To think cats shouldn’t be allowed out without owners

[DoBeDoBeDooo]

The other thread about cats vs dogs has made me realise I’m not alone in my feelings about cats being allowed to roam freely, kill wildlife, and crap all over the place.

Why is it one rule for dogs and another for cats? It’s doesn’t make any sense really, when you think about it.

Shouldn’t the same rules apply: cats can be walked on leads and owners must pick up after them or risk fines etc?

So do foxes hedgehogs birds just because they arnt "owned" doesn't make it any easier to scrape off your shoes

I don’t own either but have never, ever stood on cat poo. Don’t they bury their poo? On the other hand I walk 10 mins to school every day with my children and there is always dog poo to avoid on the route. This is in a suburban, affluent area.

Mine shits in my own garden and then they bury it, but they would attack any other cat that tried it.

I am not an animal person, I’ve never had a dog or a cat and I don’t want either (or any other pets).

But cats are totally different to dogs. And they are treated differently under the law (for example, you’re legally obligated to stop if you hit a dog with your car, you are not if you hit a cat).

The suggestion to only walk cats on leads would be cruel (and would go further than the rules on dogs who are apparently allowed to run up and put their grubby paws and slobbery mouths on whoever they feel like because they are not required to be on leads).

Completely agree, our garden backs onto 4 gardens. All of the houses have cats who constantly think our garden is a litter tray. I'm sick to death of having to clean up cat poo before my children can play out, it's disgusting.

My thoughts exactly 🤣

Unless it’s a sick cat or a breed like a ragdoll, cats shouldn’t be kept inside.

Like I said, intensive farming is far worse for wildlife than cats (in the UK at any rate).

So campaign against that. I’ll be with you.

Fox poo, hedgehog poo, badger poo, pigeon poo etc etc.

I’ve got a Ragdoll who is a prolific hunter. She keeps her poo for the litter tray though.

Well I think it's disgusting and bizarre that dogs are now allowed in cafes & shops but I accept that it's allowed & some owners like to take their dogs everywhere.

That's just life.

Well this rates as one of the stupidest threads I have seen on MN! Cats not allowed to roam…….for goodness sake OP give it a rest and think it through.It ain’t going to happen,so just accept it.

I’ll stop my cats shitting in the neighbours garden, when they stop their dogs barking from 7am til 11pm.

Dogs are by far a bigger social nuisance than cats are. Fact.

Team Cat 🐈‍⬛

The dog shit problem where I live is far worse than anything buried by a cat. I also have a problem with pigeon shit, maybe they should all stay indoors too.

Nothing natural about a labradoodle or a "jug" a modern pug literally bread to die young, xl bully? definitely natural right? But somehow cats are the issue

Do you not worry about her hunting something that’s ingested rat poison?

Interesting. We have friends with a ragdoll who we feed when they’re away, and they had to sign something with the breeder they bought him from to say he wouldn’t be let outside - apparently they’re very docile and wouldn’t fight back if attacked?

I’m not sure what dog breeds have to do with a thread about cats.

The first time i took kizzy 🐱 out for a walk she ran up a tree, nearly pulled my shoulder, shes long gone now, all pets! I did see someone at a beach with a ferret on a lead a while back, i felt sad for it being dragged along, still dont know to this day why someone would do that!

Don’t play with it then.

The Humane Society in the U.S. strongly urges cat owners to keep them inside. The evidence is quite robust that outdoor cats have much shorter lifespans and often die in terrible ways.

I'm glad I don't live in the US then as it would be cruel to keep my cats indoors. They are accustomed to roaming freely, visiting neighbours, sleeping on their patio chairs, and teasing their dogs. They also have a spot in my garden they use as a toilet.

My neighbours were over the moon when my big ginger tom, killed a fifteen inch long RAT which had been spotted on cctv, lurking under a neighbour's fence for three consecutive nights previous to its demise. Their own dog was useless.

The farmer actually told me that my cats can kill as many rabbits as they wish in his fields. They don't bother much with birds but do love to snack on field mice. 🐭

Yes why are dogs allowed off lead but not cats?

Not been a problem for any of our 4 cats, 2 of whom were semi-feral. Had a dead rat present the other week, and frankly I’d rather have a dead rat than a live one in my house or garden (in the 20 odd years we’ve lived here and had cats we’ve only ever seen 2 rats, both killed by our cats).

USA have different predators cats are way better off indoors rather than getting eaten

Maybe they arent really suited as domestic animals then. Maybe just as barn cats.

I am looking forward to Keir Starmer adopting this - walking cats on leads- as his next exciting popular policy platform.