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News & ArtsThursday, June 3, 2010
Animals / City Another Day, Another Animal Rant
Posted by David Schmader on Thu, Jun 3, 2010 at 9:46 AM
Following yesterday's anonymous rant about the alleged bad parenting of a child comes today's anonymous rant about the alleged bad parenting of a cat, from the I, Anonymous forum:
I Hate You on Your Cat's BehalfThis poor animal was "owned" by some vapid hipster living in or around my building last year. She was one of those "oh, the cat wants to go outside, he NEEDS it" sort of shitheads that basically housed her poor tabby outside all the time. The poor cat sought shelter on our porch for over a year, and inevitably got hit by a car, brought to my door by a good samaritan at 2 a.m. with a mangled leg and who knows what else. I was all ready to take him inside, house him safely in our bathroom away from our other territorial beasts until the morning, but being the unloved feline that he was, he screamed and clawed his way out of his finder's arms to run off into the night.
The next morning Miss Skinnyjeans trudged this poor cat back from the vet, no doubt with a hefty bill, grumbling and pissing all the way. You decided to have a pet, and then take no real care of it, I honestly found it confusing that you would bother to get him to the vet instead of simply surrendering him to someone who could give him a good home?
So the moron girl moved away, good riddance, but apparently "donated" her poor cat to you, unknown asshole. During the shittiest months of winter I had to hear this poor animal waul outside our apartment— outside his own home—during deluges of freezing rain and so much more. I tried in vain to capture him many times, and succeeded once, just to take him to the local shelter where I was sure he would sit out his stray hold and be adopted by some deserving person(s). But no, I went back to check on him and lo and behold, you had apparently come flying in, frantic about your missing cat. I seriously do not understand you—you let this poor animal be subject to the elements 365 days a year but the moment he's not around suddenly you're a caring cat parent? What in the godliving fuck???
It's now another cold, rainy spring day in Seattle, and this poor stump-tailed tabby boy is wandering around my porch, wailing at me and I feel like can't do anything. Be warned, you loveless piece of shit, the next time I get my hands on that cat he's going a shelter far, far away where you won't find him and he will find the home he deserves.
So...what we have here is a lady (can there be any doubt the author is female?) whose ideas about cat-rearing are so intractable she kidnapped her neighbors' cat and handed it over to a shelter, and is threatening to do it again. Also, there is no evidence that this cat wants to be rescued. (Offered shelter in the lady's home for a night, the cat bolted, and apparently continues to elude all rescue attempts by its would-be savior.)
Lady: Get a shrink.
Cat: Get a restraining order.
2
The cat obviously sounds to be miserable and uncomfortable, and deserves a better owner than one that kicks it's ass outside 365x7x24.
Good on Anonymous and I hope her plan works. As long as kitty isn't chipped one ferry ride will get the cat away from all that.
Good on Anonymous and I hope her plan works. As long as kitty isn't chipped one ferry ride will get the cat away from all that.
3
I once had a neighbor threaten to steal my cat if she saw it outside. I told her that theft was always a bad idea. I have a cat door that is open from 6AM to 9PM when I make sure all of the cats are indoors. If it's raining and the cats are out it's their own damn fault.
Cats are horrible opportunists-they will beg for food even if they have just polished off a bowl of kibble right before you walked in the door. Still, if the cat has no shelter or way to escape the weather that's a problem.
Cats are horrible opportunists-they will beg for food even if they have just polished off a bowl of kibble right before you walked in the door. Still, if the cat has no shelter or way to escape the weather that's a problem.
4
What? It sure sounds like that cat could use a new home. Assuming that this cat is fine because he bolts when strangers try to capture him does not make sense. I agree with anon 100%. Well, more like 90%.
5
The cat presumably did not want to be run over by a car either, and yet that's what happened. Here's the thing about having a pet in a city: you are volunteering to run interference between its natural instincts and a world that those instincts are no longer appropriate for. If you're not up for that job, get a fucking gerbil.
In short: good on anonymous for trying to do the right thing, and both the cats owner and Schmader are imbeciles.
In short: good on anonymous for trying to do the right thing, and both the cats owner and Schmader are imbeciles.
7
Is there a reason why this lady can't speak to the cat's owner? If she's not sure who it is, she could catch the cat and tie a note on a string around his neck saying "call me - I want to adopt your cat" or something.
Speaking as a cat owner, @3 is making the most sense so far.
Speaking as a cat owner, @3 is making the most sense so far.
8
David Schmader = Douche. Good on that lady for trying to care for that cat. And F you for thinking that it's alright to take poor care of your pets. I have 3 annoying cats around my apartment that are always trying sneak in when it gets shitty out.
9
Lifespan of outdoor cats: 4 years
Lifespan of indoor cats: 14 years
There's no argument here. People take such terrible care of their animals. Don't get a fucking pet unless you're going to give it a decent life.
Lifespan of indoor cats: 14 years
There's no argument here. People take such terrible care of their animals. Don't get a fucking pet unless you're going to give it a decent life.
10
Cats are creatures of habit, and any sudden change - even if ultimately it would benefit the cat - can cause huge amounts of stress, resulting in the sort of behavior cited by the AP.
Cats are also very territorial, and being removed from familiar territory, even when it's as abysmal as described, and put into strange, unfamiliar territory can also create the same response.
So, while on the one hand I applaud the AP for TRYING to do the right thing, it sounds like in this case the sudden and dramatic changes in environment, even though they were decidedly improved over its extant conditions, were simply more than the poor cat could handle.
Cats are also very territorial, and being removed from familiar territory, even when it's as abysmal as described, and put into strange, unfamiliar territory can also create the same response.
So, while on the one hand I applaud the AP for TRYING to do the right thing, it sounds like in this case the sudden and dramatic changes in environment, even though they were decidedly improved over its extant conditions, were simply more than the poor cat could handle.
11
Angry folk/doucheyness assigners: I'm really not alright with people mistreating their pets. I am actively against it. However, my one attempt in life to question a cat owner's rearing practices was met with a big wad of "don't tell me how to treat my cats." (The issue: cats being left outside at night, where they would howl and i would feel their pain. However, the owner—who seemed like a devoted, in-tune cat person—told me something about cats needing to be made to stay outside in order to grow some second layer of fur that would then make being outside in the cold not-cruel, or something. I was still pissed, but they were her cats, and they were regularly fed and taken to the vet when necessary so I stayed out of it.)
The cat owners in this story also seem to be holding up their minimum end of the deal (food, vet care), so the catnapping seems a bit extreme.
Above someone says, "Cats are not outdoor pets." Is this true, and are my outside-cat-owning friends monsters? (I'm more of a dog person, but can totally get into a cat, especially if it's willing to kind of act like a dog.)
The cat owners in this story also seem to be holding up their minimum end of the deal (food, vet care), so the catnapping seems a bit extreme.
Above someone says, "Cats are not outdoor pets." Is this true, and are my outside-cat-owning friends monsters? (I'm more of a dog person, but can totally get into a cat, especially if it's willing to kind of act like a dog.)
12
@6: Some cats ARE outdoor pets. This is very true. My cat -- adopted from the shelter -- was intended to be an indoor cat, but he meows and howls until I let him out. Maybe you can sleep through a yeowling cat at 2 AM, but I can't. He gets to go out, and I get to sleep. Also, his being able to catch rodents and bring them to me brings him much joy. How can I deny that? Oh, and yes, he's neutered, chipped, vaccinated, and gets his flea preventative. He's a happy guy, but he wouldn't be if he had to stay inside all the time.
13
Doctor Memory FTW. Wild animals are not suited for your home, and domestic animals are not suited for the wild.
Yes, cats will beg to go outside. As a *human being with superior intellect* and the person who is responsible for its well-being, it is your job to determine weather this is in the animal's best interests.
I live in an apartment that is constantly surrounded by cars and dogs. My cats do not go outside. If one of them were to escape, were to be rescued by a neighbor, and then taken by the neighbor to a shelter, I would PREFER that to having them be driven over and/or eaten.
Meanwhile, the apartment complex is becoming overrun by very skinny, mangy strays because my neighbors do not feel the same way about keeping their cats indoors nor having them spayed or neutered. Since an apartment complex is not an appropriate ecosystem for cats, the result is similar to what you see in those old holocaust videos...except with kittens. Tortured, skeleton-like creatures crawling around on the constant brink of death.
Good on the anonymous poster for taking some responsibility where others won't.
Yes, cats will beg to go outside. As a *human being with superior intellect* and the person who is responsible for its well-being, it is your job to determine weather this is in the animal's best interests.
I live in an apartment that is constantly surrounded by cars and dogs. My cats do not go outside. If one of them were to escape, were to be rescued by a neighbor, and then taken by the neighbor to a shelter, I would PREFER that to having them be driven over and/or eaten.
Meanwhile, the apartment complex is becoming overrun by very skinny, mangy strays because my neighbors do not feel the same way about keeping their cats indoors nor having them spayed or neutered. Since an apartment complex is not an appropriate ecosystem for cats, the result is similar to what you see in those old holocaust videos...except with kittens. Tortured, skeleton-like creatures crawling around on the constant brink of death.
Good on the anonymous poster for taking some responsibility where others won't.
14
@11 Cats can be indoor or out depending on the environment AND the cat. I've seen city cats that are smart enough to stay out of the road and trouble. In some cases thats impossible. If you lived in Belltown, having an indoor/outdoor kitty would be bad for the cat. Magnolia, Queen Anne? Maybe not so much.
But this cat is also clearly distressed by being outdoors, or it wouldn't make an endless fuss and cry. It sounds like it needs to be an indoor cat. My kitty, for example, is petrified of outdoors. Always has been since she we got her at 7 weeks old. She could never be outdoors and cries every time she's taken out even in the carrier and horribly. Even when we had an enclosed 3rd floor porch, she didn't care for it much. Our last boy kitty, now deceased, was like a suicide bomber with doors, always trying to get out.
Depends on the cat and situation. Outdoor cat in NYC/Belltown = stupid. Outdoor cat in Topeka or Vashon = probably not a big deal--depending on the kitty.
But this cat is also clearly distressed by being outdoors, or it wouldn't make an endless fuss and cry. It sounds like it needs to be an indoor cat. My kitty, for example, is petrified of outdoors. Always has been since she we got her at 7 weeks old. She could never be outdoors and cries every time she's taken out even in the carrier and horribly. Even when we had an enclosed 3rd floor porch, she didn't care for it much. Our last boy kitty, now deceased, was like a suicide bomber with doors, always trying to get out.
Depends on the cat and situation. Outdoor cat in NYC/Belltown = stupid. Outdoor cat in Topeka or Vashon = probably not a big deal--depending on the kitty.
15
Cats live longer as indoor pets. I don't think, though, that it is for us to say what the cat would prefer. Maybe being outside is so goddamn awesome that a cat with a rational mind would still choose outdoor living.
17
Cats don't belong outside. People who let their cats outside should have them taken away from them.
18
For the life of me, I don't know why nobody has suggested killing the fucking cat.
Problem solved.
Problem solved.
19
My neighbor used to kidnap my cat and I'm certain they had some insane line of justification like this person . . . I called the police on them once and the cop actually went and retrieved the cat for me. Then they started coming around and talking to me about how I was parenting my son and I suddenly knew what it was like to feel righteous anger. I think my response - my yelling at them that if they so much as looked at my child ever again I'd kill them (while chasing them off my property) - struck a chord because there's been no trouble since. Don't think wackos like this will stop with the pets.
20
Those statistics on age compare feral cats living outside for their entire lives and cats that live inside for their entire lives. My cats have been granted the freedom to choose where they want to be in the daytime, they get plenty of good food and get vet visits at least once a year and they have lived to be in their 20s. (I have lived with cats since 1960)
Two of my family's cats have been killed by cars, but I know of cats that died after eating houseplants or getting caught in window-blind strings.
However, I do live in place where there are relatively few cars, and have rejected places to live on the basis that it would be too dangerous for the cats to go out-either traffic or coyotes.
Two of my family's cats have been killed by cars, but I know of cats that died after eating houseplants or getting caught in window-blind strings.
However, I do live in place where there are relatively few cars, and have rejected places to live on the basis that it would be too dangerous for the cats to go out-either traffic or coyotes.
21
Fnarf, fuck off and die in a fire. Cats were born to be outside. Whether that's advisable in a city environment is debatable.
You, on the other hand, were born to be a joyless, insufferable, smug asswipe. Do us all a favor and stay inside.
You, on the other hand, were born to be a joyless, insufferable, smug asswipe. Do us all a favor and stay inside.
22
Letting your cat spend a significant amount of time outdoors puts them at risk for all sorts of things, including mauling by other outdoor/feral cats, various feline diseases including feline AIDS, and picking up ticks and fleas. ALSO, they defecate and urinate on your neighbor's property, which is pretty annoying--I once lived in a house where the stoop constantly smelled of cat pee.
They also kill birds.
Interestingly, I learned recently that while there are cat fleas and dog fleas, cat fleas cause most infestations. I have had cats, and when I did, had a flea problem. Now that I don't have cats, I have no flea problems--even though I have 3 dogs, and I don't use any kind of flea prevention unless I have to (which means usually treating everyone 1x/year, if that).
Re: taking the cat to a shelter--depending on how old the cat is, you may not want to. In my experience working at shelters, cats over 5 years old have a VERY hard time finding homes. Most people want kittens, or at the least younger cats.
They also kill birds.
Interestingly, I learned recently that while there are cat fleas and dog fleas, cat fleas cause most infestations. I have had cats, and when I did, had a flea problem. Now that I don't have cats, I have no flea problems--even though I have 3 dogs, and I don't use any kind of flea prevention unless I have to (which means usually treating everyone 1x/year, if that).
Re: taking the cat to a shelter--depending on how old the cat is, you may not want to. In my experience working at shelters, cats over 5 years old have a VERY hard time finding homes. Most people want kittens, or at the least younger cats.
23
It's hard out there for a cat. If you can't properly care for, which includes protecting your pet, you should not have one. Cats should not be allowed outdoors for many reasons, including injuries from cars, fights with other cats and attacks from raccoons and dogs. They are also exposed to avoidable diseases such as toxoplasmosis, which is easily transmitted to their human owners.
Outdoor cats are also very dangerous to bird populations. Tens of millions of birds are killed every year by both pet and feral cats. Cats hunt whether they are hungry or not.
http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/poli…
Outdoor cats are also very dangerous to bird populations. Tens of millions of birds are killed every year by both pet and feral cats. Cats hunt whether they are hungry or not.
http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/poli…
24
@21 what a dumb comment. Yes, cats were 'born' to be outside; so were humans.
The question is if you have a beloved pet that's happy either way, and the question comes down to you wanting to have that pet by your side for 5-10 years or 10-20 (playing averages), which do you choose?
The question is if you have a beloved pet that's happy either way, and the question comes down to you wanting to have that pet by your side for 5-10 years or 10-20 (playing averages), which do you choose?
25
My neightbor used to have lots of outdoor cats. Now she doesn't.
The first 6 years I lived in my house, I saw 0 rats.
I have seen 7-10 in the last 9 months (since the cats went away to shelters.)
So yeah - cats outdoors have shorter lives. But so do the rats in the neighborhood.
The first 6 years I lived in my house, I saw 0 rats.
I have seen 7-10 in the last 9 months (since the cats went away to shelters.)
So yeah - cats outdoors have shorter lives. But so do the rats in the neighborhood.
26
@23 Seriously you guys? "Cats don't belong outside"? Crazy talk. Cats love it outside. Not all of them of course, which is a similar deal with dogs. I live on Cap Hill next to a very busy street, so my cat (as much as he hates it) is indoors only. That said, I have had in/outdoor (chipped and fixed) cats when I lived in areas without busy roads, and they lived healthy/happy lives. You just have to make a judgement call, and saying that people who let their cats outside should have them taken away is a completely ignorant idea probably coming from someone who has never had a cat. Stupid.
As for Schmader's response, I dunno... Seems like the would-be-cat-napper would be well advised to have a conversation with the skinny-jeans wearing owner, rather than resorting to theft of a cat that clearly has no intentions of being stolen.
As for Schmader's response, I dunno... Seems like the would-be-cat-napper would be well advised to have a conversation with the skinny-jeans wearing owner, rather than resorting to theft of a cat that clearly has no intentions of being stolen.
27
Hey, look, if you've got a 200-acre farm, or even just a house far away from major roads, by all means have an indoor/outdoor cat if that floats your (and the cat's) boat. You're still increasing the danger of all sorts of terrible things happening to the cat, but at least it's a defensible tradeoff.
In an urban neighborhood? Where there's car traffic basically 24/7? No. Take full responsibility for your pet or don't have a pet at all.
In an urban neighborhood? Where there's car traffic basically 24/7? No. Take full responsibility for your pet or don't have a pet at all.
28
my mom's cat is an indoor/outdoor who likes to bring in live animals so he can hunt them later. it's usually rodents, but sometimes birds and one time a bat. he does this at lease once a week.
29
Life is not all about squeezing the maximum number of days out until death, no matter what the cost. It's also just as stupid to take risk after risk after risk for small thrills. So let it be with pets.
Some cats do love being outside, in a very profound way. Is it right to lock them away inside so they spend their lives staring out the window and finally die without ever having walked on grass? No. Is it right to lock them out of your house and expose them to the elements, cars, and other dangerous animals without any consideration for at least some security? No.
There are reasonable ways to let your cat sniff a few blades of grass without letting it play in traffic or the pitbull patch. Build a cattery (an outdoor enclosure attached to the house). Take the cat for a walk (they'll do it). Take it to grandma's farm for the weekend.
Yes, you're taking a chance anytime you let your cat outside. But your cat isn't a hummelware figurine to keep in your curio cabinet. It's also not some kind of snow leopard that needs as much space to roam as possible and must learn to survive on its own. You can be reasonable.
I agree with the letter writer, for the most part. If that cat is really locked outside day and night and getting hit by cars, the owner needs to find a new system. Shelter or death, she's going to lose that cat one way or another.
Some cats do love being outside, in a very profound way. Is it right to lock them away inside so they spend their lives staring out the window and finally die without ever having walked on grass? No. Is it right to lock them out of your house and expose them to the elements, cars, and other dangerous animals without any consideration for at least some security? No.
There are reasonable ways to let your cat sniff a few blades of grass without letting it play in traffic or the pitbull patch. Build a cattery (an outdoor enclosure attached to the house). Take the cat for a walk (they'll do it). Take it to grandma's farm for the weekend.
Yes, you're taking a chance anytime you let your cat outside. But your cat isn't a hummelware figurine to keep in your curio cabinet. It's also not some kind of snow leopard that needs as much space to roam as possible and must learn to survive on its own. You can be reasonable.
I agree with the letter writer, for the most part. If that cat is really locked outside day and night and getting hit by cars, the owner needs to find a new system. Shelter or death, she's going to lose that cat one way or another.
30
In my experience, cats that have the option to spend some time outdoors are happier/less neurotic than latchkey cats. I don't doubt that it reduces their life expectancy, but who wants to live forever when you're miserable.
31
Wow, who knew that cat owners were worse than vegans when it comes to self-righteousness? And @23 takes it to a whole new level.
"Outdoor cats are also very dangerous to bird populations." Who gives a shit? Outdoor cats aren't out there killing eagles or endangered species. They're killing small birds of species that are numerous and in no danger of extinction. It's called the food chain.
"Outdoor cats are also very dangerous to bird populations." Who gives a shit? Outdoor cats aren't out there killing eagles or endangered species. They're killing small birds of species that are numerous and in no danger of extinction. It's called the food chain.
32
@31 If cat owners were as self-righteous as vegans cats would have a pretty good time of it, if maybe boring. The problem is that there are probably more than 80 million cats in the US alone, the majority of which spend their short, shitty existences in the same urban landscape you do because most of their owners feel they have the same responsibility towards their pets that they do to their Ikea coffee table.
Pets are great and personally I don't want to deny people the right to have them but shit are people retarded about taking care of them.
Pets are great and personally I don't want to deny people the right to have them but shit are people retarded about taking care of them.
33
If you followed the link above, @31, you'll see that while cats kill common bird species, they also kill endangered bird species and in some cases they are the #1 predator. The American Bird Conservancy has a campaign to "keep your cat indoors." Cats are also not part of the natural food chain (just as dogs aren't).
http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/poli…
BTW, I am not a cat owner (any more) and don't even particularly like cats (I'm allergic), so you can hardly call me a self-righteous cat owner. I think it's safer for cats to keep them inside, but it's also less annoying for ME if my neighbors keep their cats inside.
http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/poli…
BTW, I am not a cat owner (any more) and don't even particularly like cats (I'm allergic), so you can hardly call me a self-righteous cat owner. I think it's safer for cats to keep them inside, but it's also less annoying for ME if my neighbors keep their cats inside.
34
I'm going to have to side with the letter writer, on this one. As the owner of a cat that I've had for 17 years, the problem I see with cat owners that feel it's cruel not to let your cat outside, is that they see their cats as unlike a dog, not needing considerable quality human contact.
Simply spending quality play and interaction time daily with your indoor cat solves a great deal of their anxiety of wanting to go outside. But many cat owners don't see it that way. Because of kitty's perceived independence, many cat owners think kitty "needs" to go out.
We all would consider a dog owner a "bad pet parent" if they let their dog run loose in a city neighborhood. Well, the same can be said for cat owners that let their cats outside in a city, as well.
This, of course, is just my opinion.
Simply spending quality play and interaction time daily with your indoor cat solves a great deal of their anxiety of wanting to go outside. But many cat owners don't see it that way. Because of kitty's perceived independence, many cat owners think kitty "needs" to go out.
We all would consider a dog owner a "bad pet parent" if they let their dog run loose in a city neighborhood. Well, the same can be said for cat owners that let their cats outside in a city, as well.
This, of course, is just my opinion.
35
@31 Assumptions much? I don't own a cat, haven't since I was a child. Nor am I a bird-watcher. Also, we're not talking about food chain, most of these tens of millions of birds are being killed by fed cats.
You might also look at which birds are on the endangered species list, they're not all eagles and birds-of-paradise. Small songbirds (mostly ordinary little brown birds) are greatly at risk due to habitat loss, broadcasting towers, buildings, and etc. The cats don't help.
You might also look at which birds are on the endangered species list, they're not all eagles and birds-of-paradise. Small songbirds (mostly ordinary little brown birds) are greatly at risk due to habitat loss, broadcasting towers, buildings, and etc. The cats don't help.
36
@ 17 - No, Fnarf, you're wrong.
#14 is correct: it depends on the cat and the situation. I work with a woman who lives on a busy street and has an indoor cat who has no interest whatsoever in going outside. Myself, I live on a dead-end street surrounded by acres and acres of greenbelt -- my two cats are indoor/outdoor, very healthy and happy with life. Works for everyone.
I know that your automatic default mode is Absolutist Bombast, but, in this case at least, your post is Flat-Out Wrong.
#14 is correct: it depends on the cat and the situation. I work with a woman who lives on a busy street and has an indoor cat who has no interest whatsoever in going outside. Myself, I live on a dead-end street surrounded by acres and acres of greenbelt -- my two cats are indoor/outdoor, very healthy and happy with life. Works for everyone.
I know that your automatic default mode is Absolutist Bombast, but, in this case at least, your post is Flat-Out Wrong.
37
Hmm, which is worse... (weighing motions with hands) articles about dog anuses, or crazy people kidnapping their neighbor's pets?
Actually, that pale flabby guy on the bus yesterday rubbing the front of his soiled pants--- much worse.
Wanda: I can't stand people, I hate them.
Henry: Oh yeah?
Wanda: Do you hate them?
Henry: No, but I seem to feel better when they're not around.
Actually, that pale flabby guy on the bus yesterday rubbing the front of his soiled pants--- much worse.
Wanda: I can't stand people, I hate them.
Henry: Oh yeah?
Wanda: Do you hate them?
Henry: No, but I seem to feel better when they're not around.
38
@33 & @35 - Maybe I should have just kept it at "Who gives a shit" about the birds, since I really don't. Sorry for mucking up my point with arguments I didn't really care about anyway. And just because a cat is fed doesn't mean it isn't part of the food chain. We can domesticate cats all we want, but that isn't going to completely remove their nature.
Also @35, my main point about your post that you're going way overboard here still stands.
@32 "most of their owners feel they have the same responsibility towards their pets that they do to their Ikea coffee table." - wow, could this be any more of a gross generalization about cat owners who let them outside? Don't own a cat, never will, but saying that owners who let their cats outdoors don't feel any responsibility toward them is simply wrong. I was also generalizing about vegans in my post, but just because it's fun to piss them off.
You "cats are indoor pets only" dogmatics need to realize that is an opinion. Others are also entitled to the opinion that keeping cats indoors only is cruel.
Also @35, my main point about your post that you're going way overboard here still stands.
@32 "most of their owners feel they have the same responsibility towards their pets that they do to their Ikea coffee table." - wow, could this be any more of a gross generalization about cat owners who let them outside? Don't own a cat, never will, but saying that owners who let their cats outdoors don't feel any responsibility toward them is simply wrong. I was also generalizing about vegans in my post, but just because it's fun to piss them off.
You "cats are indoor pets only" dogmatics need to realize that is an opinion. Others are also entitled to the opinion that keeping cats indoors only is cruel.
39
@38 "wow, could this be any more of a gross generalization about cat owners who let them outside?"
Seriously? You should take some time to read about the stray pet crisis in this country if you're so eager to have an opinion on the subject. It's a generalization, for sure, but also an understatement, if anything. Way too many people treat their pets like shit and/or completely abandon them when it's convenient.
Seriously? You should take some time to read about the stray pet crisis in this country if you're so eager to have an opinion on the subject. It's a generalization, for sure, but also an understatement, if anything. Way too many people treat their pets like shit and/or completely abandon them when it's convenient.
40
@fbc: It's not that they're fed that makes them not part of the food chain fbc. It's that domestic cats did not evolve in North America, and the birds around here did not evolve for them. Like snakehead fish and gypsy moths, they're an invasive species.
41
All my cats have been indoor/outdoor cats. Why? Because they were born outside. They became my cats by showing up on my doorstep and demanding to be fed. They come and go as they pleased via the pet door. Indoors they have access to litter boxes, food, water, nip, and toys, 24/7. Outdoors they have access to pigeons and rats. Most prefer to range the wild outdoors (in good weather after a large breakfast, of course). Only one came inside and refused to be dragged outside for the occasional vet visit. All of them have lived obscenely long lives with me. The record so far has been 21 years. The cat was actually older than that. How old I don't know since it was a stray, but it lived with me for 21 years. They've never been eaten by a coyote or run over by a car or kidnapped by Satanists looking for a sacrifice.
"Cats are indoor pets!" and "Cats don't belong outside." smacks of the over-nannied, hover parent generation credo. Heaven forfend we go outside alone! Stranger Danger!
"Cats are indoor pets!" and "Cats don't belong outside." smacks of the over-nannied, hover parent generation credo. Heaven forfend we go outside alone! Stranger Danger!
42
Anonymous - you do know that not all cats that go to a shelter end up adopted, right? Odds are, if you kidnap that cat and send it to the shelter, it will either be killed or at best spend a lot of time in a cage. You would be sending that cat to kitty jail just to punish it's owner.
43
People like that are so fucking dumb. I would just take the cat and get it chipped and registered in your name since I bet the new "owner" never even thought about doing that. If they can't take care of it in the most basic way by letting the cat inside for shelter, than its their loss. I had something similar happen in Tucson where the kitty's original owner left her back in 2005 and she lived underneath the house in a filthy crawlspace. I took care of it by leaving out food and water for two and half years, since the new homeowners never let it indoors nor fed it. She was always scratching at our door to come in during the monsoon season. Finally those people moved and some contractors took the cat to the shelter (unbeknownst to me) so I got it from the shelter, took her to the vet, and then brought her up here to Seattle where I was moving back to. Now she loves to lay in the shade of my garden and play with my other cats, I take it that its a much nicer experience than laying in a crawlspace during 100+ degree summers.
44
Yes, cats "belong" outside, but society has evolved to make that too dangerous. So cat owners need to adapt and keep their cats indoors, unless they don't care about their cat's safety.
Outdoor cats also kill a disproportionate number of wild songbirds (Estimates range from 20 to 150 million songbirds a year). Most cat owners dismiss this fact, saying it is "natural." It's not natural for humans to feed, care for and breed one wild animal (cats) and then unleash them on another wild animal that whose population is not growing at the same rate. As the human population grows, the cat population grows in accordance, while the bird population is actually decreasing, thanks to development, loss of habitat, environmental changes, etc.
So... if cat safety isn't an issue for outdoor cat owners, at least educate yourself about songbirds and consider their safety. I, for one, love birds, and hate finding their carcasses in my yard! (Also, don't feed birds. Bird feeders create a buffet...for cats).
Outdoor cats also kill a disproportionate number of wild songbirds (Estimates range from 20 to 150 million songbirds a year). Most cat owners dismiss this fact, saying it is "natural." It's not natural for humans to feed, care for and breed one wild animal (cats) and then unleash them on another wild animal that whose population is not growing at the same rate. As the human population grows, the cat population grows in accordance, while the bird population is actually decreasing, thanks to development, loss of habitat, environmental changes, etc.
So... if cat safety isn't an issue for outdoor cat owners, at least educate yourself about songbirds and consider their safety. I, for one, love birds, and hate finding their carcasses in my yard! (Also, don't feed birds. Bird feeders create a buffet...for cats).
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