EVIL cats

[becki1701]

Oh dear here we go again.

A water pistol is a perfectly reasonable way of keeping unwanted cats out of a garden.

Shooting them with owt else isn't unless you want to get done by the RSPCA and possibly face some angry cat owners taking up the issue with you.

Cats used to sit in between the greenhouse and the shed in our back garden when I was a kid, there was also a steel bin (of the kind you can use for bonfires etc)

My dad used to get his air rifle out and pop one at the bin, you've never seen cats move so fast in your life!!

 

[fogbat]

Fwiw, I've never actually stapled a nappy to a cat.

Well of course you haven't.

If you had, you'd be unable to type, due to having no fingers

 

[Roadkill]

If I knew of someone using an air rifle on cats in their garden, I'd phone the RSPCA.

 

[_angel_]

If I knew of someone using an air rifle on cats in their garden, I'd phone the RSPCA.

If people are really so bothered about a cat coming into their garden I think they need to get a bit of a grip tbh.

 

[Iam]

Well of course you haven't.

If you had, you'd be unable to type, due to having no fingers

Are you sure you haven't confused a cat...

"Miaow"

With a combine harvester...

"Chop chop chop chop"

??



Anyway, cats don't come into my garden much. There's no bird feeder, and the regular presence of a staffie keeps them on their toes.

 

[Roadkill]

If people are really so bothered about a cat coming into their garden I think they need to get a bit of a grip tbh.

Indeed.

I've never encountered anyone in real life who has a problem with cats in their garden, but then, I suppose the internet does give people a space to air their little neuroses...

 

[tarannau]

Look, if a dog came into your garden and left a stinking toxic turd a day, along with various gory bird remains occasionally, you would be a little pissed off wouldn’t you? Especially if you had children.

Nobody’s suggesting it’s the worst thing in the world. But the double standards are a bit wearing here. If people were similarly allergic or phobic of dogs, people wouldn’t be advocating letting the dog owner do what they wanted or that the householder should ‘get a grip’ and have to stand guard all day and night with a supersoaker because owners couldn’t be bothered to clean up after or supervise their pet.

 

[Roadkill]

I've known plenty of keen gardeners, and none of them get into nearly this much of a tizzy over a few cats.

 

[fogbat]

Are you sure you haven't confused a cat...

"Miaow"

With a combine harvester...

"Chop chop chop chop"

??

I do often find myself confusing the two.

But then again, I tried bathing my cat once (he got into an old jar of paint somewhere) and nearly died from blood loss (slight exaggeration for comic effect)

 

[Iam]

I once had to try to fleapowder the cat I had when I was a kid...

Never, ever again.

 

[_angel_]

Look, if a dog came into your garden and left a stinking toxic turd a day, along with various gory bird remains occasionally, you would be a little pissed off wouldn’t you? Especially if you had children.

Nobody’s suggesting it’s the worst thing in the world. But the double standards are a bit wearing here. If people were similarly allergic or phobic of dogs, people wouldn’t be advocating letting the dog owner do what they wanted or that the householder should ‘get a grip’ and have to stand guard all day and night with a supersoaker because owners couldn’t be bothered to clean up after or supervise their pet.

I'm more worried about the dogs loosed around the streets and potential attacks to even start worrying about cats.

Cats don't generally launch unprovoked attacks on people/ small children. It's not comparing like for like.

 

[Jonti]

I know I didn't think Jonti was, though

I think the Law takes the view that an animal on your property is your animal. So if a pheasant comes into your garden, it is lawful to shoot it (humanely, of course) and have it for dinner.

I'm thinking the same applies to cats -- if you don't want me to kill and eat your animal, best not to allow it onto my property. I would rather kill and eat the beast, than have it kill and eat the wildlife I am at pains to preserve.

I fail to see why this is in any way remotely controversial.

 

[_angel_]

I think the Law takes the view that an animal on your property is your animal. So if a pheasant comes into your garden, it is lawful to shoot it (humanely, of course) and have it for dinner.

I'm thinking the same applies to cats -- if you don't want me to kill and eat your animal, best not to allow it onto my property. I would rather kill and eat the beast, than have it kill and eat the wildlife I am at pains to preserve.

I fail to see why this is in any way remotely controversial.

Try taking it up with the RSPCA....

 

[Roadkill]

I fail to see why this is in any way remotely controversial.

So, you are incapable of understanding why shooting people's pets is controversial?

That says a lot about you tbh...

 

[tarannau]

I'm more worried about the dogs loosed around the streets and potential attacks to even start worrying about cats.

Cats don't generally launch unprovoked attacks on people/ small children. It's not comparing like for like.

Dogs don't generally do that either. They're more likely to steal food out of your kitchen. The hysteria about dogs is hyperbolic and out of proportion in the main.

However cat shit is highly toxic - worse tham dogs I'm led to believe - and can lead to blindness. Equally a hefty percentage of the population are allergic to cat hair, some very seriously.

I realise you don't like dogs, but whilst I largely like cats it's also nonsense to suggest that letting them roam loose doesn't lead to some issues

 

[coccinelle]

I'm thinking the same applies to cats -- if you don't want me to kill and eat your animal, best not to allow it onto my property. I would rather kill and eat the beast, than have it kill and eat the wildlife I am at pains to preserve.

Somehow I don't see you as an animal lover. You seem more interested in killing things than anything else.

 

[madzone]

I think the Law takes the view that an animal on your property is your animal. So if a pheasant comes into your garden, it is lawful to shoot it (humanely, of course) and have it for dinner.

I'm thinking the same applies to cats --

Bollocks

 

[two sheds]

I think the Law takes the view that an animal on your property is your animal. So if a pheasant comes into your garden, it is lawful to shoot it (humanely, of course) and have it for dinner.

I'm thinking the same applies to cats -- if you don't want me to kill and eat your animal, best not to allow it onto my property. I would rather kill and eat the beast, than have it kill and eat the wildlife I am at pains to preserve.

I fail to see why this is in any way remotely controversial.

And small children, don't forget small children

 

[Jonti]

Somehow I don't see you as an animal lover. You seem more interested in killing things than anything else.

This is a very odd comment, considering the number of "animal lovers" who take it as a basic right that their animals should roam free to kill the wildlife on other people's property.

 

[Jonti]

See, to my mind that sort of comment really neatly sums up the hypocrisy of those "animal lovers" here who think the right of their beasts to kill wildlife trumps the right of the rest of us peacefully (albeit with the help of a few little light armaments) to enjoy the friendly fluffy things in this wonderful world.

It reminds me of how fox hunters prattle on about how they love wildlife. But at least the fox hunters have the cahones to admit that they enjoy their killing by proxy.

Our indignant cat owners, it seems, have less decency and intellectual honesty than do fox hunters. Quite an achievement, that!

 

[Roadkill]

Hmm, well, on the strength of this thread I've just looked at one or two others where jonti has sounded off about cats. All I can say is, 'Get a sense of proportion - or a grip.'

And I don't even own a cat.

 

[T & P]

This is a very odd comment, considering the number of "animal lovers" who take it as a basic right that their animals should roam free to kill the wildlife on other people's property.

Can I just double-check you don't live in Africa and that the cats and wildlife you are talking about are not of this variety:

Because sure as hell you make it sound as dramatic as that...

 

[T & P]

Hmm, well, on the strength of this thread I've just looked at one or two others where jonti has sounded off about cats. All I can say is, 'Get a sense of proportion - or a grip.'

And I don't even own a cat.

Indeed.

I put it to Jonti, tarannau and co that THE IMMENSE MAJORITY of people with gardens rarely or never at all get cats killing wildlife or shitting on their property.

I'm sure a few people suffer it regularly. And I sympathise with them, because it must be deeply unpleasant. But to suggest cats should not be allowed outdoors because of it is as ludicrous as to suggest dogs should not be allowed out either because one man out there manages to step on dog shit a few times a week.

 

[two sheds]

Can I just double-check you don't live in Africa and that the cats and wildlife you are talking about are not of this variety:

Because sure as hell you make it sound as dramatic as that...

aww think of the chaffinches

 

[_angel_]

Dogs don't generally do that either. They're more likely to steal food out of your kitchen. The hysteria about dogs is hyperbolic and out of proportion in the main.

However cat shit is highly toxic - worse tham dogs I'm led to believe - and can lead to blindness. Equally a hefty percentage of the population are allergic to cat hair, some very seriously.

I realise you don't like dogs, but whilst I largely like cats it's also nonsense to suggest that letting them roam loose doesn't lead to some issues

I have a dog! One of the additional reasons I hate dogs roaming is he's the most likely to come a cropper and be attacked by them (and he has )

Dog poo is toxic and can also lead to blindness. Some people are allergic to dogs too. This argument of yours is really daft!

The thing is usually cats bury their poo and dogs don't. Walk down the street - have you *ever* seen a cat poo or wee on concrete/ tarmac.

The fact *some* cats don't cover their poo properly means they probably have been taken away from their mums too young how to learn to do it properly.

And 'hyperbole' I'm sorry. Dogs do attack people and children, let's not pretend it doesn't happen - it does. Once in a blue moon a cat will go for someone, I'm sure you'll find an example because it's far rarer= 100 times more likely to get news exposure.

Some dogs are trained to attack! It's the reason some people keep them. Usually the ones who let them run around unsupervised too!


And I think you'll find in law - as much as you don't like this - cats are legally entitled to roam, whereas, in law dogs are not.

Just because in urban parts of the US cats are routinely seen as house pets (I'm sure the story is different in rural or suburban areas) isn't really a good enough reason to be vitriolic about the situation in the UK.

If you live in a US city, near lots of main roads and are about 17 storeys up in a flat, I daresay that's a good reason to keep your cat inside... however that isn't the reality for most people in the UK outside of London/ city centres.

 

[madzone]

Only on urban could there be such a heated debate about cats

 

[Bakunin]

Only on urban could there be such a heated debate about cats

Which is doubtless met with total indifference from the felines themselves. Chances are they're just sat about enjoying the attention and thinking 'Oh, the human slaves are having one of their little gripes again. If we ignore them long enough they'll simmer down eventually, remember their place in our world and start feeding us tasty treats again.'

Or something.

 

[Gavin Bl]

If you threw stones at my cats I would throw rocks at your head or your children.

A new low for selfish cat owners.

 

[madzone]

Which is doubtless met with total indifference from the felines themselves. Chances are they're just sat about enjoying the attention and thinking 'Oh, the human slaves are having one of their little gripes again. If we ignore them long enough they'll simmer down eventually, remember their place in our world and start feeding us tasty treats again.'

Or something.

Pass me a robin, tiddles

 

[Epona]

The fact *some* cats don't cover their poo properly means they probably have been taken away from their mums too young how to learn to do it properly.

That can be the case, but if there are several cats in overlapping territories with boundaries under constant dispute (often the case in urban or suburban areas) then the dominant cat will leave his or her poo uncovered as a declaration of ownership of an area, other cats that accept they do not own the territory will cover their poo.