Do you let your cats run at large?

[bckrazy]

This is reallyyy old... and I couldn't vote... but...

I DO agree with the OP, to an extent (besides the trap and release part). I DON'T agree with the attitude, but it sounds like she was pretty frustrated at the time.

I hate cats roaming the neighborhood, at large, at all hours. Does that mean I hate cats? No. I love cats. I hate worrying about them, I hate worrying about my dogs hurting them when they wander into my backyard on a daily basis, I hate worrying about the coyotes/owls/foxes/mountain lions in the area who love to snack on them, and I HATE having to literally coast through my neighborhood for fear of hitting a cat. I also HATE fighting back tears when I see the countless dead outdoor cats as a result of all of the aforementioned dangers. It's just not fair.

Twisterdog totally took the words out of my mouth - is a pet's "happiness" (which is subjective) really worth putting that pet's life in danger? I have no qualms with people who allow their cats to have fun outside, supervised. If your cat stays on your property, that's your business. But if you aren't supervising or containing your cat, you are throwing your cat which is YOUR responsibility 24/7/365, into a very dangerous world. Not even considering the diseases that an outdoor cat is at risk of contracting and spreading.... Anyone who says their cat roaming the neighborhood alone is safe is in serious denial.

Who ever said that cats magically have street smarts and dogs don't... hmmm. That's funny. I suppose the hundreds of cats I've seen dead in the road, and the dozens I've seen disembowled by local wildlife, were just mentally challenged cats?

[bckrazy]

I can't believe IRescue452 OWNS a cat and yet would be perfectly fine with shooting one. IRescue452, I sure hope your sacred indoor cat never accidentally slips out the door and takes off on you one day - considering you may have some really HOSTILE, judgmental neighbors........

Um... I believe "well within the law" does not equate to being perfectly fine with shooting a cat. Honestly, I don't know if it's legal or not, but a person shooting your roaming cat is the LEAST of your worries. ("your" being used in a general sense) Cars, dogs, disease, wildlife, other cats, etc, are of far more eminence.

I absolutely notice when I see a cat that isn't a "regular". And if they allow me to approach them, I check for a collar and tags and call their owner if they have any. But, I KNOW all of the outdoor cats. I know them because I have to check my backyard for cats before I let my dogs out - and there is almost always at least one. I completely empathize with lost cats, as my favorite cat ever was stolen/lost.

[chocolatepuppy]

My two cats are indoor only. My neighbor behind me telling me she found one of the strays she was trying to rescue in the ditch with an arrow through it's head makes me glad they are. We also have quite a bit of wildlife around here and I'll never believe a cat is any match for a raccoon. I do not believe cats can 'take care of themselves' in the outside world. I have seen many on the side of the road. Unfortunately, there are cat haters out there who will run a cat over on purpose. As for cats in my yard, it makes me angry because I fenced in my yard for my dogs, not to have cats hanging around to cause problems and possibly injure or get injured by one of my dogs. When we first moved here we had cats spraying on our house, we were not amused. I realize there are 'safer' places people live and their cats do fine outside and that is all good, to each his own.