Why is it okay to let your cat wander the neighborhood and not your dog?

Question

In most places, you get fined if your dog is running loose, yet many people just let their cats wander willy nilly, and think it's just fine. There certainly are no statues against it. Yet, most vets say that keeping your cat indoors is best. So, why is it okay to let your cat out and not your dog? And why would you want to?

Answer 1

Cats normally stay within their territorry while dogs wonder miles away and end up lost most of the time. Cats are also less needy and smaller in size, meaning cats attacking people is very uncommon unless they are being messed with. Most of the time they run the other way as to if you came upon a dog, he'd chase you down and really hurt you or kill you if he really wanted to. Cats don't cause as much as a threat as a dog would. About the 3 year old kid story, I would bite someone too if I were pulled by the tail. The kid's mother should have been watching her child. That's not the cats fault at all!!!!

Answer 2

Dogs attack people. Dogs eat anything they find lying on the ground or crawling on the ground. Dogs roll in anything rotton and disgusting. Cats don't. Not usually any way. Vets reccomend keeping cats indoors because it is healthier for them. Cats are mor vulnerable to attack by other cats and by dogs. Cat also hide illness very well. If they are not well and you let them out, they may just crawl off and wait to die.

Answer 3

starting to be up my cats were always indoor/outdoors cats. they could are available in in to snuggle and eat, besides the undeniable fact that performed out part a number of the day. My mom and father had a enormous outdoor with timber and the cats may purely wander in the course of the area. All of my mom and father friends knew our cats and performed with them as solid. on account that my mom and father condominium replaced into once in a suburb there wasn't truly the possibility of wild animals that you purely detect in the county, or the speeding automobiles of a city. It replaced into once kitty cat paradise. Now I stay in a condo off a organization campus. i'd by no ability dream of letting my cat exterior provided that of each and every of the area travellers. i assume it relies upon upon in which you stay and what vaccinations your cat has had. Cats make certain upon to be exterior besides the undeniable fact that some circumstances, like residing in a city, purely aren't to any extent further correct. that is often extra look after to maintain your cat interior of, besides the undeniable fact that cats are happier even as allowed somewhat better freedom.

Answer 4

Dogs chase things and bark, big and small, by instinct which kinda freaks ppl out. Cats, in most cases, run away and at least bury their poop. I don't know why vets say it's best for a cat to be indoors. Mine says it's just as dangerous as being outside, so it's kinda half-&-half. Chewing on things they shouldn't, gettin' stepped on, and such. I hope i helped. I kinda rambled.

Answer 5

While cats do not just walk up to you and take a bite of your leg, some dogs do (not one's that are raised well, of coarse!) Cats are also a lot quieter than dogs! Dogs do this a lot less when there owners are around, and when dogs are let out by themselves there is dog mess EVERYWHERE! (Cats bury there mess!)

Answer 6

Thats a good question. I guess it is because dogs tend to be more hyper and social than cats thus bothering people. Plus you never hear about a stray cat attacking a child or something. I do agree though that it is unfair.

Answer 7

im not sure...but it SHOULDN'T be okay.
every cat i've had was an INDOOR cat. cats can get into all kinds of trouble wandering around outside, AND they can hurt someone if they feel threatened..such as a small child trying to pick it up, and they get bit.

i have a neighbor with 3 small children (like me) and her youngest at the time was about 3 yrs old. a neighborhood cat, that belong to a couple that had about 13 cats...*all unfixed and breeding, and probably NO vaccinations*, the cat wandered into my neighbors yard while the children were playing outside, IN HER FENCED BACKYARD! *cats can scale fencing*...the toddler was heading for the cat..and before she or I could reach him, he grabed a hold of the cat by its tail. the cat spun around and bit the boy, breaking the skin.
we rushed him into the house and cleaned his wounds...then called for an ambulance (cats mouths are FULL of bateria, and cat bites are NASTY).
this poor 3 yr old had a very bad infection, and he almost lost his hand. he still has limited movement in his thumb and index finger.
the family wanted to press charges against the couple, but their are NO ordinances about keeping your cats contained.
they are currently suing the family for medical costs.
this is SO SAD! AND SO PREVENTABLE!

TO EVERY CAT OWNER:
please keep your cats up to date on ALL vaccinations...and KEEP THEM INSIDE! this COULD happen to your neighborhood children OR even to your own family!

Answer 8

It's probably "acceptable" for cats because they don't generally attack people. They usually run away from people. They also aren't as destructive as dogs.

Dogs on the other hand can attack people and will if they feel threatened. They will rummage through garbage to find food and make a big mess.

Answer 9

Depending on where you live and your leash laws cats can be just as much nuisance as dogs and do just as much damage not to mention their chance of getting killed or attacked by wilder cats. Have you tried reporting these cats to your animal control? Legally they should have a animal tag or be picked up.

Answer 10

I guess it might be because dogs have a greater potential to hurt a person than a cat does? I'm not really sure. My cats don't go outside.