Don't you think cats should be outlawed from running free like dogs are?

Question

My dog would love to roam the neighborhood like the cats get to, but it's illegal.
The cats in my neighborhood have had kittens in my garage (twice- and this cat does indeed have a home down the street) they have ripped out the screen that covers the holes that go under my house and hang out and generally cat odor it up so i can smell cat stank when i walk by, oh not to mention using the flower boxes by my front door as a litter box,
getting cat prints on my car
hissing at my dogs on my front porch as you taunt them through the windows.
i cant believe it's fine for cats to roam free in my city

Answer 1

Yes Yes and YES.

Ridiculous how some pet owners can be so irresponsible with there pets and get away with it. Poor kitties, owners just do not love them as much as they claim too.

Our dogs would love to roam the streets as well....but being responsible pet owners we know they could get hit by a car, or shot by a neighbor, or get some disease.

BTW we have no animal control for cats, they are shot on site. It is to bad too. Some of these peoples cats our pretty.

Answer 2

Most areas allow them to roam and dogs not to because dogs can attack people and other pets where cats don't. I grew up on a farm and several times we had other people's dogs get into our chickens and rabbits. They would kill the chickens and rabbits. They'd bite the heads off the chickens and would bite the toes off the rabbits through the wire cage floors. And the dogs would come back time after time because once they know the animals are there, they keep coming back for more. I've seen dogs do thousands of dollars worth of damage. I have yet to see a cat do anymore damage than poop where you don't want it too or leave paw prints on the car.

The people will let their dogs run free at night because like many animal rights activists think, an animal shouldn't be cooped up but allowed to roam free. According to the law in my area, it is illegal to have a dog not penned up or on a leash. And if the dog is found roaming free on your property you are allowed to shoot it.

I feel anybody that is stupid enough to let their dog run free and destroy other people's property and kill other people's animals deserves to have their dog shot. They have no compassion for the animals that their dogs killed and normally won't reimburse the cost unless you force them to in court. Then they try suing you for losing their dog. Many of them will take the collar off their dog so you can't prove its their dog and force them to pay reimbursement, yet they come and ask for the dogs to bury them and want money for the cost of losing the dogs.

I've seen it happen to dozens of people.

If the animal doesn't do any damage, I have no problem with it. In fact my home neighborhood has one dog called Old Red that all of the neighbors consider the neighborhood dog. It has never bothered any of my parents animals and roams from house to house. I think the whole neighborhood feeds that dog. She's getting older now and I'll be sad when she finally dies. She runs right down the middle of the road. I think that is the most traffic savvy dog I've ever seen, even moreso than a seeing eye dog. It moves to the side of the road without ever looking behind it when a car comes.

Answer 3

I can understand you point, however what about the rat and mouse population? We need cats in neighborhoods and cities to get rid of disease caring rodents. Probably it is allowed for cats to roam because you are less likely to be attacked by a cat than you would a dog, as dogs are pack animals and naturally run together, and pull down prey (people) I've never heard of this happening with domestic cat (I could be wrong).

Answer 4

I own both a cat and a dog. Both animals are spayed/nuetered and kept inside. Every cat that I have owned in my life has been an indoor cat. I had been battling with my next door neighbor whose "outdoor" cat has taken refuge under my deck. I have had to deal with it spraying around my deck and yard (I can smell it on hot days) and with it causing both my dog and cat to go crazy as it lays on the deck and "taunts" them. I am friends with my neighbor, so I politely mentioned that it was a problem....but she said she couldn't control where it went or what it did (How about keeping it INSIDE??). I then complained to the community manager. Apparently enough people in our neighborhood were complaining and they did a "round-up" of all of the "stray" cats and took them to the SPCA.
I love cats, but I feel that by letting them roam the neighborhood you are being unfair to both the animal and your neighbors. I wouldn't mind seeing a law enacted..........

Answer 5

I agree 110%. Cats should stay indoors. I've had cats all my life and would never think of letting them out. You can always go to the owner and explain the situation and hope for the best, or do like someone else suggested and get a live trap and call the pound. That way, the owner has to pay a fee to get the cat back.

Answer 6

I prefer Cats, and really liked the cat that visited me while I'm in college. I do understand that most people do not share my feelins though. My statement on the subject, is try to get your community to create a leash law for cats. Some city has them. Send a letter to your city councilman.

Answer 7

It is illegal where I live. The Township has an ordinance against letting cats roam. The cats are trapped & taken to the Humane Society. If the owner is known they are fined & they have to pay a fee to the Humane Society to get their cat back.
I suggest you catch these cats & take them to your local rescue. If the cat is on your property you have the right to do that.

Answer 8

I don't think it's fine for any animal to roam freely. It's dangerous for them, and damn inconsiderate of your neighbors to allow their cats to do this. It's pretty likely the cats are unowned and wild-easier for cats to get by without humans than dogs, and cats breed faster than rabbits. If you can get a live trap, you could probably trap the cats and take them to the pound. I did this with a tomcat that was going up and down my street and pissing all over everyone's front door, every house on the street. Hardest part was finding the trap, sometimes you can rent them.

Answer 9

I know what you mean, it's a nuisance and boderline hazard.
Cats don't have the potential to maul humans like dogs do, that's why there are very few city ordnances to deal with them. Good luck.

Answer 10

I agree they also should have a county tag - if my dog needs a tax tag then the cat needs one. After all my dog does nothing outside the county needs to clean up after.