To really not understand why people are OK with cats

[Duvetstay]

Full disclosure, I'm allergic to cats and also very much a dog person but I really don't understand how it's acceptable for cats to go round decimating local wildlife and crapping in gardens.

I've lost count of how many times I've had to pick cat poo off the lawn and my daughter came in yesterday with cat sick all over her feet as a local moggie had vommed on our patio. I'm sick of it. It's a health hazard and you shouldn't have to wear a hazmat suit to go in your own garden.

We have tadpoles outside which are about to froglet and I've just seen a fat cat with its head in the water. I'm fuming, a few of the tadpoles are injured and this is the same cat I had to get off a terrified bird last week.

I'm not remotely sentimental about nature, if a hungry creature kills another then that's how life works. However I cannot understand how people can let these cats out knowing that they're injuring animals for no reason and causing health hazards to other people in their own home.

I couldn't take my dog for a shit in your garden so why can your cat do that in mine? They're not even natural predators as they just trot home to get their whiskers.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND!

Why do people always post photos of that or cats on a thread about cats being awful for native species and being shite machines? 😄 no one cares, they all look the same.
Keep the things indoors where they’re not at risk of dying horrible, preventable deaths if you love them so much, this should be a given.

They are not a risk to native species, there is very little evidence that proves that. My cats are litter trained but my youngest cat gets stressed out if she is forced to stay indoors. She pulls her own fur out, she pees everywhere, she attacks the other cat etc. Its crueler to keep her inside. We have an indoor and outdoor litter tray for them to use. The very rarely leave our property. The go next door sometimes and occasionally to the fields behind our house but that's it. I dont really see why I should keep them indoors if they hate it.

Why do people always post photos of that or cats on a thread about cats being awful for native species and being shite machines? 😄 no one cares, they all look the same.

Because they’re cute and make people like me smile. And it pisses the cat haters off, which is a bonus.🤣

Cats don't just take the old and injured animals and birds! They take the young ones too! They are the cause of the extinction of many species. They actually don't need to roam. There are places in the world that have cat restrictions/ curfews. Cats that are kept at home live much longer on average. Cat proof your back yard or build a run.

We had a cat that used to come into our garden to do its business. DH spoke to the neighbour who owned it, and all they said was "what can you do?" Well what we did was get a big hose and spray the dirty little b**rd every time it poked its furry little face into our garden. It goes elsewhere now.

Op I've not trawled through but many cat owners keep them in at night to save birds etc.
They are fascinating to own! Little tiny pots of wild terror... But cat poo is utterly Vile.
Why they don't Bury any more??!!

We've had entire garden covered on cat shit. Vile. But I'm almost considering getting one..

Love a cat. They are ace. Shit all over dogs....who also shit everywhere and kill stuff.

Keep the things indoors where they’re not at risk of dying horrible, preventable deaths if you love them so much, this should be a given.

Uh huh. And if keeping yourself in lockdown in the same house with the same people forever would mean you'd live to 200, you'd do it, would you?

But have you ever seen their toe beans?

Cat people are really strange . I dont see why you cant like cats and dogs why is it a massive competition. Dp loves cats. Loves them. We have 3 and he has said he wants a 4th when we move. He gets properly defensive if i complain about them and he always slags dogs off... Like give it a rest they arent that good.

But have you ever seen their toe beans? halo

Yes one of my cats lets me massage hers for ages

I’ve got 3 cats swarming around me at the moment. I Love them dearly. I don’t let them roam. It is dangerous for the cat and anti-social towards neighbors.

I like cats and dogs.... people I can take them or leave them tbh.

And it pisses the cat haters off, which is a bonus

Cat people don't do themselves any favours whatsoever
Cats make your entire house stink of a litter tray, it is vile to allow them in a kitchen and they're really not cute at all.
Toe beans, Jesus Christ

Literally too many predator species. Cats included. You have to manage wildlife in unnatural settings which includes housing estates.

Cats are predators and they decimate birds, small mammals and amphibians. Which are wild. Subject to natural changes in the weather and the environment.
Cats aren’t. So what’s the easiest to control?

Cat people don't do themselves any favours whatsoever

I’m not just a cat person, I’m an animal person. We have dogs too, 2 of them at the moment. I’m not too fussed about impressing people who judge me for having cats to be fair. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Cats make your entire house stink of a litter tray, it is vile to allow them in a kitchen

You do clean the litter tray you know. 🤪

@leflic i agree with this. Cats should not go out. They are a danger to native wildlife. Where i used to live local councillors pleaded cat owners to keep them inside as they had decimated the vole population and even the shrews which are now endangered there. Cats also have a nasty habit of bringing inside living mice and birds and letting them go. (my neighbours always complaining of her little "gifts".). Ive also noticed cats round here keep targetting bees weirdly ive seen dead bees all over my street and have 3 times caught across the roads cat catching one midair and crunching on them. Birds amphibians and little mammals are not safe. The cats themselves are not safe from cars and people and other cats attacking each other. Theres also a bunch of strays round here that keep producing kittens then being taken away and new ones appear. Really the uk should have a law to keep them inside.

You do clean the litter tray you know

Mind blown. 🤯

Mind blown.

I thought it might be. Maybe you’ll get a cat now. 🤣

None of my cats catch birds or frogs.....I am
More than happy for them to "decimate" the local population of rats though? Or would you rather they be saved?

So you actually think they only kill rats which are actually pretty hardcore and fight back than birds and frogs?
Cats are killers,
They practise on easy prey before going for tougher animals like rats.

I like a cat. Good on farms, small houses, boats.

I don’t like every neighbour on a housing estate having two. Why people are up in arms about hunting yet actively support creatures that torture small mammals us beyond me,

I thought it might be. Maybe you’ll get a cat now.

I'll avoid the sarcasm from now on. Doesn't translate too well in text. Nah, they're still vile.

I am allergic to cats, still love them though. They are cute, independent little characters. I used to be scared of dogs but they have grown on me recently, however I would find a dog hard work and I really hate barking. Regarding poo I’ve never found any cat poo in the garden, I suppose they must bury it. I regularly get huge dollops of dog poo outside my driveway though, maybe some local dog owner has a vendetta against me.

Some cata really are shit at catching things tbf. My grandma had a one cat (they lived on a farm so meet some of cat haters criteria for allowing cats to roam), and we once saw a mouse scurry right past the cat, and the cat just sat up and turned away. Great big fat thing who's idea of a hunt was trying to steal sausages off of people plates. He was great.

I have 17 cats (rescues, disabled and elderly mostly), used to have 20 so I'm definitely a cat lover and get a lot of pleasure and company from my feline gang and the rest of my zoo. However, I think the op has a point. Noone should have to deal with cat poo in their garden if they don't own a cat. And yes, some cats often poo and don't cover it up. Others always cover it up. Cats can be seriously annoying neighbours to have, sneaking in windows, chasing other peoples pets and if not neutered being noisy fighting and wailing.

On another note, I get infuriated at the usual facebook attitude of....dog gets run over - terrible owner, cat gets run over - terrible driver!

Anyway, I am lucky enough to live very rurally with no neighbours. I had between 2 and 4 cats when I lived on an estate and I was painfully aware that they caused issues for my neighbours at times and managed it as best as I could as issues arose. Denying it happens or telling people to just put up with it isn't fair. People need to take full responsibility for their cats 24/7 if they choose to own them. Even if that means keeping them indoors or enclosing the garden...as cats are kept in many places in the world. I made the garden fence very difficult for the cats to get over and put outdoor litter trays in the garden which helped at the time. I would have eventually fully enclosed the garden if necessary.

OP, YANBU to not like dealing with other peoples cats, or to not understand the appeal!