Page 6 | To think cats shouldn’t be allowed out without owners

DoBeDoBeDooo · 2025-11-24T18:36:15+00:00

The other thread about cats vs dogs has made me realise I’m not alone in my feelings about cats being allowed to roam freely, kill wildlife, and crap all over the place. Why is it one rule for dogs and another for cats? It’s doesn’t make any sense really, when you think about it. Shouldn’t the same rules apply: cats can be walked on leads and owners must pick up after them or risk fines etc?

Original poster

DoBeDoBeDooo · 25/11/2025 06:35

XDownwiththissortofthingX · 25/11/2025 06:30

Right, and the cat has still been on your fence. Meanwhile, the sign does nothing to protect you from a claim for damages, because cats are free agents, the sign has no relevance, and you are the one responsible for the resultant mess.

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Actually, there is no legal basis for this at all.

The police recommend this paint to prevent burglaries and trespassing. It’s perfectly legal, provided it’s used above 2m and signs are used.

If your cat comes home covered in it, that’s your problem, nothing to do with the person who has used legal means to protect their own property. As someone said earlier, it’s not illegal and there’s nothing you can do about it.

OP posts:

XDownwiththissortofthingX · 25/11/2025 06:30

DoBeDoBeDooo · 25/11/2025 06:26

No, but I think their owners might when they can’t get it off their fur, and they’ve trailed it all over their floors and soft furnishings. The whole point being anti-vandal paint doesn’t come out of anything.

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Right, and the cat has still been on your fence. Meanwhile, the sign does nothing to protect you from a claim for damages, because cats are free agents, the sign has no relevance, and you are the one responsible for the resultant mess.

Original poster

DoBeDoBeDooo · 25/11/2025 06:26

XDownwiththissortofthingX · 25/11/2025 06:14

Yes, but the cat isn't going to give a toss about the law, your sign, or your anti-vandal paint.

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No, but I think their owners might when they can’t get it off their fur, and they’ve trailed it all over their floors and soft furnishings. The whole point being anti-vandal paint doesn’t come out of anything.

OP posts:

XDownwiththissortofthingX · 25/11/2025 06:14

DoBeDoBeDooo · 25/11/2025 06:11

No, it’s because it’s a legal requirement to have signs up if you use anti-vandal paint.

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Yes, but the cat isn't going to give a toss about the law, your sign, or your anti-vandal paint.

littleamanda · 25/11/2025 06:13

RobinEllacotStrike · 24/11/2025 18:39

I checked with my cats and they both replied, in synch, "fuck you I won't do what you tell me".

😂😂😂😂

Original poster

DoBeDoBeDooo · 25/11/2025 06:11

XDownwiththissortofthingX · 25/11/2025 06:09

Is this for the benefit of the cats whose owners have taught them to read?

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No, it’s because it’s a legal requirement to have signs up if you use anti-vandal paint.

OP posts:

XDownwiththissortofthingX · 25/11/2025 06:09

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 25/11/2025 04:39

Put anti vandal paint along the top of fences ... they really dont like it. Should really have a sign up saying you've got anti vandal paint - beware.

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Is this for the benefit of the cats whose owners have taught them to read?

Original poster

DoBeDoBeDooo · 25/11/2025 06:00

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 25/11/2025 04:39

Put anti vandal paint along the top of fences ... they really dont like it. Should really have a sign up saying you've got anti vandal paint - beware.

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They don’t like being soaked with the hosepipe either, but doesn’t seem to stop them coming back. Seems they don’t learn like other animals.

OP posts:

Original poster

DoBeDoBeDooo · 25/11/2025 05:57

Happyjoe · 24/11/2025 23:33

Do you have no sense of humour or are you just wanting to only carry on with your cat hating thread at all cost?

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I don’t hate cats.

Obviously I was being sarcastic to point out the ridiculousness of the PP. If it’s okay to let cats kill birds (for fun), because birds kill worms (for food), then by the same logic would it not be okay to let dogs kill cats (for fun)? There’s plenty of cats, it wouldn’t harm their numbers if a dog killed some of them, would it?

OP posts:

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 25/11/2025 04:39

DoBeDoBeDooo · 24/11/2025 18:42

My question isn’t whether dogs should be allowed to roam freely. Obviously they shouldn’t.

But why should cats be allowed to shit everywhere, including my garden where my young children play?

They don’t just kill mice and rats. They kill millions of birds every year too.

Put anti vandal paint along the top of fences ... they really dont like it. Should really have a sign up saying you've got anti vandal paint - beware.

Kippykangarooo · 25/11/2025 03:24

Where I live there are loads of cats. I’m sick of cat shit in my garden. I can’t get my head around why it’s seen as acceptable yet dog shit isn’t. Neither is acceptable actually.

labamba18 · 25/11/2025 03:17

Yes especially considering those headlines you see every week ‘woman mauled by cat’ - oh wait…maybe that’s why OP 🙄

Wordsmithery · 25/11/2025 02:41

It's a perfectly valid question, OP, and I say this as an incorrigible cat lover.
Cats kill millions of birds and small mammals every year in the UK - creatures whose populations are already in catastrophic decline. Cats do NOT just kill vermin, far from it.
The UK could follow the model of some Australian states and prohibit cats from roaming beyond their owner's property. It's up to the owner to police this so generally it means that cats are confined to the house.
This isn't a natural environment for cats, though, as they need to exercise and play. One compromise would be to keep them in at night when much of the killing takes place.

Catpuss66 · 25/11/2025 00:50

DoBeDoBeDooo · 24/11/2025 18:42

My question isn’t whether dogs should be allowed to roam freely. Obviously they shouldn’t.

But why should cats be allowed to shit everywhere, including my garden where my young children play?

They don’t just kill mice and rats. They kill millions of birds every year too.

So does my dog given half the chance…..having been a cat owner all my life thought my days of cleaning up half eaten mice on my back step was over. Then I got a rescue puppy she has such a high prey drive she has spent an hour in the garden this evening chasing mice or little rodents about in the garden. The last cat had a buddy magpie who followed him around waiting for leftovers, 4 yrs on he still comes to make sure nothing left for him.

LadyLolaRuben · 25/11/2025 00:49

Hehe I cant even get my cat in to take her to the vet especially when shes sunbathing on the roof or staring at me through the kitchen skylight. She pleases herself and rules this house

Howmanycatsistoomany · 25/11/2025 00:46

ColinOfficeTrolley · 24/11/2025 19:08

Cat owners tend to be rather selfish people.

Of course we are😂

I selfishly rescued all 5 of my moggies, who despite having 50+ acres on which to roam freely, kill wildlife, and crap, don't tend to roam much further than the hay barn.

Did try a harness and leash on my old cat, it did not go well 😂

DdraigGoch · 25/11/2025 00:41

DoBeDoBeDooo · 24/11/2025 19:41

A lot of cat owners don’t have litter trays because they don’t want to have the cat shitting in their house and don’t want to clean up after them.

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Or the cat just prefers shitting outside so doesn't use the tray.

DdraigGoch · 25/11/2025 00:24

DoBeDoBeDooo · 24/11/2025 19:20

Yes, and I know which cat does it.

Never known anyone to have a pet fox.

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I remember one from my childhood.

His name was Basil.

MidnightMeltdown · 25/11/2025 00:16

Cats aren’t domesticated in the same way as dogs. Dogs have lived with humans for thousands of years longer than cats, and have been selectively bred, much more so than cats. Cats have minimal genetic changes compared to their wild ancestors.

Bryonyberries · 24/11/2025 23:45

I’ve got a 14yo cat who was born in a barn and has preferred to live outside most of her life. She lives in my garden, sleeps in our caravan and hunts in the garden, keeping pests down. She comes in the house in the winter when it’s cold and likes to be fed then, although isn’t fussed if we feed her or not in spring and summer. As she’s getting older she is turning up more for food and we take her to the vet if we feel that she needs any care.

She would have hated being an indoor cat. She never leaves our garden, it is her territory so she is no bother to anyone else.

doeadeer2 · 24/11/2025 23:37

OneReasonWhy · 24/11/2025 23:23

oh look. Another unhinged cat hating thread.
Honestly, there’s no one more psychopathic than a mumsnet cat hater. They are absolute lunatics. Every fucking month there’s at least one cat hater thread where they all spout their bile. It’s so weird.

They give serial killer vibes.

Happyjoe · 24/11/2025 23:33

DoBeDoBeDooo · 24/11/2025 22:11

So, if I’m reading this right, the solution is to get a massive dog that likes to eat cats for funzies?

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Do you have no sense of humour or are you just wanting to only carry on with your cat hating thread at all cost?

OneReasonWhy · 24/11/2025 23:31

Only cat haters talk about poisoning, maiming, injuring and killing a defenceless animal and how owners shouldn’t be upset over it. Like it’s ok to be cruel to an animal as long as it’s a cat. You never see people that dislike dogs frothing and spitting over dog shit all over the pavements and parks, or discussing how to injure it or gleefully telling dog owners that they can’t be upset if their dog gets out and gets hit by a car or dog napped. Cat haters are a red flag - the way they talk about cats makes me think they are cruel in many other ways. Probably to their kids.

DiscoBeat · 24/11/2025 23:28

I kind of agree on one hand. Luckily neither of my cats want to leave the garden (I kept them in for 4 months when they arrived to help them get used to home).
They don't hunt now that I give them a bedtime snack of extra biscuits.

OneReasonWhy · 24/11/2025 23:23

oh look. Another unhinged cat hating thread.
Honestly, there’s no one more psychopathic than a mumsnet cat hater. They are absolute lunatics. Every fucking month there’s at least one cat hater thread where they all spout their bile. It’s so weird.