Dogs and cats - Why is it ok for cats to kill things for fun?

[PurpleChicken]

I see a lot of threads here where dog owners are blasted when their dogs attack and/or kill one of their chickens. Some members will go as far as saying those people shouldn't have animals and that what they are allowing to happen is abuse.

Abuse to me is the intentionally harming or neglect of animals. Training a dog to be aggressive by allowing it to maul other live animals would also come under my understanding of abuse. Things like using live quail as targets and to train bird dogs, in my opinion, is more of a cultural issue and I don't consider that abuse. Rooster fighting is another thing I consider cultural and am somewhat neutral on but I don't like it either. Please don't debate these items as they are just my opinion and stated here to help develop and intelligent conversation.

So back to my original thought. On other threads people are condemned for not protecting their chickens against their own dogs but what about cats?

How many people here have outdoor cats? How many innocent animals do those cats kill in a day, week or year? Why is it such a tragedy and outrage when a dog kills a chicken but it's ok and "natural" when a cat kills an entire nest of birds or a baby rabbit?

Shouldn't cats, like dogs, should be kept under an owner's control or not owned at all. I say that with the realization that in rural settings both cats and dogs are used to eliminate predators and rodents. "Under control" can also be defined as kept on the owner's property, not locked or tied up.

 

[Break an Egg]

There is a cat around here that is a stray that never paid any attention to my chickens. Then I noticed she had kittens and after the kittens grew up a little, she was trying to teach them to hunt my 2 oegb's.

I think what it has to do with is the fact that we automatically assume cats are a type of animal that will do what it wants, and a dog is more loyal and listens better, so we expect different things out of the 2. Which isn't right at all. At the same time though, I can keep my dog inside or put her in the backyard. If she is in the backyard, she will stay there. A cat on the otherhand, will more than likely leave a backyard if that what it wants to do.

I do agree with you, that cats should be under the control of their owners, and that the owners should definately be responsible if their cat (or any animal) hurts or kills someone's animals.

 

[deerman]

Myself I dislike people letting cats roam, even if on their own land. Yes they kill lots of songbirds native to this area. Also small mamals.
Plus most area don't have leash laws for cats.

Why people think they control mice, so do snakes and mouse traps are cheap.


Don't have cats, wish any cat was a house cat......................yes they play with their prey.


HOW do i feel about cats killing native wildlife..

 

[mdbokc]

We have a couple of feral cats that are afraid of the girls. When the girls see one of them, they chase after the cat, making a lot of noise and their wings out.

Our friendly family cat did stalk one of our girls. There was a lot of squawking when she surprised a lone hen near me (the rest were on another area of the property). As the rake I was using flew through the air, the cat saw it coming in her immediate direction. To avoid being hit, she ran hard into a concrete block wall. Then she raced for beneath a small barn located on skids. I was right behind her. Started up the garden hose and drove her out. She has not even looked at the chickens since.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Like Deerman said, cats kill a lot of native wildlife. That's what bothers me the most about them. Then there is a lot of hypocrisy from cat owners, especially here on BYC. It's natural for almost any animal to kill but when it's a cat doing it then it's ok, or at least that's what many here believe.

This is not an attack on cat owners. Most of the cats I know are spoiled rotten, just like my dog.

Surprisingly we don't have any wild cats or even roaming cats in this part of my town. I'm not sure why that is. If a kitten showed up on my porch tomorrow I'd capture it and bring it to the shelter. Oh who am I kidding? I'd buy a litter box and a lifetime supply of Claritin.

 

[roosters4sale]

Bravo,Bravo. ( Cats also have been know to carry the disease toxoplasmosis, that is deadly to goats.)

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Quote:
I have INDOOR cats only because I can't abide that cats kill songbirds. But that's me. I'm not countrified and have no rodent problem.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
I have INDOOR cats only because I can't abide that cats kill songbirds. But that's me. I'm not countrified and have no rodent problem.

Yeah, and your cats fall into the "spoiled rotten" category too.

 

[wegotchickens]

Our cats are declawed (one for excessive use of force and one came that way) and have never brought home a bird. They do bring home an enormous supply of very well-fed sleek moles. DH disapproved of moles, so the cats get praised.

The cats sometimes play Bowling for Chickens, if they see an opportunity.
The chickens play Grab a Tiger By the Tail. It all evens out at our house.



But our neighbors have 3 cats they don't tend to that are mostly feral. I hate those cats. They fight with mine, steal food, and eyeball my chickens.
My own cats get between these pseudo-strays and the chickens.

I

my cats.
But I also see your point.

 

[deerman]

My DIL also keeps cats , but indoors.

Another thing thats not fair. Dog owners have to buy tags, not cat owners. Most of that money goes to animal shelters...and the ACO pick up dogs and cats, so dog owners have to paid for feeding stray cats picked up.