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Pet Cats roaming -V- Pet Dogs roaming

24

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 15,795 ✭✭✭✭Discodog


    These arguments are pretty pointless. There will never be legislation regarding roaming cats. The vast majority of owners will not build runs - many would perceive it as cruelty to keep their cat "caged". There is enough difficulty with persuading cat owners to neuter - my neighbour who is a teacher refuses to do so because "it is unnatural" :mad:

    So the best advice is to chill & accept that the roaming cats are here to stay.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,085 ✭✭✭meoklmrk91


    Dogs should never be left roaming, they get themselves into too much trouble and are at a risk to being stolen, I would never leave my dog out alone without supervision and I think people who do are insane.

    As for cats, I personally believe that all depends on where you live, when I got my kitten I was living in an apartment, it was a high traffic area and there was lots of dogs. She was only allowed out when I brought her and my dog out, I would play with the dog and she got a sniff around and chase birds. I even taught her to come when called and would bring her in along with the dog. I then moved back home to my parents house to save for college, where my older cat still lived. It's a nice rural estate, low traffic and plenty of places to hide, plus there are no roaming dogs, so I slowly started putting her outside, she chooses to spend most of her time inside though so thats fine. Where as my older cat who is 8 prefers to spend most of her time outside and usually only comes in to sleep and eat.


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,658 ✭✭✭✭The Sweeper


    Slksht wrote: »
    You mean God help your dog! If a Dog tried to fight a cat the cat will win every time. They go for the eyes with their claws... nasty!

    I wish that was actually true. :(

    It isn't. A cat hasn't got a snowballs against a serious dog, even a small serious dog. They don't 'go for the eyes', they panic and simply claw and bite whatever comes within reach, and most dogs in drive (meaning all riled up because they're attacking) will have shaken and injured or killed the cat before they even feel the cat's retaliation.

    I keep my cats on my own property using cat-proof fencing. A few years ago, in our old house, my neighbour's dog dug our fenceline at the back of the yard and, unbeknownst to me, dug enough of a gap that one of my cats squeezed under the fence to explore. It started to lash rain while he was in the other yard and he ran under something to shelter, as opposed to running back indoors which the rest of my cats did.

    While he was AWOL, he was attacked by a dog. I'm not sure if it was my neighbour's dog, but I think it probably was just because I can't see my cat having managed to get out of the neighbour's yard and further afield - plus he came home that night, near midnight, of his own accord.

    He had a puncture wound in his groin, half an inch from his urethra, that was about an inch worth of a tear in the skin and another inch deep. It was a clean puncture - he was so lucky. The outside of his haunch was scalped in a long strip, and the inside of the same leg and across his belly was dark purple with bruising. His rear claws were thick with coagulated blood - not his - and we think the dog went for him, he rolled onto his back and put his claws up, she grabbed him and he bunny-kicked with his rear legs and we think he got her down the roof of her mouth which is why she let him go. We asked the neighbour to check her dog for injuries but she was too busy telling us her dog wouldn't have hurt a fly so we gave up.

    Thankfully my cat recovered - he needed an anti-inflammatory painkiller and an antiobiotic, the wounds were shaved and allowed to heal themselves, the puncture was left open and let heal from the inside out. It took about 10 days for him to recover physically, and about a solid year for him to get back to his 'old self' in terms of being a happy go lucky cat again.

    And that was one incident, from one escape, for a cat never normally allowed to roam. I dunno what I could expect if I let them roam freely...


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,079 ✭✭✭irelandspurs


    Some cats need there own space you know.
    cat.jpg:D


  • Registered Users Posts: 952 ✭✭✭Themadhouse


    mod9maple wrote: »
    That's fabulous - can I steal your idea? :D

    Lol, yes you can. :-)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 952 ✭✭✭Themadhouse


    Do you actually need the overhead part at that height? :eek:

    8ft was recommended on all the sites we looked at. The patio doors open onto the deck and the roof is just over the doors. Def wouldn't want it lower than that around the deck as its an area we use. We asked the neighbours if they minded but it doesn't block out sunlight or anything from their gardens. Plus it gives the cats good climbing ground. It's no taller than some of the sheds on the road and a lot of the trees in gardens.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,458 ✭✭✭ppink


    Can I ask then who is responsible for a neighbours cat coming into my garden and injuring my dogs? I am sure this will happen when they catch him.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,079 ✭✭✭irelandspurs


    ppink wrote: »
    Can I ask then who is responsible for a neighbours cat coming into my garden and injuring my dogs? I am sure this will happen when they catch him.

    cats-dogs-fight-1.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,603 ✭✭✭grumpymunster


    Seems to me the main problem people have with cats roaming is pooping in their garden. I find it difficult to believe that people would compare cats and dogs regarding this. I cannot recall reading an article reporting people being attacked and injured by a cat unproved, yet this happened to a friend of mine two weeks ago by two dogs. Worse this was the second time these dogs were involved in an attack in less than a week.

    What next do we all go on a bird purge because of bird poop on the car or the window?

    A programme of neutering would be better, in the past year or so we have taken five cats to the vet to get snipped as they are ferrel and seem to like hanging out in our garden. The problem is this gets expensive and there seems to be no charity that we could find that will do it even at a reduced cost.

    As for roaming they are not a danger to society so why not I say.


  • Registered Users Posts: 15,795 ✭✭✭✭Discodog


    It isn't. A cat hasn't got a snowballs against a serious dog, even a small serious dog.

    I witnessed a Jack Russell killing a cat - it took seconds.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 17,736 ✭✭✭✭kylith



    What next do we all go on a bird purge because of bird poop on the car or the window?
    That's not comparable at all. Birds are wild creatures and don't belong to anyone, cats do, and their owners should be responsible for them. I have enough to do cleaning up after my dogs, it's not my job to clean up after other people's pets too.

    You can bet that if someone's upstairs neighbour kept budgies on their balcony and the sh*t rained onto theirs they'd be complaining about it just as much as we complain about cats.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,226 ✭✭✭angelfire9


    Discodog wrote: »
    It isn't. A cat hasn't got a snowballs against a serious dog, even a small serious dog.

    I witnessed a Jack Russell killing a cat - it took seconds.

    JRT's can be lethal hunters :(

    It does depend on the cat though my little psycho used to attack the neighbours dog before we installed the wiring that keeps him in
    And the neighbours 4 doors down have a yorkie that got into our back garden one day when we were putting out the bins and our kitty mauled him


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,114 ✭✭✭doctor evil


    Curiosity killed the cat. If there is trouble a cat will find it. I refuse to believe that cats somehow have more 'street smarts' than dogs.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,066 ✭✭✭PCros


    Curiosity killed the cat. If there is trouble a cat will find it. I refuse to believe that cats somehow have more 'street smarts' than dogs.

    Put a cat and a dog out on its own and I would put my money on the cat to survive ten times over.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 369 ✭✭gud4u


    Anyone in the country area should lock their dogs up really well now as lambs are going out soon. There has been a lot of sheep attacks out my way. One Jrt did a lot of damage and a GSD killed over 10 sheep on a local farmer. I have both breeds and they are locked up tightly so as not to do that, but also to protect them from an angry farmer who would have every right to protect his sheep.

    BTW, Cats wouldn't do that..


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,953 ✭✭✭homerhop


    gud4u wrote: »
    BTW, Cats wouldn't do that..

    Toxoplasmosis

    Toxoplasmosis is caused by Toxoplasma Gondii and spreads by a different method within the flock. It is not so much a sheep to sheep disease but requires cats and infected mice to complete the life cycle. Purchased sheep may suffer toxoplasmosis abortion if they have come from a farm where they have never encountered the parasite, but purchased ewes are unlikely to be responsible for any outbreaks within a flock. In general the source of the infection will be cat droppings in either the feed, roughage or pasture. Non pregnant sheep that become infected are generally immune for life but where the infection takes place while the ewes is pregnant it may result in abortion or weak lambs being born.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 369 ✭✭gud4u


    homerhop wrote: »
    Toxoplasmosis

    Toxoplasmosis is caused by Toxoplasma Gondii and spreads by a different method within the flock. It is not so much a sheep to sheep disease but requires cats and infected mice to complete the life cycle. Purchased sheep may suffer toxoplasmosis abortion if they have come from a farm where they have never encountered the parasite, but purchased ewes are unlikely to be responsible for any outbreaks within a flock. In general the source of the infection will be cat droppings in either the feed, roughage or pasture. Non pregnant sheep that become infected are generally immune for life but where the infection takes place while the ewes is pregnant it may result in abortion or weak lambs being born.


    Gross, did not know this....that's what i've learnt today.

    I meant cats wouldn't chase the sheep:)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,114 ✭✭✭doctor evil


    What about a big breed of cat like a Maine Coon? Is there a chance they could go after a lamb.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,270 ✭✭✭tin79


    I think we should also think about roaming pigeons here. Both homing and racing pigeons are free to roam the skys over peoples gardens and could defacate into sand pits or flower beds. I saw on a episode of House that this can potentially cause disease.

    Are owners of these animals also iresponsible? I wonder.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,270 ✭✭✭tin79


    Absolutely no pet should be allowed to wander, EVER, for any reason. It doesn't matter if they're dog, cat, horse, bird, rabbit, snake, whatever.

    It's not responsible, not social and simply not justifiable.

    I meant to quote this post above.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,634 ✭✭✭TooManyDogs


    I'd imagine neighbours of people with racing pigeons would think them irresponsible owners when they spend their days cleaning their cars/sandpits/patios or whatever.

    To my mind there just isn't any justification for allowing a pet to roam. People can go on about a cat's nature or wildlife poo in gardens or dogs being more dangerous or whatever but it's absolutly no justification for letting your pet wander.

    Pet owners simply shouldn't inflict their choice of pet onto someone else.


  • Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 919 ✭✭✭Shanao


    What about a big breed of cat like a Maine Coon? Is there a chance they could go after a lamb.

    How big do you think Maine Coons are?! :D Not a chance really, not to mention that you wont see many Maine Coons prowling the moors!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,270 ✭✭✭tin79


    I'd imagine neighbours of people with racing pigeons would think them irresponsible owners when they spend their days cleaning their cars/sandpits/patios or whatever.

    To my mind there just isn't any justification for allowing a pet to roam. People can go on about a cat's nature or wildlife poo in gardens or dogs being more dangerous or whatever but it's absolutly no justification for letting your pet wander.

    Pet owners simply shouldn't inflict their choice of pet onto someone else.

    Racing pigeons are housed indoors so they would not be likely to damage neighbours property. But while racing I guess they could overfly gardens.

    But what would you consider "inflicting"?

    If a pigeon overflys your garden is that inflicting?

    If a cat sits on your fence is that?

    What about if your dog barks in a garden and wakes someone up, is that?

    What if I am afraid of dogs and one on a leash comes close to me, is that inflicting?

    Or do you solely have a probelm with wandering. So if my cat comes into your garden it is iresponsible but if my dog barks all night and can be heard through the walls its ok?

    Should we only have indoor silent pets?

    Where is the line here.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 360 ✭✭djrichard


    Im just trying to imagine a Maine Coon attacking a lamb! Thats hilarious.

    Cats FTW. Cats use litter trays and dont stink the way some dogs do. I think dogs are great, but I have a cat because they take less looking after and Im too lzay to be bothered to have to take the dog for a walk all the time. Ive taken my cat out on a lead quite a few times, and its learnt to just walk along beside me, but I only bring it out walking through a field, never on pavements because it would be difficult if a dog came anywhere near. The cat would either try and bolt, or probably run up my leg!

    Talking about annoying things, my neighbour has two dogs which are kept out in the back garden 24/7. Ive never seen them taken out for a walk. Anytime I step into the back garden they start barking loudly. Its really really annoying, so much so that I dont bother going out there because Im sick of telling them to shutup. I had some friends over one day for a BBQ and they wouldnt stop narking. I could see the neighbour was in over the fence, because their windows were wide open. It took several angry "Fcuking hell you'd think if you owned a dog, you would be able to control it, this is a damn disgrace and Im getting really sick of this!" said in my most pissed off voice for one of them to come out of their house and tell the dogs to be quiet.

    Luckily the winter is here and Im never in the back garden, I will be moving in May, so its not a problem worth dealing with now, but if I had to stay here another summer, Id go in and tell them they had better sort it out or I would take action.

    Loving those photos of the cat run, great idea, though it might affect tanning in the 3 days of summer you have here in Ireland!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,634 ✭✭✭TooManyDogs


    tin79 wrote:
    What would you consider "inflicting"?

    If a pet is interfering in someone else's life unjustly then I think its 'inflicting'. My neighbours have racing pigeons and it doesn't bother me in the least but it would if I had to clean up excessive amounts of pigeon poo from my car or garden. My dogs nuisance barking in my garden is inflicting my pets, if a cat sits on my wall and stirs up my dogs then that cat owner is inflicting their pet on me, same goes if the cat is in my garden stalking my rabbit. If my rabbit was in someone's veggie patch then I'd be inflicting my pet. There's a world of difference between only having silent indoor pets and having responsibly owned pets. Cats are the one pet where the majority of their owners think its their right because its in their nature to wander. The fact is that no pet animal is being kept in a naturally sized territory, houses/aquariums/hutches are far smaller than the space they would naturally wander but it is unacceptable to let dogs out unaccompanied anymore and people wouldn't consider letting their horses or rabbits wander, cats shouldn't be let either.

    There's some fantastic cat owners on boards who have shown how its possible to have cats and not let them wander, I'd love if more people were like them.

    30 years ago dogs were left wander because it was 'unnatural ' to keep them confined, I think it will be interesting to see the shift in attitudes to wandering cats over the next 30 years


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 6,924 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cherry Blossom


    tin79 wrote: »
    Racing pigeons are housed indoors so they would not be likely to damage neighbours property. But while racing I guess they could overfly gardens.

    But what would you consider "inflicting"?

    If a pigeon overflys your garden is that inflicting?

    It isn't going to be hanging around long enough to even notice that it even exists
    tin79 wrote: »
    If a cat sits on your fence is that?
    If that's as far as it goes and the dog doesn't mind it being there, that's normally fine, in my case it isn't fine because my stables are on the other side of my fence, it 'could' sit on the front wall if it wanted but it doesn't it wants to come right in and drop half dead animals on my drive that the kids want to 'save/bury' and the dog wants to eat.
    tin79 wrote: »
    What about if your dog barks in a garden and wakes someone up, is that?
    Depends how long, how frequently and what time it barks.
    tin79 wrote: »
    What if I am afraid of dogs and one on a leash comes close to me, is that inflicting?

    It is if you tell the person you are uncomfortable with it, and they don't give you your space.
    tin79 wrote: »
    Or do you solely have a probelm with wandering. So if my cat comes into your garden it is iresponsible but if my dog barks all night and can be heard through the walls its ok?

    Should we only have indoor silent pets?

    Where is the line here.
    I have 3 horses, they aren't silent or indoors, they cause no problem to anyone, if they are on the road I go back and pick up after them (yes seriously).

    I have a dog, a so called 'vocal' breed, she's trained to bark once to make doors open, she 'talks' the rest of the time - to us, the cat, the horses, other dogs - just normal talking volume, she goes mental at 'intruders' that come within the boundaries of her house though - not my problem if your cat is the cause.

    I have a cat - it's an indoor cat, it's not silent but you won't hear it unless you are in my house, (in which case you can sod off if you don't like it :p)

    I own 5 pets, I clean up after 8 :rolleyes:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 485 ✭✭Mo60


    In the real world is there any other country in Europe where they have this discussion about cats roaming? Every country I have been to I see cats, that are obviously pets, wandering about.

    Regarding the enclosed garden in a previous post, how would it look if every house that had a cat did the same to their garden?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,634 ✭✭✭TooManyDogs


    Mo60 wrote: »
    In the real world is there any other country in Europe where they have this discussion about cats roaming? Every country I have been to I see cats, that are obviously pets, wandering about.

    I wonder how nuisance cats are dealt with in all those other countries? As vermin?
    Regarding the enclosed garden in a previous post, how would it look if every house that had a cat did the same to their garden?

    I think it would look fine!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,114 ✭✭✭doctor evil


    Shanao wrote: »
    How big do you think Maine Coons are?! :D Not a chance really, not to mention that you wont see many Maine Coons prowling the moors!

    Well why not? MC are a large breed of cat that are not dopey. MC are becoming more popular.

    Cats in general can be a nuisance to farmers esp if they farm chicks or fish as well as damaging silage bails.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 4,002 ✭✭✭SillyMangoX


    I've seen a Maine Coone take down a fully grown male hare, like actually kill it and bring it home! :eek: The same cat also took down a pine martin in the owners shed! The pine martin was in perfect health so it's not like it was an easy target, the cat just killed it! :eek::eek: The cat is an absolute beast of a thing, he's bigger than a lot of dogs I have seen and to be honest I wouldn't put it past him going for a small lamb, I would hope he wouldn't though. (He's not mine, belongs to a friend of my parents)

    My cats roam, but don't go out on the road. They go through fields or hedges to get where they are going (one of the several farms in the area). No one minds it, it's like everyone shares cats around here! :D All the dogs around either have cats in the family or are farm dogs which wouldn't chase the cats. (Only dog that would is my uncles pup, but she wouldn't touch them, the odd time she catches one of mind they get soaked from all the licks!)

    My cats spend more time in my garden than out roaming, they get better food here :D They have also never spend a night away from the house, they come back every evening without fail, and also several times during the day to be fed/loved. They are both neutered and were indoor cats for their first year so I don't know if that had anything to do with it, but I wouldn't change things, my cats are happy with the way things are.

    They used to go absolutely crazy being cooped up in the house all the time, I think that life just doesn't suit some cats. Although now that they've been out and experienced the big bad world I think they would very happily love to be indoor cats again, no rain in here! :D


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