Don’t let your cats roam, it’s a dick move in so so many ways. Be responsible and keep and eye on your pet on your property, if you don’t think cats are indoor animals, don’t get one
I’ve had 3 cats(all rescued), one that refused to stay inside and would run out the door before I knew. I live in a house now with him and he goes out with the dog. He’s outlived his siblings and keeps the mouse population from the field behind my house from getting inside. I also keep a loud bell collar on him to assist those wild critters.
The smart reply isn’t to keep(force) your pets inside, it’s to get them spayed or neutered and stop having so many fucking cats.
If you care about your pet or neighbours keep it inside. Don’t make your pet other peoples pests. Can you imagine if dog owners just opened their doors at night to let them roam? Why do cast people think they’re special?
P.s. i found a cat leg in my yard the other day, since we have coyotes and birds of prey in my area. So there’s some consequences for you
I’ve had closer to 9 cats (all either strays or fostered/adopted), and the two that stayed inside their entire life managed to outlive the others by like 6 years and counting. The smart reply is absolutely to keep your pets inside.
Y’all really can’t wait to see your own cats flattened on the road, huh? “But my cat is smart enough to avoid cars!” No, your cat is lucky enough to have avoided cars so far.
I used to work at an animal shelter. I must have met thousands of cats in my time there. I never met a single cat that didn’t get used to being inside 24/7. They could be sitting just feet away from a door leading straight outside, and they would not try to escape.
If your home is so hostile to cats that they’re desperate to escape no matter what you do, you should probably not have a cat.
Instead of a catio I installed fences around my property so my cats could enjoy the outside without roaming outside. It wouldn’t work for everyone because my property is half walled to (not the regular american layout) but it works like a charm.
There are cats that definitely come with pre-conditions. For example our last cat was abandoned and he chose us next. But first he spent about 4 months learning to like being outside. So until we moved* he wouldn’t let us keep him inside. He’d literally climb out the window, up the wood framing, to the roof, get into the pine trees and work his way down from there. Eventually we’d just get a meow at the front door when we thought he was still chilling in the living room.
If you’re adopting a shelter cat or bringing up a kitten you should absolutely keep them inside. But some cats will let you know they have terms and conditions to your relationship.
Note - Once we moved he no longer wanted to roam so much and was content with being a balcony cat. Which strongly suggests it was tied to some idea of territory or familiarity with that area.
I found a cat leg the other day, victim to a coyote. But I guess the owners can be comforted that their kitty got fresh air.
But as a neighbour who deals with this issue and property damage from neighbours cats , if your pet becomes my pest i will deal with it as such, and you’ll never know about it
I mean yeah that sucks that can happen with coyotes, but dude if cats are damaging your stuff it’s because you’re a dick to them. They are smart enough to know and to take it out on you. Also that’s a great way to turn a minor dispute into a violent confrontation. Don’t escalate shit just because you want to feel superior. It’s not a rational response to kill your neighbor’s cat.
See I’ve had the opposite experience. As long as there’s a cat box in neutral territory, food, and water, and you let the cat lead on socializing with you, it’s fine. People run into problems when they treat cats like accessories instead of animals that have their own thoughts, agency, and borders.
Of course there will always be exceptions but if a cat is fucking with you and only you then you made it angry at you.
You seem to be imagining these cats harassing But_my_mom_says_im_cool directly. He’s complaining about property damage, not socialization problems. Cats are not crows. They do not remember when you’re rude to them, and then decide to destroy your garden. They’ll simply destroy your garden if it seems like fun
It’s fortunate that your experience with stray cats has been as positive as it’s been, but anyone who’s actually dealt with them knows you’re full of shit
Be a little piece of shit, and one day you’ll find out that you aren’t the only one who can kill, as you learn your brakes aren’t functional on the highway.
Do you react the same way to people using pesticides or mole traps? A pest is a pest is a pest. If you want the moles to stay safe, don’t let them into your neighbor’s yards. Same goes for cats.
also, you let your children play outside? how terrible!!! they might be hit by a car! be a responsible parent and lock your child up so they are not exposed to any danger ever
If the child is not old enough to understand what a car is and that it’s dangerous and moves fast and what roads are and to keep off them then yes, don’t let the kid outside unless supervised.
Cats are smarter than you think. Sure, they won’t be looking both ways before crossing the street. But they will know which streets are too dangerous to cross and they can usually hear incoming vehicles using those pointy things on top of their heads called ‘ears’.
Now if you live close to a very busy street I can understand you want to keep your cat inside. However, I live in a more rural area where people drive more cautiously and it’s really fine to let cats roam freely.
I get that they can harm the environment (especially when there is an overpopulation); that’s not what I’m asking. The question was how is it bad for the cat?
Their natural habitat is outside in the near-east and egypt, not anywhere else. That’s not to mention, most people live in urbanized areas with a lot of hazards that aren’t natural.
After they domesticated themselves I am pretty sure their natural habitat is whatever we decide it should be. We already are deciding if they can breed at all so…
All the cats in my neighborhood that were outdoor cats have been killed within a week. Coyote has had some good eats this week.
Mostly cars, but it’s also how they end up getting lost or grabbed by people thinking they are lost, and also wildlife like coyotes or owls and raccoons often can kill them because they don’t have a natural sense of fear for predators anymore. As well as transfer of disease from mingling with other outdoors cats. Or getting pregnant by meeting up with other outdoor cats while not being fixed themselves.
Not every place in the world is America, there are many places where cats are native, and dont get driven over as much because all is full of cars, i got mine to specifically damage the sorounding mice ecosystem because having the pest control there every six months is expensive.
Your right humans spread them as semi wild pets to protect they food stock from rodents but for Europe that where the romans over 2000 year ago, so i would not say that they are a new emerging existencial thread for the eco system here, if that was the case it would have long colapsed lol.
This isnt an extinction event caused by a slow climatic change or something, in some places on earth its an invasive species and if you look up how fast/slow they cause damage than its in the range of tens to hundreds, not thousands of years.
“Many Places” umm no, not domesticated house cats.
And if you live in a place with native and wild small felines it’s even more important to keep domesticated cats inside since they will compete for food or mix genetics by trying to interbreed and put the native wild population of cats in danger of diseases.
There’s plenty parts of America that are like that as well. A lot of areas, having an outdoor cat is almost necessary you want an outdoor garden, since otherwise the local rodents will just eat it all.
you lock your cat up inside all the time? fuck you
oh they’re a threat to local wildlife? our cat is too lazy to get off his ass and hunt anything, it will be fine. also there are many roaming cats in the neighborhood so it won’t be a difference
Can you imagine if dog people let their dogs fuck off at night? They’d rightly be charged and have their pets taken away, what makes you special.
If your pet becomes my pest, I will deal with it as such. Not to mention all the dangers you’re risking your cat die to.
Really it’s a big case of entitlement, you think you’re entitled to use everyone’s property to entertain your cat, cause you’re too irresponsible of an owner to entertain and enrich your cat’s life at home
Cats have caused dozens of extinctions in the new world alone. I’m not as familiar with old world regions, but I understand they’re not exactly friendly to local wildlife there either. They’re not “just cats,” they’re an apex predator that no ecosystem outside of Northern Africa evolved to deal with. You don’t let zebra mussels into your local lake. You don’t plant kudzu in your yard. Don’t let your cats outside unsupervised.
Don’t let your cats roam, it’s a dick move in so so many ways. Be responsible and keep and eye on your pet on your property, if you don’t think cats are indoor animals, don’t get one
I’ve had 3 cats(all rescued), one that refused to stay inside and would run out the door before I knew. I live in a house now with him and he goes out with the dog. He’s outlived his siblings and keeps the mouse population from the field behind my house from getting inside. I also keep a loud bell collar on him to assist those wild critters.
The smart reply isn’t to keep(force) your pets inside, it’s to get them spayed or neutered and stop having so many fucking cats.
If you care about your pet or neighbours keep it inside. Don’t make your pet other peoples pests. Can you imagine if dog owners just opened their doors at night to let them roam? Why do cast people think they’re special?
P.s. i found a cat leg in my yard the other day, since we have coyotes and birds of prey in my area. So there’s some consequences for you
Not to mention how much damage cats do to wildlife populations.
I’ve had closer to 9 cats (all either strays or fostered/adopted), and the two that stayed inside their entire life managed to outlive the others by like 6 years and counting. The smart reply is absolutely to keep your pets inside.
Y’all really can’t wait to see your own cats flattened on the road, huh? “But my cat is smart enough to avoid cars!” No, your cat is lucky enough to have avoided cars so far.
This a thousand times. Allowing a cat outdoors is the single worst thing for the environment the average person is capable of doing.
Not particularly great for the cat, either.
Lmao
Your cat has more control over you? Who is whose owner there? People who let their cats roam are entitled and irresponsible.
I had a beagle who always wanted out and roam. But my pet doesn’t make the rules so I kept him inside
Cats do whatever they want. Get one and you’ll know.
First, I have two.
Second, why should anyone listen to you when you admit that any cat can outsmart you? Lol
They do what you allow
Yeah, no. Cats are black hats. They’ll keep looking for exploits.
I used to work at an animal shelter. I must have met thousands of cats in my time there. I never met a single cat that didn’t get used to being inside 24/7. They could be sitting just feet away from a door leading straight outside, and they would not try to escape.
If your home is so hostile to cats that they’re desperate to escape no matter what you do, you should probably not have a cat.
Instead of a catio I installed fences around my property so my cats could enjoy the outside without roaming outside. It wouldn’t work for everyone because my property is half walled to (not the regular american layout) but it works like a charm.
There are cats that definitely come with pre-conditions. For example our last cat was abandoned and he chose us next. But first he spent about 4 months learning to like being outside. So until we moved* he wouldn’t let us keep him inside. He’d literally climb out the window, up the wood framing, to the roof, get into the pine trees and work his way down from there. Eventually we’d just get a meow at the front door when we thought he was still chilling in the living room.
If you’re adopting a shelter cat or bringing up a kitten you should absolutely keep them inside. But some cats will let you know they have terms and conditions to your relationship.
Note - Once we moved he no longer wanted to roam so much and was content with being a balcony cat. Which strongly suggests it was tied to some idea of territory or familiarity with that area.
All excuses as far as I’m concerned.
I found a cat leg the other day, victim to a coyote. But I guess the owners can be comforted that their kitty got fresh air.
But as a neighbour who deals with this issue and property damage from neighbours cats , if your pet becomes my pest i will deal with it as such, and you’ll never know about it
I mean yeah that sucks that can happen with coyotes, but dude if cats are damaging your stuff it’s because you’re a dick to them. They are smart enough to know and to take it out on you. Also that’s a great way to turn a minor dispute into a violent confrontation. Don’t escalate shit just because you want to feel superior. It’s not a rational response to kill your neighbor’s cat.
I’ve worked professionally with cats for over 7 years. I can confirm that cats will fuck with your shit no matter how you treat them lmao
See I’ve had the opposite experience. As long as there’s a cat box in neutral territory, food, and water, and you let the cat lead on socializing with you, it’s fine. People run into problems when they treat cats like accessories instead of animals that have their own thoughts, agency, and borders.
Of course there will always be exceptions but if a cat is fucking with you and only you then you made it angry at you.
You seem to be imagining these cats harassing But_my_mom_says_im_cool directly. He’s complaining about property damage, not socialization problems. Cats are not crows. They do not remember when you’re rude to them, and then decide to destroy your garden. They’ll simply destroy your garden if it seems like fun
Yeah but so will any animal. As to the not crows thing I disagree. They absolutely remember and spray and poop your area.
It’s fortunate that your experience with stray cats has been as positive as it’s been, but anyone who’s actually dealt with them knows you’re full of shit
Be a little piece of shit, and one day you’ll find out that you aren’t the only one who can kill, as you learn your brakes aren’t functional on the highway.
Sincerely, Your neighbors <3
You mean like the cat that kills all manner of wildlife for no reason?
Do you react the same way to people using pesticides or mole traps? A pest is a pest is a pest. If you want the moles to stay safe, don’t let them into your neighbor’s yards. Same goes for cats.
Woah, is lemmy pro letting cats outside? It’s so terrible for the cats and local wildlife why would you be in favor of it?
America-centrist I see
The hell does America-centrism have to do with this?
Because cats do not disturb ecosystems in most parts of the world, most notably not in the Americas
How do the cats know which country they’re in?
Bruh I’ve lived in Japan, Germany, and Qatar, and all those places had birds.
You fool, those are government spy drones!
Fuck! They fooled me AGAIN!
Cats are native to Northern Africa. They’re an invasive species literally everywhere else.
Sure they don’t.
Australia - https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/nov/12/from-beloved-pet-to-biodiversity-villain-what-now-for-australias-cats France - https://www.lemonde.fr/en/our-times/article/2023/02/18/the-common-cat-has-become-an-environmental-scourge_6016379_39.html A paper that lists other locations besides United States, like United Kingdom - https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pan3.10073
How is it terrible for the cat? Their natural habitat is outside!
Cats do not have cars in their natural habitat.
How do you know?
cat, in line at the drive thru to grab a whopper
time to get rid of cars then
also, you let your children play outside? how terrible!!! they might be hit by a car! be a responsible parent and lock your child up so they are not exposed to any danger ever
If the child is not old enough to understand what a car is and that it’s dangerous and moves fast and what roads are and to keep off them then yes, don’t let the kid outside unless supervised.
Cats don’t and can’t understand any of that.
Cats are smarter than you think. Sure, they won’t be looking both ways before crossing the street. But they will know which streets are too dangerous to cross and they can usually hear incoming vehicles using those pointy things on top of their heads called ‘ears’.
Now if you live close to a very busy street I can understand you want to keep your cat inside. However, I live in a more rural area where people drive more cautiously and it’s really fine to let cats roam freely.
Do you let your 3-year-old toddler outside on supervised for hours at a time???
No, it isn’t. Domestic cats do not belong outside. The exposure to numerous hazards literally cuts their average life expectancy by half.
Lots of animals live longer in captivity. That doesn’t mean it’s right to restrict their freedom.
A cat’s natural habitat is not North America. They are very destructive to our local ecology.
Yup. The hard truth is that we shouldn’t have pet cats at all over here.
I get that they can harm the environment (especially when there is an overpopulation); that’s not what I’m asking. The question was how is it bad for the cat?
cats can easily get FIV and other viruses, and outdoor cats live shorter lifespans
Their natural habitat is outside in the near-east and egypt, not anywhere else. That’s not to mention, most people live in urbanized areas with a lot of hazards that aren’t natural.
This is why I think that people shouldn’t get pet cats.
After they domesticated themselves I am pretty sure their natural habitat is whatever we decide it should be. We already are deciding if they can breed at all so…
All the cats in my neighborhood that were outdoor cats have been killed within a week. Coyote has had some good eats this week.
No it isn’t. Cats are domesticated. They have no natural habitat because they aren’t wild animals.
The house cat’s natural habitat is a door jamb.
My cat’s natural habitat is on my shoulder
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Mostly cars, but it’s also how they end up getting lost or grabbed by people thinking they are lost, and also wildlife like coyotes or owls and raccoons often can kill them because they don’t have a natural sense of fear for predators anymore. As well as transfer of disease from mingling with other outdoors cats. Or getting pregnant by meeting up with other outdoor cats while not being fixed themselves.
“fixing” is such a weird way to describe breaking something
It’s fixing a problem.
That we created in the first place.
Nah
I found a chewed up cat leg the other day, a coyotes dinner, hope it was yours
Outdoor cats have a far shorter life expectancy and damage the local ecosystem. Why don’t you care?
Not every place in the world is America, there are many places where cats are native, and dont get driven over as much because all is full of cars, i got mine to specifically damage the sorounding mice ecosystem because having the pest control there every six months is expensive.
Cats originated in Egypt and spread across the world basically by humans. So unless you’re in Egypt, cats aren’t native to your ecosystem.
Your right humans spread them as semi wild pets to protect they food stock from rodents but for Europe that where the romans over 2000 year ago, so i would not say that they are a new emerging existencial thread for the eco system here, if that was the case it would have long colapsed lol.
Do you think 2,000 years is a long time? About how long do you think extinction events usually take?
This isnt an extinction event caused by a slow climatic change or something, in some places on earth its an invasive species and if you look up how fast/slow they cause damage than its in the range of tens to hundreds, not thousands of years.
This is completely faulty logic not backed by reality or even a single source.
Here is some further reading:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cats-kill-a-staggering-number-of-species-across-the-world/
“Many Places” umm no, not domesticated house cats.
And if you live in a place with native and wild small felines it’s even more important to keep domesticated cats inside since they will compete for food or mix genetics by trying to interbreed and put the native wild population of cats in danger of diseases.
There’s plenty parts of America that are like that as well. A lot of areas, having an outdoor cat is almost necessary you want an outdoor garden, since otherwise the local rodents will just eat it all.
you lock your cat up inside all the time? fuck you
oh they’re a threat to local wildlife? our cat is too lazy to get off his ass and hunt anything, it will be fine. also there are many roaming cats in the neighborhood so it won’t be a difference
Can you imagine if dog people let their dogs fuck off at night? They’d rightly be charged and have their pets taken away, what makes you special.
If your pet becomes my pest, I will deal with it as such. Not to mention all the dangers you’re risking your cat die to.
Really it’s a big case of entitlement, you think you’re entitled to use everyone’s property to entertain your cat, cause you’re too irresponsible of an owner to entertain and enrich your cat’s life at home
newsflash: a cat is not a dog
a pest? what do they do? they’re just cats? i suppose you just hate animals? do you blame birds for “using your property” too?
Newsflash: birds aren’t cats either
If you’re going to be an ass about it, at least have SOME logical consistency.
birds do more harm than cats: they poop everywhere
Cats have caused dozens of extinctions in the new world alone. I’m not as familiar with old world regions, but I understand they’re not exactly friendly to local wildlife there either. They’re not “just cats,” they’re an apex predator that no ecosystem outside of Northern Africa evolved to deal with. You don’t let zebra mussels into your local lake. You don’t plant kudzu in your yard. Don’t let your cats outside unsupervised.