Do you let your cats run at large?

**chocolatepuppy** · 10-25-2008, 08:25 AM

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.

**Medusa** · 10-25-2008, 08:42 AM

I posted about this earlier and voted but I feel the need to comment again. Sometimes a cat being outdoors is the only solution w/the overpopulation of cats. I did TNR work for quite some time because the cats were so feral that no one would take them and I had 8 of my own, all indoor, whose health and safety I wouldn't jeopardize. It can be frustrating, believe me, when cats roam the neighborhood and spray. There are two here who love my patio and prefer to sun there, which is fine w/me, but then they spray. My nice new stainless steel BBQ grill is corroded on the sides due to cat urine, even though I have it covered. Do I want to shoot them? Uh, no. I want to give them a home but no one wants these cats. They don't even sleep in shelters that are provided for them, so there isn't much anyone can do except look out for them. I pray every day for their safety and that I won't come upon their dead bodies in the road one day.

**chocolatepuppy** · 10-25-2008, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by Medusa

Sometimes a cat being outdoors is the only solution w/the overpopulation of cats.

Mary, not feeling this was directed at me, but I certainly praise people who help the stray cats. I have done it myself a few times. I would never put someone down for not taking in more cats, we all have our limit. btw, I never shot any cats that sprayed my house. I cussed and cleaned it up.

**Medusa** · 10-25-2008, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by chocolatepuppy

btw, I never shot any cats that sprayed my house. I cussed and cleaned it up.

I'm sure you didn't. As you say, it wasn't directed at you but I do know that there are people who will kill cats just because and some around here have admitted to me that they use cats as target practice and they weren't joking. Yes, all we can do is "cuss and clean it up". LOL

**bckrazy** · 10-25-2008, 04:36 PM

I honestly don't feel that TNR even has a place in this poll... THAT is what ends the cycle, besides the outright slaughter of all feral cats, which I hope no animal owner/lover would want.

**kokopup** · 01-15-2009, 04:07 PM

I know that living in some parts of the world that strays or free roving cats can be a problem. Saying that anyone allowing a cat to be free to come and go is irresponsible may be harsh for those that do not live in a compact community. I live on large acreage and neighbors are few are far between. My cats are indoor/outdoor and I feel I would be cruel to make them indoor only. I have a cat door that allows them to come and go until night then they can come 'in only' until morning. I have 3 cats, Kallie, Hobo, and Rascal. They all came to me as strays and decided to stay. All have been neutered or spade. When I took Hobo to be neutered the vet informed me that he had already been neutered. Whenever my cats are not inside I can usually walk out side and see them somewhere close by. In my case if a neighbor is bothered by one of my cats I would sure hear about it. They are all relatives. My brother-in-law my closest neighbor has cats I never see and he has cats I never see. My experience with strays has always been positive. Whenever a stray comes my way they end up staying and becoming a part of the family.

If I lived in an apartment or a compact neighborhood I probably wouldn't even have a cat. Koko

my best friend would be there though.

**Medusa** · 01-15-2009, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by kokopup

I have 3 cats, Kallie, Hobo, and Rascal. They all came to me as strays and decided to stay. All have been neutered or spade.

And that's the key point. Allowing unspayed and unneutered cats to roam is irresponsible, whether it sounds harsh or not. Altering them is for the cats' safety and to keep them from breeding and inbreeding to the point where it gets to be out of control. I have 6 rescues; at one time I had 8, (two have gone to the Bridge), all indoor and all altered. While I was rescuing, I had 27 outdoor cats, all altered, so it can be done but too many just don't want to take responsibility for altering the strays. They like petting them, playing w/them and perhaps feeding them but that's as far as it goes. Then the cats reproduce and very quickly and the next thing you know, a feral colony is born.