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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Cats everywhere!

360 replies

GoldfinchFeather · 25/06/2025 14:39

Since we have plenty of threads to moan about dogs and dog owners, how about a bit of balance and a thread for the same about cats?

I, for one, am not a fan of the things and think there are too many around. And sure, while the problems they cause may be less obvious than dogs/dog ownership, I personally think they're worse in many ways. Particularly for the terrible effect they have on local wildlife and birds in particular.

On numerous occasions I've had the misfortune to come across birds and animals that have clearly been attacked by cats. One distressing incident occurred just a few weeks ago - on an evening walk I came across a domestic cat that had just attacked a tiny baby wild rabbit. Despite shooing the cat off and it still being alive when I got to it, it didn't survive.

Seeing that made me just want to go and give the bloody thing a boot up the backside.

Yet many cat owners seem to find this behaviour either a mildly amusing part of their cat ownership ("you'll never guess what my Tiddles caught the other day!"), or have no qualms about letting their cats roam freely and slowly kill all wildlife within a several mile radius. When really, they should just be kept indoors.

And if they were, there'd be far less of them that were always going bloody missing or being stupid enough to get themselves run over on the road.

Surely I can't be alone in my hatred of cats?!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
48
Morgenrot25 · 25/06/2025 15:26

VirginaGirl · 25/06/2025 15:24

Wanting to 'boot an animal up the backside' is not normal.

Bored Cat GIF

Agreed.
Even if you hate it's behaviour, it's acting on it's normal instincts and also didn't ask to live near you.

Laiste · 25/06/2025 15:26

Oh yeah, and my cats are indoor or my own garden only cats (Ragdolls) and don't catch anything.

ghostyslovesheets · 25/06/2025 15:27
the simpsons GIF

They come in handy as very sharp weapons

WutheringShites86 · 25/06/2025 15:28

The RSPB don't agree with you OP, I assume you're not arrogant enough to believe you know more on the subject than them?

A strong opinion is not a fact.

2Magpies24 · 25/06/2025 15:28

I think the issue people have with dogs is down to the entitlement and silliness of some owners. They expect them to be treated like children. People don't want them in cafes begging at tables or licking their children's faces after they have just been licking another dogs arse etc. Some dogs are also dangerous, I'm not sure cats are unless you take a tiger for a walk.
Cats are roaming free and acting on instinct. Killing birds and small prey is instinctual as it is for dogs, a lot of whom will also kill small animals when given a chance.

Esgaroth · 25/06/2025 15:29

Mr Tiddles can't believe what he's hearing.

Cats everywhere!
ThreePointOneFourOneFiveNine · 25/06/2025 15:29

I like cats, despite being allergic to them, they are very appealing animals and I know make wonderful pets. The threat to our wild bird population is a very real concern though. I have heard people talking about bells on collars being helpful in warning the birds of the danger. I don’t know if it’s true but if so it could be worth considering making them compulsory on all outdoor cats, the way ID tags are for dogs.

heartsinvisiblefury · 25/06/2025 15:30

The fact you want to boot a cat OP says all I need to know about you.

Boomer55 · 25/06/2025 15:31

I love cats and I’ve owned dogs. What I like about cats is that their owners don’t assume everyone wants to be pestered by their darling dog,, and eat in places where there are dogs slobbering and shedding hair everywhere. 👍

GoldfinchFeather · 25/06/2025 15:32

WutheringShites86 · 25/06/2025 15:28

The RSPB don't agree with you OP, I assume you're not arrogant enough to believe you know more on the subject than them?

A strong opinion is not a fact.

Well they're unlikely to be too critical of cat owners are they, given that a fair few of their members are likely cat owners themselves!

OP posts:
PersephonesPomegranate · 25/06/2025 15:32

I watched a gang of magpies shredding a little thrush bird yesterday.
My cat told me he was horrified to have witnessed such a scene.

Magpies are everywhere!

WutheringShites86 · 25/06/2025 15:32

heartsinvisiblefury · 25/06/2025 15:30

The fact you want to boot a cat OP says all I need to know about you.

Indeed, everything else said is just attempting justification for having such a vile urge.

GoldfinchFeather · 25/06/2025 15:34

heartsinvisiblefury · 25/06/2025 15:30

The fact you want to boot a cat OP says all I need to know about you.

I think feeling white hot rage about seeing a beautiful, baby wild animal killed totally unnecessarily by someone's awful excuse of a pet is wholly justified, tbh.

Plus, there's a difference between feeling and acting upon, which I did not. So go clutch your pearls elsewhere.

OP posts:
Branster · 25/06/2025 15:35

I've never owned a cat and had no intention to ever doing so (dog owner here, clueless about looking after cats but love the cat threads on MN).
Now I really want to get not 1 but 3 cats.
We'll all manage just fine, my dogs have been informed of this new development.

Why such cruel intentions OP?!

Mademetoxic · 25/06/2025 15:35

psychopathic traits you seem to have, when you say 'boot up the backside'
This is why I prefer animals.
Definitely not normal behaviour. You need to take a long hard look at yourself.

Coasterfan · 25/06/2025 15:35

My cat does not agree

Cats everywhere!
spoonbillstretford · 25/06/2025 15:35

Yeah I'm sure the wild rabbit population is massively troubled by cats.

Yes, they can catch rarer animals and birds but a lot of the blame thrown at them re diminishing wildlife is actually intensive farming, over development and plastic gardens, not cats.

AlaskaThunderfuckHiiiiiiiii · 25/06/2025 15:36

I don’t care about anyone’s choice of animal but I do when it infringes on my life eg crap everywhere, jumping up, barking etc and cats crapping in my garden, I fully believe people should have enclosures for them outside so they are kept on their own property or keep them in

and no the argument about other animals crapping in my garden doesn’t wash as they don’t have owners and yes I know it’s cats I’ve seen them do it

ghostyslovesheets · 25/06/2025 15:36

GoldfinchFeather · 25/06/2025 15:34

I think feeling white hot rage about seeing a beautiful, baby wild animal killed totally unnecessarily by someone's awful excuse of a pet is wholly justified, tbh.

Plus, there's a difference between feeling and acting upon, which I did not. So go clutch your pearls elsewhere.

Edited

Or it might be a clue that you need to calm down a bit

also only baby animals- so if my cats kill an adult animal that’s ok? Or does that just make you a bit angry but not angry enough to want to harm a living creature?

Alwaystired94 · 25/06/2025 15:36

susanandlucypevensie · 25/06/2025 15:09

How can cats possibly be superior to dogs? Do you get guide cats? hearing cats? cats that sniff out cancer? police cats? cats that rescue people from burning buildings?
Obviously dogs are better

the lack of Police cats is exactly the reason i prefer Cats to dogs.

Cats aren't snitches.

(I love K9s lol)

ghostyslovesheets · 25/06/2025 15:37

Also if a fox kills a farmers (baby) chickens is the farmer justified in shooting it?

spoonbillstretford · 25/06/2025 15:38

GoldfinchFeather · 25/06/2025 15:34

I think feeling white hot rage about seeing a beautiful, baby wild animal killed totally unnecessarily by someone's awful excuse of a pet is wholly justified, tbh.

Plus, there's a difference between feeling and acting upon, which I did not. So go clutch your pearls elsewhere.

Edited

Why is a wild rabbit more important than a cat? Why would you mistreat one but not the other?

Rabbits have between two and eight litters a year of between 1-14 babies.

GoldfinchFeather · 25/06/2025 15:39

ghostyslovesheets · 25/06/2025 15:36

Or it might be a clue that you need to calm down a bit

also only baby animals- so if my cats kill an adult animal that’s ok? Or does that just make you a bit angry but not angry enough to want to harm a living creature?

Oh, I apologise for empathising more with wildlife than someone's purely selfish need to own a murderous pet.

And no, and no point did I say that. I care about all wildlife - something that can't be said of most cat owners. Stop making silly arguments.

OP posts:
WutheringShites86 · 25/06/2025 15:40

GoldfinchFeather · 25/06/2025 15:32

Well they're unlikely to be too critical of cat owners are they, given that a fair few of their members are likely cat owners themselves!

So you think the RSPB willfully lies and misrepresents scientific and ecological studies to avoid the wrath of cat owners? I wonder if farmers up and down the country have cancelled their donations after the RSPB said pesticides and damage to habitat are the biggest concerns for bird populations?

If you'd just said you hate cats without making stuff up to prop your argument up, I could have thought you're an arsehole that's entitled to your opinion. Now you sound like a tin foil hat type, foaming at the mouth whilst you fantasise about kicking cats.

Arrearing50 · 25/06/2025 15:40

Another one who thinks that humans are the biggest threat to all animals world wide. It’s true the cat is an apex predator and all responsible owners follow advice to keep them in at prime killing times etc but…i dont think domestic moggie ownership is at the top of any environmental /animal campaign group hit list so your justification for whatever the hatred of cats is called based on their impact is false.

you’re entitled to irrationally hate cats but like most hatred, it has no rational foundations