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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:
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48
WutheringShites86 · 25/06/2025 15:49

I'm intrigued about the problematic number of man-made cats, tell us more OP. They're not powered by the 5g masts are they?

justkeepswimingswiming · 25/06/2025 15:49

I like how you go on about the poor little birds, rabbits etc but you literally just admitted you’re happy to physically abuse a living animal. That is far worse - you deserve locking up because it is not normal and your clearly not safe to be roaming the streets yourself.

SilenceLover · 25/06/2025 15:49

GoldfinchFeather · 25/06/2025 15:40

Because one belongs to be there, the other is a man-made problem.

So what about animals hit by cars? Does this give you the same ‘white hot rage’, or is it specific to cats?

CanIinterestyouinasarcasticcomment · 25/06/2025 15:50

Prince said it’s ok if you don’t like him, he’s not a fan of you either

Cats everywhere!
pointythings · 25/06/2025 15:51

My five are indoor cats who have a massive catio. Any wildlife stupid enough to come in through the mesh deserves its Darwinian destiny.

This is what Fettucine thinks of cat haters.

Cats everywhere!
ghostyslovesheets · 25/06/2025 15:51

My cats don’t eat everything they catch - they usually leave me a mouse tail and a tiny stomach (too acidic apparently) which is nice

is it okay for them to hunt grey squirrels OP? They aren’t indigenous

MojitosAllRound · 25/06/2025 15:52

Most cats in the UK live in urban environments, not rural enough to be having a devastating impact on wildlife.
The impact of habitat loss due to human intervention is far more devastating than the average domestic cat. There has also been some recent consideration that pesticides used in farming and dogs (more than cats) are impacting birds.
I love cats and I love birds/wildlife. Its a difficult balance. But having had this asleep on my desk all day, I find cats mostly have a devastating impact on my productivity. He is so good for my mental health though.

Cats everywhere!
Unicorn34 · 25/06/2025 15:53

Yes i am a cat lover and owner 4, but mine are in a catio when outside as I am not selective about animals I love or hate, and dont want them hurting anything else either. You cannot be an "animal lover" if you opt to hate a particular one or two.

Unfortunately its humans that are mostly guilty of the small animal deaths - pollution, loss of habitat, little shits with catapults which is happening a lot in the SE. Also other birds kill other birds.

Goldenboysmum · 25/06/2025 15:53

GoldfinchFeather · 25/06/2025 15:24

There are an estimated 11 million cats in this country.

I don't know for sure, but I'm willing to say that's far more than the number of stoats, weasels, badgers, foxes and other birds COMBINED.

I don't think we're in any danger of losing birds anytime soon! A quick Google says there are 84 million breeding pairs!

Cats everywhere!
GoldfinchFeather · 25/06/2025 15:54

justkeepswimingswiming · 25/06/2025 15:49

I like how you go on about the poor little birds, rabbits etc but you literally just admitted you’re happy to physically abuse a living animal. That is far worse - you deserve locking up because it is not normal and your clearly not safe to be roaming the streets yourself.

Oh get a grip. If you don't know the difference between feeling angry, and acting upon that anger, I don't know what to tell you.

'What are you inside for?'
"I felt anger towards a cat for killing a wild animal"
"And did you do anything to it?"
"No".

I know we live in bizarre times when it comes to voicing opinions online, but that's hardly crime of the century is it?

OP posts:
scalt · 25/06/2025 15:55

Was it you who advised the government that they might have “needed” to kill everybody’s cats in 2020? They hope we’ve forgotten that.

They would have had to have killed me first.

GoldfinchFeather · 25/06/2025 15:55

SilenceLover · 25/06/2025 15:49

So what about animals hit by cars? Does this give you the same ‘white hot rage’, or is it specific to cats?

Are you seriously asking whether I feel the same anger between something that is usually an accident compared to something that isn't?

OP posts:
dogcatkitten · 25/06/2025 15:57

GoldfinchFeather · 25/06/2025 15:40

Because one belongs to be there, the other is a man-made problem.

Which one is a man made problem? Rabbits were introduced into the UK by the Romans and have been a pest ever since they escaped from the warrens where they were kept purely for breeding for food. There have been wild cats in the UK pretty much forever, other cats arrived by ship, cats have pretty much always been used to keep down vermin, think grain stores in Egypt for instance.

No3392 · 25/06/2025 15:57

Honestly, op you're coming over very hostile and aggressive.

FuzzyPuffling · 25/06/2025 15:57

This.

Cats everywhere!
Niftyowl · 25/06/2025 15:58

my 2 cats are loved by our farmer who lives behind us because they happily go into his field with sheep and lambs that are for and kill any rats and mice lurking about in his barns and fields 🤷🏼‍♀️ they’ve never caught birds as they aren’t fast enough but do like to bring home the mice and rats they catch on the daily.

they are referred to as employees of the farm 🤷🏼‍♀️

ghostyslovesheets · 25/06/2025 15:59

So if I train my cats to kill only grey squirrels, mice and rats, injured rabbits and I shoot foxes who kill chickens I’m all good

they only kill mice at the moment so they need to be more

GoldfinchFeather · 25/06/2025 15:59

No3392 · 25/06/2025 15:57

Honestly, op you're coming over very hostile and aggressive.

I'm sorry. But when people can't tell the difference between feeling something and acting upon it, it's easy to get frustrated!

OP posts:
Icecreamhelps · 25/06/2025 15:59

@GoldfinchFeather Just admit you're wrong.

GoldfinchFeather · 25/06/2025 16:00

Icecreamhelps · 25/06/2025 15:59

@GoldfinchFeather Just admit you're wrong.

No, I'm not wrong for hating cats. I'm perfectly entitled to my opinion, thank you very much.

OP posts:
Simbaonedaythiswillallbeyours · 25/06/2025 16:00

Una takes your point but doesn't give a shit.

Dogs and their owners are more of a problem. Dog shit on paths or hanging in bags in bushes, letting them jump up or approach well, anyone. Lack of recall and taking them into restaurants and don't get me started on 'emotional support' dogs that aren't officially trained. No Sally, thats just a vest you bought off Amazon, now get your dog off my food counter!

My cats keep the mice in my garden and the rats from next door filth pit at bay.

Cats everywhere!
LakieLady · 25/06/2025 16:02

MugPlate · 25/06/2025 14:59

Neighbour’s cat has eradicated a nest of rats.

Very useful and no poison involved. Eco.

One of my lakeland terriers was an excellent ratter. Her record was 7 in 10 days. She'd just grab them and shake them and after 2 or 3 shakes, they were a gonner.

I've never seen any sign of a rat since her reign of terror.

Bigpaintinglittlepainting · 25/06/2025 16:02

I understand where you are coming from but unfortunately we are absolutely over run with wild rabbits, mice and rats and that's due to lack of predators.

It does seem that my cats love to kill rats and stuff on the floor like mice. Never seen a dead bird.

We had a terrible problem with rats, they piss everywhere and kill chickens, now I have cats that problem is gone.

WitchesCauldron · 25/06/2025 16:04

GoldfinchFeather · 25/06/2025 14:56

Your sentence seems incomplete. Let me finish it for you:

"Cats are the best at killing wildlife and are responsible for killing an estimated 160-270 million animals annually in this country"

An absolute pest on society.

I can't agree- I love cats. All cats. Even the ones with no hair that look like a man's genitals.

baklavagoddess · 25/06/2025 16:06

My 3 cats have never caught or killed anything, not sure they know they are even cats tbh