Castanet

And the catio is a good solution. I want to redesign the backyard to have one. There many times when Willow can be outdoors, but not out running around. Birds would be safer. We are very aware of that fact.

Gone_Fishin, what do you do when the bad kitty jumps on your lap, do you think she knows your allergic? Do you push her off right away or cave in and give her some ear scratches and pets? I'll bet there's a treat bag near by and spoil kitty rotten.

Nedroj wrote:I’ve read a lot about a rat problem on this forum and I have yet to see any rats in the entire Okanagan and I’ve lived here for over 20 years. I will admit I could be wrong on that though.

Wrong? I've already stated we've caught dozens and so have other neighbours. There have been many news items regarding the problem in the local media. You can't possibly have missed this:

https://www.castanet.net/news/Penticton ... -dead-rats

Nedroj wrote: I feel if he gets caught by a coyote or Cougar and killed as sad as it would be for me it’s all apart of the circle of life and hopefully he goes on to feed cougars cubs. Which does make it at least a honourably death.

It's not much of a circle of life when the prey is a pet and not a natural food source. And it certainly isn't an honourable death when that pet suffers horribly as it won't be killed humanely. Some people consider cats throwaway pets and that isn't honourable at all.

Why is it so difficult for some pet owners to be accountable for their animals?

Gone_Fishin wrote:Only a bad owner lets a pet run wild in a danger-filled environment. Blaming someone else for one's own negligence is a trait among some people, though, so I'm hardly surprised at the indignation of bad pet owners in this case.

It's always someone else's fault GF!

Buckeye19 wrote:

Gone_Fishin wrote:Only a bad owner lets a pet run wild in a danger-filled environment. Blaming someone else for one's own negligence is a trait among some people, though, so I'm hardly surprised at the indignation of bad pet owners in this case.

It's always someone else's fault GF!

I hope you are not directing that at people like me who have written that we are fully aware of all risks in the environment. And there are several of us.

"I knew full well the risks associated with having an indoor/outdoor kitty." <----------so, someone else's fault? Do not direct such statements at me.

Bman wrote:My issue with cats at large is they are the largest predator of songbirds.

We keep year round bird feeders which attract the rats and birds, which attract the cats, which eat the rats and birds, which I feed year round.
It's called the suburban circle of life.

At the risk of being torn a new one by QK whom I greatly respect, I have to ask this question. Not to be a smarty but because I really want to know.

If a person loves an animal such as a, oh I don't know, maybe a cat let's say, and they are aware that by allowing the cat outdoors that the day may come when they simply won't come home again, why would that person risk the death of a creature they profess to love?

We protect most living things in our lives (the gold fish don't always stand a chance) but cats seem to be viewed differently and I don't know why.

I have a friend who has had several cats in the years since I have known her and she too allows them to run free and several of them have simply not come home and it supposedly is very sad.

I don't think I can get on the bandwagon that says cats need to be outdoors because I have been subjected to many cats whose entire lives were spent indoors and they seemed fine.

My dog will sit at the door to our balcony and let out little whines because he wants to be outside. A protected area allows me to do that but I wouldn't simply open the front door and let him go. If he were injured or killed, I would be devastated.

A cat sitting at the window looking out at the world is just that, a cat looking at the eworld. I don't see that as a plea to be set free.

Lets be real; all animals were designed to be outdoors. That's where they all started. Us to. But we discovered walls and roofs, stoves and beds all of which made indoor life more pleasing and much, much safer.

To say that cats need to be outdoors is not as accurate as saying that they would prefer to be outdoors (some of them anyhow) but that doesn't mean that you just let them go. You wouldn't let your toddlers just go because they wanted to. Nor your dog. Or your ferret or bunny or parrot but cats do seem to be treated as disposable.

And for the record, I have owned several cats over the years, none of which were allowed to roam and none of which drove me crazy yowling to get out.

Sorry Queenie.

PS; the irony just hit me. I have to go and feed my daughters cat now. Indoors. Where she'll be watching the world from the back of a chair when I get there. I like her.

Poindexter wrote:

Bman wrote:My issue with cats at large is they are the largest predator of songbirds.

We keep year round bird feeders which attract the rats and birds, which attract the cats, which eat the rats and birds, which I feed year round.
It's called the suburban circle of life.

That's grim.

Don't be sorry Mexi, everything you ask is said in a sane and personable way.

ETA: which means a lot around here.

My cat often sits at the window, we have bird feeders and we call it, "kitty tv." Yes, our cat watches her tv time, through a window. For many hours at a time.

We don't indulge every whim for her to go outside, just sometimes. And she lets us know when she wants in. But many times we just bring her in.

But when she wants out, the behaviors are incredible. Gone_Fishin has it that she's smarter than us and we are trained. Well, so is he for his dog, he just doens't realize it yet.

Do I realzie the risks, well yes, of course I do. Doesn't make Willow "disposable" either. I feel I am realistic to her needs vs ours.

Does she get scolded for chasing butterflies, birds and bugs? Yes she does. But she hangs out with me in the gardens and follows me around and when she wants attention, boy do I get the paws on attention.

Social media is constantly flooded with ads about missing cats.
The one thing they all have in common-
They were all let outdoors.

I read them and I say to myself about all of them- coyote-

Coyotes are birthing right now too.

We don't let our dogs, parakeets, snakes, gerbils, bunnies, guppies, orangutans, ponies or anything else run wild.

We shouldn't let our cat run wild either.


AND EVERY ONE OF THEM SHOULD BE SPAYED OR NEUTERED.

Poindexter wrote:

Bman wrote:My issue with cats at large is they are the largest predator of songbirds.

We keep year round bird feeders which attract the rats and birds, which attract the cats, which eat the rats and birds, which I feed year round.
It's called the suburban circle of life.

Not only grim, but ignorant.

for some I think they can get cats for free, no license required so they are easier to replace. Heck I go out mid of the night with my pupper if she needs to pee, afraid of an owl thinking she a tasty morsel.
My very first pet was a cat.. she only came outside the house in my baby stroller. Cat had the patience of Job. I would dress her in baby clothes, take her round the block. People would stop to see my baby, amused my Mother no end when they would lean over expecting to see a Doll and there was Smokey wearing a bonnet.

I think Poindexter was making a joke

YES, spay or neuter! Do something to assist the pet population! Agreed.

Bman, I know you've done a great deal to assist the pet population with your own personal time and money.

and have every pet licensed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5MnyRZLd8A