Are cats sickly little beasts?

[welsh dragon]

I don't mind people spending money on their pets. I do however object to them in my garden because they CBA keep them under control.

Cats and controlling them are at odds with each other I am afraid.

 

[fossyant]

Cats and controlling them are at odds with each other I am afraid.

Same with dogs, they can't control their stupid humans !

 

[Blue Hills]

Day after day In our local FB page, you'll see pictures of ungrateful cats and pleading messages from hapless 'owners'.

Not disputing your central point about a certain lack of cat empathy with cats and, yep, I would guess that a fair proportion of these "lost" cats have just decided to sod off to some provider they prefer* but would love to see some of your pics of ungrateful cats/supercilious cats etc.

* Has there ever been any research into what proportion of cats are really lost/missing/perished or has it been done and supressed?

 

[Mo1959]

Not disputing your central point about a certain lack of cat empathy with cats and, yep, I would guess that a fair proportion of these "lost" cats have just decided to sod off to some provider they prefer* but would love to see some of your pics of ungrateful cats/supercilious cats etc.

* Has there ever been any research into what proportion of cats are really lost/missing/perished or has it been done and supressed?

The couple that moved in next door 18 months ago originally had 1 dog and 2 cats. They got another puppy and allowed the dogs to take over and hound the cats until first one buggered off and I think found another home and now Hamish, the lovely ginger is in the process of doing the same I think. He was sitting in my garden a lot and meowing but obviously too scared to go across to his own house. When they put a new door in recently, they didn’t bother with a cat flap this time so I think it suits them to just let the cats disappear now that they seem besotted with their yapping dogs. Used to break my heart to see them sitting there looking abandoned and confused. Hope they both find someone who has taken them in and shown them some love.

 

[vickster]

My cat was a rescue, unneutered male, no chip. Neutering and especially chipping will lessen the chances of wandering (if the owner actually wants them to stay).

My cat had a bit of a bromance with another slightly bedraggled ginger a few years ago who used to come to my garden looking for company (and probably food, he was a greedy so and so). Thought might be stray, so took him to my vet, had him scanned, actually lived a few roads away, so got in contact. I think those owners had recently got a dog so poor Simba was hanging out elsewhere. I think one of their neighbours took him in in the end

 

[Mo1959]

My cat was a rescue, unneutered male, no chip. Neutering and especially chipping will lessen the chances of wandering (if the owner actually wants them to stay).

My cat had a bit of a bromance with another slightly bedraggled ginger a few years ago who used to come to my garden looking for company (and probably food, he was a greedy so and so). Thought might be stray, so took him to my vet, had him scanned, actually lived a few roads away, so got in contact. I think those owners had recently got a dog so poor Simba was hanging out elsewhere. I think one of their neighbours took him in in the end

Sad. It’s one of my pet (excuse the pun) hates when animals get neglected or abandoned when something else comes along, be it kids or another pet.

 

[Arrowfoot]

We have a relative that loves her cats. Over the years, some have gone missing (someone in the neighbourhood had offered better treats). When they fall ill or get hit by a car they managed to get back to the house and off to the vet to be fixed. In the case of one of her cats, I had seen it in front of the same house on many occasions and nearly two years later came back with a broken leg. If I had not seen it with my eyes, I would not have believed it.

 

[MartinQ]

Cats and controlling them are at odds with each other I am afraid.

Tbf, cats do a good job of controlling their owners.

 

[purpan]

My cat whacked me in the vet’s surgery once and I had to be treated by the vet. I came away with a nice bandage, decorated with little dog paw designs, over my hand.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I see that too (anyone seen this cat ?)
For chrissakes, they're quite capable of looking after themselves and bear allegiance to no-one .
Day after day In our local FB page, you'll see pictures of ungrateful cats and pleading messages from hapless 'owners'.

This is why i wouldn't have a cat. Well,living in an upstairs flat and having a dog doesn't help, but i couldn't put up with the worry of where he/she is and will he/she not come home.

 

[KnittyNorah]

i couldn't put up with the worry of where he/she is and will he/she not come home.

It's a constant adrenaline surge!

But seriously, that's just one of the reasons why, in some countries, the 'indoors-only' cat phenomenon is so prevalent. Personally I don't think it'd be tolerated by many/most 'normal' (ie non-pedigree) cats here in the UK, but if they've been bred for several generations as indoor cats only, those that are desperate to escape at any cost will do so and the ones that remain and get bred from are probably OK with only being indoors as long as they never get a taste for 'real life'.

When I lived in the Middle East, the Westerners compound was divided almost into two halves - Europeans who generally let their cats out, and Americans who generally kept their cats in (until they escaped ...).
My Tiger was just such an escapee; he moved in with me after leaving his original 'owner' who had lavished love, care and attention on him, had him vaccinated, neutered, etc etc. He simply would not go back to her; outdoors he would purr and wind himself round her legs but he would not let her pick him up or even attempt to pick him up - although I could pick him up, swing him about and generally fool around with him! He came back to the UK with me, immediately claimed a place on my mother's lap after his quarantine was over and rarely went out because he didn't like the cold and wet - but he'd check daily whether or not I was going to let him out. I think if I'd've refused, he'd have planned an escape ...

Elsewhere in the MIddle East, there was a dump nearby which was full of feral cats and kittens; a neighbour of mine (I didn't live on a compound there) caught one of the half-grown kittens and tied it up to a tree by a rope. One of their children picked it up by its tail and pulled half its tail-skin off ... A night-time rescue operation was carried out and I, together with a Phillipino midwife and a Canadian orthopedic surgeon - cat lovers all! - laid plastic sheets down on the white shag-pile carpet in my dining room (who ever heard of such a STUPID flooring in a hot desert?) and carried out surgery on my dining room table, with a comparative anatomy book at hand for reference! Well, there were no accessible vets at that time. The three of us ended up castrating most of the males on the dump but spaying was beyond us. That first one - the one with the flayed tail - ended up bringing me regular 'gifts' of big dead rats ... LOL! He was a good boy, though - they were always well and truly dead!

 

[oldwheels]

We once had a shared cat. Belonged to neighbour who asked us to feed him while she was away. He annoyed the neighbour as when we were away he sat at her front window and as soon as our van appeared back he was out sitting our doorstep. Spent most time with us tho’ she fed him.

 

[fossyant]

This is why i wouldn't have a cat. Well,living in an upstairs flat and having a dog doesn't help, but i couldn't put up with the worry of where he/she is and will he/she not come home.

Cat's won't do push chairs either !

 

[Edwardoka]

I don't mind people spending money on their pets. I do however object to them in my garden because they CBA keep them under control.

It is entirely impossible for an owner to set boundaries for a cat short of keeping them indoors, and if a cat has grown up accustomed to being able to go outdoors, locking it up is actively cruel.

Outdoors cats are very territorial, they take their patrols very seriously, and it sounds like your garden is part of their turf, or at least a way for them to get to their turf.
Scoosh them with some water when they're in your garden. They are generally not stupid and they quickly get the message, if it becomes sufficiently unpleasant for them to maintain that territory they will abandon it.

 

[fossyant]

It is entirely impossible for an owner to set boundaries for a cat short of keeping them indoors, and if a cat has grown up accustomed to being able to go outdoors, locking it up is actively cruel.

Outdoors cats are very territorial, they take their patrols very seriously, and it sounds like your garden is part of their turf, or at least a way for them to get to their turf.
Scoosh them with some water when they're in your garden. They are generally not stupid and they quickly get the message, if it becomes sufficiently unpleasant for them to maintain that territory they will abandon it.

Super soaker. The pesky Tom soon learnt to not come back.

Our rescue lived wild for 8 months of his life, came to us with building site concrete stuck to him. We've got a large outdoor run he shares with the posh cats - we don't let him out due to his cat flu. That said, they would all get out if they could (and do on occasion). Leo just wanders round howling when he escapes he's so chuffed to have got out. He's easy to catch as he doesn't go far.

The previous four cat's used to go out, and one got run over.