I'M A CAT. It's OK for me to play outside. Seriously.

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To whom that wanted my cat bot

February 6th, 2011 · 254 comments

The proper care of outdoor cats has become one of those issues — like tipping, or whether the toilet paper roll should hang over or under — that will no doubt incite flame wars until the end of time. That said, Lindsay in Oregon was still a bit surprised when this note appeared on her apartment building’s bulletin board, given that “FOUND” posters referencing the same collar-less cat had been posted on said bulletin board for weeks on end.

After experiencing similar problems with the neighbors (despite the fact that his cat already wears tags with his owner’s phone number on them) Elisa’s friend in Seattle had another tag made in hopes of preventing future trips to “kitty jail” — or at least to piss of the neighbors taking his cat there.

related: Cat fight!

FILED UNDER: cats · money · MYOB · neighbors · Oregon · rebuttals · sarcasm · Seattle · spelling and grammar police · thanks (but not really)

254 responses so far ↓

#1 DrSyn

Cats should not be let outside – or if they are, owners should not be too sad when they’re taken to the pound or hit by a car.

(This is coming from a cat lover.)

Feb 6, 2011 at 5:26 pm rating: 94

reply to this comment
- #1.1 VerityBrown
  
  I disagree with the “taken to the pound” part. Cats are not dogs; they don’t pose a threat to people when they’re running around outdoors. There is no excuse for taking them to the pound except cat-hating assholery on the part of the person who does it.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 9:00 pm rating: 91
- #1.2 Chesire cat
  
  100% agree. I don’t think any pets should be allowed to free roam and that means cats too. They bother your neighbors who may have cat allergies or not like cats. They kill birds ruining your neighbor’s enjoyment of their bird feeders. They spread toxoplasmosis. They poop in kids sandboxes and people’s flowerbeds. They are a menace and if you cared about your cat you would keep it in your house or in your yard while you supervise it. If I have a problem with roaming cats I will call Animal control.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 10:49 pm rating: 93
- #1.3 Chesire Cat
  
  Wrong Verity. They do pose a threat to people. They pass around toxoplasmosis if someone who is immunocompromised comes into contact with their poop. They also will scratch people which can hurt and injure and also become infected and spread disease.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 10:53 pm rating: 91
- #1.4 Dalamara
  
  So, it is better for them to get diseases or get hit by a car than to be taken somewhere relatively safe?
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 11:08 pm rating: 92
- #1.5 Savannah
  
  My cats would hate me forever if I kept them inside all the time. They would sit at the window with a look that clearly says “why do we have 3 acres of land if we can’t use it?”
  
  I had them inside for a few hours on Saturday and had to let them out because they were running so freakishly through the house.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 8:09 am rating: 91
- #1.6 Rattus
  
  Every communicable disease I’ve ever caught, I’ve caught from a human being. I suppose this means that we need to keep people locked away in the house in order to prevent they from spreading their nasty germs all about the place.
  
  And on the subject of cats killing things, yes, they kill birds. They also kill large numbers of rodents. I can’t remember the specific town, but someplace up here in Canada put a no-cat-outdoors ordinance in place, resulting in a boom in the rat population. Though I guess if one is that big a bird fan, than one would be willing to put up squirrel-sized rats roaming about their vegetable garden as a trade-off for the sound of chirping sparrows.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 10:05 am rating: 91
- #1.7 unholyghost2003
  
  I take no issue with a cat being outside if it is on a run, (somehow) trained to stay on the owner’s property, or if the owner’s property is large enough that the cats can run and play w/o leaving the property (looking at you Savannah). My parents have a neighbor with an indoor/outdoor cat. That cat digs up flower beds, kills my mother’s koi, sprays around their house, and because my father has a severe cat allergy it forces my parents to seal up their house in the summer so my father can breathe.
  Cats can also bite in addition to scratching. They are just as dangerous as a small dog on the loose.
  
  And Rattus, know what else can kill/keep rodents away from my parents garden, w/o endangering my mother’s koi and the song birds or sending my father into labored breathing/sneezing fits? My parents’ two dogs that DON’T LEAVE THEIR PROPERTY.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 10:40 am rating: 90
- #1.8 The Elf
  
  Um, I’m a cat lover, and I would certainly take a cat that I thought was stray or lost to the pound/no kill shelter. I’d do so in hopes that the owner would find the kitty or a new owner would adopt the cat. This is assuming I don’t adopt them myself. I’ve trapped feral kittens, socialized them, and made them part of my family before.
  
  The laws in this town are pretty clear regarding unleashed/uncontained cats, so my assumption is that any loose cat is lost, a stray, or feral. If I capture them and they have a collar, I would attempt to contact the owner first. Failing that, right to a shelter we go.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 11:02 am rating: 90
- #1.9 clever name
  
  pound/ no kill shelter? You guys need to look up what you are taking the animal to. You think they are safe at the pound? Get a clue. Pounds and shelters are at the LIMIT. You bring in a basket of puppies and they are taken in back and put down, I know because I have spoken with them. You can take the cats there all day if you want, but don’t pat yourself on the back and think you are doing it for the animal or whatever, because that is a cop out.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 11:41 am rating: 91
- #1.10 Chesire cat
  
  Better a cat get put down humanely and painlessly than get ran over and lay there dying on the side of the road for hours or get ripped up by a dog and lay there dying for hours in pain and suffering which is what could or would happen if it is left outside.
  
  I also don’t have a problem with trained cats that only stay on their property being outside or outside on a leash or fenced in . But the second they put one little paw over the property line onto my property or public property than you are a bad pet owner and a bad neighbor and a bad citizen.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 11:57 am rating: 90
- #1.11 Momo
  
  I have been feeding feral cats in my apartment complex. There are so many dirtbag owners who jkust let pets out, and they breed. The worst are the people who jsut abandon them and move away. My neighbor and I were taking care of one that seemed very sweet. We had the human society volunteer trap him and test him for feline leukemia, etc., to see if my neighbor could adopt him. The humane society put him to sleep because he had feline leukemia and feline AIDS, for which there’s no cure. We were heartbroken! There are about four other regular visitors who eat the food we put out, and I found a dead kitten that some kids smashed with a rock this summer (it was already dead, I saw it pre-smashing), but how sad! I borrowed a shovel and buried it. Please spay/neuter them, and don’t let them out unless you have a yard and it’s trained to stay in! I don’t let mine out at all, esp. since there are obviously a bunch of disease-ridden cats ready to start a fight with mine. That’s ANOTHER reason to keep yours indoors, so it doesn’t get into a fight and contract a disease from a stray.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 12:17 pm rating: 90
- #1.12 Chesire cat
  
  I think it is nice that you have such a kind heart and that you are a good cat owner. However I don’t know if feeding the strays is such a good idea especially depending on how your neighbors view strays. By feeding them you are encouraging them to stay around but with no owner or proper place to sleep or use the bathroom so then they just hang around the neighborhood and possibly annoy your neighbors. If you live out by yourself then it doesn’t matter.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 1:16 pm rating: 90
- #1.13 The Elf
  
  Clever Name, it all varies by jurisidiction. My preference is for a particular no-kill shelter nearby, but they also operate at or close to max. Our local humane society (local pound) is actually pretty good, for all that they do euthanize.
  
  Good rule of thumb – ask your local vet where to take the cat.
  
  Feral cats are a different story – there trap/neuter/release programs are the best. We’re only talking about cats that are not feral, whether they’re lost, stray, or just outside owned cats without a collar.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 1:44 pm rating: 90
- #1.14 Nunavut Guy
  
  I smear my cat with peanut butter before I let her out.I like to practice Darwinism on my neighbours and their kids.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 8:33 pm rating: 90
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#2 k9

just so you don’t complain when the cat gets run over, gets into fights with other outside cats, or is attacked by a loose dog.

Cautious cat owners keep their cats indoors. Responsible cat owners have their outdoor cats neutered. Free-range cats that have not been altered are prey.

Feb 6, 2011 at 5:30 pm rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #2.1 BunnyDee
  
  This actually isn’t funny. I moved from New England to Kentucky, where there are lots of farms and “barn cats” as well as feral cats.
  The ignorance and indifference of the people here is astounding. They let their domesticated cats go outside, unaltered, only to be prey to coyotes or the feral cats.
  Then they wonder why they die of FIP, Feline AIDS, distemper, etc. Or that have kittens to get rid of or why they are run over. The pounds are full. They actually have to ship the kittens to other parts of the country because of overcrowding.
  These same $hitwhistles then drop the kittens off on streets like mine, where there lots of farms and they figure the kittens will make it to one of the many barns on our road. It isn’t fun to see dead kittens on your road or on your property.
  I have rescued three cats in as many years. We have scared away about 50.
  They come to my back door looking for food but I can’t risk my own livestock. It is heartbreaking. Cats do NOT belong outside full time. That lady should not have a cat if she can’t keep it inside.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 5:50 pm rating: 91
- #2.2 FeRD
  
  …How does any of that make it not funny?
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 7:55 pm rating: 90
- #2.3 Jeanine
  
  I used to work in an animal shelter and we got quite a few injured cats in regularly, many of them were not strays. The worst ones were a 6 month old kitten that had been grabbed by a hawk and dropped from about 15 feet up, and a cat that had been tortured and left on the owner’s porch with severe burns and its tail degloved. Yeah, my cats stay indoors now.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 10:34 pm rating: 90
- #2.4 Chesire Cat
  
  Bunnydee is right. My mother lives in the sticks in Alabama and her only neighbor for miles has cats that she does not have fixed and it had kittens. Some get ate by wild animals which are in abundance out there. Some continually wander onto my mother’s property and kill her birds. My mother is a bird lover and one of her greatest joys is watching the birds from her porch while they enjoy in her numerous bird feeders. They climb onto her outdoor furniture and get cat hair on it which in turn bothers her cat allergies and makes a mess. They poop in her beautiful flower gardens and yard.
  
  The ones that get caught in the act of killing a bird get shot by my stepdad. This is the wild country and that is how rednecks roll. Too bad for the cats but there is not a lot of other options since animal control does not exist in the sticks and with their allergies trapping the cats would not be possible because they would not be able to ride in the car with the trapped cat to take it to a shelter without getting sick. Birds are animals too and well they didn’t deserve to get massacred while my mother watched in horror so my stepdad remedies it. If the neighbor really cared about her cats she would have kept them on her own property and had them fixed.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 11:01 pm rating: 90
- #2.5 k9
  
  who said it was supposed to be funny?
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 8:50 am rating: 90
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#3 Heidi

Must not be that good of an owner, if you can’t even find a spare $50 to get the cat out of jail.

Also: If the collars keep falling off, why not turn your outdoor kitty to an indoor kitty? It’d save the hassle of having to pay $50 to rescue said cat from kitty jail.

ETA: If that cat is the only thing you loved/trusted, it’s probably better off in jail, then. You really ought to try to develop some sort of a healthy relationship with your fellow human beings. Not everyone is an asshole 100% of the time. Why! Look at the outstanding citizen that tried to get your cat back to you by posting a found message!

Feb 6, 2011 at 5:32 pm rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #3.1 karen
  
  EXACTLY. Regardless of how you feel about the indoor/ outdoor issue, if you can’t scrape together 50 bucks for the creature you love most in the world, you shouldn’t be keeping said creature. Vet bills cost a lot more than that.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 11:10 pm rating: 90
- #3.2 Notrichhavepetsandkids
  
  Nobody knows this person or what their life is like. Or when they got the cat or how.
  I do know this:
  -You have to buy break apart collars for cats because they have a high risk of choking if their collars get stuck. My cat takes these off all the time. He hates collars. He loves getting outside, even though he is an inside cat. He escapes every chance he gets.
  -Just because someone doesn’t have $50 doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have pets. You don’t know their situation or why they currently don’t have $50. I have pets and I’m broke. Does that mean I should cart my pets off to the all ready overfilled shelter (which btw the no kill shelters in my area you have to pay to drop off)? Both my pets are strays that I took in after I tried to find them homes. They are both fixed, have all their shots, have flea/heartworm protection, they have food, and they are loved. I should have known 10 years down the road that my marriage would break apart and I would go from a stay at home mom to a student with a crappy job who couldn’t afford her pets or children anymore. Maybe I should give them all away……?
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 11:24 am rating: 90
- #3.3 unholyghost2003
  
  I am honestly and truly sorry about your change in situation. But yes, when your situation changed in such a way that you became unable to afford $50 to cover a surprise vet bill (or Cat Jail Bail) I believe you should have started looking to re-home your cats. The fact that you can cover routine vet costs and food means that you have the luxury of being picky about who you give them to or you might be able to look into having them fostered instead of re-homed (with the economic turn there came about a LOT of pet foster programs to provide long term housing and care for the pets of people who suffered sudden financial downfalls. These foster programs care for your pets until you get back on your feet and can afford to care for them yourself.)
  
  Oh! and all of my anti-roving cat comments are directed EXCLUSIVELY to those people who *intentionally* let their cats run loose outside w/o supervision or restraint. Escapes happen. I don’t fault you for that. Leashes break, doors don’t latch properly, and screens that were previously fine get ripped. As long as you are TRYING to control your pet you are aces in my book.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 12:00 pm rating: 90
- #3.4 Chesire cat
  
  If you cannot keep them contained then you should give them away. If you cannot afford vet care or food or whatever else comes with having a pet expense wise, then you should give them away. As long as you keep them properly contained and feed and healthly though then keep them all you want.
  
  I stand by this saying for kids, pets, spouses, anyone or anything-sometimes the best thing you can do for something you love is realize that you are not doing right by it and it would be better to let it go to someone who can and will treat it better.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 12:01 pm rating: 90
- #3.5 RigaToni
  
  I agree that you shouldn’t have a pet unless you can afford to properly care for it… but I do have a question.
  
  Give it away to whom? Shelters are at max, there are very few potential homes for adult animals in the event an owner becomes destitute or whatever else.
  
  We have a few dogs. $50 would tick me off and screw with my family budget, but yes I would scrape it up to get my beloved pet back. However, my dogs wouldn’t be out unleashed/unfenced to begin with.
  
  Seriously though in this economy, would you rather everyone who feels the pinch of $50 turn their animals over to a pound or shelter? That would put millions MORE animals into a system that is already at its max.
  
  (NOTE: this woman is wrong for letting her cat out, if she can afford litter and collars she can get together the $50 too rather than LEAVE the cat there.)
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 1:06 pm rating: 90
- #3.6 Chesire cat
  
  Well if you can find someone else to take them into their home that would be a better scenario and sometimes especially if you have a very well behaved animal that is a pure breed than you might be able to find someone to take them. If you have a mutt or a badly behaved animal then it might not be easy to get someone else to take them.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 1:18 pm rating: 90
- #3.7 unholyghost2003
  
  RigaToni, when I say look into re-homing your pet (esp. in Notrich’s case) I am suggesting you put out feelers among friends, family, co-workers who might be looking for a pet or willing to take in yours. They might also know someone else that is looking for a pet or willing to take yours in. “Re-Homing” does not equal “drop off at shelter.” If I wanted to say “Drop your pet off at a shelter” I would have. I am honestly baffled that people think of animal shelters as a first option rather than last resort. There are actually a LOT of people who prefer adult animals as they usually come trained, there are whole programs for re-homing adult cats and dogs with elderly people since adult animals tend to be more mellow and easier for older people to care for. A little looking will provide a ton of non-shelter re-homing options.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 1:30 pm rating: 90
- #3.8 The Elf
  
  I have a crazy escapee cat too, and I found that training him to walk on a leash reduced the number of times he tries to escape. He knows that if he just whines enough, we’ll take him out for a walk. Then he can endlessly cheek and tail mark the grill safely. He loves that grill! It makes cheezburgers.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 1:48 pm rating: 90
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#4 Moxie

As much as I love cats and have no problems seeing them play outside, I would never leave my cats outside unattended. People have a right not to tend to your pets on their propert and there’s a lot of dangerous stuff out there.

If you don’t want to risk your kitty getting hurt or sent to the pound, keep it indoors or a keep a close watch on it when it plays outside.

Feb 6, 2011 at 5:34 pm rating: 90

reply to this comment
#5 She Cave Dweller

Honestly, it’s not okay to let your “outside” cat run around outside unattended to piss and shit in other people’s yards. Or worse yet, letting your “outside” cat run around outside when you haven’t properly neutered or spayed it so you are creating a kitty population problem. You wouldn’t tolerate it a dog doing that. Get a grip and take care of your animals once and for all. “Outside” cat isn’t an excuse to be half of a pet parent.

Feb 6, 2011 at 5:34 pm rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #5.1 Clumber
  
  I was cruising along with you, cursor hovering over the thumb up until that last word. Holy shit I hate that term. You are not a pet parent. I am not a pet parent. I have [#too many] dogs and [# half of too many] cats* and I consider my pets part of my family, but come the fuck on. Please. You insult both species, imo, when you use that stupid term.
  
  *for the tally, our cats are all rescues and 100% indoor cats, as required by the rescue groups’ contracts. Rarely we let them outside under our direct supervision on the occasional sunny summer day. We live rurally and choose not to feed the local ‘yote population.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 8:15 am rating: 90
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#6 Rillion

Doesn’t where you live have a lot to do with it? I’ve lived in several quiet, low-traffic neighborhoods where everybody let their cats roam as they please, and never saw or heard about anything horrible happening to them. Seems like if you live in such a neighborhood, grabbing a cat and taking it to the pound is a really douchey thing to do if it isn’t bothering anyone, especially if it has a collar.

Feb 6, 2011 at 5:41 pm rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #6.1 Cake Train
  
  Yeah, dang… I’ve had quite a few cats that have been of the free to roam outside variety (all had shots and were fixed) one time my neighbor asked me to put a bell on my cat because she was stalking birds in his yard so I put a bell on her. Problem solved, the neighbor was happy.
  
  Most cats will stay in their yard and avoid giving cat AIDS to your children while getting run over by cars. It isn’t that hard to talk with your neighbors and figure out a solution.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 3:00 pm rating: 90
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#7 jadefishes

The poorly-spelled note is one thing, what’s crappy is the written responses on the note. $50 can be an onerous expense when it comes unbudgeted.

Feb 6, 2011 at 5:41 pm rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #7.1 kmd
  
  Yeah, no kidding. Way to wave your privilege weenie, “oh, $50, no big deal.” Sheesh.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 5:48 pm rating: 90
- #7.2 Kay
  
  Are you kidding, or are you a teenager whose parents pay for the food, litter, and vet bills?
  
  Having a cat is an expensive responsibility. If $50 will break you, you would never be able to afford a single vet bill. If you let your cat roam, unexpected vet bills are more likely. They occur even if your cat is strictly indoors. If $50 will break you, it is irresponsible for you to have a cat.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 5:50 pm rating: 90
- #7.3 BunnyDee
  
  I agree. Pet owning should not be taken lightly and can get costly. However,
  most states offer low income vet care so disabled people and the elderly can have pets. Tennessee and Kentucky have such programs. They even have roving vans that have “SNIP” free or really low cost neutering and spaying.
  There are also pet “food banks” to help people hang on to their pets during these tough times. ASPCA and the Humane Society has them going on regionally all over the US.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 6:01 pm rating: 90
- #7.4 Canthz_B
  
  For real. If you can’t come up with a measly $50 at a moment’s notice, you probably shouldn’t be wasting your hard earned money on kitty litter.
  
  And don’t have babies. If you do, don’t waste money on disposable diapers. Buy cloth diapers and try doing some laundry. Those suckers are reusable and last a long time.
  You’re too poor to throw things away after one use, let alone have a pet cat or dog…idiots.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 6:42 pm rating: 90
- #7.5 lucy
  
  Ever been to college, people? If mommy and daddy aren’t paying, it can be hard to have an extra $5 in the checking account, much less $50.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 7:33 pm rating: 90
- #7.6 Canthz_B
  
  Yeah, I went to college. I had a job then too. That’s usually how we get $50 in our checking accounts.
  
  Banks also have another product they offer called “Savings Accounts”. Oddly enough, if you put money into one of those consistently, you soon find $50 available for emergencies.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 7:47 pm rating: 90
- #7.7 anglophile
  
  Seriously, college kids should NOT own pets. Even if they manage to feed them, they just abandon them at the end of the year.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 7:56 pm rating: 90
- #7.8 G
  
  “you probably shouldn’t be wasting your hard earned money on kitty litter” – I don’t think this person is, kitty is an outdoor-pooping cat. Way to save money!
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 3:18 am rating: 90
- #7.9 Clumber
  
  This is why when I do rescue I always charge a fee that is in the same ballpark as a regular unplanned vet visit. So around $100-150 in our area these days. That way I have at least reassured myself that the prospective owners have, at least once, been able to come up with that amount of money.
  
  We also microchip all our rescues and remain the chip’s secondary contact for the life of the animal so we know when one of “ours” ends up in a shelter. No, I don’t trust people. Especially not with our critters.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 8:20 am rating: 90
- #7.10 warns
  
  Clumber, that’s messed up.
  
  You’re not animal control, you had zero right or responsibility to take that animal in. And 99.99999 percent of the time, that animal would have gone home if you would’ve never touched it.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 8:40 pm rating: 90
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#8 cathy

one day I was walking down the street from my apartment when I heard barking from a nearby yard. when i looked through the fence,I saw a terrified cat running for its life, followed by my neighbor’s dog. the dog chased it behind the house, and was in snapping distance of the cat’s tail before they disappeared. i have no idea if that cat made it home in one piece. so for you cat owners, you can come up with cute kitty collar tags till the cows come home. but just keep this in mind: DOGS CAN’T READ! better to collect your cat from the local pound than scrape him off your neighbor’s front lawn.

Feb 6, 2011 at 5:42 pm rating: 90

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- #8.1 WMDKitty
  
  Then the dog’s owner should — and I know this is a hard concept for some — the dog’s owner should keep the damn dog fenced in.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 1:16 am rating: 90
- #8.2 Jezzy
  
  It sounds like the dog *was* fenced in. Cathy had to look through the fence to see this happening.
  
  I’ve had the same thing happen in my own fenced in back yard. I have a dog. I have three cats. One is indoor/outdoor (because we watch her when she’s out and she does not leave the yard), the other two indoor only.
  
  The neighbors behind me also have dogs and cats, however, they are all outdoor animals. The cat has been hit by a car and they had to have costly surgery to have him fixed up. Yet they still let him run loose. And he’s not a nice cat, either. He does not like people or other animals. I have tried to shoo him away a million times. He has scratched me. He comes after me when I get the hose to spray at him since a simple ‘Shoo’ doesn’t work. Aggressive little bastard. He has scratched my fenced in dog. He pees and poops in our flowerbeds and causes one of our more territorial indoor cats to lose his shit if he sees him through the windows. I have had to swerve to avoid hitting him a street down from us.
  
  Like I said, I don’t mind kitties being outdoors occasionally, but keep an eye on them and keep them in your own domain. I have enough of my own animals, I don’t need your animals in my yard.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 3:50 am rating: 90
- #8.3 Chesire cat
  
  WMDKitty: yes the dog should be contained. No argument there. But so should the damn cat. Two wrongs don’t make a right.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 6:34 am rating: 90
- #8.4 unholyghost2003
  
  WMDKitty, as Jezzy said, sounds like the dog WAS fenced in. The Cat entered the Dog Owner’s fenced in yard and was almost killed for its trouble. If MY dog was in MY fenced in yard and killed YOUR cat, I would feel sorry for you, I don’t like to see pets die, but you get a big FUCK YOU, it shouldn’t have been in my yard.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 10:52 am rating: 90
- #8.5 Morgaine
  
  We have two dogs and three cats. All of our cats are indoor only, and the dogs get walked twice a day and as much outdoor time in the fenced in backyard time as they want (as long as we are home). They get along with our cats but I wouldn’t guarantee that if a neighbor’s cat entered our yard they wouldn’t kill it. They are natural born-hunters and have killed birds, squirrels, rabbits, mice and moles. Cats are a little bigger and probably would put up a better fight, but I am fairly certain my dogs would win. And I don’t want to have to clean up someone elses dead cat. Even if my dogs killed it.
  
  We also have foxes in our neighborhood, and I have seen one large fox chase a cat across our yard in the middle of the night (not my cat, ours were all very happily asleep inside). Cats should stay indoors unless you watch them.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 12:40 pm rating: 90
- #8.6 Canthz_B
  
  WMDKitty, are you saying that dog owners need to be more responsible pet owners than cat owners?
  
  Cathy said “when i looked through the fence,I saw a terrified cat running for its life, followed by my neighbor’s dog.”
  
  That means the dog was fenced in!
  
  My feelings on the matter are that ALL pet owners should be responsible for their pets.
  A dog owner can fence his dog inside his yard. Cats can easily climb fences, so, in my humble opinion, cat owners need to exercise a greater degree of diligence over their pets to ensure their safety outdoors.
  
  Lots of cat owners here have expressed their concern for their cats’ freedom, very few have voiced much concern about their safety.
  
  Isn’t that odd?
  
  A dog owner can keep his dog fenced in, but he cannot stop a free-ranging cat from climbing his fence and getting a severe case of dead.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 8:12 pm rating: 90
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#9 Goldie

I like how the owner apparently did not know that the cat was a he not a she. Given that it’s an intact cat, you’d think there’d be telltale signs.

Feb 6, 2011 at 5:44 pm rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #9.1 easily distracted
  
  Between this and the fact that the ‘owner’ apparently took a few weeks to miss the cat I have to wonder if this wasn’t so much a pet as a random stray someone occasionally put food out for.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 7:26 pm rating: 90
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#10 lulz

That letter hurts my brain. I have the feeling it was written by an eight year old or a eighty year old.

Feb 6, 2011 at 5:46 pm rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #10.1 Flaboy2425
  
  Hey, don’t knock us eighty-year-olds. Most of us can use either correct, or at least passable, language skills.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 7:16 am rating: 90
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#11 Cyn

Where I live, it’s actually illegal to let your cats run free. My neighbor has 14 cats + who knows how many kittens; they crap in my yard, harass my dogs, and generally make a nuisance of themselves. I know I could call Animal Control, but I don’t want to be the douchebag who does that because despite these problems, the cats appear to be well cared-for. Except, you know, the spay/neuter thing, and the fact that they keep multiplying.

Feb 6, 2011 at 5:47 pm rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #11.1 smartypants
  
  Honestly, you should call the authorities. The person may have an animal hording problem and though the animals “seem” well taken care of, if they are allowed to run free like that they could have a myriad of diseases, not to mention they are breeding like rabbits.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 6:35 pm rating: 90
- #11.2 Clumber
  
  Cyn, if your authorities are as funds-strapped as ours are these days – there are motion-sensitive sprinklers for just exactly this sort of issue. A friend of mine was sick of their young kids’ sandbox being their neighbor’s cats’ litterbox so they put these around their yard’s perimeter. Apparently the first few days are worth taking the day off for as far as entertainment value. And their kids play in their sandbox again.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 8:24 am rating: 90
- #11.3 sofia
  
  I had a neighbor down the street who I thought had about 4 or 5 cats. They seemed dirty and unkempt, and one had a broken leg. It turns out, she was a cat hoarder. I called animal control, and the next day she was in the paper because she had SIXTY SEVEN (67!!! 67!!!!!!) cats in various crates in her tiny 1200 sq foot house. Call animal control!!!!
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 2:13 pm rating: 90
- #11.4 Clumber
  
  THE NEXT DAY??!?! Hell, as of the last 2 or 3 years here animal control won’t even drive by unless you swear that there is a pack of dogs currently mauling a small child… in a crosswalk… with expired boat tags,.. while drinking Four Lokos.
  
  And this they announced loudly at the time. They are down to 1.5 FTE weekdays only. “Y’all are on your own” basically.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 2:24 pm rating: 91
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#12 Megan

I have a cat but he’s 100% indoor. I am tired of tending to my outdoor plants and finding nothing but crap from my neighbor’s “outdoor cat”. An outdoor cat…seriously? It’s a neighborhood nuisance. Cats belong inside…even if that place happens to be “kitty jail”.

Feb 6, 2011 at 5:57 pm rating: 90

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- #12.1 Jen
  
  Ground up orange peels mixed with water. They hate it.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 6:42 pm rating: 90
- #12.2 VerityBrown
  
  I keep my cats indoors (despite having a half-acre yard on the edge of town) because I have a d-bag neighbor who shoots at cats. But my yard is full of free-roaming cats from the other side of the neighborhood, and I NEVER have problems with cat poop. It’s been my experience that cats who leave poop uncovered do so in order to send a “message” to the person who is most likely to find it. Anytime I hear someone complain about cats pooping in their yard, I have to ask myself what they did to make the cat in question hate them.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 9:09 pm rating: 90
- #12.3 Chesire cat
  
  Thats bullshit. Cats are assholes. Sometimes all it takes to piss a cat off is dare to shoo it off your outdoor furniture or your car. Oh how DARE I make it leave my property?!
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 6:35 am rating: 90
- #12.4 Other Julie
  
  “Anytime I hear someone complain about cats pooping in their yard, I have to ask myself what they did to make the cat in question hate them.”
  
  WTF are you talking about? Cats are not humans, they do not possess the same emotions we do. Cats don’t poop in someone’s yard because they “hate them”, they do it because they need to poop and that is where they are, or because they want to spread their scent markers around. Anyway, assuming human behaviors apply to cats, if I took a dump in your yard would you wonder what you did to piss me off or would you call the cops?
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 7:51 am rating: 90
- #12.5 Adriana
  
  I have owned cats all my life – some outdoor, some indoor/outdoor, and some strictly indoor – and I can say this: cats are safer inside, but they are happier outside, and usually less neurotic.
  
  If you have a happy indoor cat, that’s great, but I suspect your cat is like mine – a fairly affectionate, slightly to severely neurotic cat who sleeps most of the day and spends his waking hours looking out windows and engaging in structured playtime sessions with you, at least when you have time for him because you work and have a social life. His idea of adventure is going through your grocery bags, smelling your shoes that have been outside, and discovering the perfect sleeping spot.
  
  The indoor vs. outdoor debate is really a quantity of life vs. quality of life debate. My cat has a great life. He’s fed well, he’s loved, he’s safe and he’s warm, but he’s bored even though I try to play with him whenever I am home. He’ll likely live a very long, very monotonous life.
  
  Not every cat should go outside. Some have health problems, some are too emotional to handle the stress, and some live in dangerous areas; however, if you live in a pretty safe area (light traffic, somewhat remote without a lot of wildlife or roaming dogs) and you take your cat to the vet regularly, then letting your cat outside may not be the worst decision ever.
  
  For the record, all my indoor/outdoor cats lived just as long as my indoor cats. You can responsibly let your cat outside, but there are risks. Just know the risks and do everything you can to minimize them should you let your cat outside.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 9:20 am rating: 91
- #12.6 Chesire cat
  
  What about the risks of pissing off your neighbors? I always ask people that act like they are so polite and have roaming cats…what would you do if a neighbor came to you and told you that they do not want your cat on their property? Would you start keeping the cat indoors? Would you ignore the neighbors? Would you get pissed they dare not love your cat even if they have valid reasons for not wanting the cat in their yard? Just curious because everytime I have asked someone nicely to keep their cat out of my yard I get met with assholerly.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 9:45 am rating: 90
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#13 DS

Where I live, it is unheard of to force your cat to stay inside. You Americans are weird.

Feb 6, 2011 at 5:58 pm rating: 91

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- #13.1 BunnyDee
  
  We use soap and deodorant too. We are insane.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 6:06 pm rating: 91
- #13.2 Canthz_B
  
  Aren’t the words “domesticated” and “domicile” related?
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 6:52 pm rating: 90
- #13.3 DS
  
  I assume you keep your cats inside because you want them to be a bunch of fatties just like their owners.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 7:01 pm rating: 91
- #13.4 Canthz_B
  
  Wow, a fat American joke! How original.
  You know, studies show an increase in obesity rates worldwide, right?
  
  All Americans are as fat as I must be…right?
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 7:30 pm rating: 90
- #13.5 Hele
  
  I assume that you don’t have coyotes, foxes and owls in your neighborhood? Every time we hear the yowling outside, we turn to the cats and say “That’s why you’re indoor cats”.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 7:32 pm rating: 90
- #13.6 anglophile
  
  Well, asshole, I keep my cats inside so they are not eaten by coyotes, run over by a car, infested with fleas, infected by disease, or poisoned by some creep. I think a little plumpness is a good trade-off.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 7:40 pm rating: 90
- #13.7 thursdaynext
  
  Ditto to that, the only cats I know of that are kept indoors are those with low immunity.
  
  And seeing how my cat has behaved since she was born whenever she has to stay in, I’m going to go ahead and say it’s cruel to keep them indoors.
  
  We do have foxes here, and cars, but most cats are smart enough to avoid the cars, and I’ve never heard of a cat being killed by a fox.
  
  Edited to add: I’d agree with the neutering though.
  Stops them wandering off, and makes them less aggressive as well as not making a kitten problem.
  
  Our village wouldn’t be the same without cats roaming the streets, everyone knows them and (at least roughly) where they live.
  Keeps the rodent problem down too I guess.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 9:20 pm rating: 91
- #13.8 Canthz_B
  
  I suppose if you live in a quiet little village the cats aren’t run over by cars very often, but that has more to do with the speed limit for the cars than the intelligence level of the cats. The speed limit on my street is 40 MPH. Ever seen a cat hit 40 MPH? Didn’t think so.
  But I’ve seen a few hit at 40 MPH…not a pretty sight.
  
  If something happens to your cat because you didn’t provide for their safety, it’s your fault.
  
  If some kid ties a string to their tail and takes them for a whirlwind spin, it’s your fault.
  If someone who hates cats decides to poison a tin of tuna and put it out for your village-wanderer, it’s your fault that cat is dead, because their safety is your responsibility.
  
  Don’t see why you’d think kittens would be a problem if you like cats roaming your village. Where do you get replacement cats when yours die if you neuter them all, because buying a kitten to set loose on the town doesn’t sound like a wise investment.
  
  Yeah, “responsibility” is a good thing. Take some.
  
  Why should poor Old Lady Crabtree have to run her fingers through your cats’ piss and crap just to do her gardening?
  Why does my barbecue grill cover smell of cat spray when I don’t own a cat?
  Try being as considerate of your neighbors as you say you’re being of your damned cats.
  
  You don’t put your cats out because it makes them happier, you put them out so you don’t have to clean up after them. That’s the bottom line. You get a pet, but don’t have to do any of the work that’s supposed to come with being a pet owner.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 9:44 pm rating: 90
- #13.9 Smedrick
  
  You all sound fat.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 5:52 am rating: 90
- #13.10 Chesire cat
  
  Oh BURN! You are a moron. So because we don’t think cats should be able to bother random neighbors or are safe outside somehow we are all fat? Well I’m not fat and I think cats belong inside.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 6:40 am rating: 90
- #13.11 DS
  
  That’s why Americans use so much soap and deodorant. To get rid of the fat people smell.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 6:46 am rating: 91
- #13.12 the Librarian
  
  Sniff, sniff. You smell pretty good, too, DS. Sort of like a Summer’s Eve.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 8:10 am rating: 91
- #13.13 Canthz_B
  
  America haters have a point. We’re always getting involved in world affairs.
  Tell you what…next time the world is about to go to hell in a hand basket, leave us out of it. See how your next world war goes, because we have our asses covered. Do you?
  Smug is nice and all, but how smug can you be if Winston Churchill had to come begging hat-in-hand to FDR for American aid?
  Just say “Thank You” and move along, your former colonies saved your fucking bacon (overpaid, over sexed and over there…to save your islands from the Nazis)…just like all those Indian troops did in Burma.
  Your biggest triumph of the war was Dunkirk. A brilliant retreat if there ever was one. If you call leaving almost half of your men and all of your heavy equipment behind without destroying it a triumph.
  You don’t see the US casting Pearl Harbor as a win. We admit Japan kicked our ass that day, and for the next few months too.
  Tell us again about the Great British Berlin Airlift…no wait…that was the US that had the might and ability to pull that off, not “Great” Britain.
  Hell, you lost a ship of the line in the Falklands War…to fucking Argentina!!
  
  Damned second-rate power clinging to delusions of grandeur.
  
  @Nunavut Guy #13.15…So many good people from many countries who are Americans and not obese, we should keep that out of our petty bickering as well.
  Every country has obese people because people come in all shapes and sizes.
  I’ve heard of Finland, but where is this hidden country called Thinland again? You know, the country where every citizen is fit and trim?
  
  They call us all fat, and I’ll call them all wimps. Childish, untrue, but fun!
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 12:58 pm rating: 90
- #13.14 Zra
  
  I live with 4 indoor cats. Only one is mine. Most of them, while well fed, aren’t fat. One is, but he’s a large cat in general even if he IS fat. (We think he’s part Maine Coon, size of paws, his height, and his coloring and fur thickness.)
  
  These cats very playful (the youngest is 4 or 5, and mine’s the oldest at nearly 12), I’m the one that gets tired of playing first, they play with each other, and while they do sleep alot and enjoy looking outside, they by no means freak out for not being allowed outside.
  
  Growing up, my mom allowed our cats outside regularly. I can’t recall a single one that made it to 5 years old. Cars, sickness, etc. Moved and trained our new cat to a leash on the clothesline out back. Or we were outside with the cat. Sadly he still escaped (hit by a car, got better, didn’t learn lesson, escaped, this time the car won) but we decided to be even MORE mindful when allowing the next cat out. She died of old age (16 or 17) and was probably smarter than the other cat (he was named “Stu” as in “Stupid” for a reason) since she also escaped on rare occasion for an hour or so at a time, her being the first to even reach that age in my family to my recolation I think is testament to the “keep your cat inside and watch/restrain it if you must let it out” method of care.
  
  And I’m 105 lbs. Oh noes, another fat American!
  
  (I can’t comprehend how people can allow themselves to get so big–those without medical issues adding to the issue that is–but I hate the “ALL” part of the stereotype. It’s like saying I don’t exist! But as I’m also part Native American–Cheif Little Turtle is a great great something great Uncle of mine and it’d documented as well–of a tribe that had it’s national recognition removed long ago because half our tribe didn’t relocate to Oklahoma so we don’t count to them anymore, I’m a bit used to it. Indiana recognizes us, at least, and we’ve had reunions for over 100 years now, so I guess I’ll just deal.)
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 4:10 pm rating: 90
- #13.15 Nunavut Guy
  
  So many good people from many countries died in WW2.We should keep that brave and tragic piece of history out of our petty bickering.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 9:10 pm rating: 91
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#14 JJ

Should anybody really be surprised that a person who doesn’t have the sense of responsibility to keep his/her cat inside (or at least fit for a collar that doesn’t fall off) wouldn’t be able to save $50?

Feb 6, 2011 at 5:58 pm rating: 90

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#15 Karen

Cats belong indoors. They kill birds and it’s not good for the cat regardless if you live in a quiet neighborhood. Not to mention the fact that there’s no way to keep the cat on your own property and it’s not fair to your neighbors.

Feb 6, 2011 at 6:00 pm rating: 91

reply to this comment
- #15.1 Ponytail
  
  What if every single one of my neighbours has cats ? We were the last house to get cats in my street and actually took in a neighbour’s cats when she left rather suddenly. And why isn’t killing birds good for cats ?
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 10:47 am rating: 90
- #15.2 unholyghost2003
  
  it isn’t that killing birds isn’t good for cats (though it CAN be bad for them … since birds carry fleas, ticks, lice, and worms) it is that cats killing birds is bad for the birds … and people LIKE the birds.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 11:01 am rating: 90
- #15.3 Chesire cat
  
  Exactly. If I take my hard earned money and buy a nice birdfeeder, then take time out of my day to install said bird feeder, then buy bird food with my hard earned money to go into said bird feeder that means I obviously want to peacefully gaze at the pretty birdies coming to eat at my bird feeder.
  
  Now imagine my horror and anger when a fucking cat stalks and murders a poor bird at my bird feeder right before my eyes. Yeah….. Of course that is going to piss me the fuck off.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 12:09 pm rating: 91
- #15.4 sofia
  
  I actually hate birds. They crap on my car. Also they wake me up way too early in the spring.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 2:18 pm rating: 90
- #15.5 Cake Train
  
  “I take my hard earned money and buy a nice birdfeeder”
  
  I don’t actually own any cats… I just bought a “catfeeder” because I like watching the cats that are attracted to it on my back porch.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 3:18 pm rating: 90
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#16 liddy

I have 2 indoor cats that are neutered and visit the vet annually. They are healthy and happy. There are a neighborhood of cats that run free, use my flower gardens as llitter boxes and poison my soil . I can’t leave my windows open as they also fight with my cats through the screens and tear up the screens. They also “mark” their territory on my lawn furniture and leave that foul smell to this day I have not been able to completely remove. I have taken to calling the pound because I am sick of it.

Feb 6, 2011 at 6:13 pm rating: 90

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#17 Tracy

While I agree with you guys- cats are best kept indoors and safe.. there are occasions when an “outdoor cat” joins your family. If you take one in, you will rarely succeed in keeping it indoors 100% of the time. Believe me. I know. Once they know “outside” is fascinating, there’s no keeping them in. 8 years ago my cat apparently belonged to 2 other ppl, also.

Feb 6, 2011 at 6:16 pm rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #17.1 SueB
  
  I know what you mean Tracy. But the problem with that is you actually become legally liable if the cat causes a problem and people trace it to you. If it’s destructive, bites somebody, or picks a fight through a screen like the one liddy mentions, then you could be the one sued for paying for repairs.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 6:22 pm rating: 90
- #17.2 Canthz_B
  
  Cats don’t “join your family”. You foolishly take a stray cat in, mostly because you think you know what’s best for the cute kitty which wants nothing to do with you.
  That’s why they rip your furniture to shreds.
  Cats are not people. They don’t feel gratitude for what you think is a kindness you’ve done them by “taking them into your family”.
  
  Don’t fool yourself. If 8 years ago 2 other households thought they owned “your cat”, none of you owned it…it owned you. You didn’t have a cat, you had an occasional visitor.
  
  Leave feral cats outdoors and, if you want to own a cat, try buying one at your local pet store and keeping it indoors from day one.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 6:57 pm rating: 90
- #17.3 nobody
  
  Oh good grief @17.1, nobody is suing anybody over a cat. It’s a cat, not a rotweiler.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 11:02 pm rating: 90
- #17.4 Canthz_B
  
  Let that little bag of fur scratch me or my kid, and I’d sue the pants off’n ya!
  
  Let him get into someone’s chicken coop, and see what happens.
  
  You lets them loose, you takes your chances.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 11:16 pm rating: 91
- #17.5 WMDKitty
  
  @CB — good to know you’re a cat-hater. Oh, and it’s a commonly known fact that you don’t “take in” cats… they adopt you.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 1:20 am rating: 90
- #17.6 Canthz_B
  
  I don’t hate cats, I’ve had cats, but I prefer dogs.
  
  Cats are cool, I like them. Cat-people can be weird sometimes though.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 1:32 am rating: 90
- #17.7 Janellionaire
  
  I became the owner of an indoor/outdoor cat a few years ago, not through adopting a stray, but because my grandparents could no longer adequately care for her, and were going to remove the “indoor” part of her title. She’s kind of old herself, and I didn’t like the idea of her not having a warm corner to sleep in, so I offered to keep her at my house. So yes, sometimes cats do “join your family” and trying to keep a previously outdoor cat in is an exercise in futility. I know she’s at risk from cars, dogs, annoyed neighbors, etc. but it’s what she’s always been used to.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 4:47 am rating: 90
- #17.8 Chesire cat
  
  If a cat scratched me or my kid you are damn right I would sue and call the cops. Just like I did when a roaming dog bit me and another one mauled my leg with its uncut nails. What is it with crazy cat people? They think cats can do no wrong. Cats are assholes in general and especially mean cats can do plenty of damage.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 6:42 am rating: 90
- #17.9 Nerdette
  
  There are plenty of groups that rescue feral cat colonies. We adopted our two kittens from a rescue group, and while they have a natural curiosity about the outdoors, there have been no mad endeavorers to regain the non-indoor wilderness.
  
  Unless you want a specific breed, I highly recommend adopting from a rescue group or shelter.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 7:08 am rating: 90
- #17.10 unholyghost2003
  
  Let me introduce you crazy indoor/outdoor cat people to a concept we dog owners have known about for a long time: it is called a lead, a tie-out, or a run. http://www.petco.com/Shop/SearchResults.aspx?Nav=1&N=0&Ntt=Tie-Outs
  
  clip one of these to Mr. Mittens’ collar (the puppy or small dog size should be good) and the other end to a stake or aerial run and your kitty can have super awesome (supervised) outdoors playtime w/o leaving your yard or harassing your neighbors.
  
  For Christ’s Sake! 99.9% of dog owners don’t keep their dogs inside 100% of the time, yet the vast majority of us also don’t let our dogs leave our property/control. How do you think we do it? Dog owner voodoo?
  
  Oh, and @nobody … my Rott mix is a sweet and lovely girl. Don’t disparage her. She doesn’t bite, I do.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 11:20 am rating: 90
- #17.11 sofia
  
  @Canthz B
  “That’s why they rip your furniture to shreds.”
  You are dumb and know nothing about cats. They scratch because it’s like clipping toenails to them. They need to keep their claws short so they don’t get caught and pulled (like how I don’t want my fingernails ripping my sweater because they’re too long or unkempt?). Dogs are way worse. They chew up your clothes and shoes to spite you if they don’t like something. Cats only do things to send a message that YOU are doing something wrong.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 2:21 pm rating: 90
- #17.12 unholyghost2003
  
  Uh my dog has never chewed up my clothes or shoes … that said, I am unclear about the distinction you are making sofia. You say that dogs chew up your clothes and shoes to spite you if they don’t like something about their living situation, i.e. how they are being cared for … and then you suggest that cats are totally different because Cats only do things (presumably like shitting in your shoes, scratching up the furniture, shredding your sweaters) to send a message that YOU are doing something wrong regarding their care. What was your point again?
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 2:38 pm rating: 90
- #17.13 Ark
  
  @ Sophia
  
  I’ve had 3 dogs in my life thus far. None of them has ever chewed up clothing or shoes because they “didn’t like” something. We did have one dog chew through a wall because he accidentally got closed in the bathroom, but that’s completely understandable.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 4:18 pm rating: 90
- #17.14 Canthz_B
  
  sophia, buy a fucking clue. The part about them tearing furniture to shreds was a joke…but if cats only do bad things to your stuff to show you that they think you’ve done something wrong, then is it not within the realm of possibility that your cat may do a number on your furniture just to teach you a lesson?
  
  Food for thought, no?
  
  I’ve had cats, I’m not “dumb” about the issue. I know quite a bit about living in a home owned by felines.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 6:54 pm rating: 90
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#18 SueB

I grew up in the country and now live in a small city, and it’s just not ok to leave cats outside unattended if you care about them at all. The barn cats that our neighbors had were always sickly and didn’t live long. Unaltered cats make tons of babies that also grow up wild and sickly, if they grow up at all. If you absolutely must leave your cat outside (can’t think of a good reason, but…) then you should have it microchipped so at least when it’s lost or picked up for being loose or biting people or because it got cut up after sleeping on someone’s engine, you might have a chance of recovering it. If you can’t keep better track of it and you can’t even afford the $50 to take it out of the pound, then you can’t really afford a pet and don’t deserve one. I just had to pay nearly $200 for my two little monsters, and they’re healthy! Just like kids, sometimes you have to sacrifice, and if you really can’t manage it then the critter is better off where it is, and maybe someone who will really watch out for it will adopt and love it.

Feb 6, 2011 at 6:19 pm rating: 90

reply to this comment
#19 Tracy

And yes- she got hit by a car. I found out when her “other owners” asked me if I was taking her in also. They wanted to help her but wasn’t sure who she belonged to. She lost her tail, but lived.

I now have 2 cats from shelters that have never seen outside and have no desire to do so. We are all much happier.

Feb 6, 2011 at 6:23 pm rating: 90

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#20 Na

Don’t they have computer chips? Here we have collars AND computer chips in their ears, in case their collars come off.

Feb 6, 2011 at 6:34 pm rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #20.1 smartypants
  
  What makes you think they can afford chipping their cat if they can’t even post the $50 bail?
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 6:39 pm rating: 90
- #20.2 Canthz_B
  
  My car doesn’t read computer chips.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 7:00 pm rating: 90
- #20.3 FeRD
  
  @Na: …What do you do if their ears come off?
  
  (I’m only half-kidding; I’ve seen plenty of cats that came out of a fight minus one ear. It doesn’t seem like the most reliable place to put a tracking chip!)
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 8:03 pm rating: 90
- #20.4 Chinchillazilla
  
  My cats’ chips are between their shoulderblades. I think that’s usually where they’re put, actually.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 10:37 pm rating: 90
- #20.5 Clumber
  
  Between shoulder blades is typical for cats, dogs, ferrets, and rats. These I have all personally observed being done. Chipping can cost under $25 if you catch a chipping clinic at the local shelter or petstore. If you adopt from some rescue groups (or from me) the critter comes to you already chipped.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 8:29 am rating: 90
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#21 KP

Much like everything else, it depends on the personality of the animal. I have two indoor/outdoor cats, both of whom are collared, vaccinated, and safe outdoors. They never go near the street, because I trained them. They don’t go in neighbor’s yards. Because I trained them. They poop in the outdoor litterbox. Because I trained them. They *love* going outdoors to sit on the porch and watch the birds, and I would never deny them that, particularly since they’ve never caused me an ounce of trouble, and have only been sweet and wonderful additions to my family.

So keep your criticisms for irresponsible owners like this idiot, rather than those of us who work to make sure their cats *can* be outside by working on their behavior.

Feb 6, 2011 at 6:39 pm rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #21.1 Clumber
  
  You know what sucks?!! On the aforementioned (5.1) rare occasion outside our damn cats will run back into the house to use the litterbox. That is how domesticated the damn things are… they don’t even consider pooping outside (in our yard).
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 8:31 am rating: 90
- #21.2 Ark
  
  Then you’re an awesome cat owner. Most of the complaints here have been levied against the assholes who want a pet but don’t want to be bothered with the training and cleaning, so they concoct some bullshit story about cats “NEEDING TO BE FREEEEE” to excuse any problems brought about by their irresponsible behavior.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 4:22 pm rating: 90
add to this thread
#22 tammy

How would you like it if someone locked you up in your home and never allowed you to see the light of day? These are ANIMALS folks, it is only natural for them to be outdoors. If you live in a place where there is too much traffic or a coyote problem, you shouldn’t get a cat.
There are exceptions to this but really, why get a pet just to imprison it? Get some fish, people.

On the other hand, people should realize that pets can be expensive and if you let them outside, someone might take them in. Make sure your pets are neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. Chipping is only about $30 and cannot be lost like a collar.

Feb 6, 2011 at 6:39 pm rating: 91

reply to this comment
- #22.1 Mama Wrench
  
  Because domestic cats were bred specifically to be just that: DOMESTIC. You can’t take an animal out of its natural environment, breed it to live around human beings and survive and thrive in a domestic setting, then change its original environment to be human-accommodating, and then say it’s “wrong” to keep it from its “natural environment.” Domestic cats’ predecessors never had to deal with the kinds of threats domesticated felines are exposed to in “the great outdoors.”
  
  It’s not about imprisonment, it’s about keeping your animal from getting sick or killed, and being smart about your pet.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 6:49 pm rating: 90
- #22.2 anglophile
  
  I suppose you let your goldfish swim in the local stream from time to time, tammy?
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 7:46 pm rating: 90
- #22.3 Canthz_B
  
  Nemo?
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 8:16 pm rating: 90
- #22.4 kitty
  
  The light of day comes in through my windows.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 7:35 pm rating: 90
add to this thread
#23 Resa

Cat’s “belong” indoors? Seriously?

As long as your cat isn’t a nuisance, I’m not going to tell you what to do it except to get it fixed. There are enough free and low-cost programs out there that you have no excuse.

If you keep your cat inside, you’ll keep them safe from dogs, other cats, coyotes and cars. Your cat will likely live longer. On the flip side, outdoor cats are happier, more active and consequently healthier during their short lives than my fat indoor cat who lies around the house 20 hours a day sleeping.

Feb 6, 2011 at 7:00 pm rating: 91

reply to this comment
- #23.1 Canthz_B
  
  Fat cats are over-fed cats. Don’t blame your cat’s sleeping habits for your poor pet-parenting. Your cat’s sleeping habits are the result of your poor pet-parenting.
  
  When I was a cat owner, mine were active, alert, playful, sleek indoor cats.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 7:31 pm rating: 90
- #23.2 Chesire Cat
  
  My best friend has 3 indoor only cats. One is skinny, one is normal sized and one is super fat. So there you go. I think it has more to do with the cats genetics and temperment that whether or not you let them outside or not. She has taken care of all three of them exactly the same way and has them from every category. They are all very healthy and well cared for. They refuse to try to even go outside because it terrifies them. They are happy being inside.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 11:13 pm rating: 90
- #23.3 Clumber
  
  DAMMIT CB!!! ARRRRRGH!!!! I hate that term!
  
  bangs head on desk until sweet, sweet unconsciousness comes…
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 8:34 am rating: 90
- #23.4 Canthz_B
  
  What? Pet-parenting? Yeah, it sucks, but some folks think their pets are their children. Sad commentary on the human condition, huh?.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 12:44 pm rating: 90
- #23.5 Clumber
  
  Everyone is going to be looking for the thumbs-down icon, but what I always tell these “they are just like MY CHILDREN” Fluffheads is this. “No they are not at all like your children. Here is a difference. If my dog bites your child, unprovoked, I will euthanize my dog. If your child bites my dog, unprovoked, you will not do the same. See? They are not the same as your children.”
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 2:27 pm rating: 90
- #23.6 Clumber
  
  And yes, I want applause from everyone for not mentioning that my dogs are better behaved than your children are. That’s too easy (and obvious) an argument. I prefer making points that leave a bitter taste in your ear.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 2:28 pm rating: 90
- #23.7 unholyghost2003
  
  In some places (including the major US city I live in) if your kid comes on to my property and attacks my dog I am fully with in my rights to euthanize (read: SHOOT) your child. I *probably* wont shoot your kid, but dogs are considered property and attacking my dog is causing property damage. You can bet your ass that I will be calling the cops and filing a complaint about Jr causing property damage and being guilty of animal cruelty. THEN, unless you willingly pony up for any vet costs and sign a document saying you are aware you were/are liable for any vet costs resulting from your hell spawn attacking my dog, you can bet I will sue you and your demon child for my vet costs.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 2:55 pm rating: 90
- #23.8 Zra
  
  Fat cats are a result of over feeding and owners not taking responsibility for it. They don’t get extra calories from breathing and sleeping. If a cat is less active, the owner should either play with it more, or feed it less.
  
  It has nothing to do with environment and everything to do with responsible and healthy pet owndership.
  
  Which is why my roommate has one FAT cat, another on it’s way (she’s thankfully a picky eater otherwise she’d be fatter) and a Siamese who is hyper active high strung noise maker who would be fat if he wasn’t so busy driving us insane demanding to be played with ALL THE TIME. My cat, she’s not fat at all and is deathly afraid of the outside world (and change in general–she fled my room when I moved the bed a few inches over and put a new rug under it–but she came to me full grown with these issues), and perfectly happy and healthy with her indoor lifestyle. Well, as long as the other cats don’t enter her room too often.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 4:23 pm rating: 90
- #23.9 Clumber
  
  Unholyghost03 – Just up the freeway a piece from where I live, 2 dogs were just euthanized by animal control (different county) for SITTING ON a neighbor kid (12 years old, IIRC) when he propped up a garbage can in the alley to climb over their fence, into the dogs’ yard. While the owners were home and visible in the front yard.
  
  They were of a breed that generally don’t bite, but instead prevent said intruder from leaving without the owner’s okay. Kid punched and kicked to leave, dogs upped resistance until owners noticed. I believe the child had only minor injuries. The dogs are quite dead.
  
  If that truly is the law where you live — and I don’t mean to sound as if I don’t believe you, I am just astounded such a place exists and am skeptical of internet facts — I am dying to know if it has ever been test-cased in any way.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 4:45 pm rating: 90
- #23.10 unholyghost2003
  
  Clumber, that is nothing short of disgusting. I am not certain if a situation specifically like the one I described has been tested in court at all around here. I DO know for a fact that 1. under the law dogs are part of your private property and under our castle doctrine laws you are allowed to protect yourself and your property from threat and destruction with use of deadly force (this includes shooting would be car thieves even if you are not in the car at the time) 2. that if your dog attacks someone on your property animal control will investigate but will NOT automatically put the animal down. If it is determined that the animal was provoked in any way (even if it was just children screaming and playing too rough) it is left as a matter between you and your insurance provider as to if you keep the dog, put it down, or re-home it (while stipulating to the new owners that it had previously bitten someone).
  I also know that in Kentucky if someone is on your property, threatening your property or damaging it (in this case, again, your dogs are property) you can shoot them.
  
  What it comes down to is, both where I live and in Kentucky, trespassers who you deem to be a threat to yourself or your property can be shot on sight. Since dogs are property, if your kid comes into my yard and attacks my dog I can shoot your kid for being a threatening trespasser. Common sense is required for this to work, if you are walking with your 5 year old and he sees me out in the yard with my dog, runs up and pulls her ears and tail in an attempt to “pet the puppy” I am not going to shoot your kid. I will explain HOW to pet a puppy and that you should never run up to a strange dog (and throw in some “Bad parent!” dirty looks for free) but your teen runs into my yard and attacks my dog? I am going to be prepared to shoot his ass. I have no way of knowing if he is trying to silence her in preparation for a home invasion or if he is just a creepy little fuck. Either way he is trespassing and damaging my property.
  
  It is worth noting that since cats and dogs are an extension of you/your property if THEY trespass on someone else’s property THEY can be shot on sight … so keep your pets under your control at all times, lest they get shot as trespassers!
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 5:27 pm rating: 90
- #23.11 Canthz_B
  
  Lock and load, UHG!
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 6:48 pm rating: 90
add to this thread
#24 Jess Sain

What happened to this site? It used to be full of funny comments. No F***in delicious cats? No notes from Sandra? No haiku or fake “Stray Cat Strut” lyrics? Not even a pussy pun?
Oh, PAN, why have you forsaken me?

Feb 6, 2011 at 7:35 pm rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #24.1 aaa
  
  Much like in life, there are certain topics which suck the funny right the fuck out of the site, such as indoor vs outdoor cats, tipping, being vegetarian, and fecal mist. You just have to ride out the “I MUST LET EVERYONE KNOW MY OPINION EVEN IF I HAVE NEVER COMMENTED ON THIS SITE BEFORE AND DON’T PLAN ON COMMENTING HERE AGAIN” and wait for the next post to happen. Or make a funny comment or two. Not everyone feels like spewing humor when they’re in the SRS BZNSS DEBATE mode.
  But thanks for reminding me about the haiku comments. I haven’t bothered with them in a while.
  
  EDIT: Cool kids comment before they read other people’s comments that say the same basic thing. I DO WHAT I WANT.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 12:48 pm rating: 90
- #24.2 unholyghost2003
  
  aaa,
  You do what you want? You wouldn’t happen to be a cat would you?
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 4:28 pm rating: 90
- #24.3 Sean Jungian
  
  Also, food allergy “sufferers”. Verrrrry serious biz.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 5:06 pm rating: 90
- #24.4 aaa
  
  Fuck cats, I’m better than cats. I’m like David Fucking Bowie. And by David Bowie, I mean Jareth. He does what he wants and gets to wear obscenely tight pants/leggings/grey colored flesh.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 7:25 pm rating: 90
add to this thread
#25 jewelseven

I used to read PAN only for the hilarious comments. What happened to those?

Feb 6, 2011 at 7:36 pm rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #25.1 Canthz_B
  
  I dunno, try making one or two.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 7:38 pm rating: 90
- #25.2 Jess Sain
  
  I’ll try, but you’re the master.
  
  She ot to bot seven, I reckon.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 7:47 pm rating: 90
- #25.3 Canthz_B
  
  Try starting with a burlap sack, some kittens and a moderately deep stream.
  I’m sure you’ll come up with something!
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 7:56 pm rating: 90
- #25.4 Clumber
  
  I think you need rocks in the sack, too. I can go find some if you’d like the help?
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 8:35 am rating: 90
- #25.5 Sean Jungian
  
  Don’t leave it to chance: cinderblock. Does the trick EVERY time.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 5:08 pm rating: 90
add to this thread
#26 jewelseven

Jess Sain, you beat me to the comment, seriously people. This is the first time I’ve commented, bc untill now, I’ve not been worthy. Where did the F***n delicious commentators go?

Feb 6, 2011 at 7:38 pm rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #26.1 anglophile
  
  Be the change you wish to see in the world, jewel. Nobody pays the regulars to make the funny comments, you know. Jesus.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 7:50 pm rating: 90
- #26.2 JetJackson
  
  We don’t get paid for this!!? WTF!?
  
  Seriously I was counting on getting paid for some of this stuff… I guess my cat is going to have to suffer in Kitty Jail for another week.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 7:58 pm rating: 90
- #26.3 Farticus
  
  They got tired of Canthz_B and left.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 9:05 pm rating: 90
- #26.4 Canthz_B
  
  Then I’ve done this site a world of good, and it feels fucking delicious!
  
  I want my freakin’ check!
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 9:10 pm rating: 90
- #26.5 Jess Sain
  
  Anglophile, you sound like the man in the trench coat who gets angry at small children for watching him flash. He doesn’t get paid either. Yes, I’ll plead guilty to admiring wit and being a cyberlurker. I know I’m a benchwarmer at this site but I appreciate the varsity squad. Thumbs up to all of the regulars (and I don’t mean that in a dirty way, it’s a compliment).
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 11:40 pm rating: 90
- #26.6 Canthz_B
  
  Jess, all she’s saying is that if you want jokes, make some. We make them when we’re of a mood to. We are not clowns for hire, and we are not obliged to be funny every day for your enjoyment.
  
  The cat issue hits home for some of us. Some own cats, some have in the past. Some have lost beloved cats.
  
  Please forgive us for having serious opinions every now and again.
  
  Thank you.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 12:05 am rating: 90
- #26.7 Clumber
  
  Glo’s going to flash us??!!
  
  Awesome. I’ll just sit over here, phone camera at the ready. Rose? WotV? PG? You have a YouTube account we can post it to?
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 8:38 am rating: 90
- #26.8 unholyghost2003
  
  Jess, aww “not in a dirty way”? We LIKE it dirty.
  
  But yeah, as CB said and even kerry mentioned in the intro to this post … there are some topics like tipping and pet care that just get people’s dander up. (heh heh. That funny was a freebie, hence the poor quality) Be the change you want to see in the world! Not just because regular posters are not shills paid to entertain the masses but because one funny riff breeds more funny riffs (much like unaltered outdoor cats, I’ll be here all week!) so make a funny and sit back and watch the snarkgasm.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 11:34 am rating: 90
- #26.9 Canthz_B
  
  So glad I came home for lunch…”snarkgasm” is a definite add to my vocabulary!
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 12:39 pm rating: 90
add to this thread
#27 JetJackson

Where I live we shoot cats and prosecute anyone caught viewing lolcats. One day cats will be extinct, the world will be a better place and youtube will be able to halve their server capacity once the uploading of cat movies ceases.

Feb 6, 2011 at 7:55 pm rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #27.1 anglophile
  
  You’re a fool, Jet. You’ll only make room for the ascendancy of guinea pigs with their creepy whistling noises. And then we’ll have to hear how cruel it is to keep them in cages and shit.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 8:04 pm rating: 90
- #27.2 FeRD
  
  Related: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Internet Needs
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 8:07 pm rating: 90
- #27.3 Canthz_B
  
  Feral cats are a real problem though, so serious consideration should be given to making clothing for the needy out of them.
  We could call it “Coats and Hats Made of Cats for Humanity”!
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 8:35 pm rating: 90
add to this thread
#28 Tracy

Ok ay… here’s a funny. All you people complaining about cat’s “marking” on your yard? Try this. Go to the spot they are marking – dump some catnip in it. Watch them try to decide whether to piss on it or roll in it. In 2 weeks, they’ll never do it again.

Feb 6, 2011 at 8:06 pm rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #28.1 The Elf
  
  Maybe….. or you might get that cat there a lot on the off chance that there’s catnip around!
  
  Here’s a good environment and pet safe animal deterrent: Take some habeneros. Cut them up (wear gloves!) and put them in some vodka. Use rotgut vodka if you have no intention of drinking it, but use good vodka if you want a little fire water. Either way, after 2-3 weeks your deterrent is ready. Put it in a spray bottle, spray your problem area.
  
  Both cats and dogs have sensitive noses and neither wants anything to do with habeneros! It won’t work on my local deer, who developed a taste for hot peppers this past year.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 3:06 pm rating: 90
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#29 Liz

It’s called a ‘house-cat’ for a reason. Keep it in your house. I am tired of finding cat crap and dead bird parts in my yard because my irresponsible neighbors don’t keep their cats contained. Dogs aren’t suppose to run loose and neither should cats.

Feb 6, 2011 at 8:21 pm rating: 90

reply to this comment
#30 Jess Sain

“Must go to the front” the cat wishes
So outdoors she heads (where she pishes)
Then Whom comes around
Did he take her to the pound
Or was Pussy just f*cking delicious?

Feb 6, 2011 at 8:26 pm rating: 90

reply to this comment
#31 June Barcarole

I’m confused. You keep your dogs indoors and take them outside, letting them off-leash only for *supervised* playtime (or in a dog-run), you keep birds inside, pet rats, bunnies, ferrets and what-have-you, but somehow cats are the exception? If it’s cruel to keep cats indoors, isn’t it inherently cruel to even OWN other animals that are traditionally kept indoors?

Also, on the other big indoor/outdoor cat thread, some people mentioned their cats playing outdoors in an enclosure or on a leash. Isn’t that a much less risky compromise, and also more considerate of your neighbours?

Feb 6, 2011 at 10:28 pm rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #31.1 Canthz_B
  
  It’s not that cats are an exception.
  
  It’s that some cat people are, um…exceptional.
  
  “Special” people you might say!
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 10:50 pm rating: 90
- #31.2 BG
  
  I will note that cats are the only domesticated animal that were wholy solitary distance-hunters before domestication (as in, their ancestors hunted over large territories without sharing space with others). Also, they were bred for thousands of years to be outdoor barn cats and kill mice in grain, not to be pets living in close proximity with humans. This was okay as they breed prodigously and no one really cared if one or two died, not like a prize dog. So in that sense cats are uniquely suited to wandering.
  
  Assuming, that is, that your neighbors want to get rid of mice too and none of you care if the cat dies.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 2:21 pm rating: 90
- #31.3 Canthz_B
  
  See, and here I thought that cats were domesticated by the Egyptians and were revered and pampered almost as gods.
  Now I find out they were just domesticated to be barnyard workers.
  
  Makes me wonder though why they’d mummify barnyard animals.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 6:31 pm rating: 90
add to this thread
#32 Andie

I can’t believe someone above commented that people should buy a cat from a pet store. NO. That just encourages kitten mills and gives irresponsible owners a place to dump their unwanted, parasite infested castoffs. Adopt from a shelter please!!!

Also, my cat is a timid outdoor cat. Best thing EVAR. She won’t roam, doesn’t even need a bell collar cos she’s never caught a bird in her life and as soon as she hears a noise that isn’t me she bolts inside. Highly recommend it.

Feb 6, 2011 at 10:41 pm rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #32.1 Canthz_B
  
  Oh, get off it. Not all pet stores buy their stock from disreputable suppliers, and not every cat in a shelter is from some poor unfortunate family that just couldn’t keep her. They are just as likely to be an alley cat as to have come from a caring home.
  “Unwanted, parasite infested castoffs” are often just what shelters receive. That’s their mission, to save the lost, feral and stray ones. They just clean them up and give them to suckers.
  
  I’d take my chances buying a kitten from a pet store and raising it in my home to adulthood before I’d step foot into a shelter.
  Pedigrees and traceable bloodlines are still a good thing.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 10:54 pm rating: 90
- #32.2 karen
  
  actually, pedigreed cats are overbred, inbred, and have many more health problems than your average stray. Shelters do a health check, they ALSO neuter, deworm, and microchip for you. It’s a great deal… look into it.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 11:26 pm rating: 90
- #32.3 Cynta E.
  
  Puppy mills are puppy mills, period. There is no reason to breed more animals when they can be adopted from shelters or taken off the streets from the thousands of strays and litters left there each year as a result of the behavior of irresponsible or careless people who don’t ensure that cats, domestic or not, are spayed or neutered. I’ve had two former street cats for more than 11 years and it’s a lifelong, expensive commitment. The rascals still want to go out to the street but are not allowed. I’ve seen what damaged human cat-haters have done to their hapless victims, and I can understand why the note writer would turn to the comfort of his/her cat.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 11:32 pm rating: 90
- #32.4 Canthz_B
  
  Karen, please don’t overgeneralize. The vast majority of cat or dog bloodlines are not overly inbred. There are some that have crossed into the ridiculous, but not the vast majority.
  
  Take an environmentally safe, organic chill pill.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 12:18 am rating: 90
- #32.5 karen
  
  aren’t you overgeneralizing about shelter animals?
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 12:20 am rating: 90
- #32.6 Canthz_B
  
  Nope. They take any and all comers. That’s why they’re called shelters. They don’t shelter only the worthy. They don’t turn any needy animal away. Their mission is to save any and all that can be saved, regardless of where they come from or where they’ve been. Three legs? Fine. One blind eye? Good to go. If they can clean them up and get them into decent physical health, they’ll give them to you without a care as to their mental status. There’s always a bleeding heart out there to count on who’d rather care for a cat than a foster child.
  
  Adopt a potentially crazy cat if you’d like, but I’d take my chances at a pet store and purchase a kitten if I wanted one. And if I were to “adopt”, I’d opt for a human child.
  
  Didn’t I make that clear enough before?
  
  Okay, let’s say some of these people care about their cats’ happiness and love them as family members…would they let their 6 year-old child run loose in the streets all day without supervision, or would they say that would be unsafe for a child? Do they think a cat has anywhere near the intelligence of a 6 year-old human?
  After all, we people are all just domesticated animals, aren’t we?
  I love my dog, so I keep him indoors while I’m not around to watch him. Keep him confined when he’s outside and walk him on a leash lest he bolt into the path of an oncoming car (perhaps in pursuit of some asshole’s free-roaming cat).
  
  Responsibility. That’s a word to learn if you want to own pets.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 12:24 am rating: 90
- #32.7 Who passed out the Haterade?
  
  Do they think a cat has anywhere near the intelligence of a 6 year-old human?
  
  Actually, yes. Not that I think highly of the intelligence of cats, just that I don’t think most humans are nearly as “intelligent” as they give themselves credit for.
  
  Whether people think cats should be allowed outdoors or not, the level of glee I read in some of these comments about the prospect of killing cats is appalling. Particularly given the clear link research has shown between animal abuse and human abuse, particularly domestic violence and child abuse.
  
  (No, I’m not talking about the ones who make dark humor out of the subject, or the ones who talk about it as an unfortunate necessity. I’m talking about the ones who’ve been making dead-serious comments about it and sound quite happy at the prospect.)
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 1:21 am rating: 90
- #32.8 Canthz_B
  
  “Actually”?…Really?
  
  Show us a study documented by a reputable website which shows a cat has the intelligence of your average 6 year-old human.
  
  We await a link to that website. I have salt ready for my hat so I can more easily eat it.
  
  I’m not saying that six year-olds are all that bright, just that they have cats beat all to Hell when it comes to cognitive abilities…but I’d sure like to be proven wrong because, though I like cats, I hate children!
  
  Empirical evidence shows me more dead cats run over by cars than 6 year-olds, but you seem to have “actual” facts I’d love to see.
  I like being proved wrong, I learn from that…teach me, oh Wise One.
  
  No one is expressing “glee” about killing cats here. Get a grip, why don’t you? I applaud your advocacy, but mix in a little bit of perspective. Those comments are JOKES. Grow the fuck up!
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 1:43 am rating: 90
- #32.9 Who passed out the Haterade?
  
  You didn’t ask for studies, you asked what people think.
  
  If you want links for my assertion of fact, here you go:
  http://www.hg.org/article.asp?id=8011
  http://www.americanhumane.org/about-us/newsroom/fact-sheets/understanding-the-link.html
  http://cats.about.com/cs/crueltyconnection/a/cruelty.htm
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 2:09 am rating: 90
- #32.10 Canthz_B
  
  Didn’t ask about animal abuse statistics…asked about whether or not cats are as smart as 6 year-old human children. Really a very simple question for a sane person to answer.
  
  Did you fuck up research papers like this in school too?
  Maybe you have been spending too much time with animals, Dr. Doolittle!
  
  Pay attention, you’re being blinded by your animal advocacy…and reacting like one.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 2:28 am rating: 90
- #32.11 Who passed out the Haterade?
  
  Oh, I’m sorry… next time I respond to a question you ask, I’ll be more careful and use my psychic powers to predict what you’ll decide you really meant later, instead of what you actually said.
  
  No wonder you need to take out all that repressed rage on something that can’t defend itself. It must be frustrating having to routinely deal with people who don’t have psychic powers and thus don’t know what the $%#^ you’re on about.
  
  By the way, nice editing yourself after the fact to pretend you make more sense than you actually do.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 2:36 am rating: 90
- #32.12 Canthz_B
  
  next time I respond to a question you ask, I’ll be more careful and use my psychic powers to predict what you’ll decide you really meant later, instead of what you actually said.
  
  Get real. What I said was: “Show us a study documented by a reputable website which shows a cat has the intelligence of your average 6 year-old human.”
  No psychic powers needed there…just read.
  
  You took a different direction that this conversation had never taken, and I called your sorry ass on it. I said NOTHING about the appalling situation of animal abuse.
  
  It’s not my fault you’re too stupid to know what I’m “on about”, now is it?
  
  I called for pet owners to be responsible stewards of their wards, you say that’s wrong?
  
  Of course you don’t. You’re just too head-up over what you think I’m saying to make any sense. Cool your jets.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 2:42 am rating: 90
- #32.13 Who passed out the Haterade?
  
  Whatever. Good luck on continuing to edit yourself, but I have no plans to edit my original quote on your behalf – you know, the one I actually responded to. Feel free to keep editing everything else to try to change the context, though.
  
  I pity the people who have to deal with this from you routinely.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 2:46 am rating: 90
- #32.14 Canthz_B
  
  Bullshit. I added some things but deleted nothing, the original gist has not changed. You are an animal advocate and you missed the bus this time.
  You went off on animal cruelty, and I never even approached, let alone broached, that subject.
  
  Go play in some other backyard, this one is too big for the likes of you.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 2:57 am rating: 90
- #32.15 Who passed out the Haterade?
  
  Okay, to be a little more precise: I pity the people who have to deal with you ham-handedly attempting to put words in their mouth and editing after the fact routinely. Here, let’s see how much you like it:
  
  “Wow, Canthz B, why did you say it’s loads of fun to boink goats! Isn’t that awful? I mean, what kind of sick prevert likes to boink goats? I can’t believe you said that!”
  
  (Don’t worry, though – I won’t go back and start adding crap supposedly responding to how much you like boinking goats. I wouldn’t want you to sue me for trademark infringement.)
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 2:59 am rating: 90
- #32.16 Canthz_B
  
  LOL! I didn’t put any words into your mouth, or anyone else’s…I copy and paste like a banshee though. You say it, and I’ll bring it back to you.
  You said “Actually, yes.” in answer when I asked if cats are smarter than 6 year old-kids.
  You spouted those words on your own. All I did was remind you of what you’d said.
  The issue has never been about animal abuse, yet you linked that instead of answering a simple query.
  I’d sill like to see your “actual” facts that cats are smarter than 6 year-olds though you seem to have lost focus, or interest.
  I’ll accept your facts if you can present them.
  For the record, I’d rather fuck a goat than fuck you.
  
  Oh, did I say “Fuck you”?
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 3:08 am rating: 90
- #32.17 Who passed out the Haterade?
  
  For the record, I’d rather f$@# a goat than f$@# you.
  
  You have no idea how sad I am about that. XD
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 3:13 am rating: 90
- #32.18 Canthz_B
  
  Don’t fret over it, my wife is happy to have me all to herself, and I’d never fuck a crazy bitch like you anyway. Even a lowlife like me has standards!
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 3:21 am rating: 90
- #32.19 The Elf
  
  Well, I’ve adopted a lot of cats over the years, especially if you include my childhood. Let’s see…..
  
  Childhood cat one, adopted from friend. Sweet as can be.
  
  Childhood cat two, daughter of childhood cat one. (blame my parents). Standoffish to me, but otherwise nice.
  
  Childhood cat three, picked up as a tiny kitten on the side of the road. Was starving and sick, we nursed it back to health and gained a roly-poly lovey-dovey cat.
  
  Adult cat one, adopted from shelter. Sweetie.
  
  Adult cat two, adopted from vet office. Loves my husband, thinks I’m the other woman.
  
  Adult cat three, adopted from vet office. Is a dog in a cat’s body. (This is the one that walks on a leash.)
  
  Adult cat four and five, siblings born feral, captured at 8 weeks, socialized. One we adopted out, I later learned that he is a roly-poly lovey-dovey cat who actually (I’m not joking) allows their little girl to push him in a stroller and dress him in baby clothes. The other we kept. She has birth defects but is a super-intelligent, adorable cat with a need to be loved at 3am.
  
  Adult cat six, picked up on the side of the road, sick and starving 5-week-old kitten. Presumably born feral. Socialized, now is a very playful adult who has an addiction to carbs and the skills of a master theif.
  
  So, that’s nine cats, all from dubious circumstances, all good cats. Only one has congenital health problems.
  
  But, YMMV. As long as you spay/nueter, we’re cool.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 3:15 pm rating: 91
add to this thread
#33 JetJackson

When I read the heart tag on the cat for some reason I imagine the voice of a teenage girl and almost expect to hear on the end.

It’s ok for me to play outside, seriously. Like WTF you guys!? OMG.. like TOTE-A-LEE ok! Kewl.

Feb 6, 2011 at 10:51 pm rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #33.1 Canthz_B
  
  JJ, has she been spayed? If so, can I make a “play date”?
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 10:59 pm rating: 90
- #33.2 Jess Sain
  
  Really? I wondered if anything were done seriously how it could be considered play.
  
  Feb 6, 2011 at 11:34 pm rating: 90
- #33.3 sofia
  
  What are you, 65?
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 2:27 pm rating: 90
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#34 SpaceMonkey

What a load of crap in the comments above from a bunch of sad cat haters. Leave the damn things alone, you tools. They are fine outside, and DO NOT pose a threat to people (toxoplasmosis my arse). It’s actually acknowledged by many authorities that cat haters secretly harbour misogynistic attitudes. Sucks to be you. Twats.

Feb 7, 2011 at 12:21 am rating: 91

reply to this comment
- #34.1 Canthz_B
  
  ‘scuse me, but I don’t hate cats…just cat owners who don’t think their cats need supervision.
  After all, if cats don’t need human supervision, then keeping them as “pets” is morally wrong.
  
  Don’t make me sic my dog on you! LOL
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 1:20 am rating: 90
- #34.2 Chesire cat
  
  Oh so my mom’s serious cat allergies don’t harm her? Nice to know. Tell that to her next time she starts sneezing and her eyes start watering and she starts breaking out in hives when she dares tries to use her outdoor furniture after a cat has been laying all over it.
  
  Or tell that to the pregnant woman doing some gardening when she gets toxoplasmosis and her baby dies inside her.
  
  Or tell that to the little kid that got bit by a rabid free roaming cat.
  
  Or tell that to my stepdad that almost got attacked by a feral cat that was freaking huge that stalked onto their country property one day. For that thing to have survived not getting ate by all the wild animals out there it had to be a badass and could have seriously fucked my stepdad up if he had not shot it.
  
  Harmless my ass. It would all be a nonissue if people would just take responsibility for their pets.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 6:56 am rating: 90
- #34.3 Clumber
  
  As much as it terrifies me to be on the same side of any issue as CB, part of the responsibility of domesticating animals is that we are then responsible for caring for them. Cats are not wild. They are less domesticated, perhaps, than dogs, but they are not the same species as any wild cats. You are responsible for your cat shitting in your neighbor’s yard. Sorry.
  
  Maybe CB will soothe my terrors by disagreeing with me…?
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 8:45 am rating: 90
- #34.4 Canthz_B
  
  Well, clumb, they’d only be responsible for their cats’ shit if they actually spent money to feed them. But since they probably think their cats are finding their meals on their own (rodents and unsuspecting songbirds), I doubt they’d feel responsible for the, um…after effects of the meals.
  
  How’s that work for ya?
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 6:16 pm rating: 90
- #34.5 warns
  
  you guys are so apocolyptic in regards to a little ol’ cat that will probably run away if you get anywhere near it. And I don’t know about these imaginary cats in the scenarios you’re playing out, but mine cries to come inside to use the litterbox cause he was trained. Like the vast majority of housecats.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 6:51 pm rating: 91
- #34.6 Canthz_B
  
  Your house cat isn’t crying to be let in to use the litter box. He’s crying to get in because he’s a damned house cat and can’t figure out why you’ve put his ass out.
  
  I NEVER trained my cats to use a litter box, they take to the consistency of the litter naturally.
  You’re fooling yourself. There’s very little “training” one can do with a domesticated cat. Unlike dogs, they don’t aim to please you.
  
  Gotta tell ya though, from what you’ve said about your cat in here, he’s an outdoor cat tragedy just waiting to happen. That cat has no business being outdoors on his own, and you have no business owning a cat.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 8:48 pm rating: 90
- #34.7 warns
  
  That’s interesting, because I don’t leave him outside if i’m not home and awake and he has access to exactly two places, both of which I can see from my back steps. Can he get to the road, nope? Does he go to the bathroom in other yards? Nope. He had access to a very small back patio, and guess what I never found on it? Ever? Ever ever? Ever? Oh ok.
  
  Lady you don’t know me or my cat, I have sacrificed large amounts of money (i guess i should probably have thousands saved up to deal with a congenital defect nobody could’ve known about) to be sure he was 100% healthy when unexpected health issues came up , he is currently and always up to date on all of his shots and paperwork, microchipped, collared 20 times over cause he keeps losing the damn things and i keep replacing them, never without food or a pristine litterbox, and actually begs relentlessly to go outside, not the other way around.
  
  But you’re right, I guess. I’m so terrible to this guy. I’ll let him know when he wakes up from the nap he’s taking on my lap right now. Maybe I could give him to a shelter where they’ll destroy him in a week.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 9:00 pm rating: 90
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#35 Ally

I own 4 cats, 2 from shelters and 2 that are retired show cats that we purchased from their previous owners.

All 4 of our cats are fixed and exclusively indoor cats, however when the weather is nice we take them outside on leashes and harnesses, just like dogs. They get to go outside and explore as they please, and we don’t have to worry about them getting injured in the wild. Since none of them have ever gone outside by themselves, they have no desire to and will even get nervous if they can’t see us when they’re outside.

They are all just sweet, wonderful, and loving cats and I would be way too scared to just let them be outdoor cats. If any one of them left and then never came back, or I found them hurt in any way i would never be able to forgive myself. I just feel better when I know where my cats are, and that they are warm and safe and fed and most importantly, loved.

Feb 7, 2011 at 2:33 am rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #35.1 Chesire cat
  
  You rock. I know a lady who is a cat hoarder but actually takes good care of them because they kinda devote most of their time and money to caring for the cats. Anyway, she actually built a little house for the cats outside and enclosed it with fencing even fencing over the top so they can’t get out. So they can go outside and run around in that area and not be hurt by anything or escape to get hurt or bother her neighbors. It is possible to let your cats go outside and still not bother other people.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 6:59 am rating: 90
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#36 Jesus Jones Esq.

I guess I’m one of the rare few that has a *gasp* fenced in yard. And since I have 2 small mentally unstable dogs and 1 190 pound great dane, I actually found a need to keep them within eye shot. That being said as they don’t leave the fence unless I let them, I have warned my neighbors several times about this; I am NOT RESPONSIBLE if your cat becomes my dogs chew toy. Outdoor cat, fine. You want to let it roam free, that’s your call. But don’t come a’ bitchin’ to me when fluffy-doodles ends up being a snack. I’m not being anti-cat or pro dog here, but facts are facts.

Feb 7, 2011 at 2:55 am rating: 90

reply to this comment
#37 TippingCows

I wonder if note writer named its cat “Ogh”, since it seems to be missing that letter combination in a couple of words.

Feb 7, 2011 at 2:59 am rating: 90

reply to this comment
#38 Nahhh

I have two cats. I have had as many as 15 cats at once, over the years (was addicted to strays; have overcome the addiction). If you love your cats, spay/neuter them, vaccinate them, collar/tag them, AND THEN keep them inside.

They will occasionally get out (they’re sneaky bastards), which is why you do all the other stuff!

Some people do not deserve the loving, trusting companionship of cats.

Feb 7, 2011 at 3:28 am rating: 90

reply to this comment
#39 LauraE

The amount of adults saying ‘kitty’ on her confuses me. Maybe it’s just over here that only children call cats that?

Feb 7, 2011 at 5:39 am rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #39.1 anglophile
  
  How do you know how old any of us are?
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 6:39 am rating: 90
- #39.2 LauraE
  
  Ok, adolescents to adults. Presumably not the eight years old and below age category ‘kitty’ usually falls into here, as even if there are a minority of posters here that young i’d assume they are the minority. That wasn’t actually me having a dig, just genuine curiosity, i’ve never heard anyone older than 7 or 8 say kitty.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 8:34 am rating: 90
- #39.3 Canthz_B
  
  Then you have very little experience in life. How old are you, Kitten?
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 6:11 pm rating: 90
add to this thread
#40 Samantha

Something nobody’s made a point of here, despite comments about when it might be OK to have a cat outside.

The note was posted in an apartment building. That likely means the cat lives in an apartment building. There is almost no chance for it to stay on its owners property even just to do business. There is a high likelihood that this is right on a busy street or less than a block from one. There is a high likelihood that there are cars zooming around a parking lot, or sitting temptingly warm in that parking lot or dripping anti-freeze or many other lovely death-traps. Even if you think cats can be outdoor animals, this is clearly the “worst-case” situation in which you would say “Yes, that’s very dangerous for an outdoor animal”. The cat is better off in the shelter. Hell, the person who likely just barely saved its life from a car even gave the owner a couple weeks to come get it before turning it in despite it being put in serious danger.

Feb 7, 2011 at 7:33 am rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #40.1 h3llc4t
  
  I was waiting for someone to make this point. Apartment complexes can be quite dangerous for cats, even if you live in a “good” part of town. Recently I had to have a polite discussion with my neighbor because I kept finding her sweet indoor/outdoor cat huddling in the near-zero temperatures near my building’s entrance. She wasn’t home during the day and the cat had no way to get back into her third-floor apartment, so the cat was spending her day desperately seeking somewhere warm. Yes, the cat has fur, yes, cats survive brutal winters, but this animal was clearly scared and uncomfortable. It’d be a wonder if the cat never ended up worming her way into someone’s patio or even under the hood of their car because she was just so cold.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 1:08 pm rating: 90
add to this thread
#41 Lets calm down, have a nice cup of tea

I’m thinking that all the commentators preaching about keeping cats indoors to protect them from the world are American or at least not European?

Come to Britain, and fall to your knees in despair.
How can we be so irresponsible?!

Oh wait, its because cats do whatever they bloody well please.
Cats have quick reflexes, teeth and claws. If you buy them as pedigree or rescue them from a shelter they come neutured, vaccinated, and microchipped .
No chance of losing those little buggers I tell you.

And then of course, most owners are sensible enough to have pet insurance.

Britian isn’t without cars, foxes, or criminals…but to be honest the cats don’t give a flying fig, they go out, they come back, they go out through means of a cat flap.

No-one is physically forcing them out the door at dawn every day.

Do you also keep your children (of all ages) inside and only allow them out on leashes, just in case they get hit by a car?

All the cats I’ve ever owned have been healthy, wiley and lived a full life. I know I’m lucky, something terrible could have happened, but it didn’t. It doesn’t make me irrresponsible.

Feb 7, 2011 at 8:31 am rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #41.1 Chesire cat
  
  Actually yes, my children don’t go outside unless I go with them to keep an eye on them. They are 3 and while some people might feel comfortable letting a 3 year old outside by themselves, I don;t. Especially since our yard is not fenced and we live near busy streets.
  
  One reason we have no pets is because of the same reasons-no fence, busy streets.
  
  I like to keep the things I love safe.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 9:52 am rating: 90
- #41.2 Ponytail
  
  Actually, it turns out that cat owners don’t need insurance – if a cat causes damage to a person or property, the owner can’t be sued in the same way that they can for a dog. I found this out last year, when I took on three cats, having only had dogs before. The pet insurance you get for cats is to cover vets bills not legal liability.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 10:42 am rating: 90
- #41.3 lownote
  
  Ah, a comment from a fellow Brit. Yup, most of our cats are indoor/outdoor cats here in the UK and no we don’t get inundated with stories of people being savaged by them nor are our roads littered with dead cats.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 1:10 pm rating: 90
- #41.4 unholyghost2003
  
  Yes, here many of us believe that loved creatures should be kept indoors until/unless they are taught to stay within safe boundaries (this goes for pets and children). See you never know when some asshole might injure your free-range cat by dumping it in a recycling bin … oh, wait! that happened in the U.K. not the U.S. damn! And, if you will turn your attention to the reading comprehension portion of our show, it isn’t just about protecting cats from assholes and cars, it is about protecting other people and their property from those “quick reflexes, teeth and claws” you are bragging about.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 1:18 pm rating: 90
- #41.5 firefly
  
  I’m quite puzzled by this discussion too. Here in Norway it’s actually considered a bit strange if your cat’s kept totally indoors. Most people’s cats are indoor/outdoor.
  
  Of course bad things happen, but I’ve never seen a discussion like this before! You’re more likely to get chided for not letting your cat out, actually. My parents’ cats would go nuts if they weren’t allowed outside every now and then. But then again, their neutered, vaccinated, and come inside to poop. They kill mice and birds, but there hasn’t ever been any complaints.
  
  ETA: My parents live in a low-traffic area mind. Having cats outdoors in the city is not considered ok. People living in the city usually don’t keep cats for that reason.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 5:44 pm rating: 90
- #41.6 Canthz_B
  
  All due respect to Britain, but Britain is NOT the United States…and most of the US isn’t urban.
  
  More likely than not, if you live in an urban area of the US and let your cat outside in the morning, she’ll either be dead or “adopted” by a do-gooder before darkness falls.
  
  Just kiss that cat goodbye as you open the front door.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 6:07 pm rating: 90
- #41.7 warns
  
  Canthz. So I let my cat outside. He has access to exactly two yards, and will run away from anyone he doesn’t know. Back to my door. So far he isn’t dead or adopted.
  
  So I guess you’re wrong, is my point.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 7:02 pm rating: 90
- #41.8 Canthz_B
  
  No…I guess you’ve been lucky, is my point.
  Write me back when your cat happens to decide his best escape route is by crossing the street and the garbage truck makes him a candidate for a role in the re-make of Pet Cemetery.
  
  Don’t underestimate your cat’s capabilities. He can probably gain access to much more ground than you give him credit for. Just because he has yet to do so doesn’t mean that he can’t if he should ever decide to. Cats can climb fences. They can jump pretty damned high when they want to too. Dogs can dig under fences pretty well also. Especially if there’s a tasty cat on the other side.
  
  That having been said, I don’t know where you live. It may be quite safe for you to let your cat out. Others may be in more congested areas than you may be.
  You are still responsible for your cat’s safety. If you cared about that aspect of pet ownership, you’d think about it.
  I mean, a cat so skittish that it will run for home has little chance of defending itself if it’s caught by something on its way back, does it?
  
  This ain’t rocket surgery, my friend. Your cat’s life is in your hands. Make wise choices.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 8:22 pm rating: 90
- #41.9 warns
  
  There is no street for him to cross. He has access to two yards. I have let him outside only supervised, only during the day and only when I’m certain I can be there to let him in. I have lived in places where there was a street to cross, lots of traffic and guess what?! I kept him inside!! You’re right, it isn’t rocket science. I love my cat, and I wouldn’t knowingly put him in harms way.
  
  You drastically underestimate a cat’s ability to fend for themselves. Mine hides under the bed when the street sweeper is 2 blocks away. When something scares him outside, he runs home, from one of the two yards he has access to. Trust me, if he could go further, he would have a long time ago.
  
  And I would seriously like to see “something” get access to him in a two yard complex with a 7 foot fence and no trees. Last time I checked foxes and coyotes can’t fly.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 8:47 pm rating: 90
- #41.10 warns
  
  And just so it’s said, my cat doesn’t go to strangers, or any other human threat (e.g. cars, garbage trucks, pretty much anything with a motor). Which I’m pretty stoked about. I check him every time he comes in, and so far not a nick or a scratch on him ever.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 8:49 pm rating: 90
add to this thread
#42 CuriousDuckling

I would totally agree with the second post; it is perfectly okay for cats to play outside as long as they do it seriously. Cats that play frivolously however are quite another matter.

Feb 7, 2011 at 9:46 am rating: 90

reply to this comment
#43 Ethel

All y’all don’t live in Oregon. In the Willamette Valley in particular, but in most of the highly populated parts of Oregon there are incredibly high numbers of feral and abandoned cats. So much so that while there are many that support live trapping, neutering (and clipping the tip of the ear to mark them), and returning cats there are just too many. A drive along farm roads will find a feral cat hunting every field, and that is just what you see from the road. Inside cities it is not uncommon for cats to not even poop in loose dirt, a number take dumps on top of grass and do not cover – so in the summer the neighborhood smells very strongly of cat crap (the most foul fecal matter there is).

So, while the cat was obviously someone’s cat, that doesn’t mean it was being cared for (they didn’t know it was male for one and it wasn’t inside enough to use a cat box). As it is I bet the cat wasn’t even neutered. If you let your cat outside you have to be prepared that it will be trapped because there are too many damn cats here.

Feb 7, 2011 at 10:06 am rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #43.1 Chesire cat
  
  Kinda like my parent’s house in rural Alabama. People often drive out there to dump out dogs or cats they don’t want anymore and they wander around in the woods and fields and sometimes wander onto my parent’s property. Feral cats and dogs get shot on site. If they have tags and we can catch them we call the owners because some are lost and a lot of hunting dogs get lost around there cause its a hunting area too. Otherwise if they have no collar and are just nicely passing through we just shoo them on their way.
  
  People that have never lived in the country don’t understand that you have to take care of your own self out there. There is no animal control to call. Even the cops are miles and miles away and would take like an hour to get there. You got to have guns and ammo and handle things yourself.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 12:19 pm rating: 90
add to this thread
#44 oi

Somebody needs to call that “I spit in your food and not ashamed” guy. Sorry I can’t remember your name ISIYFANA!
This thread is a super fertile ground for him to grow and for us to watch.
I wonder what his stand would be in this debate. If you insult me by letting your cat out, I will spit in your cat’s litter box?

Feb 7, 2011 at 10:10 am rating: 90

reply to this comment
#45 Yerr

OMG….there is a cat outside my house! I am so scared, should I call 911?????

No…..? What? I’m overreacting? Are you sure? It’s real, honest to god cat…and…it’s outside. Won’t it use it’s ninja cat skills on me? How will I get to my car?

Feb 7, 2011 at 10:43 am rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #45.1 unholyghost2003
  
  OMG….there is a dog outside my house! I am so scared, should I call 911?????
  
  No…..? What? I’m overreacting? Are you sure? It’s real, honest to god dog…and…it’s outside. Won’t it use it’s vicious dog skills on me? How will I get to my car?
  
  Yet, my I don’t let my dog out unsupervised … hmmmmm
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 11:45 am rating: 90
- #45.2 jaywalke
  
  Here, you can borrow mine.
  
  http://www.catsdomain.com/
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 12:33 pm rating: 90
- #45.3 sofia
  
  Dogs of a certain size are dangerous, cats are not unless they have rabies or you are pregnant and handling cat poop.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 2:32 pm rating: 90
- #45.4 unholyghost2003
  
  or they scratch you, bite you, shred your outdoor furniture, or kill hundreds of dollars worth of koi, or force you to stay inside because you have a severe cat allergy … I guess you are right … your desire to expose Fluffy to the elements supersedes my right to enjoy my property cat free. Honestly! How DARE my mother think she should be able to keep koi on her property unmolested? Cats have rights! How dare my father think he should be able to enjoy the koi pond and surrounding garden? There is a cat in the neighborhood that wants to enjoy the koi too! Everyone knows that cats get to do whatever the fuck they want wherever the fuck they want and any humans who have a problem with that (medical or otherwise) should just sit their asses inside. What? Like paying money for land actually make it theirs? Pfffttt. Everything belongs to the cats!
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 3:21 pm rating: 90
- #45.5 Canthz_B
  
  Dogs of a certain size are NOT dangerous, dogs and cats of a certain temperament can both be dangerous.
  Not all large dogs are a danger, and not all cute kitties have a problem scratching your child’s eye out if they get too close.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 5:59 pm rating: 90
add to this thread
#46 Chum Lee

Domestic cats are one of the most devastating invasive species there is. They slaughter native rodents, birds, and reptiles. Would you let a dog run around your neighborhood without a leash? Would you tolerate people freeing non-native fish into lakes or streams?

Didn’t think so. Keep your cat inside, or keep it on a leash. It’s OK for cats to play outside. Seriously. On a leash.

Feb 7, 2011 at 10:50 am rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #46.1 aaa
  
  Just curious, do you watch Pawn Stars?
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 12:57 pm rating: 90
- #46.2 sofia
  
  Not seeing how keeping the rodent and bird population down is a negative. There are no indigenous endangered bird species in America that have become extinct because of cats. Get real.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 2:33 pm rating: 90
- #46.3 unholyghost2003
  
  Sofia, seriously?!? http://www.passiveaggressivenotes.com/2011/02/06/cat-bot/#comment-381219
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 3:00 pm rating: 90
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#47 unholyghost2003

The whole “Cats kill rodents” thing is such BS. Not that I think that cats don’t kill rodents, but the outdoor cat owners seems to think that they are providing such a public service that gratitude for this “free service” should outweigh any resentment for the REAL DANGERS and nuisance caused. My dog’s barking can scare away intruders from your property as well as mine, but I would never expect that to make you tolerate her shitting and pissing in your yard, scratching you, or killing birds in your yard. Why should the occasional dead mouse (most likely killed in YOUR house, not mine) make me tolerate this behavior from your cat? You *crazy outdoor cat people are fooling yourselves. (* as opposed to the sane outdoor cat people who use ties, training, and supervision to control their pets)

Feb 7, 2011 at 12:16 pm rating: 90

reply to this comment
- #47.1 sofia
  
  There are no real dangers, and your stupid dog’s barking is annoying.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 2:34 pm rating: 91
- #47.2 unholyghost2003
  
  Bites, Scratches, Toxoplasmosis, Rabies, Allergic Reactions (which can be fatal), Those aren’t “real” enough for you? You are a self-indulgent asshat.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 2:59 pm rating: 90
- #47.3 warns
  
  Unholyghost- people don’t get severe fatal allergic reactions to cats that are outside when they are also outside. Based on your logic, anyone who went outside with cat hairs on their clothes would be a walking time bomb.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 7:06 pm rating: 90
- #47.4 unholyghost2003
  
  They can have severe, fatal allergic reactions to cats that are outside and bite, scratch, attack them. My father will react to cat dander that I bring home on my clothes from having spent time in the business office of a cat owner. It is a fairly minor reaction to that quantity (a few sneezes, and itchy eyes) and something he tolerates because hey, people have pets and you can’t expect the world to be hypoallergenic for you. That said, is it really too much to ask that neighbors keep their fucking cats off his property so he can go into his own yard or have the windows open on the side of the house that faces away from the cat owner’s house? Is HE really the unreasonable one? No, all you assholes that think it is OK to let Fluffems wander through his yard are the unreasonable ones.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 7:46 pm rating: 90
- #47.5 warns
  
  It sounds like your father needs to have a conversation with his neighbors, it isn’t the cats fault. That’s really the thing, isn’t it? You can’t hold all people who ever let their cats free outside responsible because your dad has awful neighbors. If his neighbors bred rats, and the rats got into his yard, is it the rats fault? Nope. Still the awful neighbor.
  
  But honestly, you can’t be mad at anybody for cat dander going from one house to another, which by the way i’ve never heard of. What’s the solution there, ask the neighbors to keep their windows closed all the time instead? Nobody wins.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 8:53 pm rating: 90
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#48 Chesire cat

This reminds me of a funny story. My husband and I were sleeping in our bed one night and we get woke up by this awful noise. It was the horrible meowing of cats having sex. God if you have heard it before you know what I am talking about. It sounds like something is tortuing them.

So I am like “Fuck this”, I go in the kitchen and get a big pitcher of water. Then I go outside and toss the pitcher of ice cold water at the bush where they were. I hear this loud high pitched screech and then them running away. Done and done. I go inside and go back to precious precious sleep.

I had a bunch of outdoor cats around that old house. I had to keep spray bottles of water at both front and back doors to run out and spray at the cats to keep them off my porch. It was nuts. I love my current neighborhood though. I occasionally will see a cat outside but they move on quick enough and never get too close to the house. The funny part is that I live more in the country suburbs now when before I lived in city suburbs.

Feb 7, 2011 at 12:25 pm rating: 90

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#49 aaa

Cats running wild
Go home or I’ll deal with you
Fucking delicious

Feb 7, 2011 at 12:53 pm rating: 90

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#50 Ajax

“There is no question that birds are better off when cats stay indoors. Exact numbers are unknown, but scientists estimate that every year in the United States alone, cats kill hundreds of millions of birds, and more than a billion small mammals, including rabbits, squirrels, and chipmunks. Feline predators include both domestic cats that spend time outdoors and stray cats that live in the wild, sometimes as part of a colony.

“Life for outdoor cats is risky. They can get hit by cars; attacked by dogs, other cats, coyotes or wildlife; contract fatal diseases, such as rabies, feline distemper, or feline immunodeficiency virus; get lost, stolen, or poisoned; or suffer during severe weather conditions. Outdoor cats lead considerably shorter lives on average than cats kept exclusively indoors.

“Free-roaming and feral cats also pose a health hazard to humans from the spread of diseases such as rabies and toxoplasmosis. In April 2010, the Volusia County Health Department in Florida issued a rabies alert for 60 days following two unprovoked attacks on humans by feral cats within a month. Two cats had tested positive for rabies in the area. The CDC states that “Unvaccinated dogs, cats, and ferrets exposed to a rabid animal should be euthanized immediately.” Even in ‘managed’ colonies all cats cannot always be vaccinated, and infected animals may be even harder to catch in a timely manner before they infect other animals or humans. ” http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/cats/index.html

Feb 7, 2011 at 1:05 pm rating: 90

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- #50.1 warns
  
  F birds. Theres’ millions and millions and millions of them. My cat can’t change that.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 7:08 pm rating: 90
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#51 Really?

First of all, no animal shelter will allow you to adopt a cat if you’re going to put it outside. They make you sign a contract and if they somehow find out you’re letting your cat outside, they will come and take it away. As they SHOULD! You know who else likes to go run around outside? Children. But no one leaves their toddler unattended to run around and do as they please, do they? In my old building, I was the only cat owner with strictly indoor only cats and not a day went by that I didn’t hear the other cats getting into fights with one another. Then this couple moved in and put their two little kittens outside. One ended up disappearing after about a week or so and I was informed by my roommate who was hanging out with them that it was eaten by a dog. So you know what they did? Got another kitten and put that one outside, too. The day I moved out, I left a passive-aggressive note on their door informing them that I had reported them to animal services because their other cat was being left out in the cold and trying desperately to get into any apartment whenever the door opened. I wouldn’t be surprised if it shows up here at one point.

Keep your cats inside, morons! If they never go outside, they don’t know the difference. Outdoor cats live an average of THREE YEARS. That’s animal abuse as far as I’m concerned.

Feb 7, 2011 at 4:44 pm rating: 90

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#52 Clumber

Did I just realize a clever manipulation by our beloved Kerry? Start our Monday off with a nice bouncy vibrant 200+ comment generating spat then lead us through the week to “Awwww — cute anermals, who’s an adorable ferret… who is! YOU ARE!” sort of Friday? We love you, Kerry. Even when you toy with us so.

Feb 7, 2011 at 4:49 pm rating: 90

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- #52.1 aaa
  
  Kerry’s badass. I bet she’s fucking magic or something. I enjoy her fucking with us. I am glad everyone’s throwing a giant bitch fit, presumably according to her plan. SHE DOES WHAT SHE WANTS. MUCH LIKE MYSELF AND DAVID BOWIE.
  
  Feb 7, 2011 at 7:27 pm rating: 90
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#53 katie

I have two cats who are both indoor/outdoor. We have a big backyard and the house backs up to a fairly sizable chunk of unused land. Cats are by nature outdoor animals. Why would I keep them confined when they have safe spaces to roam? Both of my cats are neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, and kept on flea meds, and they both are such masters at getting out of collars that I’ve given up. One tends to stick more around the house, and the other prefers to be outdoors about 70% of the time. When I go looking for him to check on him, to give him his medication, to bring him home for dinner, etc, the neighbors all know him and update me on where he is: “Hey, we just saw him going by that way!” Letting these boys outside is a quality of life issue for them, and it’s one I’ve considered very carefully. I would be beside myself if some meddling jerk moved into the neighborhood and assumed that I wasn’t taking care of them. I also appreciate the point that some people are bringing up about unspayed/unvaccinated ferals — but it’s not fair to lump all outdoor-cat owners into that group.

Feb 7, 2011 at 6:21 pm rating: 91

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#54 warns

So many of these comments are SO ridiculously shortsighted it kills me. If germs are such an issue to you don’t go in public, or to work, seriously. Your keyboard have more germs than your toilet. TRUST me, one of your neighbors having an indoor/outdoor cat is the absolute least of your worries.

It IS true that an indoor only cat will have a much longer lifespan, it’s fact. And depending on where you live (and how smart your cat is), it’s probably not okay. I have the same problem with a cat that absolutely refuses to stay inside (for those of you with little/no experience, try to take a huge trash barrel/bicicyle/laundry out of an open door AND keep a cat from escaping. It’s essentially impossible.

In a residential neighborhood, chances are if a cat is friendly, it belongs to somebody. If it doesn’t look starving or cut up, take 3 minutes and make a sign. You don’t even have to keep it in! Chances are if someone’s missing a cat, they’ll be on the lookout for neighbor’s notices as WELL as the cat. Just bringing it to the pound where it will probably die within a week, especially the slightly older cats who can get by just fine outside, but aren’t as appealing as a basket of kittens, helps absolutely nobody. Leave the cat alone, you’re not animal control.

And to all those who say that “if you don’t have 50 dollars you shouldn’t have a pet”, you’re probably not taking into consideration that pets are already big expenses, cats require food, regular vet checks, litter, and if you’re not a jerk, catnip. Don’t just make blanket assumptions on a total stranger’s budget.

Feb 7, 2011 at 6:40 pm rating: 91

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#55 aaa

I know one thing’s for sure: EVERYONE SUCKS AND IS WRONG EXCEPT FOR ME. Totally.

Feb 7, 2011 at 7:29 pm rating: 90

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#56 paw print pet tags

The cat got nabbed because she liked all the attention she got hanging out in the front.

Feb 7, 2011 at 7:48 pm rating: 90

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