Cats everywhere!

[GoldfinchFeather]

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?!

I am a dog person but like all animals inc cats. What I don’t like about them is them crapping on our lawn/drive. I’m sure our local cat owners would be quick to object if my 2 large dogs did 2 large poos on their lawn/drive for them to clean up. I appreciate cats roam etc

My cats are 'working' cats. They live outside by choice and it's their job to keep the rodents down (plus they get fed cat food). Same with my dogs - they are trained to retrieve small game and do agility. They do however live in the house rather than outside.
I have no problem with any animal and like them.

What I can't stand is human beds covered in dog or/and cat hair - that is just disgusting.

I am a total cat lover, I could never understand hating them. BUT! I agree with so many of your points. I don’t think they should be allowed to roam, it isn’t their fault as it’s instinct, but they are very damaging to wildlife and unless you live totally rural, it’s dangerous for them. The amount of missing posts and people moaning about other people feeding their cats does my head in!
All 5 of mine are indoor cats and live very happy lives. We have a catio built outside for them so they can safely go outside.

That is an exact description of human beings.

The idea that the earth is owned by the human race who think the other inhabitants are theirs to use, is laughable. You are a member of the most vicious species on the planet. If you eat meat or fish, have leather shoes, bags, belts, etc. you are part of the cruel deaths of millions of living creatures every moment of the day.

Also cats kill in order to eat. They don't abuse other creatures for sadistic pleasure - unlike humans.

Honey disapproves! She's an indoor cat and prefers flies and spiders! Which is a good thing in my house as I don't like spiders! 😊

OP: I, as a singular human with a modern-day capitalist existence, will contribute to so much death and suffering of animals and other humans in my lifetime. The food I eat, the drinks I drink, the clothes I wear, the drugs I take, the house I live in, the car I drive, the holidays I take, my offspring - almost everything I do, individually and cumulatively, causes a sentient being and/or the planet to suffer. I know it's happening, even though I have totally disassociated myself from the reality. I am the worst and most destructive mammal to have ever evolved on plant Earth and my species will ultimately cause Earth's destruction. That said, do keep your cat away from me. Awful.

Luna says… “Be nice. I’m a good pusscat really.”

In a dog/cat fight the cat often wins, did you see the cat that rescued a toddler from a dog trying to drag it away? The cat absolutely floored the dog and chased it off the child had quite bad bites from the dog. A camera on the house got it all on film the mother came running out as the cat chased the dog off.

My two don't get many birds, but they do keep the mouse and rat population down.

You're starting to write your own narrative based on emotion here. We get that you find predation by cats upsetting but you're unwilling to see that it's not the major cause of decline in bird populations. You're now suggesting that the RSPB, that specifically protects BIRDS would falsify data in order to avoid upsetting some of its patrons.

My cat does not like your attitude!

@Heretobenosy he's beautiful

The only thing my cat gets to hunt

I agree OP. Cats are the most useless animals. They don’t care about anything including the owners

Thank you! He is. He looks very grumpy here lol. Here’s a cuter one

Forgot to mention, cats purrs can help heal broken bones

Double standards.

It's okay for birds to kill wildlife, but not okay for cats to do the same?

So what do you do that comes naturally to you through instinct? Just asking because that's what cats do.

I don’t mind cats. The 2 next door to us are almost definitely responsible for the rats and mice around here clearing off last couple of years since they arrived.

That said, during the first lockdown quite a few people in our neighbourhood got cats/kittens and crucially didn’t get them neutered and it was carnage. The path behind our house became a dogging hotspot for cats. They were bumming and fighting constantly. That was annoying but down to the owners not the cats themselves.

Never made it past the 3rd line where you call cats 'things'. Bye.

Unless you are a vegan you aren’t entitled to comment on cats hunting - the farming industry does far worse to get that steak on your plate.

People who don’t like cats are psychopaths. It’s fact. Based on a movie.

Reading through the posts on this thread....

• There are too many cats - well blame the people who allow them to breed. They're only doing what comes naturally.
• Foxes don't kill for fun - they store up food like a larder. If one gets into a coop and kills all the birds, they WILL come back for them all if/when they can. People should make their coops fox proof.
• Birds kill a lot of birds, especially babies in the nest. It's really sad.
• Red Kite's only eat dead things.
• Owls die often due to eating poisoned rodents - done by a human.
• Cats were brought over on ships.
• Pigeons were used til the postal system was set up, then they were classed as vermin. They are actually very intelligent.
• Lots of people are now cat proofing their gardens or building catios as they're not always safe roaming around.
• Thinking about hurting any animal is a red flag for me - even if you don't go through with it.
• Post on Mumsnet about something two-sided = prepare to be roasted!

You forgot the most important thing :

I have never heard of anyone dying from a cat attack. Well not a domestic one anyway

Bernard’s not having any of that.

He’ll even take out a small dog given the opportunity…