Cat walking off lead

[Usedphone]

I've got two dogs, and a cat. So our dogs are used to cats, but one is an airedale terrier, that does like to chase squirrels but really loves the cat (they were raised together from babies).

So while I was walking my dogs in the field, we encountered a family walking their cat, off lead and without any way to safely contain it.

My dog got excited and went after it like she would have with a squirrel (it's a field after all with plenty of dog walkers and squirrels).

The family got annoyed with me as the cat was very distressed (poor kitty!)

It was a very bizarre encounter but I think they should.at least have had a plan B beyond cuddles to contain their kitty cat.

My old cat used to follow us to the pub, wait outside and then walk home with us. She loved the pub walk

You've now seen that you don't have full control over your dog when they see something they want to chase so next time you can put your dog on the lead. I know my dog goes mad if they see a partridge or pheasant so he goes on the lead if we are near them.

The squirrels and birds just laugh at their pathetic efforts.

You need a higher performance dog in that case!

Mine has no issue catching squirrels and rabbits and I know dogs who take low flying swallows out of the air!

I don't know if the OP is in England but I am and I do it all the time. I do get weird comments from people though, like "you do know that's not a dog"

The best was when we had 4 cats and we'd all go out together. One didn't like going much but he had to do what the rest of the pack wanted.

Cat (not on lead, which is normal) jumped into a person's arms instead of up a tree - which normally happens when your dog, not on a lead chases them.

I am very confused as to what the cat owners have done here which you think is wrong? The cat did not chase your dog....

I’m very happy with my crap dog, I can relax in the knowledge that there is zero chance of a kill!

Cats usually just walk alone though don't they?
It sounds as though your dog is dangerous and should be on a lead

Well she caught up with a leveret once but she just wanted to touch noses with it. Don't worry, I think UK wildlife in safe with her around.

Talking about pets at the pub:

https://metro.co.uk/2020/10/05/mans-pet-geese-come-with-him-to-the-pub-wearing-special-nappies-13375892/#:~:text=A%20man%20who%20adopted%20two,into%20socialising%20in%20their%20local.

FGS - most dogs are taught recall but most dogs also chase wild animals and cats - it is natural behaviour and normal. If you are walking your dog in a field which is secure you don't expect to meet someone walking their cat - that is not normal! Are you supposed to keep your dog on a lead in case you meeting a cat having a walk - don't be ridiculous!

no I’m not - why are you being rude to me? It’s a public forum I was just giving a view.

my point was that if a cat owner is going to walk their cat without a lead then they need to be able to recall it in case there is a danger. I don’t walk my cat, not because I don’t think she would enjoy it, but because she has no recall so if there was a hazard that I needed to get her away from I can’t guarantee I would be able to and she may be hurt.
The same for dogs - you need to be able to recall them to be able to get them away from a hazard as much as to prevent them from being a hazard to other animals/ peoples or causing an accident.

My childhood cat was fearless and would follow us everywhere. We once walked a mile into town, went into the first shop and was shocked to walk out and find the cat sitting in the shop doorway waiting for us. She had a lovely day out with us!

Whenever we would visit neighbours she'd walk us down to their house and sit outside in the window keeping an eye on us.

Sounds like the cat just followed them over to the field on their family walk.

My cat comes for a walk with us. He’s not invited, he just comes. I can’t exactly stop him, unless I lock him indoors. Which I do have to do if planning to walk further away as he would just follow me. But we often walk from our house, up through the woods and back in a loop, or around the block with Ds on his bike and the cat just comes with us.

When Ds was tiny he would hop in the pram basket if empty sometimes for a ride home. He now joins us for a walk up to the viewing area and has a nap on the bench which we have hot drink from flask.

Our neighbours call him ‘ the dog’

The law is that dogs must be under control at all times. No law applies to cats, they have the right to roam so can go wherever they like. So if your dog is chasing a cat it clearly isn't under control and you were in the wrong.

Whether they were taking the cat for a walk( completely bizarre, never seen or heard of such a thing and I've had cats for 50 years) or it was there by itself is irrelevant, you and your dog are the problem.

Like you,Bodybutterblusher, our cat often joins me when I take the dog out for a walk.
I reckon he's well able to look after himself though and, again like you, I don't fancy the chances of any dog that messes with him!

If you are unable to stop your dog chasing after any other animal, doesn't matter whether it is another dog, a squirrel, a cat or a horse, then you lack the control necessary to walk your dog off lead.

To be honest owners like you are a huge problem. You are letting a dog you cannot control off lead in public. There is never a issue...until there is.

YABU. Cats don't get 'walked'. They have a right to roam and therefore could turn up anywhere.

Legally, dogs are deemed to be under human control.

That's kind of my point! We don't have a problem at the beach because we've trained her to ignore things like balls (that used to excite her).

I don't think I've ever seen a cat ON a leaf

How bizarre. Our cats used to trot along behind sometimes until they got bored

Sounds like the dog is the issue.

You absolutely cannot have a dog that chases animals off lead in a nature reserve! The reserve is there to protect wildlife, which your dog is chasing about and distressing.

OP said it was a nature reserve though, surely the purpose of a nature reserve is to protect nature and the dog shouldn't be off a lead chasing wildlife and any passing cats.

A cat lead would have made no difference though. Your dog would still have gone for it. Put the dog on a lead instead (especially if it's a nature reserve and it's bird breeding season).

That is a very well-trained cat to jump into his owner's arms. I've had a cat that would follow me on walks near my house. Have a look at Gary The Cat (greatgramsof gary) on Instagram, it's nice to see a cat have bigger adventures.

Dogs who chase and don't recall should be on a lead no matter where

You have no idea what is around a corner or coming through the next gate

If it's a nature reserve then both cats and dogs should be on a leash

One of our cats regularly comes on our dog walk. It is quite a long walk and he just follows us. It’s on our own land though so we don’t look like weirdos.

our old cat used to walk DH to work (only a five minute walk) when we lived in a town centre location

I’m in Team ‘both animals need to be under control’

both can chase and harm other things - whether wildlife or another pet - so surely same rules should apply? Admittedly in law it’s only dogs but this is the place for ‘what should be’ not ‘what is’ discussions

That said, despite there being lots of people saying they’ve walked their cats or know people who have, it’s clearly very unusual cat behaviour, so I’m not surprised the OP was surprised!

when I was at Uni in the 1990s some guy used to attend gigs with a cat on his shoulder which seemed to be happy to be there. Doesn’t mean that’s expected for a cat!