Your thoughts on pet cats roaming free

Bizzum

Discodog wrote: »

Well firstly the majority of damage is done by birds. Secondly good farming practice recommends that bales are netted. Thirdly are the cats trying to get into the bales to catch mice or rats that are already in them ruining the silage ?

Firstly: Wrong. The bales are in the yard, too near the house for the crows liking.

Secondly: Really. Netted to stop cats? No. Simply No.

Thirdly: The bales are stacked 2 high, the yard is baited for rats. The cats sun themselves on top of the bales and ruin the top bales.

So to conclude: You can't help me. You have no solution. I must foot the bill.
Anyone else???????????

john t

Its a worldwide problem, wild/ loose animals anoying people, endangering livestock, valuable produce.. We have a right too say no... too animal loose and intefering with our quality of life...

Shanao

So here's my take on all of this. I have four cats, two are inside all the time (because one is huge and i imagine he would probably come home with a few dead dogs if we left him out) and the other two are left out now and again for about two hours. One doesn't leave the garden (we've watched him and I think he's too lazy to go over the wall), the other does but couldn't possibly go far because he comes running as soon as he's called. Both cats that have access to the outdoors come home to use their litterbox:rolleyes: even though we dug up a nice patch of one of the flowerbeds solely for them.
Neither have killed any songbirds, they have tags and bells on their collars that jingle, and as i said, they are tagged and microchipped. So if they ever did do anything, they're traceable straight back to us. They dont **** in other people's gardens, they dont kill wildlife, they dont cause problems. Not like the little terriers that are left out every friggin morning and they used to squeeze through the gate to **** in our front garden. ((Would have complained to the owners, but the dogs got a fright one day when they trotted in the front gate to leave us a present and came face to face with an eight stone akita, not that he showed even an ounce of aggression, but they figured out not to come back fairly fast))

If my cats caused any hassle at all, I would take full responsibilty and the buggers would be kept inside from there on in.

One thing I'm confused about here is the accusation of cats ruining silage bales? My OH's family own a farm and had nineteen cats at one point, they have thirteen at the moment, and they have never had a bale ruined by a cat. Nor has any other farmer that I know. They've also never had their chickens worried by cats (the hens will actually attack the cats if they go near them). They live in the countryside and people are constantly driving out there and dumping cats on their land, but they take them in and feed them without a problem; happy to have them keep the rats and mice down.

So to sum up most of that rambling and probably nonsensical in parts post (hey its late, give me a break:p) I can understand why people get annoyed about cats killing wildlife, ****ting in their gardens (along with dogs that do it!!), etc. But I just cant see how people consider cats vermin. I understand shooting a dog because its worrying livestock or may have killed, but cats... nope, I just cant see it. (Again could just be down to the six hours of sleep I've had over the past three days:p)

Brian?

If you don't want cats in your garden, get a dog .

I hate cats, but would never complain to someone about them wandering throough my garden. I do respect their ninja like abilities.

kildare.17hmr

briankeating wrote: »

If you don't want cats in your garden, get a dog .

I hate cats, but would never complain to someone about them wandering throough my garden. I do respect their ninja like abilities.

i have 4 but the 2 big ones live in a run and the 2 small ones in the house

DBB

briankeating wrote: »

If you don't want cats in your garden, get a dog .

I have two dogs who chase cats. But I have my veg patch and flowerbeds fenced off so they can't destroy my plants. And thusly, they cannot get to the cats who are ****ting in the beds and digging up my plants.:rolleyes:

homerhop

interesting study on the range of cats

http://www.knowyourcat.info/info/teritory.htm

stoneill

Cats roam free - set off security lights, knock over stuff, kill birds and end up where they are not wanted.
Dog gets blame for barking at cat.

I'm not anti-cat but I can't understand how owners let them walk all over their kitchen worktops and tables and then the owners start to prepare food!
If I am in a house where a cat is a pet I will not eat in there.

anniehoo

Im getting really tired of the urban vs rural debate here to be honest. You cant compare the 2 fairly at all. I live in an urban estate where the majority of people on my road know who my cats are and where they live. There are no livestock in the area, private gardens or silage to ruin. I would not shun or deny responsibility if any of them came to me with a complaint however small. They are not rampaging around the place causing chaos, damaging property or anything else wildly inflammatory. They go out for a wander, chase each other around, sit on a wall for an hour and come back home. End of.

If one or both of them were causing massive disturbance to my neighbourhood and i was receiving endless complaints about them i would have no hesitation in keeping them indoors permanently, but im not, so i wont. The vast comparisons (rural vs urban for example) is grossly unfair to my situation and is not relevant to my argument or my cats immaculate behaviour.

john t

Brian Keating, when we walk our dogs for 1hour . cats can enter property and eat dog food and use plants as toilet... Dont know your circumstances but cat be ferral and wild...

Discodog

DBB wrote: »

So, I wondered, what is the difference when somebody's cat, and because it is their cat they are responsible for it, destroys a number of silage bales belonging to a farmer, who is still an innocent party in the whole affair?
Why shouldn't a cat owner have to take the same responsibility for their cat as a dog owner has to take for their dog? The fact that the owners can't be found leaves farmers with little option.

And you accuse me of sweeping statements ! It isn't the law - Simples ! If you want cat control then lobby & get a law passed. It shouldn't be too difficult to persuade 100,000 owners to build runs.

mossy2390

just use a water gun to get rid of the cat thats wandering around your garden if there annoying you, it wont hurt them but they really hate it.

cats roaming is one of the good things about them, there the lazy mans pet, they spend most there time sleeping, you dont have to enclose them, they will sleep anywhere inside or out and on anything comfortable, if you go on holidays you dont have to send them to a kennel or anything they can even feed themselves, and they give you as much or as little attention as you want

Discodog

DBB wrote: »

I have two dogs who chase cats.

Maybe your dogs need some training. I train mine not to chase cats - not easy with Sighthounds but I would rather that than having my dogs behaving badly.

I would hate to have to explain to one of my neighbours that my dogs had killed their cat. But as it's OK to shoot cats maybe it's OK to set dogs on them ?

homerhop

I watched a documentary a few years ago on how much cats travel in urban areas. There were a couple of cats studied over a length of time and found that most female cats stayed within 4 to 5 houses from their owners.

On saying that as a home owner you should be able to leave your windows open with out having to chase your neighbours cats out of your house. My mother got a terrible fright a few years ago when she heard a noise in the kitchen in the middle of the night. neighbours cat had climed in the window and knocked a vase off the cill. Not a nice thing for someone on their own in a house to have to experience.

john t

Anniehoe you live in apartment? so u let/ allow cats out too roam every day...........that is wrong........

Discodog

homerhop wrote: »

Can they net wrap silage bales?

"Ideally bales should be covered (top and sides) in fine-mesh netting to prevent bird and cat damage during storage. Spacers such as tyres should be used to keep the netting out from the bales. The site should be fenced off and steps taken to reduce the risk of rodents. Inspect the bales frequently and repair damage immediately."

Farmers Journal guide to making good quality Silage.

doctor evil

Unless someone follows their cat for 24 hours than they have no clue about what it gets up to.

Are cats almost considered second class to dogs? Replace the title of this thread to '.....dogs roaming free' and it would have gone a very different course.

doctor evil

Unless someone follows their cat for 24 hours than they have no clue about what it gets up to.

Are cats almost considered second class to dogs? Replace the title of this thread to '.....dogs roaming free' and it would have gone a very different course.

Cherry Blossom

Discodog wrote: »

And you accuse me of sweeping statements ! It isn't the law - Simples ! If you want cat control then lobby & get a law passed. It shouldn't be too difficult to persuade 100,000 owners to build runs.

No there isn't any law relating to cat control and for all intents and purposes they are treated as wild animals. I'm not sure what point you are trying to make in this thread, are you saying there should be control laws in place or not, because if not no-one is responsible for cats and if people let their cats act like vermin they are obviously going to be treated likewise by others.

Personally I think its time that cat owners were legally required to take responsibility the same as owners of other pets.

I'm delighted to see that everyone here worms their cats etc. My neighbours do not, I have no idea what they are feeding this animal either, but what comes out the other end is by no means pleasant. Their own garden is immaculate because of course their cat uses our lawn as its toilet, it makes no effort to bury it either.

Trying to remove cat diarrhoea from a terriers fur is great craic, I can't think of a better way to spend an evening!

charlemont

Cats are a free animal and are as much entitled to roam around as birds are to fly.

Discodog

adrenalinjunkie wrote: »

are you saying there should be control laws in place or not, because if not no-one is responsible for cats and if people let their cats act like vermin they are obviously going to be treated likewise by others.

I am saying that the discussion over responsibility is pointless because the majority will not take responsibility unless the law demands it & that law will never be made. It would be an impossibility to get 100,000 owners to change the habits that have existed for thousands of years.

So if we can't stop it then we need to live with it without resorting to unnecessary killing & cruelty.

This study claims that 76% of pet cats in Ireland are neutered !

http://www.anthrozoology.org/demography_of_the_pet_dog_and_cat_population_on_the_island_of_ireland_and_human_factors_influencing_pet_ownership

DBB

Discodog wrote: »

And you accuse me of sweeping statements ! It isn't the law - Simples ! If you want cat control then lobby & get a law passed. It shouldn't be too difficult to persuade 100,000 owners to build runs.

So if it's not the law, then owners won't mind that they are not, in fact, owners, that their cat are deemed as vermin, and people are entitled to take action against them to stop them destroying property because they know there is no owner to compensate them.
I'm not as worried about the lack if law as I am about the blatant disregard cat owners have for their animal's welfare.
That to me is the height of ignorance. I don't need any laws to tell me that.
BTW, I don't make ill- or partially-researched sweeping statements, and I'm still looking for the one you're trying to accuse me of. Silly.

Cherry Blossom

Your seriously going off on a rant at this stage! What on earth does the percentage of cats that are neutered have to do with anything?

Shall I remind you how long the Control of dogs act is in force? Here's a clue - it isn't thousands of years :rolleyes: It is no different at all! If I can manage to keep my dog, my horses (and my cat!) securely without wrecking havoc on other peoples property then so can everyone else.

Yes I know people aren't going to take responsibility etc, etc, most people barely take responsibility for themselves, that doesn't make it acceptable.

If you don't want to take responsibility for your pets (whatever they may be) then suffer the consequences, simples.

Mod Hat on:

Now I suggest we all stay on topic and have a bit less ranting and raving!

Chuck Stone

Bizzum wrote: »

It's irresponsible ownership to allow cats roam freely causing damage, and trying to justify it is worse.

I think keeping cats inside is cruel. They are naturally inquisitive timid animals.

Also, cats pose a negligible risk to children and adults unlike dogs who can be aggressive and hurt or even kill a child.

stoneill wrote: »

Dog gets blame for barking at cat.

If dogs are barking because they can see a cat then that's the dog owners problem. Train the dog not to bark or block their view of cats or any other animal which might set them off.

I'm not anti-cat but I can't understand how owners let them walk all over their kitchen worktops and tables and then the owners start to prepare food!

I too find this fairly disgusting as I would dogs licking plates etc.

Discodog wrote: »

"Ideally bales should be covered (top and sides) in fine-mesh netting to prevent bird and cat damage during storage. Spacers such as tyres should be used to keep the netting out from the bales. The site should be fenced off and steps taken to reduce the risk of rodents. Inspect the bales frequently and repair damage immediately."

I think it's kind of you DD to help OP with his silage bailing methods.

There was a guy lived next to my parents house who used to throw stones at cats who walked on his walls; what a bored, sad, little man he was.

DBB

Discodog wrote: »

DBB wrote: »

I have two dogs who chase cats.

Maybe your dogs need some training. I train mine not to chase cats - not easy with Sighthounds but I would rather that than having my dogs behaving badly.

I would hate to have to explain to one of my neighbours that my dogs had killed their cat. But as it's OK to shoot cats maybe it's OK to set dogs on them ?

Oh poor discodog. Jumping to silly little conclusions again. Sigh.
My dogs are trained to stop chasing anything they happen to chase, dear. But given that my neighbours' cats have caused me a fair bit of financial loss and wasted time, if my dogs chase them, I don't stop them. Not that they can get them due to aforementioned fencing.
Indeed, my dogs get on quite well with cats when they're in a house with a cat. But sure, just ignore the facts, they do get in the way of your posts so much!
As it happens, if a dog kills a cat, there is no legal compulsion for the dog's owner to do anything. Such is the life of an animal with no legal protection, and whose owners feel no need to provide protection... How shocking that pet owners need to be forced to care for their pets.
Off you go now and pick out lines from people's posts to quote to pick apart and draw unusual conclusions from ;-)

docmol

Really strange the way people can love and own cats without feeling the need to take responsibility for them. Reminds me of the mothers who say "my son is an angel, he'd never do that" even when watching videos of him rioting. We keep canaries that were decimated by cats, in a locked shed with chickenwire and the works. <snip> -

Mod edit - thats a step too far!

DBB

AJ, sorry to return to the subject of 70+% cats in Ireland being neutered, but I thought you might like to have the findings of that study quantified, lest anyone actually believes that 70+% of cats in Ireland are actually neutered! I read the whole paper just after it was published, as opposed to just reading the abstract;-)
When that study was published, the findings were fairly quickly discredited due to the selection of cats for the study.
All of the cats selected were indoor only cats, a large proportion of them pedigree.
So, you can see it is not a representative sample of the actual population of cats in Ireland.
I'd hate for anything hurriedly trawled from a Google search to become fact without giving the peer-reviewed side of it too!

Chuck Stone

docmol wrote: »

Really strange the way people can love and own cats without feeling the need to take responsibility for them. Reminds me of the mothers who say "my son is an angel, he'd never do that" even when watching videos of him rioting. We keep canaries that were decimated by cats, in a locked shed with chickenwire and the works.

If you couldn't keep your birds safe then that's your fault.

I always found the keeping of birds (symbolic of freedom) in cages a rather odd way to pass time.
<Quote snipped>

Cherry Blossom

This thread is taking on a life of its own at this stage!

Locking until I can get some more input on it.

Cherry Blossom

Re-opening this thread under the following conditions:

No bickering, name calling, off-topic posting, soap-boxing, advocating cruelty (or anything else forum mods deem inappropriate) . . .

It's all already in the forum charter so none of this should be a surprise!

Play nice and the thread will stay open, otherwise it will be closed permanently and infractions will be issued.