AIBU to think cats should not roam unsupervised like dogs?

I do have a dog, I don't have a cat. Learn to read

The poster’s comment was more along the lines of wishing the cat a nasty death so the owner would feel guilt. it was rightly deleted.

They need to roam because you can’t take a cat out twice a day for a walk/run on a lead.
you're comparing two completely different mammals
yes cats can and do hunt and that’s a problem in some areas. That’s for the owners to deal with.
my cat never hunts. Too lazy.

Yes, we tried bells. Got them off within minutes!

I feel the same way about my cats. I've lost one (also to the road. If we're all so concerned about wildlife we'd ban cars) but she would have had a miserable and small life as an indoor cat.

My two living cats aren't hunters but still have a dusk-to-dawn curfew to protect birds who go to roost at those times, and to protect nocturnal animals.

It works well.

Cats don't leave their shit in the street for people to stand on. Cats are more considerate. Roaming dogs are stupid and much more likely to be in an RTI than a cat.

Yes, I’m aware of all that. When I say she wasn’t entirely correct I was referring to some of her other comments.

Yep, and I’ve never seen a single owner of outdoor cars in the UK who denies that there are risks involved in letting them roam - they just believe those risks to be worth it when it comes to their cats’ overall quality of life.

I say all that as someone who lost a cat to the road a few months ago.

I’m glad your cat no longer suffers but that is not relevant to what I’m saying.

The poster said if your outdoor cat died as a result of being outdoors then you as the owner are responsible, which is ultimately correct. Whilst I understand why you let your cat outside your reasoning doesn’t negate that. There are lots of reasons people let their cats out, but if something happens the owner is still the one responsible for that decision.

Clearly you have decided that letting your cat outdoors was less of a risk, but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be ultimately your responsibility if something happened whilst he was outside, you have made that choice, him being poorly whilst in the house doesn’t mean that the responsibility doesn’t fall on you as an owner if something does happen, although obviously it may not.

As I said, my cat rarely leaves our garden and has made it to 18 so spends most of the day sleeping now so its not something I really worry about, no.

Cats, dogs, guinea pigs, mice, rats- all very different creatures and different habits.

My cats have freedom to roam all the time. Yes there is an outside risk they might come across a mad dog or a fox but they can handle themselves. And for me it’s a balance of risk- my cats have a fantastic life and would be genuinely miserable if i tried to put them in a catio or keep them inside. And I’d hate to see it.

Plus as others have said cats are, as a rule, much more intelligent than other pets.
My cats know “their” territory, they sense and will avoid danger, they know how to come and go as they please. They are much better equipped to be independent than other pets.

YABVVU. I adopted two kittens last year. At first I considered keeping them in because I worried something would happen to them. But our house backs onto a field. They used to look longingly out of the window and it was obvious they were bored and wanted to go outside and explore. Our fencing wouldn’t stand up to cat proofing (it’s really topped with tall trellis which isn’t strong enough) and having a catio is not the same as the freedom they would need from being able to explore the garden and beyond.

The moment I started letting mine out I saw they acted completely differently outside compared to what they do inside (which is mainly sleep).

I personally think it’s cruel to keep them in. And if you’re not willing to then you shouldn’t have a cat.

One of mine has only gone out the garden once. The other one mainly goes into the neighbours gardens on either side. And over the back fence once. But even if it were more I would still be ok with that.

I actually asked our vet, who has years of experience working with animals. And he said on balance, he believes it’s kinder to let them out.

I think you're using US data.

UK cats live to an average of 11 - 12 years.

There are many feral cats here. They’re great because they keep the rats down, we live near a stream. When we first moved here, I never saw another cat and the rats were everywhere! We need cats to keep the rats away from the homes. Farms have them too to deter rats and mice away from eating their grains.

Actually the vast majority of what that poster said was totally incorrect.

Yes, if he gets hit by a car it’s my “fault” but the alternatives were to either have him PTS or to keep him locked up and medicated forever. A catio made no difference. A secure garden made no difference. And that was after years of keeping him indoors entirely.

Cats are independent creatures unlike dogs who like to be in a pack with their owners.

I remember frothing facebook post about dog poo that turned out to actually be cat poo. Very awkward all round.

Same with local forest trust banging on about dog owners not picking up poo - I'd wager many times it is fox poo and they cant tell the difference.

Have you ever met a cat?
They do what they want.

NDN’s Twat cat who I mentioned upthread is half bengal! She’s definitely ‘top cat’ in the neighbourhood. She’s a big old fighting/killing machine! I’ve had to intervene on many occasions (usually at some ridiculous hour) when she’s been ready to see off an unsuspecting cat who has wandered into her territory! The noises they make could wake the dead!

It can happen with any cat, not just Bengals. There tends to be a 'top cat' in the neighbourhood and they will fight on occasion, much more often if not neutered.

My cat now is a rehomed bengal, she's as timid and as frightened as anything, if she sees another cat she runs home.

Exactly..
and the average lifespan of an indoor-outdoor cat is 10-14 years. Someone posted nonsense!

Oh, and the cat who will not be caged is also the cat who will not wear a collar. He can get them off in minutes.

We thought we had a cat proof garden, and were quite smug about how we had found the perfect compromise as we had a cat that didn't roam and bother others, but could enjoy being outside. Then we got another cat, and it turned out that what we had wasn't a cat proof garden, it was a cat who wasn't fussed about going beyond the garden. The second cat had broken through the defences on day one. He would also be deeply miserable if not allowed further than the garden.

Isn’t the point obvious? Stop demonising cats and start focusing on the humans desecrating the animals habitats. They are a much bigger threat to the birds than roaming cats are.
Start there.

Cat-Proof Garden? Like stapling jelly to a wall.

School holidays are bloody tiresome.