Coping with cats
Jun 19th 2009, 7:00 pm
#61
Banned
Joined: Dec 2005
Location: In Limbo
Posts: 15,706
Re: Coping with cats
trapped or safe? "Trapped" applies a negative value to the act of keeping the cat in.
Does a domestic cat have "right" to be outside?
Now a wild cat - a lynx or bobcat etc, absolutely they have a "right" to be in the wild, in that it is natural for them to be in nature. It is not natural for a domestic cat to be outdoors in Canada - it's not it's natural stomping ground, it has been introduced, and plays no part in the natural balance! They are fed, treated by the vet, have no nutrition need to hunt, and only do so for pleasure, and they kill innocent, nay naive little chicks and chickadees - feathered waifs, who have struggled to migrate, only to be met by this:
http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/e...5/ugly-cat.jpg.
Does a domestic cat have "right" to be outside?
Now a wild cat - a lynx or bobcat etc, absolutely they have a "right" to be in the wild, in that it is natural for them to be in nature. It is not natural for a domestic cat to be outdoors in Canada - it's not it's natural stomping ground, it has been introduced, and plays no part in the natural balance! They are fed, treated by the vet, have no nutrition need to hunt, and only do so for pleasure, and they kill innocent, nay naive little chicks and chickadees - feathered waifs, who have struggled to migrate, only to be met by this:
http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/e...5/ugly-cat.jpg.
let me throw these 'ideas' at you
Evolution
Natural selection
Survival of the fittest
Based on your belief that the domestic cat has 'no right' to be outside due to being an 'introduced' species, you as a white european have no more right to roam the streets (or prairies or mountains) of a country to which you were 'introduced'.
Jun 19th 2009, 7:15 pm
#62
ModerĪ±tor Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 30,768
Re: Coping with cats
"A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ships are for"
I prefer to give my cats the option of a full and happy life doing cat things inside and out, even if that risks interaction with cars, dogs and intollerant neighbours and a potentially shorter life span as a result. I suppose I could keep them safe and sound inside to live out a confined life to the ripe old age of 20+, but that doesnt seem fair to them, given their particular personalities.
Last edited by iaink; Jun 19th 2009 at 7:22 pm.
Jun 19th 2009, 7:22 pm
#63
Slightly Canadian
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: St. John's, Newfoundland
Posts: 10,129
Re: Coping with cats
I'm very much of the school of thought that it is crueller to keep a cat indoors all the time - clawed or declawed. Ours roam the night as silent killers. Yet the birds still chirp, the voles still vole, rabbits still hop and the minor amount of predation that occurs does not seem to be tipping the whole ecosystem out of balance.
Jun 19th 2009, 8:01 pm
#64
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 2,092
Re: Coping with cats
It's not just me! (Sorry for the long quote: but I don't think many people read links
HInterland Whos Who says:
<Edited to comply with rule 7...please read the link.>
http://www.hww.ca/hww2.asp?id=151
And the Audubon society says:
Cats Indoors!
http://www.goldengateaudubon.org/htm...atsindoors.htm
Some other links:
http://http://www.abcbirds.org/abcpr.../predation.pdf
http://veggierevolution.blogspot.com...dation-of.html
HInterland Whos Who says:
<Edited to comply with rule 7...please read the link.>
http://www.hww.ca/hww2.asp?id=151
And the Audubon society says:
Cats Indoors!
http://www.goldengateaudubon.org/htm...atsindoors.htm
Some other links:
http://http://www.abcbirds.org/abcpr.../predation.pdf
http://veggierevolution.blogspot.com...dation-of.html
Last edited by iaink; Jun 19th 2009 at 8:07 pm. Reason: Rule 7 re copyright
Jun 19th 2009, 8:05 pm
#65
Account Closed
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 7,284
Re: Coping with cats
trapped or safe? "Trapped" applies a negative value to the act of keeping the cat in.
Does a domestic cat have "right" to be outside?
Now a wild cat - a lynx or bobcat etc, absolutely they have a "right" to be in the wild, in that it is natural for them to be in nature. It is not natural for a domestic cat to be outdoors in Canada - it's not it's natural stomping ground, it has been introduced, and plays no part in the natural balance! They are fed, treated by the vet, have no nutrition need to hunt, and only do so for pleasure, and they kill innocent, nay naive little chicks and chickadees - feathered waifs, who have struggled to migrate, only to be met by this:
http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/e...5/ugly-cat.jpg.
Does a domestic cat have "right" to be outside?
Now a wild cat - a lynx or bobcat etc, absolutely they have a "right" to be in the wild, in that it is natural for them to be in nature. It is not natural for a domestic cat to be outdoors in Canada - it's not it's natural stomping ground, it has been introduced, and plays no part in the natural balance! They are fed, treated by the vet, have no nutrition need to hunt, and only do so for pleasure, and they kill innocent, nay naive little chicks and chickadees - feathered waifs, who have struggled to migrate, only to be met by this:
http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/e...5/ugly-cat.jpg.
And now who is anthropomorphing, innocent and naive, 
My cats prefer chipmunks as a snack. They eat what they catch, apart from the intestines and the head. Picky creatures.
Jun 20th 2009, 12:24 am
#66
no I aint
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: The dog house
Posts: 2,100
Re: Coping with cats
My dog has slaughted the odd rat and pigeon.Unsure whether to inprison,or just blast with neighbours shotgun.
Triumph Guy what would you suggest?
Thinking though.On the plus side,he does chase cats.So would that balance things out.Give him a second chance,like?
Triumph Guy what would you suggest?
Thinking though.On the plus side,he does chase cats.So would that balance things out.Give him a second chance,like?
Jun 20th 2009, 1:58 am
#67
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 2,092
Re: Coping with cats
As long as he chases cats he's fine with me!
Besides, not many dogs kill song birds. Pigeons are an introduced pest anyway!
BTW which frakken bright sparks from Europe thought it was a cool idea to bring in Sparrows, Starlings, Pigeons, and dandelions!!!!
Besides, not many dogs kill song birds. Pigeons are an introduced pest anyway!BTW which frakken bright sparks from Europe thought it was a cool idea to bring in Sparrows, Starlings, Pigeons, and dandelions!!!!
Jun 20th 2009, 2:07 am
#69
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Europe (to be specified).
Posts: 30,259
Jun 20th 2009, 2:08 am
#70
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 2,092
Re: Coping with cats
Good catch! I was hoping to see if Butch has a PC pucker reaction.
Jun 20th 2009, 2:14 am
#71
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Europe (to be specified).
Posts: 30,259
Jun 20th 2009, 2:17 am
#72
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 2,092
Re: Coping with cats
fanatical in terms of keeping, shooting, breeding or ...blink:
Jun 20th 2009, 2:25 am
#73
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Europe (to be specified).
Posts: 30,259
Jun 20th 2009, 3:34 am
#74
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,021
Re: Coping with cats
Today on the 4OHsomething I was enjoying the sun at a better than 100mph when a bike undertook me, splitting the lane. "My word" I thought, you can't do that here. Perched on the bike was a woman with the hair of Lady Gaga, only really attached, as it streamed behind the bike. Just as I was noticing her lack of helmet I looked at the driver, he was in shorts, it took me a moment to get beyond the ballsiness of bare legs at 120mph between Canadian drivers but then I clocked the legs being brown. So, if it's a Ducatti, it might be multicultural.
