Cats always getting killed on the roads

[JuliaBrett]

On Facebook not a week goes by without someone saying 'have you seen my cat' or 'cat missing or there is a dead /dying cat on the road.' Isn't it about time we stopped allowing cats to roam free and for their own safety either keep them in the garden with secure fencing, keep them indoors or don't keep a cat at all.
It's cruel, we don't allow dogs out on the road so why do we allow cats? If you love your cat keep them safe.

Cats go missing frequently and usually return - it's not because they've been run over. In the vast majority of cases they've gone wandering, or are trapped in a shed, or someone else has enticed them with good food and affection. I'm in loads of local Facebook groups and it's actually quite rare to hear of a cat who's been run over.
My cat simply wouldn't cope with an indoor life. He was stray for the first 18 months of his life and he would be extremely stressed if we kept him inside.
I think of it like this - a lion would live longer in a zoo but it doesn't mean he's not better off roaming free. Most lions are miserable in zoos!
And you can't compare cats with dogs. They have different natures. Domestic dogs want to be trained, want to have a master. The legal reason dogs aren't allowed to roam and cats are, is because cats are unlikely to cause damage or injury (unlike dogs).

I love cats and have had many, and keeping them indoors is not fair on their nature.

But reasonably the roads are dangerous and you have to think carefully about the safety of the cat; it's unfair to live next to busy roads or areas with dense traffic. Some cats (particularly males) will go miles away from their homes. It's a risk.

The British also tend to be extremely stupid in terms of the speeds they do in built up areas- dangerous for cats and et actual people! 20 mph is plenty.

This.

Cats are kept indoors in some places (much of the US), but they have higher incidence of behavioural problems (sometimes "cured" by the cruel practice of declawing) and obesity.

Some people think it’s fine to keep chickens caged, some people don’t. Personally my cats live outside most of the summer months and come in when it’s cold or wet, and then slowly become house cats as they age. My oldest is 16. I’d no more lock her on the house full time than I would one of my children.

Are they? My cats 10 and we live on a residential road and she’s perfectly fine. She never crosses the road she mainly stays in the garden or walks round the front and back. Never goes out into the road. Dogs aren’t free to roam as they wouldn’t come back unlike cats and they bite people and can be a danger again unlike cats.

Dogs aren’t free to roam as they wouldn’t come back

That's not true.

I remember one of our neighbours telling us how they lost their dog. They took the dog to the office and someone else walked it... dog bolted and went missing.

Neighbours only lived in our village a few weeks, naturally they looked around their old home, close to work and other places they visited with the dog...
The dog actually turned up at their new house in our village.

There is a lot of reaserch on this homing instinct of all kinds of pets.
One of my favourite is Rupert Sheldrake wrote a lovely book about all sorts of unexplained behaviour from our pets.

Oh please I grew up with dogs every time they escaped they never came back we all had to go out and try to catch it! Same as my local Facebook page if a dog has escaped every goes out to try to catch it as they know it isn’t just going to come home on its own.

There is only one solution here:

Ban roads

(Cos the concept of house cats is not one cat owners can cope with despite this being the law in many places around the world for good reason).

I almost ran over one cat yesterday when I was taking my children to school. I had to brake hard to avoid the tragedy but I regret having done so now. I was lucky that nobody was driving behind me or else they would crashed into my car.
Next time I will continue with my current speed and so be it. I don't want to be endanger my children's lives just because some stupid stray cat jumps out of nowhere.

How would it endanger your child’s life to slow down?

Good to see you’re obviously on the look out for stray pedestrians - not! I take it you will be continuing with your current speed rule if a child runs out in front of your car?

Quickly check mirror and brake if you can. Not hard. You shouldn’t be driving so fast in a likely residential area anyway.

A lot of cats go out and don't get killed on the roads.

We used to live on a busy (side but rat run) road and only ever let the cats out the back- sure they could have got round the front if they wanted to but it was quite an effort and they didn't seem to bother, thank goodness.

Where we live now is a cat heaven, full of mice and rats, long grass to hide in, cul de sac and cars don't/can't drive fast.

I wouldn't have cats if we lived right next to a busy road. But they can potentially get to one so it's always a risk.

I have dogs.

I had a mad terrier that would run out of front door at every opportunity...
Once I couldn't be arsed to call & chaise after him so I shut the door leaving him to it. He was back within minutes barking to be let in.
The thing with dogs is, they are conditioned to expect a cretin behaviour from us. If you don't behave in the predicted way, they have to think and react accordingly. And while some dogs enjoy the freedom first, others will be lost and perplexed and come straight home.

But they will always try and get home eventually.

So next time you walk your dog, turn round or take an unexpected turn without allerting them... hide and see what happens. They are really not as daft as you think.

I'm a dog owner who has never had a cat. I know cat owners love theirs cats as much as I love my dog. I was saying the other day to DH that I couldn't imagine ever having a cat because of the fear of them going out alone and being hit by cars. It would worry me all the time. I know it's their nature and accidents happen but it's so sad, I couldn't imagine losing a beloved pet like that.

My dogs doesn't run out (or mostly even get up) unless someone is bringing pizza to the door.

In fairness, I’ve had cats bolt across the road in front of my car from nowhere. Last happened a few days ago in fact.

A neighbour’s cat got killed by hiding under a delivery van which then ran it over when pulling away.

No amount of slowing down or eagle eyed scanning could prevent a run-over cat in those circumstances.

Learner drivers used to be told not to break sharply or swerve for animals. Maybe they still are taught that.

One of DD’s friends failed her driving test for running over a dog so I’m certain that’s not the case anymore. There was nothing she could do about it, it just ran out and she didn’t have time to stop but she still failed!

Did she run over the examiner’s dog?

Obviously not..

Our cat was killed the first time he was allowed out. The vet said don't get any more because of the road nearby. We listened to that advice. I've never had a cat since but I would like a house cat eventually. The neighbours are going through cats like no tomorrow, I assume lost or run over.

SallyWD · 27/02/2024 07:36

Cats go missing frequently and usually return - it's not because they've been run over. In the vast majority of cases they've gone wandering, or are trapped in a shed, or someone else has enticed them with good food and affection. I'm in loads of local Facebook groups and it's actually quite rare to hear of a cat who's been run over.
My cat simply wouldn't cope with an indoor life. He was stray for the first 18 months of his life and he would be extremely stressed if we kept him inside.
I think of it like this - a lion would live longer in a zoo but it doesn't mean he's not better off roaming free. Most lions are miserable in zoos!
And you can't compare cats with dogs. They have different natures. Domestic dogs want to be trained, want to have a master. The legal reason dogs aren't allowed to roam and cats are, is because cats are unlikely to cause damage or injury (unlike dogs).

Well you see, I have a different experience. Growing up we did have cats that simply disappeared without trace. We had one that turned up once months after she went missing, and then went AWOL forever again.

I see cats daily on FB who've been run over. It's devastating. I'm also in loads of FB groups.

I have three rescue cats. Cat #1, we adopted aged 5, having been straying for god knows how long in a city centre. Someone had been feeding her but had to go away for work so took her to Cats' Protection. She's been here 2 years and is still very timid in lots of ways but does she want to go out? Does she hell! She sits at the top of the stairs watching us taking in shopping deliveries but has not once attempted to go out, or asked to go out.

Cat #2, was neglected, and living outdoors. Not spayed, mating with numerous toms (there were 4 tormenting her when she was rescued). Here nearly 2 years. Does she want to go out? LOL does she hell! If someone drips water on her when washing their hands she takes off like the hounds of hell were after her!!

Cat #3 had a breeder, was then rehomed, and it didn't work out, so went into rescue, got rehomed, new owner died, so into rescue again, then was rehomed with us. Was an indoor/outdoor boy. Been here a couple of months and has shown zero interest in going outside.

I am more than happy - although I have a chip operated catflap and did appreciate that, given their background, they might want to go out, but seeing all the awful things that happen to outdoor cats, I am more than delighted that they don't want to use it!

They are spoiled rotten, have the best of everything and are living their best lives!

Letting a cat wander off your property is illegal where I live (US). We don't have stray cats, although that is probably because we have coyotes. Cats rarely last more than one night outside.

Dogs used to free roam, it just became unacceptable practice. To be fair they’re pack animals so want to be where you are. But are certainly not stupid.

Re cats, it’s natural for them to want to be out but we’d never have one on a main road. I know someone whose cat just died who lives on a main road and she’s devastated. I don’t know why she got one. We waited until we were off anywhere with many cars. As it happens my cat identifies as a dog so barely goes out.

I live in Australia and in many areas here it is illegal for cats to roam, especially at night, due to the danger they pose to small native animals, reptiles and birds.

I have two cats who live indoors. I must tell them how unhappy their lives are. One is snuggled in the crook of my arm purring as I type. The other one is dozing on the furniture. They sleep on my bed every night. They are not obese and have lovely, calm personalities.

My backyard is home to rainbow lorikeets and a water dragon that likes to sun itself by our pool. At night a possum often visits our back deck and a tawny frogmouth perches on our roof. None of them would be here if our cats were allowed outdoors. The native animals don’t deserve to be sacrificed so domestic cats can go where they please.