October 19, 2007
Stray cats
I’m not a cruel person. I’m actually pretty tender-hearted and cry much too easily. I’m not a cat-hater, either. I’ve had cats before (or maybe I should say they’ve had me) and it’s certainly possible that I may have another some day. I am, however, an advocate of responsible pet ownership. My friend Tina posted an article from the London Daily Mail about a man who “relocated” his neighbor’s cats after he had his fill of them soiling his yard and destroying his garden. Tina thinks that those of us who don’t want to be annoyed by others’ pets should invest in an electronic fence. Um, yeah. Have you priced those things? I replied to Tina on a message board:
I’ve trapped cats in my yard and will continue to do so. I’m on the waiting list for cat traps from the Humane Society, who will pick up the cats after they’re trapped. Whether the owners get them back is up to them, but if they come in my yard, they will be trapped. When I was on the Association Board I also trapped dogs and cats off of the streets of our community. The House Rules are very clear in stating that any stray animals will be trapped by the Board and turned over to the Humane Society, and that owners will be fined (if they can be identified.) It’s also against City/County ordinance to allow any animals to roam free. I keep my animals confined in my own yard, where they are welcome and (should be) safe and don’t annoy the neighbors. I expect my neighbors to show the same concern for their neighbors and their pets.
Both of my dogs have been injured by cats that have come into my yard. Lance is very puppyish and tries to play with them, so they attack. Buddy, when he was younger, was aggressive towards cats. Now he’s old and crippled and can’t run away from them. My herbs and tropicals have been destroyed and my lawn and many of my plants have been burned from cat pee. I have to treat for fleas every six weeks or so (at great expense) because cats are constantly shedding them and re-infesting my yard. I find mutilated birds in my yard on a regualr basis. The final insult is the trauma to children and adults alike from seeing dead cats on the street, or torn apart when a car is started and the owner didn’t know they were under the hood. We’ve chosen to domesticate animals and owe it to them to be 100% responsible for them. Cats in the wild can take care of themselves just fine, but when we bring them into urban and suburban settings, we expose them to danger. I’m not going to go to great expense to install an electronic fence. Perhaps my neighbors with cats should do so, if they’re too ignorant to keep their animals inside out of harm’s way.
The only problem I have with the catnapper is that he may have done it illegally.
I didn’t think to mention, when writing the above, that Lance wakes me (and the neighbors) at least once a week when a cat starts raising a ruckus in the crawl space under the house and he attmpts to rout it. Or that Buddy caught, mutilated and killed two kittens in the yard when he was younger and more spry.
It’s a controversial issue, to be sure. I mean Tina no ill will in posting a dissenting opinion. I merely seek to engage in some civil debate. Perhaps Tina will convince me that the agony of a child missing a pet outweighs my rights (and the boys rights, too) to enjoy full use of my own property. The floor is open. Where do you stand?
[tags]cats, cat-trapping, pets, responsible pet ownership[/tags]
Posted by skeet @ 12:48 pm • Just stuff, Home & Family
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October 19th, 2007 at 2:53 pm, emsxiety Says:
I am proudly owned by four cats ranging in age from 15 years to 9 months. At no time do my cats go outside to roam freely. If they leave the house it is with a human companion and in a carrier or leashed.
I completely agree with you and how you feel all this should be handled 100%. Cats should not be allowed to roam freely.
October 20th, 2007 at 3:09 am, Martin Says:
There is a feral cat population here. My kids started feeding them this spring. I am planning to borrow a trap in a month and take several to be neutered. The government is funding a population control program this year.
Free roaming cats do not have the greatest quality of life. I prefer them to free roaming rats.
October 20th, 2007 at 12:19 pm, Joana Says:
As I mentioned on the board, I feel you pretty much summed up my feelings in a more eloquent manner. I posted a more detailed version of my opinion on my blog, but essentially I feel that before people should go sticking labels of “animal abuser” and “animal cruelty” on this person they should first take a look at the owners. The pet owners in question are clearly negligent. If my own cats or dogs wander off our property and animal control picks them up I would have to pay a fine, as a negligent owner, for not keeping control of them. Sure it can be hard, especially with cats that want to get outdoors, but there are methods and ways to accommodate our furry friends. They’re like children, and as such, as pet owners it’s our responsibility to look after and care for them.
October 20th, 2007 at 5:41 pm, Cat Problems Says:
Stray Cat Problems will always exist in our society because we do not have enough control in preventing the overpopulation from occurring in the first place. It is an unfortunate fact that there will always be people abandoning their pets. However more education and local government control can drastically slow down the process. There are already a number of non-profit organizations that help out but the problem gets worse because we need more of them.
October 21st, 2007 at 12:30 pm, skeet Says:
It’s just cruel to expose cats to the dangers of an urban environment, Em. I’m glad you protect yours!
October 21st, 2007 at 12:43 pm, skeet Says:
We have a huge feral cat problem, Martin. My community is out in the country, at the “end of the road.” A lot of folks dump their unwanted cats out here. We also have an “Adopt a Colony” program where people can capture the feral cats, bring them in for a free sterilization and then release them back into their original habitat, having made the committment to feed them. It’s greatly reduced the wild population, but since folks are still dumping it’s an ongoing thing.
October 21st, 2007 at 12:46 pm, skeet Says:
That’s the thing that some folks just dont’get, Joanna. Pet ownership comes with responsibilty, to the animals and to the community.
BTW - your blog opens briefly for me (a second or two) then goes to an error page. I’ve been having browser problems, so maybe it’s just me, but you might want to ask for a little reader feedback just to be sure.