Topic: Sick of bl** dy CATS

[non-stick]

I'm sorry but if you elect to have a pet - whatever it is - you are responsible for it and it's actions. You cannot abdicate responsibility on account of "its what they do". If it's acceptable for cats to kill birds "as it's nature" what's the difference if a cat is attacked and killed by a dog in someone else's garden? Surely that's "just nature" but I doubt the cat owner would see it that way.

There are health risks associated with cat crap, including a risk to unborn children, which raises it above simply being a nuisance or a "bit of cat poo".

We have finally woken up to the fact that it is no longer acceptable to allow dogs to foul wherever it suits and owners are encouraged to clean up afterwards - although sadly some still dont and others, after going to the trouble of picking it up then toss the bag away inconsiderately. Perhaps it's about time we got serious about cat crap

What makes it acceptable for your cat (or mine if I had one) to mess on other peoples property? If you are not prepared to take responsibility then dont own one!

I have to admit at a previous house I took to returning the offending items back to the originating site, not something i'm overly proud of but with a young child I didn't want her falling foul of it.

[grawrc]

There are lots of irresponsible pet owners but equally there are plenty of responsible ones. Maybe it's too easy to get an animal and prospective owners should be vetted a bit more closely and encouraged to take a course in animal care before getting a pet.

I like to think I'm a responsible pet owner anyway I've certainly had loads of pets - mainly dogs but also some cats - over the years. My dog gets walked every day and my pockets always have bags ready for poop. I groom, clean ears and eyes and brush teeth daily. She is vaccinated, wormed and given flea treatment. She is pretty well trained and does what she is told. It disgusts me when I see large piles of dog poo in the park or people walking huge, menacing animals where children play. I don't think that means we shouldn't have dogs but people should not be able to get them so easily. Like it says on the stickers "a dog is not just for Xmas".

My new little kitten (now 5 months) got much of her early training from her mum and uses a litter tray. She hasn't been out yet and I still haven't decided whether to let her out once she has been spayed. She knows her name and she understands "no"! I'd be happy if she could get out in the garden with me but I'd rather she didn't go too far afield.

My two girls are great company and I wouldn't be without them.

[Ellen K]

I don't dislike cats but the problem is that there are just too many of them.  And I find it disturbing that people talk about them with such love, as if they are human.  You see people cuddling their pet and and the animal licks their face etc, the whole pet thing has gone too far.  IMO it is like so much in society that should be dumped for our own benefit: pets, homeopathy, companion planting - they are all crap and we, homo sapiens (sic), should know better and dump it all.

< /rant>

[BarriedaleNick]

So you are saying pets are crap? Why - beacause people love them too much! What?  With all the ills in the world its people who love animals too much that is the issue..

Maybe to you they are but not to me and thousands of other people,  Cats have been domesticated for thousands of years - maybe not always as pets - so it is nothing new to this society.

Companion planting is also fine IMHO - a lot of plants emit chemicals that attract or repulce insects. 

What we should do away with his people who can't use [sic] correctly -  ;)  ;)

[Emagggie]

Ho yes, DenbyVisitor.... I love my cats and dog, and they very obviously love me back. They choose when they want to be petted which is every day, and it pleases me to do so. As for companion planting, I call it common sense, really.
Another thought. Have you never rubbed a dock leaf on a nettle sting? Far better than chemicals from a tube, I think.

[OllieC]

What we should do away with his (sic) people who can't use [sic] correctly -  ;)  ;)

Haha, quite right!

[Jeannine]

Why on earth would you be disturbed because folks love their pets, it makes no logical sense. I also would disagree with you that owners think they are human.

Something doesn't have to be human to be loved by someone.

Animals are used as therapy in hospitals, nursing home, schools and homes. Abused children who trust no one can be reached by using the love of an animal. It is no different in a regular home.

Everyone in the world deserves to be loved and to show love, not everyone is fortunate enough to find that with a human partner. If a dog  or cat or whatever fills that void that is a wonderful thing. Why be miserable and lonely if that can be changed with an animal around.

Personally I am disturbed by meeting someone who can truly say they feet pets should be dumped,I also feel very sad for that person,something has to be sadly missing in their life to be brought to such a decision.It must be pretty rough to be lacking so much  that one comes to these views.

XX Jeannine

[BarriedaleNick]

What we should do away with his (sic) people who can't use [sic] correctly -  ;)  ;)

Haha, quite right!

d**n recursive pedantry|  ;D

[non-stick]

It's when people anthropomorphise animals it all gets a bit weird. Nothing wrong with keeping pets, I grew up with pets in the family and loved having them, all I'm saying is if you have one take responsibility for it and what it does, that's all

As Alexander would say - Simples!   ;)

And do animals "love" - is that not a human emotion along with hate, anger, etc. Interesting debate perhaps

[Emagggie]

In my experience yes, animals show those emotions. Not sure about hate though, I'm not a hater, more a disliker, and that's probably so for animals.

[pigeonseed]

My next door neighbours have MANY cats! When I'd just moved in, whenever the sun came out it stank and I couldn't let my toddler dig or play because she always got covered in it. (It really was everywhere)

Now it's less of a problem, because I have collected a lot of old grills and racks from friends, skips, freecycle... stuff like old fridge shelves (grille type not glass) and cooker hob thingies and old barbecue racks. Plants can grow through them, and the cats don't tend to touch those areas, because they can't scratch. 

That's my tip anyway. (I'm keeping out of the compassion v sense of humour thingy  ;))

[Melbourne12]

There's actually a Facebook group on the subject, to my great amusement.  Hat tip to a similar thread on The Rev Counter.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cats-Should-Not-Be-Allowed-Outside/384096228912?sk=info

[BarriedaleNick]

There's actually a Facebook group on the subject, to my great amusement.  Hat tip to a similar thread on The Rev Counter.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cats-Should-Not-Be-Allowed-Outside/384096228912?sk=info

Yes it has a massive 36 likes and two posts this year - a very popular and influential group.

[Strawberrygirl]

We dont have the problem of poo-ing cats, we have the problem with two un-neutred Toms who are spraying all over our garden and coming into our house at night and when we are out (we have a catflap for our 3).  Seems to be the season for scenting their territory and i am currently trying to find the owners to tell them to get them "done".  House stinks, forever on my hands and knees with spray bleach but the smell is so strong you can still smell it.  Little buggers!

[Ragdoll Lady]

Tried to keep away from this thread but found I had to add my two pennies worth. As an owner of 6 cats....yes six cats (I can almost hear DenbyVisitor and Sun lover hyperventilating :), my cats are Indoor cats with a secure fenced in garden and cat run with house. They do not wander into neighbouring gardens and use dirt boxes to poo in which are in my home. Having the cats which are Ragolls and pretty large by cat standards seems to keep other cats out of my garden. They show no sign of being able to mouse or catch birds so are not an inpact on wildlife. My previous cat was an outdoor cat but still used a dirt box indoors. She was moved down in the street by a feral teenager doing 60 mph in a quite street with their radio so loud your windows rattled. I could quite easily say ' I hate all teenagers' but it wouldnt have even crossed my mind to do so.......mayby its because I love animals and wouldnt wish anything or anyone dead! I found most of my friends are animal lovers and nice reasonable people with responsible attitudes. They also tend to make better parents as they have had the practice of caring and nuturing something in their own childhoods (the family pet) and have learned all about having a caring and responsible attitude.
There are 'bad' animal owners who are selfish to the impact animals can have on others, just as there are 'bad' parents who take no responsibility what so ever for thier children and let them run wild.  But in fairness it is each to there own. I wouldnt be without a cat as they are wonderful creatures but that is my opinion.

[Ellen K]

Let me explain:  they're CATS and if we ascribe human emotions to them, then maybe we would be better described as Homo delusionus rather than sapiens, hence use of the expression sic.  As in "I kid you not".

But I like cats and could easily become a cat woman a la Joanna Lumley but I have chosen not to for the same reasons I don't do companion planting or watch Eastenders.

But I am not hyperventilating.  Thank you for your concern.

 :)

[bridgehouse]

I love cats, I have a very old lady Birman cat called Gracie. she is a house cat and she has a dirt box. which she uses, and I clean out every day. but that is not an option for most outdoor cats, to have a animal is a privlage .and I would not be without one. people cause far more trouble than any cat  all the woe's of the world are caused by people, not animals. perhaps we could all learn a thing or two from animals.
   Cat lover June.

[blackkitty2]

Just thought I would add a little to the conversation about cats and the cat poo problem. We have seemingly hundreds of cats around here and I noticed that after planting some catmint on the front garden the cats were far too stoned to even think of doing 'the biz' on any garden after they had dosed themselves up on the stuff.

I have planted at least a dozen catmint bushes including lemon scented and Six Hill's Giant this year and it is really easy to grow from seed. By the time they have drugged themselves up on it they just roll about in an amorous way and stagger off home looking happy. The glazed look is worth seeing and they really do bugger off elsewhere afterwards. The worst they can do is have a hippy cat love-in afterwards. Our cat bonks the dog but that's another story....

I own cats and do not advocate the use of any other forms of drugs, pyromania, attack dogs, sharp instruments, barbed wire (had a neighbour that laid it down to trap our cats - the RSPCA were most interested indeed) or anything else at all. 'Nuff said.

[shirlton]

 ;D

[grannyjanny]

 ;D ;D ;D