AIBU to think cats should not roam unsupervised like dogs?

[estrogone]

AIBU to think that if you dont leave your dog to roam streets unsupervised, then you shouldn't let other pets (cats), for the same reasons.

It blows my mind that people let their cats out because their sleep is disrupted and I wonder why they think its OK, when its highly unlikely they would put Fido outside if he kept the family up.

It seems that most of the cat owners on here either don’t care about that, or seem to believe that “my cat would never do that”.

😂 aww so my cat doesn't love me like I love him?!😫

My dog absolutely could kill me if she wanted to. I am very grateful that she loves me instead!

My cat DOES love me!

My theory is that cats tolerate us because we feed them 😂

I did read somewhere though that cats genuinely are the perfect hunters in terms of their size, weight, and ability to move - they're just tiny which is why they can't hurt us!

But hes so affectionate! And loving, do you think this is all a front? To keep the food coming!

They need to roam because that is the nature of the species. There is no point in comparing cats and dogs - they are different species, with different diets, with different needs.

It is not cat owners' choice to 'let their cats roam' - it is the cats' choice, and it would be very cruel to deny them a life as close to their nature as can be.

I'm going to break one of my own rules and post here without reading every single post in the thread as I don't have the time for that tonight.

Just a few things to consider:

Dogs were domesticated approximately twice as long ago as cats were, and are naturally pack animals which most cats aren't, so comparisons on how they are treated can't really be made.

Studies have shown that the main reasons for the decline in song birds in the UK is nothing to do with cats, it's down to loss of habitat and the effects of intensive farming e.g. pesticides vastly reducing the supply of insects for them to feed on, modern large scale methods reducing nesting places in hedges.

There is a major difference in life expectancy of feral cats, stray cats and "owned" cats who are able to roam. The statistic quoted a few times above for a life expectancy of 2 years is that for feral cats, i.e. those born and living their lives in the wild with no human interaction. Stray cats (i.e. those who used to have a home) tend to live about the same amount of time after becoming stray, so if they become stray at 5 then their life expectancy is 7 as a very rough guide.
Average life expectancy of "owned" cats both indoor and outdoor is the same, around 11-12 years though many last until late teens or even 20..

Indoor only cats and "owned" cats who go out have approximately the same life expectancy, though tend to have different causes of death e.g. cats who go out have physical hazards like cars, dogs etc, whereas indoor only cats are more likely to get illnesses caused by being over weight or not having enough exercise, or ones exacerbated by stress.

Oops forgot to add - at least half the time, poo in gardens identified as cat poo is actually fox poo. One of my neighbours tried to blame my cats for the poo on their lawn, trouble was not only were there definitely foxes in the area which most of us had seen around at night (and the NOISE in the mating season!), but my cats are indoor only.

So curel. Every living creature loves and needs to spend time in the nature. Thats just birth right of everything living. Its us humans that just like to inflict cruelty in the name of entertainment/order/convenience/money.

If i stopped my beloved cat from.going outside I'd feel like I am taking his soul 😒

I have two indoor cats. One will absolutely not set foot outside, she will not even stay in the room when the door to outside is open. The other will not go out of the front door (cars) and will only go into the back garden for a mooch around, maybe 10-15m and he will come back in. The furthest he has been is to jump up onto my 6ft wall to look into the garden next door.

They don’t need to roam.

You would be the same if you were raised in a cage. Cage is safety.

They weren’t raised in a cage, they’ve always been able to go out and I’ve never stopped them, they just don’t want to.

I’ve had them since kittens and they’ve always had the option of going out.

Agree. They kill millions of birds and they shit everywhere, it’s disgusting.

There's a huge difference between being allowed to roam and not wanting to, and never being given the choice.

One of my cats has zero interest in going beyond next doors garden, the other will disappear all over.

Yeah that’s why I’m saying they don’t NEED to roam, they can choose to roam or not to roam, but it isn’t a need like oxygen and food, like some on here seem to believe.

Oh good another divvy post where I get to use my fav word! Ok, cats are not dogs are they?! You know this and their difference. Are you really this bored to post or question this? 😆They need to roam and legally can do this day and night. You , are a cockwomble. I bid you goodnight you silly person 🤪

I don't let my cats out so that my sleep isn't disrupted. They come and go as they please thanks to a wonderful invention, the catflap.

Except it absolutely is a need for some cats. They will throw themselves out of windows, force themselves through barbed wire and get themselves so stressed that they need veterinary intervention if they're cooped up inside.

If they're given the choice and don't want to, fine, but at least give them the choice. Don't lock them up indoors and say "they're fine".

🙄 at posters saying that because their cats don’t roam, cats don’t need to roam.

We try to keep our cat in at night. We used to lock the cat flap. He would break the cat flap - literally break the lock and destroy it. 4 cat flaps later we gave up and bought an expensive 3D printed cat flap cover that goes over the top and prevents access to the cat flap. That doesn't stop him either - he sticks his claws in the edge and pulls and pulls until it’s off, even if it takes 2 hours. We’ve tried pushing heavy boxes in front. Again, he can somehow move those. He has a desperate need to get outside.

Catios are all very well in countries where they have larger houses - I’ve seen the ones in Australia - but here in the UK with small houses? How exactly are people going to have catios which aren’t extremely small and cruel to cats who need to exercise?

You can’t buy them a hamster wheel. You can’t walk them on a lead (unless they’re a breed like a rag doll). They’re nothing like dogs. Many dogs would be dangerous to humans left to roam. My neighbour has a dog which barks at the sight of humans - I’d hate to see him free to roam. Cats aren’t dangerous to humans. Yes, they are to other creatures like birds and mice, but then so are humans.

I remember in the 70s dogs would roam in England, can’t remember when it stopped.

If it helps, my cats only kill grey squirrels and rats.

We have two house cats and one cat who goes outside. He is not allowed out at night. Once it gets to mid afternoon when he comes home he is in and from October to March we keep him in as he is a black cat and we don’t think it’s safe for him. But he HATES to be in and cries and scratches at the door to be out. They love to hunt and exercise and can’t do that in the house. One of our other two was allowed out for a few weeks but then we kept her in. She tries to get out we hasn’t left our garden if she escapes. The baby has never been out and if she gets out she comes right back in.

Cats are not dogs and can’t be treated the same.

You can buy them a wheel for cats. And you can walk them on a lead even if they aren’t huge breeds, there are harnesses for them.

I believe that cats should be allowed to roam if they want to, but I don’t believe that it is a need, I believe it is a want.

It’s like I don’t need to leave the house myself, but I want to. I won’t die if I stay indoors though.