To be annoyed that people think it's funny to make jokes about killing/injuring cats?

[sizeofalentil]

Just that, really.

Have noticed this on all forums/groups I am on. Someone will mention a cat/a problem with a neighbour's cat and someone else will 'joke' about killing or injuring it.

No idea why people think this is ok and it doesn't happen to the same extent with dogs. It's fine not to like cats but why in the world would you say, especially to someone who clearly does like cats, that you'd like to see them hurt?

Feel like this constant drip of casual cruelty translates to real life and people being callous towards other people's pets in real life too.

Cats - if you're going to link and quote, make sure that you give the whole picture. From that website -

In most cases, toxoplasmosis doesn't cause any symptoms and the person isn't aware they're infected.
This is because the immune system is normally strong enough to fight the infection and stop it causing serious illness.

However, some people will develop flu-like symptoms. There's also a risk of more serious problems if a woman becomes infected while she's pregnant, or if someone with a weak immune system becomes infected.

About 10-20% of people infected with toxoplasmosis will develop symptoms similar to flu or glandular fever, such as:
a high temperature (fever) of 38C (100.4F) or over
aching muscles
tiredness
feeling sick
sore throat
swollen glands
These symptoms are usually mild and will normally pass within a few weeks.

There's a 1 in 10/20 chance of developing toxoplasmosis from cat shit left in your garden by other people's pets. I'd rather my children didn't contract, develop the pretty unpleasant symptoms above, and have to take a long time off school.

Having this sort of consideration for my neighbours is the reason that I've chosen other pets above cats.

What worries me about toxoplasma infection is not the flu-like symptoms, but the permanent behavioural changes and effects on mental health and risk-taking that seem to result.

Reading some of these posts makes me very grateful none of my three cats leave the garden.

Amazingly enough I have also been able to raise a child around three cats without him going blind from toxoplasmosis.

Get a grip folks.

No grip needed.

I notice you keep your cats in your garden. Other less considerate cat owners could learn from you.

Alfieisnoisy - presumably you've trained your cats to use a litter tray? I don't think you'd be letting them shit all over your garden, somehow. Not that they would, because they ALWAYS DO IT SOMEWHERE ELSE !

We had a cat that never did anything other than in her litter tray. She didn't leave the garden, and she never caught anything. I loved that little creature.

I had a lecture at university given by the visually-impaired paralympian Melanie Easter. She said her visual impairment is due to her mother getting toxoplasmosis while pregnant, from cat poo I believe.

My cats do indeed have a litter tray. They also crap all over my garden as do all the neighbouring cats. I chuck it all on a compost heap. I also get fox poo as the local foxes are ace at negotiating the garden fences.

My son still isn't blind....13 now and in good health.

I haven't trained my cats not to leave the garden btw....they are all just very timid rescue cats who like sight of their place of safety.

The risks are out there yes but as a parent I take responsibility for my child and clear the cat poop....both my cats and others. It's no big deal. Yes it's a pain sometimes but not the worst thing in the world.

If I wanted to deter the neighbouring cats I would get a water gun and spray them. They don't especially worry me though.

Toxoplasmosis is generally carried by cats who are very young and early in their hunting careers. Once it has passed through them they are immune and their poo is no longer an issue. So generally if there is an ancient moggy using your garden they won't be infectious,

YANBU but cats are filthy dirty inconsiderate fuckers

If someone threatens to harm my cat then I threaten to harm their child. As I point out, my cat is much more important to me than their child.

They probably won't speak to me again but it's no loss.

I dream of my three using the garden....anything to avoid cleaning bloody litter trays which I hate wi a passion,. Sadly they are used as well as the garden....second cat is indeed "an inconsiderate filthy bastard" who is known to just poop on the lawn....not even in the side beds. I have to go out and clean three times a week and before every grass cutting.

I love my cats but I consider the health of children to be more important hence being relieved my three don't leave the garden.

I wouldn't ever threaten to harm a child if someone threatened my cat. I might however involve the police at that point.

If I wanted to deter the neighbouring cats I would get a water gun and spray them

Yeah, because cats always give us plenty of notice of their intention to shit in our gardens, always make a point of doing it when we're around to see them squatting, and always stand still long enough to enable us to get outside and near enough to them to hit them with water

If you don't mind picking up cat shit or scraping off shoes then good for you. Plenty of people do mind - it's not that hard to understand.

This is why I've always only had fish. I can't deal with cats or dogs.

Compared to the number of cats there are hardly any foxes at all, especially in urban areas. It is very convenient for cat owners to blame foxes but the truth is, lack of food, disease and injury keep fox numbers down and prevent them becoming a significant nuisance in most areas. Whereas cats are protected from all these to a great extent, hence the massive cat numbers. If you have a poo problem, it's probably a cat, especially if the neighbours all have a few.

Our local radio once ran an advert for a storage facility and there was some line about it being great if your current home didn't even have enough room to "swing a cat" complete with long yowls (obviously to depict a cat being swung by its tail).

I was horrified and complained to the radio station, the company itself and the advertising standards place (name escapes me) as I felt it made a joke out of cruelty to cats.

The response? Not one other person made a complaint so they all told me to get a grip and that it was clearly a "joke". The company itself never actually responded.

I am sure if it had been about kicking a dog or something it would never have been broadcast.

Wow SirChenjin ...snippy or what?

Here a grip love...go and use it.

I said I don't mind...I didn't suggest you also shouldn't mind but don't let that get in the way of your crappy mood dear.

And yes water WILL deter cats if you get them often enough. I have deterred the big feral uneutered Tom which used to frequent my garden and cause problems. It took a couple of months, I didn't always catch him but he now gives my garden a wide berth.

And despite all neighbouring cats using my garden I have yet to scrape any cat poop off my shoes. Suspect you are protesting (and perhaps exaggerating) that bit.

DubiousCredentials
Well it's an old saying so I don't think most people took it literally.

One of my friends is a Tory voting cat hater....two reasons to dislike him but I don't.

He will often make silly comments about my cats but....he would never harm an animal. Thre is a difference between jokes/silliness and real threats.

On balance OP YABU.

I realise it's on old saying but the accompanying sound effects were unpleasant to hear. Again, if it was something about kicking a dog when it's down with sound effects I'm sure it wouldn't have gone down so well?

No need of a grip here - love.

Of course water deters cats - but refer back to my previous post for that one.

Scraping cat shit off shoes - not protesting or exaggerating. You're in denial - dear. Many cat owners are. It's what makes a cat their perfect pet.

Madam that reminds me of a thoroughly unpleasant ex-colleague (many, many years ago thank god) who used to 'joke' about shooting cats...among other things. I won't tell anyone what the 'other things' were.

GreatFuckability If I caught you giving a "swift kick up the arse" to a cat, I would give you a swift kick in the face, dear.