Another clueless pet owner

[7600736]

Both of my cats are indoor, and I have my patio enclosed in chain link fencing and mosquito netting so they can hang out outside, and they like it just fine. I've lost too many cats by letting them roam freely. Indoor is best.

[mexi cali]

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

Two things that don't get said about me, well, ever if I'm being honest.

[JLives]

Does a rat have a better death in a trap, or by being tormented endlessly hours by a house cat? I'm going with the humane trapper on this one.

The trap wouldn't have been set off by a rat. And it was illegally set. I honestly don't care how the rat is killed. They are horrid pests and are about to overrun the city. Thankfully that horrible, horrible owner is actually doing something that will reduce their population. Cats can have a purpose beyond just being pets.

[dirtguy]

I guess you could put out poison for the cats instead?

[W105]

well I hope this cat owner has decided to keep their cat indoors now...they have a sick person in their neighborhood and next time their kittie might not be so lucky..

(and yes I have been a cat owner and yes my cats were indoor cats and all lived well into old age...so I know for a fact it isn't hard on the kitties...but truth be told many people let their cats outside simply because they don't want a litter box in the house..)

[Queen K]

We have a litter box in the house and the "evidence" is scooped the moment we're aware it needs cleaned out.

What about cats that are like Flame? He was obviously in need of a home, running around

https://www.facebook.com/thedodosite/vi ... ruY1dKB4qk[url][/url]

[Queen K]

The best cat to come into my life is debateable. But the only stray cat to arrive here isn't.

Chopin, my black and white tuxedo cat was a stray, or let out by some heartless jerk, to fend for himself.

He adopted me and my house. I tried to discourage him, at first. When I realized I'd have to take him to the SPCA, it was the only answer. Until I opened the Capital News and saw that the SPCA was full. So I adopted him and we had to come up with a name. Chopin suited.

Chopin was an indoor/outdoor of course. But mostly lap cat. I could not be sitting here without him insisting on being on my lap. Sometimes he'd jump up so stealthily I didn't realize he'd done it.

The mountain of vet bills I spent once he got sick are a testimony to my dedication to him. But not let him be where he loved it most? Outdoors? No, I could not do that.

Thanks Gone_Fishin for characterizing pet owners as "clueless" because a lot of dog owners are also. The other day we went snow photographing down at Mission Creek and sure enough, dogs off leashes on Greenway. To take off at will at anyone or anything. There are clueless everywhere my dear.

[mexi cali]

What a great cat. I would have him in a heartbeat.

[Queen K]

I told people he knew a sucker when he met one. One day I left for work and came home to find him lounging on my bed.

This was weeks before I officially adopted him. How he got in was a mystery to me. He was the kitty Ninja. He also got a reputation as "Help yourself kitty" for his food snatching habits. We figured it was his days outdoors without a home that did that. Or, just cat behavior, but Willow never did that.

He was indeed a sweetheart my only true selfishness was not putting him down earlier than we did. Could not let go.

[Queen K]

See, they're helping him quit. It's the idiot butt tossers that are the problem.

But seriously, it's not like pet owners "don't know" or are "clueless" as charged. And thanks GF for once again reviving an old debate with a new crowd. We have this at least every two years if not once a year.

I assure you the young lady in the article will be forever haunted by what she saw and will be a great advocate against animal cruelty via use of leg hold traps and the such.

We need mousers, we need to keep the rat population under control. We need to have this conversation every once in awhile.

[Nedroj]

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.

Quite false. Ranchers allow their cattle to roam freely on crown land without fences. Farmers allow their horses to roam freely In a large fenced field. Both cases knowing full well that a wolf, coyote or bear could kill one.

[Bpeep]

^^^^good grief^^^^
<<sigh>>

[Nedroj]

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

Again please re read my comment. I was stating the fact that I, myself personally have never seen a rat in the okanagan. I’ve lived in Vernon, Winfield, Kelowna, Rutland, all over west Kelowna and have never seen one. Seen plenty of mice when my cat leaves their bodies on the door step.

[Nedroj]

^^^^good grief^^^^
<<sigh>>

Please elaborate. Because I doubt you have any experience with the situations I pointed out.
I’ve grown up on farms where we had outdoor barn cats strictly for controlling the squirrel and mice population.
Where we let the horses, cattle, chickens, pigs run around on a 1,000 acre farm.
There is crown land all around the okanagan that’s leased out to ranchers for their cattle to roam.
We also had 3 German Shepard’s roaming around freely to try and protect the farm from predators. Occasionally one dog wouldn’t make it. And we lost a couple horses as well. Circle of life.

Again as I stated in one of my previous comments that some cats have such a strong will to be outside that they will eventually get out no matter how hard you try to keep them inside.

[Fancy]

Again please re read my comment. I was stating the fact that I, myself personally have never seen a rat in the okanagan. I’ve lived in Vernon, Winfield, Kelowna, Rutland, all over west Kelowna and have never seen one. Seen plenty of mice when my cat leaves their bodies on the door step.

So you mean to say you could be wrong that you may have seen a rat? Your post isn't clear. Either you haven't seen one as you've just stated or may have. I fail to see what else you could be wrong about. You know they're here.