Keep Your Cats Indoors!

One of my neighbors lets her cats roam around the neighborhood, and I'm pretty sure she's not the only one. They wreak havoc on the wildlife here. One cat, a tuxedo named Rosie, will not stay out of our fenced in yard. She even climbs our tree to hunt any birds that come to our feeder. This isn't just a danger to the birds and snakes, but the cat as well! We have a dog that may be slow in his age, but genuinely would hurt a cat if he could catch one. He has history. That cat should not be on our property for everyone's safety. But of course, the cat doesn't know that.

I also have a severe allergy to cats & not all of my windows have screens, so there's always a chance that on a hot day, little Rosie could decide to pay me a visit. It seems like a more minor gripe, but that's a genuine hazard to me personally.

Even if a cat owner doesn't care about the environmental impact of letting a small predator loose on their neighborhood, there's also real risk to the cat! There's other animals, like my dog, raccoons, and parasites. Hell, here, there's frequent hawks in the sky! That's not even touching manmade dangers like cars, antifreeze, or just somebody straight up stealing or hurting your cat directly. You don't know where they'll end up! They could end up stuck in a ditch for fucks sake! I genuinely don't see how anyone could sleep soundly knowing their beloved pet is just... out there! It's not cool.

Then there's the excuse of "Cats want to be outside" "It's their nature" like, I'm sorry, are they native to the area? No! They're domesticated animals! They rely on humans for their needs! If they need more enrichment, entertain them! If you must take them outside, take them on walks like with dogs! Kitty harnesses exist! And hell, some cats don't even give a shit about the outdoors. If they get everything they need indoors, there's no reason at all to have them outside.

I do not hate cats whatsoever. I find them absolutely delightful, and admire them from a distance. Hell, the aforementioned cat Rosie actually likes me a lot; despite the fact I can't pet her without risking an allergic reaction. She likes watching me do yardwork. She's a total sweetheart, if not otherwise elusive.

What spurred this blog post: Today while walking my neighbors dog, I found a dead mouse on the side of the road. Not ran over, but with cat fang sized punctures on it. There was no sign of the hunter nearby, so it can only be assumed that the feline killed the little guy for funzies. I know from experience that dead rodents on pavement will literally just sit there & rot. Nothing will come along & eat it. So I had to use a doggy bag to pick it up. Not the most dignified resting place, but it's better than melting into the asphalt.