Why are cats allowed to be a pain in the arse??

[sofaprincess]

We recently moved into a new house and we have a dog. She is quite a large dog and I have spent a huge amount of time training her and trying to ensure she is well behaved out of the house and friendly or indifferent (depending on the situation) with other people and dogs. I am always conscious that people might not like dogs and we steer clear of people in the street and always clear up her mess. She loves spending time in the garden and that is supposed to be her safe space.

My issue is this - my husband is picking cat poo up regularly from our front garden and has identified the culprit, but really what can we do (rhetorical)? But worse than that, a different cat likes to come and sunbathe in my garden (on the shed roof or other high up places) which causes my dog to bark continuously until I go out and lure her back inside. I’m starting to feel a bit fed up with nuisance cats - we should be able to enjoy our outside space without dealing with bloody cat issues……right?

YANBU - cats are are pain in the arse and they should be regulated in the same way as dogs are (ie owners need to ensure they have them under control)

YABU - cats will be cats and they should be allowed to free roam and sunbathe/shit where they like

I was about to ask who Jean is, but you corrected it before I had chance 😂

As the five posts immediately before yours don't even mention dogs, it's impossible to have known that you were replying to a comment about cats v dogs.

It’s very unlikely the law will be changed to prevent roaming in the UK. Many people in the UK live in houses with very little outdoor space, and no room for catios. People in the US may keep their cats in their houses, but many also declaw their cats, which is inhumane and illegal in the UK.

I'd be really interested to know how other countries manage to control their cats. My cats do what they want when they want - although they don't go any further than our own garden so not annoying other people I hope.

In Greece a couple of years ago a cat jumped onto our table & took a pork chop from DS2s plate so I wouldn't say all foreign cats are under control 😁.

Declawing is also illegal in many parts of US and a considerable majority of vets refuse to perform the procedure. I'm not sure why that's relevant to anything, though.

The lack of outdoor space in the UK is also irrelevant, really - loads of people all over the world keep cats in apartments and flats without a problem. They enclose their balconies or walk their cats on a harness and lead.

I agree the law is unlikely to change but I get a bit fed up of entitled cat owners saying cats are "impossible to control" and it's "ridiculous to suggest they stay on their property" when it clearly is possible.

I have three cats who all stay on my property with garden access in summer (they have no interest in going out in winter). It's really not difficult. I also have a dog so this isn't a cat vs dog thing for me.

It's been explained multiple times already, but using Victoria, Australia as an example:

• cats must be micro-chipped and registered with the local council by the time they're three months of age. They must also wear a collar with their registration details on it.
• cats who are caught trespassing on other people's property can be impounded by the council (with payment due before the cat is released) and owners can be fined on top if their cat is a repeat offender.
• cats can go outside if they're on a harness and lead, in a catio or contained within a cat-proofed garden.

There are also limits on numbers of cats (and dogs) that can be kept on the property and owners who can't control their pets (or who neglect/abuse them) can be fined, sent to jail and receive a ban on keeping animals again in the future.

It's perfectly possible, it's just the UK believe a cats "right to roam" comes above anything else.

If people read some of the threads on a particular few hunting forums they'd keep their cats indoors. Mine have a cat proof garden and lots of toys, and I chose a more domesticated breed so it wasn't half feral and prone to wandering

Oh, OK. Is there some rule somewhere that I can only discuss the previous five comments to mine? Noted. 🙄

Never go

Should have read never forget (bloody predictive text)

I understand that in some parts of Australia cats that are caught off their own property can be PTS if they aren't retrieved within a set period of time.

Well doesn’t that sound lovely.

You can edit posts now @MrsScrubbingbrush You have 5 minutes after submitting your post to correct any typos.

Post your proof of this please.

@AlexaCanYouHearMe couldn't find a an edit button as I'm posting my phone

Another that days water gun and regular chasing (and I have a cat who’s hobby is driving our dog mad😅)

Says!

@AngelicInnocent That substance is extremely toxic to cats so what you’re supposedly doing and advocating others to do amounts to animal cruelty.

People that condone or partake in animal cruelty are gross.

@AlexaCanYouHearMe "Post your proof of this please."

I can't. That's why I said "I understand" not "this is what happens" I was told it by an Australian friend of a friend on a zoom call.

But she was talking about her own cats and how she was always scared of them getting out."

Cats are awesome 🤩 they are freespirits and can do as they please 😊

It is illegal in the US in very few states. Many people there are happy to keep their cats contained inside as declawing means less damage to their property. I’ve even seen posters on mumsnet talk about it as though it’s normal.

Keeping cats contained in small spaces is cruel, I’m not sure much more needs to be said about that.

Do you really think you can walk a cat on a harness and lead like you can a dog?! I have used them for periods when mine haven’t been allowed outside, and they get fresh air but not decent exercise! You could drag them along the street but they’d enter far more front gardens than they would just being allowed out freely in a back garden.

Dogs should be muzzled when out in public as they are capable of seriously harming and even killing people, as well as leaving their mess everywhere, but obviously keeping cats contained is a higher priority.

The law in Australia is that cats who a repeatedly caught trespassing on other people's property can be impounded by the council and the owners forced to pay a fine before they can get them back.

The only time cats can be PTS by the council is if they are feral/stray/not chipped and aren't adopted out - similar to dog pounds here I guess.

https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/livestock-and-animals/animal-welfare-victoria/cats/legal-requirements/legal-requirements-for-cat-owners

Australia, New Zealand, Iceland ..... They are the outliers. The rest of Europe, and the world does not have these regs. At least we don't have thousands of strays like many countries. Personally I would love to live in a city of cats, like Istanbul or Athens, or Rome, but then I love cats.

Why do people hate anything existing near them.