Is this irresponsible behavior?

[dixygirl]

what if the cat comes home everyday with the neighbor's baby chicks in its mouth?

 

[jbowyer01]

I have a cat but she is old and stays inside. I have a frequent unwelcomed visitor (little black and white manx) that vis
tis on a regular basis and I have to shoo him away from my silkie coop. I have asked the owner about him and his says he can not keep him in the house, IMO this is irresponsible. One reason is I live very close to a main street with cars that do not know the speed limit, the other reason I went to him and expressed my concern over the cat digging in the garden, messing with my chickens and possibly getting hit. But if you talking about you cat being able to play outside with supervision than no its not irresponsible

 

[Judy]

I love cats and have always had at least one. But in the manx situation, I would kill the cat, or trap it and take it to the pound.

I raise any kittens indoors. When they start wanting out, usually around 6 months, I let them. Don't feel right denying them. Never lived where they were a pest for a neighbor. Some disappear in 2-3 years, but most die of illness or old age, or because I have to put them down for an illness. Cats are much wilder creatures than dogs; can be trained to some extent, but the prowl and hunt has not been bred out of them at all.

Certainly see nothing wrong with a colony of barn cats to control mice/rats. Just never had the need. Our dogs kill a lot more mice than my cat does. Cat is in half the day/night and out the rest, as she chooses. She does kill indoor mice, though.

 

[Rillion]

It really depends on where you live, and what risks you're willing to put up with.

Your cat absolutely should not go out if you refuse to get him/her fixed and vaccinated, under any circumstances (except maybe if the house is burning).

But other than that, if you let your cat out you have to live with the fact that it might get killed by something. It should be expected to kill any small animals that may wander into your yard or that it finds in other peoples'. And if you live in a neighborhood without much room to roam, or with a lot of traffic, or which your cat doesn't know very well, the chances of it being killed go up drastically.

Are you willing to take these risks? Lots of people are, if they really think it makes a difference in the cat's happiness-- and especially, of course, if they got a cat for the specific purpose of pest control.

I was raised in a residential neighborhood where cats roamed as they pleased. Ours came home one day with an ear torn almost off, and we took him to the vet. Then one day a couple of years later he didn't come home at all. Still, I honestly think he lived a better life than if he'd been cooped up indoors all of the time.

These days, my mother likes to encourage rabbits to nest in the backyard so she chases out any cat she sees. That's the risk those owners take.

 

[jbowyer01]

I agree if you live in an area that you really dont have neighbors (ie. farm, the country etc...) its fine. I do believe that cats have a purpose to help control rodents and such but not when its under my bird feeder or around my chickens. I just think it irrisponsible of someone to let their cat roam a neighborhood. It would be like me letting my doxie play where ever he wanted.

Oh and I've tried to trap the little manx but he is vey smart! He's beautiful and would make someone a wonderful pet. hint...hint LOL

 

[chixie]

i leave my patio door open for my cats to go in and out... don't even have a litter box cause they go outside... but I don't have any close neighbors so they don't bother anyone but me

 

[SOchick]

I hate outdoor cats.

That being said, it really depends on where you live. I hate finding paw prints/scratches on my car, poop on my porch and flower beds, smelling the spray from marking territory, knowing that they can carry rabies and other nasties, and feeling like my kids are not safe to play outside. I live in a residential neighborhood, and trap cats, whether they are strays or not, and they go to the animal shelter. I also work for a local animal control agency. So yes- I think if you are in a residential area, you are very irresponsible. (I also think dogs should be inside or in a fence, and not on a tie out 24/7 or allowed to roam free)

However, if you live in the country, and have several acres the cat will stay on, as long as it is fully vaccinated, spayed/neutered, and you are willing to accept the risk to small wildlife/birds, and the risk that your cat will be killed or seriously injured, then by all means, go ahead.

I really don't mean to be harsh, but I think the best thing is to keep them inside, and if you absoultely don't feel like you can do that, build an outdoor run or don't have them.

 

[Wifezilla]

I live in a residential neighborhood, and trap cats, whether they are strays or not, and they go to the animal shelter.

Sounds reasonable to me​

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

However, if you live in the country, and have several acres the cat will stay on, as long as it is fully vaccinated, spayed/neutered, and you are willing to accept the risk to small wildlife/birds, and the risk that your cat will be killed or seriously injured, then by all means, go ahead.

except... when your cats gets lost/injured/runs off it will probably end up at my door. they all do. i've spent thousands of dollars that i really dont have to fix up, fix, Rx, and then home other people's cats. some have obviously come from homes. some are feral kittens. some have been pitched out of cars.

honestly i cant afford it anymore. please keep your cats inside.

and remember that there are communicable diseases that cats get that there are NO shots for... so that idyllic life out in the county? remember that there are lots of people who DONT take care of their animals. all it takes is one bite and they are infected. we were gutted when we had to put down one of these strays - if they are infected the shelters will not take them. we couldnt bring him inside to our cats, couldnt responsibly let him be outside.. it was horrible. we both cried our eyes out. think it cant happen to you cat? think again.​

 

[kingmt]

Yes. It is very irresponsible.

I get tired of having to hunt down & shoot the neighbors cats just for them to go get more to come run my place.

When I first moved here there was about 20 cats that had ran so long that they were wild & I had a hard time getting them off my place. I don't know if these were the neighbors or not but they do keep getting new cats & letting them come on my place to hunt & kill.

If you had a animal that you take good care of & it got out is no big deal but to let one run without knowing where it is or what it is doing is bad. If you let it run it becomes a nuisances animal.

If it is on me it will be treated as all other nuisances animals.