If people are opposed to free roaming cats then they need to be taking action to get the law changed. Writing to MPs, lobbying, campaigning, starting petitions, getting high profile support etc.
The law will never be changed. MPs won't touch it as it's political suicide and charities won't risk losing big chunks of their membership. The RSPB for example is a charity with a Royal Charter to protect birds and will admit that 27 million birds are killed by cats every year. Will they take action to prevent this needless killing? No. Why not? Because a huge chunk of their membership are animal-loving cat owners. So we get weak nonsense like this https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/gardening-for-wildlife/animal-deterrents/cats-and-garden-birds/are-cats-causing-bird-declines/ Yes those 27 million birds would most likely be eaten anyway but that's 27 million birds (and 73 million other animals) that natural predators don't get to eat, including predatory birds. Those predatory birds then turn to other sources of food which bring them into conflict with gamekeepers and farmers. The RSPB say this doesn't amount to cats causing declines in bird numbers though...
So no, taking direct action isn't effective and has been tried. Changing the attitude of cat owners on gardening forums through increasing awareness though might actually have a small affect. In my opinion the only way to reduce the problem is to make it socially unacceptable to allow cats to roam.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
I hate, loathe and despise them with every fibre of my being, and , to be honest, most of their owners who are simply so selfish they just don't care about the actions of their psychopathic pets.
This is seriously disturbing.
Is this kind of vitriol and bile considered acceptable on this forum?
I'd not consider a hatred of cats to be either vitriol or bile
You're talking about animals that only know how to act on instinct. Any time a human feels true real hatred towards an animal its disturbing to me. You're also expressing that hatred about your neighbours.
For the record I don't own or even particularly like cats myself, but I am saddened to see this ugliness in other human beings who are otherwise decent people, many of them won't even hurt a slug or an ant!
This is sadly the attitude that's also taken by most cat owners. They'd rather ignore and silence the people who are experiencing the problems caused by their pets than take responsibility and stop the harm. As to being allowed on this forum; yes it is and in my opinion it is only by allowing people to show just how vehemently opposed they are to free roaming cats that cat owners will ever start to show the responsibility required in pet ownership and stop acting with such entitlement. This is exactly why it's so hard for people to just speak to their neighbours and sort the problem out like reasonable people.
If people are opposed to free roaming cats then they need to be taking action to get the law changed. Writing to MPs, lobbying, campaigning, starting petitions, getting high profile support etc.
And there's nothing wrong with seeking advice for how to keep cats out of your garden, but all these threads where people talk about their genuine rage filled hatred for their neighbours (who are not doing anything illegal or against any official advice) and for animals that have no malicious intentions and are just behaving according to their nature, are so unnecessary and really let this otherwise lovely forum down.
simple answer , don't read them !!!
I suppose I'll have to try.
If you and the others could try and keep the rage to just the threads that are actually about cats that would make it easier.
I am new here and didn’t know there were threads purely about cats.
The fact is dogs have to be on a leash and owners pick up their mess, (which is fine when they bother to) but cats are allowed to turn our beautiful gardens into a toilet 🤮 doesn’t seem fair to me that the only people with sweet smelling gardens are the cat owners!
I get that people don't like the situation, that's fine, what I don't like is the constant stream of really unpleasant ranting every time the C word is mentioned and the idea that its ok to literally hate an animal for existing and behaving according to its instincts!
I generally tend to avoid threads like this one, or the many others that pop up with titles like 'keeping out cats' or 'my neighbours cats' etc. However cat arguments pop up on loads of threads about plants or ponds or wildlife or landscaping, you can't predict it!
(Oh, and dogs don't have to be on leads in the UK, but they do have to be under their owner's control and its a offence to let them roam unsupervised or allow them to be dangerously out of control even in your presence.)
FlyDragon.. If you have picked up as much disgusting foul and hazardous smelly cat crap as we have.. Witnessed the damage other people’s cats have caused and the health hazard associated with their disgusting foul mess.. not forgetting the wrenching involved in cleaning it up and disposing it then I think you would be annoyed too..
I am so fed up with the selfish attitude of irresponsible cat owners (not all) and those who defend the selfish attitude of it’s ok let someone else’s pet crap all over your garden and pose a health hazard to children too..
The law should be changed and I have written to MP’s etc to express my anger and disgust that cats are free to roam and foul and cause damage..
I have said many times and I will continue to say.. that these marketed gimmicks for sale supposedly to deter cats are just a money making scam designed by cat owners and to protect the pets.. I have tried them all and they don’t deter the pests at all.. and before you say they were not fitted or installed or placed properly.. I can assure they were and in accordance with guidance and instructions..
Enough is enough .. why should we have to clear up other people’s disgusting hazardous cat crap while the cat owners say it’s not their problem.. Well it is their problem and it’s their cats crap.. It’s not my problem if cat owners don’t like what we do to protect our gardens from the invasion of unwanted pests using our gardens as a dumping ground.. If you don’t like my post then that’s your problem.. But I will never except anyone else’s pests/cats shitting on our garden and putting health at risk with their disgusting foul hazardous and smelly crap.. Get real !!!
I hate, loathe and despise them with every fibre of my being, and , to be honest, most of their owners who are simply so selfish they just don't care about the actions of their psychopathic pets.
This is seriously disturbing.
Is this kind of vitriol and bile considered acceptable on this forum?
I'd not consider a hatred of cats to be either vitriol or bile
You're talking about animals that only know how to act on instinct. Any time a human feels true real hatred towards an animal its disturbing to me. You're also expressing that hatred about your neighbours.
For the record I don't own or even particularly like cats myself, but I am saddened to see this ugliness in other human beings who are otherwise decent people, many of them won't even hurt a slug or an ant!
This is sadly the attitude that's also taken by most cat owners. They'd rather ignore and silence the people who are experiencing the problems caused by their pets than take responsibility and stop the harm. As to being allowed on this forum; yes it is and in my opinion it is only by allowing people to show just how vehemently opposed they are to free roaming cats that cat owners will ever start to show the responsibility required in pet ownership and stop acting with such entitlement. This is exactly why it's so hard for people to just speak to their neighbours and sort the problem out like reasonable people.
If people are opposed to free roaming cats then they need to be taking action to get the law changed. Writing to MPs, lobbying, campaigning, starting petitions, getting high profile support etc.
And there's nothing wrong with seeking advice for how to keep cats out of your garden, but all these threads where people talk about their genuine rage filled hatred for their neighbours (who are not doing anything illegal or against any official advice) and for animals that have no malicious intentions and are just behaving according to their nature, are so unnecessary and really let this otherwise lovely forum down.
simple answer , don't read them !!!
I suppose I'll have to try.
If you and the others could try and keep the rage to just the threads that are actually about cats that would make it easier.
I am new here and didn’t know there were threads purely about cats.
The fact is dogs have to be on a leash and owners pick up their mess, (which is fine when they bother to) but cats are allowed to turn our beautiful gardens into a toilet 🤮 doesn’t seem fair to me that the only people with sweet smelling gardens are the cat owners!
I get that people don't like the situation, that's fine, what I don't like is the constant stream of really unpleasant ranting every time the C word is mentioned and the idea that its ok to literally hate an animal for existing and behaving according to its instincts!
I generally tend to avoid threads like this one, or the many others that pop up with titles like 'keeping out cats' or 'my neighbours cats' etc. However cat arguments pop up on loads of threads about plants or ponds or wildlife or landscaping, you can't predict it!
(Oh, and dogs don't have to be on leads in the UK, but they do have to be under their owner's control and its a offence to let them roam unsupervised or allow them to be dangerously out of control even in your presence.)
I thought dogs had to be on a lead, I apologise if I’m wrong but I do think they should be, at least until they are at a place where they can run about freely.
As for cats, I don’t hate cats, most of my family are cat owners but as I’m not, I don’t want to be cleaning up their mess on a hourly basis.
This problem could be so easily solved if cat owners took responsibility for them and kept them to their own gardens, it makes sense to me you wouldn’t have to worry about your cat getting knocked down by a car, people being cruel to them or them getting into fights. Think of the money saved on vet bills
I hate, loathe and despise them with every fibre of my being, and , to be honest, most of their owners who are simply so selfish they just don't care about the actions of their psychopathic pets.
This is seriously disturbing.
Is this kind of vitriol and bile considered acceptable on this forum?
I'd not consider a hatred of cats to be either vitriol or bile
You're talking about animals that only know how to act on instinct. Any time a human feels true real hatred towards an animal its disturbing to me. You're also expressing that hatred about your neighbours.
For the record I don't own or even particularly like cats myself, but I am saddened to see this ugliness in other human beings who are otherwise decent people, many of them won't even hurt a slug or an ant!
This is sadly the attitude that's also taken by most cat owners. They'd rather ignore and silence the people who are experiencing the problems caused by their pets than take responsibility and stop the harm. As to being allowed on this forum; yes it is and in my opinion it is only by allowing people to show just how vehemently opposed they are to free roaming cats that cat owners will ever start to show the responsibility required in pet ownership and stop acting with such entitlement. This is exactly why it's so hard for people to just speak to their neighbours and sort the problem out like reasonable people.
If people are opposed to free roaming cats then they need to be taking action to get the law changed. Writing to MPs, lobbying, campaigning, starting petitions, getting high profile support etc.
And there's nothing wrong with seeking advice for how to keep cats out of your garden, but all these threads where people talk about their genuine rage filled hatred for their neighbours (who are not doing anything illegal or against any official advice) and for animals that have no malicious intentions and are just behaving according to their nature, are so unnecessary and really let this otherwise lovely forum down.
simple answer , don't read them !!!
I suppose I'll have to try.
If you and the others could try and keep the rage to just the threads that are actually about cats that would make it easier.
I am new here and didn’t know there were threads purely about cats.
The fact is dogs have to be on a leash and owners pick up their mess, (which is fine when they bother to) but cats are allowed to turn our beautiful gardens into a toilet 🤮 doesn’t seem fair to me that the only people with sweet smelling gardens are the cat owners!
I get that people don't like the situation, that's fine, what I don't like is the constant stream of really unpleasant ranting every time the C word is mentioned and the idea that its ok to literally hate an animal for existing and behaving according to its instincts!
I generally tend to avoid threads like this one, or the many others that pop up with titles like 'keeping out cats' or 'my neighbours cats' etc. However cat arguments pop up on loads of threads about plants or ponds or wildlife or landscaping, you can't predict it!
(Oh, and dogs don't have to be on leads in the UK, but they do have to be under their owner's control and its a offence to let them roam unsupervised or allow them to be dangerously out of control even in your presence.)
I thought dogs had to be on a lead, I apologise if I’m wrong but I do think they should be, at least until they are at a place where they can run about freely.
That's how it works in reality, most dog owners keep them on the lead near roads, crowded places etc. and only let them off the lead in a safe space like a field/woods/parks etc.
In theory though, the lead is only a legal requirement in specific places that have dog control orders (beaches, wildlife reserves) or on private land if the landowner requests it (farms etc).
Seriously, if you have not experienced it first hand you simply cannot judge. Do you think it is OK my neighbours cats led to me having a severe bout of depression?
We lost our wildlife garden right at the time my OH was diagnosed with cancer. It was the one place we found peace.
Totally and utterly decimated by 5 cats new to the village. We would walk up there and literally find the bodies of the animals we loved to watch so much, strewn all over it. Animals mauled and still alive and the stench of piss was totally overwhelming.
I stopped growing my own food.
Do the maths, 5 cats shitting in a plot 40ft by 20ft, daily. In one week that is 35 piles of shit, months of work ruined and no home grown food.
I see very little hatred for cats on these threads, that is just a device used by those owners who are defending their own irresponsible actions.
The law is irrelevant (archaic and out of time). It is about education of the owners of the impacts their cats have on the environment. The nuisance they cause and the very real public health issues.
Read Cat Wars by Peter P. Marra and Chris Santella - if you want an insight to the global truth of the issues involved.
I really do feel your pain, I’ve been through the whole cancer thing with my daughter and the added stress with cats, it’s enough to send you go over the edge.
Daffodil59, GemmaJF, Hostafan1 and wild edges I think we’re the responsible ones and clearly demonstrate our anger, frustration and hatred of other people’s cats/pests crapping and damaging our gardens while some of those cat owners and their supporters condone the selfish attitude of it’s ok for their cats to crap on our land with their disgusting foul hazardous waste..
Posts
I get that people don't like the situation, that's fine, what I don't like is the constant stream of really unpleasant ranting every time the C word is mentioned and the idea that its ok to literally hate an animal for existing and behaving according to its instincts!
I generally tend to avoid threads like this one, or the many others that pop up with titles like 'keeping out cats' or 'my neighbours cats' etc. However cat arguments pop up on loads of threads about plants or ponds or wildlife or landscaping, you can't predict it!
(Oh, and dogs don't have to be on leads in the UK, but they do have to be under their owner's control and its a offence to let them roam unsupervised or allow them to be dangerously out of control even in your presence.)
I am so fed up with the selfish attitude of irresponsible cat owners (not all) and those who defend the selfish attitude of it’s ok let someone else’s pet crap all over your garden and pose a health hazard to children too..
The law should be changed and I have written to MP’s etc to express my anger and disgust that cats are free to roam and foul and cause damage..
I have said many times and I will continue to say.. that these marketed gimmicks for sale supposedly to deter cats are just a money making scam designed by cat owners and to protect the pets.. I have tried them all and they don’t deter the pests at all.. and before you say they were not fitted or installed or placed properly.. I can assure they were and in accordance with guidance and instructions..
Enough is enough .. why should we have to clear up other people’s disgusting hazardous cat crap while the cat owners say it’s not their problem.. Well it is their problem and it’s their cats crap..
It’s not my problem if cat owners don’t like what we do to protect our gardens from the invasion of unwanted pests using our gardens as a dumping ground.. If you don’t like my post then that’s your problem.. But I will never except anyone else’s pests/cats shitting on our garden and putting health at risk with their disgusting foul hazardous and smelly crap.. Get real !!!
In theory though, the lead is only a legal requirement in specific places that have dog control orders (beaches, wildlife reserves) or on private land if the landowner requests it (farms etc).
Seriously, if you have not experienced it first hand you simply cannot judge. Do you think it is OK my neighbours cats led to me having a severe bout of depression?
We lost our wildlife garden right at the time my OH was diagnosed with cancer. It was the one place we found peace.
Totally and utterly decimated by 5 cats new to the village. We would walk up there and literally find the bodies of the animals we loved to watch so much, strewn all over it. Animals mauled and still alive and the stench of piss was totally overwhelming.
I stopped growing my own food.
Do the maths, 5 cats shitting in a plot 40ft by 20ft, daily. In one week that is 35 piles of shit, months of work ruined and no home grown food.
I see very little hatred for cats on these threads, that is just a device used by those owners who are defending their own irresponsible actions.
The law is irrelevant (archaic and out of time). It is about education of the owners of the impacts their cats have on the environment. The nuisance they cause and the very real public health issues.
Read Cat Wars by Peter P. Marra and Chris Santella - if you want an insight to the global truth of the issues involved.
Then you are looking through your own lens.
I'm very sorry you've had a bad time, but they are just animals, they don't hate you, or anybody else.