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?

Cats chose to live with humans. They chose us. We allowed them to stay, they decided not to leave.
Dogs were domesticated for work use and trained to live with humans.
Entirely different human/animal relationships.
I take it you don't have cats. Or you would know... they believe they are far superior to humans and would not accept an arrangement where they had to be chaperoned everywhere.

Personally I would never look to the US for guidance on animal welfare! Among other things, it’s fairly common in the US for owners to have their cats de-clawed by vets, in order to protect furniture.

I've always found it bizarre that people allow their cats to run off and disappear, not caring what they're doing or what might happen to them.

You wouldn't do it with any other animal - you'd rightly be called crazy, neglectful, careless - so why is it totally fine for cats? I don't get it. Do these owners care about their pets or not?

Let’s lock up all the birds too. They shit everywhere as well.

I’d say this covers it. 😆

Yes they do, but the stinky (unburied) shits near my front door and in my garden where my children play are 95% of the time deposited by one of cats from the three houses nearby that own them. Might see a fox poo once in a blue moon and bird/hedgehog stuff is a non issue.

Cats seem to like being domesticated but on mn people are very weird about it. We get fox poo in our garden but never cat poo (we used to have cats but they died ages 18 and 19) and they had a litter tray. Most people with cats that I know do this. I just can’t see how it’s that big an issue.

But then will be absolutely besides themselves when they disappear or get run over. Make it make sense.

No, I live in an old farmhouse with more than 25 acres of land. She’s often found curled up in one of the stables with a horse and protects their feed from the mice and rats.

I think poisoning mice and rats is a far worse fate for them.

A lot of cat owners don’t have litter trays because they don’t want to have the cat shitting in their house and don’t want to clean up after them.

I don't have any sympathy for cat owners who cry after they've been run over/disappeared/poisoned/any other gruesome fate, either.

If you release any animal to wander off, these things may happen. Pretty obvious. You chose not to keep them safely contained.

A lot of cat owners don’t have litter trays because they don’t want to have the cat shitting in their house and don’t want to clean up after them.

Evidence OP, or it's just your opinion.

Cats are classed as wild animals. They are not subject to any laws. They kill vermin so they provide a service. That's why so many farms employ them to rid their property unwanted pests 😆

My two toilet in their own garden, though the older cat often makes a point of using the litter tray prior to going out.

Yes, this isn’t a debate about rodenticide which is a separate issue. But I do think it’s an important question, since people do use it, especially in urban areas. How people claim their cat needs to go outside for wellbeing reasons, ignoring the many threats to their wellbeing that exist outside their house (again, more so in urban areas, I’m sure probably don’t apply to your cat with 25 acres)

Your cat sounds very sweet.

Because it's what cats do & have always done. They haven't been bred to stay inside.
We adopted our cat from a woman who had tried to keep.it inside for the first two years of its life and was struggling with it. She lived in a second floor flat.
We brought it home & just keeping it in to acclimatise it was hard enough, it was desperate to go outside, even to the point of trying to jump from upstairs windows.

It is now a very happy cat with a cat flap that comes in and out at will.
It's just how cats are.

I don't think they need to go out with their owners but I do think owners should have to take more responsibility including training them to shit in a litter tray or their own garden.
A bell around their neck to help prevent birds getting killed too.

To me the notion of having cats walked on leads is just absolutely ludicrous. I saw someone doing it once in a park and the cat was not enjoying it one bit. They looked terrified especially with all the dogs being walked around nearby. I would go so far as to say it was cruel.

That applies to all animals though. They need space, they like to roam, they'll be happiest outside. But we have to keep them contained for their own safety, and to prevent them being dangerous/a nuisance/interbreeding with native species.

This one species seems to be totally exempt from all those concerns. And no matter how much proof you offer to cat owners, they'll never accept it. It's a weird blind spot.

I think they're just lazy tbh. Can't be arsed to look after their pet properly.

Sure. Here’s one report that says 22% of cats don’t have a litter tray:

https://www.tippaws.com/blogs/news/the-latest-pdsa-report-how-are-the-nations-cats-doing

A great suggestion! 🙂

I would LOVE to be able to walk my cats on a lead 😂😂

Don’t be stupid.

This is the most moronic post I’ve seen in a while. I can’t even be bothered to get into an explanation about why it’s so stupid.
Op if you’re in the UK cats are legally allowed to roam and there’s bugger all you can do about it. Write to your MP if you like. I’m sure you’ll give them a good laugh.

Cats are protected by law and have the right to roam.
The RSPCA don’t advise walking cats on a harness/ lead as this causes them distress as they like to be in control of their surroundings.