing and soul-searching as to how we ever let something like that happen in this country. Even though the culprit and solution has been right in front of our eyes for decades.

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