I need to vent

[MtNittany]

Since you have no answer for cat owner's practicing common courtesy instead of entitled behavior, you try to change the subject.....

I don't think there's an answer for your problem. I don't agree w/ letting cats out - I've made that clear. I know that prospective cat owners that interview for rescues get turned down for wanting to let them outside or declawing them.

There are some people that will care for a group of feral cats by feeding them and giving them water and warmth during the winter. The ones that are truly doing good though are the ones that then capture them, and get them spayed/neutered.

 

[laKavosiey-st lion]

Since you have no answer for cat owner's practicing common courtesy instead of entitled behavior, you try to change the subject.....

What’s the city ordinance on dogs staying in the yard? Does It apply to cats?

 

[Karl_Havok]

How…. How you keep Your cat in Your yard is entirely up to you.

It is YOUR responsibility as as pet owner to control and confine your pet to your yard….not let it run freely in the neighborhood.

Why do cat owners feel entitled to let their cat run around the neighborhood? This is a complete lack of common courtesy . It really doesn’t matter if containing your cat is difficult or the cat doesn’t like it….it is still the cat owner’s responsibility.

Individual accountability and responsibility, vs I’ll do whatever I want when ever I want regardless of how my actions may negatively impact others…self-serving, self-centered behavior.

I feel the same way about kids.

 

[step.eng69]

Boy if someone “accidentally” poisioned SC I’d be hott

Is SC an acronym for 'second child' , #2 son?

 

[laKavosiey-st lion]

Simple Cub the pitbull

 

[step.eng69]

I was told by a wildlife biologist to hack one apart and scatter it around. The others think they're being hunted and will tend to move on.

INTERESTING ...

 

[mh-larch]

Probably 10 years ago Kit Kat picked us. She hung out by our truck, out front. Was told a family on our block sold their house and left her behind. She was a very independant cat. When she was younger she was a big mouser. Spent many nights out all night, back then. Came in to be fed and back out during the day. As she aged she started spending more time sleeping inside. She only trusted my wife and I. Would disappear during Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner, when family came over. Until recently our neighborhood has been safe. Suddenly there has been more coyote activity. Usually she is in by 10pm. Sleeping in a hid away or on our bed, on my wife. Last night we thought she was in but she wasn't. We have 2 other cats and a dog. Buddy is 22. Running on his last legs. He picked us too. Bohdi is 4. My son's cat. Black as the night. I found him as an abandoned kitten. Jack is a pug mix. Picture a pug with a dachshund body. Hard to do, right. Well, we are going to be much safer with our pets in this neighborhood going forward. We live in a community of about 400 houses but out in the country. Nature, it appears, is moving in.

Sorry for your loss.....those little critters really do become part of the family. And based on your history with Kit Kat I now understand your position.

Personally, I never let my two cats outside, but depending when you adopt them and start caring for them that's not always possible (like Kit Kat). We had a real bad feral cat problem in my neighborhood. I was able to TNR 20 adult cats, and we scooped up +/- 20 kittens for the shelter to be adopted, but unfortunately I couldn't get 2 litters trapped and to the shelter so I now have a feral cat colony of 6 (all fixed) that I care for. It bothers me those cats are out there. It's a rough and dangerous life, and they are vicious predators themselves. Neighborhood rabbit population is totally decimated. And I used to be bird feeder/watcher but had to stop. It was a literal killing zone, even when the ferals had full bellies.

My neighbors complain and I understand why, but it's really not the cats fault. Irresponsible humans created this mess.

 

[step.eng69]

Are you usually awake and outdoors between 10:00 pm and 5:00 am to do so?

YES, If you were a resident in my neighborhood.

 

[SleepyLion]

Was at a conference this week.
The speaker was not terrible (most conference speakers are 100% terrible).
Best take-away from the talk was,
there are two types of people, dog people and psychopaths.

 

[Nittering Nabob]

YES, If you were a resident in my neighborhood.

Your sentry duty starts in 2 hours. Wife and I are enjoying Lehman. We're a little further up the crick from you.

 

[mh-larch]

Was at a conference this week.
The speaker was not terrible (most conference speakers are 100% terrible).
Best take-away from the talk was,
there are two types of people, dog people and psychopaths.

I totally agree

I was always primarily a dog lover (still love them), but somewhere along the line I became a psychopath . Most cats are definitely neurotic and very complex. I think that's why I warmed to them over the years, just so interesting and funny. And once I adopted a cat from the shelter it was all over. Unfortunately there are just too many of them, and many are outside strays and ferals. They are tough as nails, prolific breeders and vicious killers.

 

[MtNittany]

I totally agree

I was always primarily a dog lover (still love them), but somewhere along the line I became a psychopath . Most cats are definitely neurotic and very complex. I think that's why I warmed to them over the years, just so interesting and funny. And once I adopted a cat from the shelter it was all over. Unfortunately there are just too many of them, and many are outside strays and ferals. They are tough as nails, prolific breeders and vicious killers.

If I lived on a farm or 6 acres I'd have a Golden or a Yellow Lab. As it is, I have about 1400 sf + a patio. I love dogs, but not little ones - other than beagles (who I'm told bark all day while you're at work).

Cats are so smart and once they attach themselves to you, it's over. I've had 3 Blue Point Siamese over 35 years who are as "dog like" as cats come. They want to play fetch. They NEED to play fetch, and play w/ other toys or they won't be happy.

I've known "cat haters" over the years that have run the gamut - from a golf course superintendent drowning a litter of kittens in a bucket to a friend who had a 6 week old tiger kitten placed in his lap and his entire life literally changed.

 

[MtNittany]

Mark Twain quotes:

"Of all God's creatures there is only one that cannot be made the slave of the lash. That one is the cat. If man could be crossed with the cat it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat."

"A home without a cat -- and a well-fed, well-petted and properly revered cat -- may be a perfect home, perhaps, but how can it prove title?"

"When a man loves cats, I am his friend and comrade, without further introduction."

 

[psu31trap]

A coyote killed our cat last night. I am pissed and hurting. Damn coyotes. Blood trail leading from our sidewalk, down the street. A neighbor two doors down has lost 2 cats in the last 4 months. A calico by the name Kit Kat. My wife is destroyed. Sorry for the rant.

I’m sorry for your loss. Approximately seven years ago I went to my girlfriends apartment around 10:00 PM. Since it was late I parked about 75 yards away and started walking up the hill. Out of nowhere and about 20-25 yards in front of me two coyotes come out of the woods and walk across the parking lot and right into the park. They looked marginally bigger than a fox, but I knew they were coyotes.

 

[MontereyLion]

You can kill a coyote here in NC 7 days A week 365 days a year, A cross bow is very handy. As other posters have stated though, with a blood trail it sounds more like a bob cat. Sorry for the ops loss. I love my cats, but there very indifferent towards me !!!

I started suspecting a bobcat. More stealthy then a coyote. More of a night hunter.

 

[MacNit]

Your sentry duty starts in 2 hours. Wife and I are enjoying Lehman. We're a little further up the crick from you.

Hitler elevated dogs above people. How’d that work out?

 

[PSU Mike]

INTERESTING ...

Maybe that’s why Dahmer started freezing his victims - so he didn’t scare others away.

So, about Potter’s dark humor thread …

 

[MtNittany]

Funny, I was just out on the patio w/ Percival for an hour or so - until he caught a squirrel in a split second. Not a small one. He had it in his jaws, then he let it go. Then he gave it the business (via meows) on his way out.

Percy was a great name choice (taken from Boorman's Excalibur). He's certainly gallant and brave.

 

[o_PSUALREADYKNOW]

Probably 10 years ago Kit Kat picked us. She hung out by our truck, out front. Was told a family on our block sold their house and left her behind. She was a very independant cat. When she was younger she was a big mouser. Spent many nights out all night, back then. Came in to be fed and back out during the day. As she aged she started spending more time sleeping inside. She only trusted my wife and I. Would disappear during Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner, when family came over. Until recently our neighborhood has been safe. Suddenly there has been more coyote activity. Usually she is in by 10pm. Sleeping in a hid away or on our bed, on my wife. Last night we thought she was in but she wasn't. We have 2 other cats and a dog. Buddy is 22. Running on his last legs. He picked us too. Bohdi is 4. My son's cat. Black as the night. I found him as an abandoned kitten. Jack is a pug mix. Picture a pug with a dachshund body. Hard to do, right. Well, we are going to be much safer with our pets in this neighborhood going forward. We live in a community of about 400 houses but out in the country. Nature, it appears, is moving in.

Gotcha. Makes sense. I appreciate the picture into the entirety of the situation. Seems like everything is operating appropriately and this truly was, just bad luck. I'm sorry for your loss and can even more now empathize with your sadness. Sounds like Kit Kat was able to fully enjoy your company and you hers; a relationship of love and respect. Glad you were able to share some extra love and it's also reassuring to know you are also there for Buddy and Bohdi. There are too many animals and not enough quality owners-just in the past year, the concept of million of pets not getting the love and support they need really hit home so it's a blessing you are doing your thing. Keep up the good work and thanks again for taking the time to share the scoop-hug your pets!

 

[o_PSUALREADYKNOW]

My wife and I have considered letting our cat out. She is 15 years old and still has her claws but has never been an outside cat outside of my wife finding the cat as a kitten underneath a porch. The issue is that she has stopped using her litter box. It's extremely frustrating and we have been dealing with it for almost a year now. We have moved the litter box multiple times to an area we think she likes better. We have changed the type of litter. We have added attractant as well and any measure we have taken to resolve the issue have been temporary, in that she will start to use her littler box again for a short time and then stop.

My best friend has two cats that are about 10 years old. One of them about a year ago stopped using the litter box as well so they decided on their vets advice to just let the cat outside. They ended up allowing both of their cats (brothers from the same litter) outside since one of them was allowed. They both go in and out now and it solved the issue so my wife and I have been wondering if we should do this with our cat but I am terrified of something happening to her outside.

That's VERY interesting. Psychology in general is fascinating, but animal psychology too and trying to get in their brain and understand them. I think this is another good example that I may have overlooked in terms of good reasons a cat may intentionally be living as a hybrid by owner. I'm thrilled you have found a compromise that all parties can be pleased with!

 

[o_PSUALREADYKNOW]

Not minimizing your loss because losing a pet is heartbreaking but nature can be cruel and unforgiving and trying to eradicate the threats and dangers has been tried for as long as man had been here and usually results in disastrous and unintended consequences - it operates by its own set of laws.

Hear, hear, so true. Ugh, it's interesting and awful, but speaking of that-it seems with the internet's revolution of the past 25 + years and the surplus of wildlife footage that has been sponsored over that time frame, there is ample video of extremely troubling and graphic behaviors that DO occur in the wild-whether examples like Elephant Seals falling off cliffs, mountain goats being thrown against rocks by birds of prey, lion cubs being eaten by their male lion, or Orca's playfully throwing around dead seals to kill for sport. These are just a few examples of some of the "awesome" new footage I have seen that I think has become more prevalent than back in the day as more cameras are rolling than ever before. Crazy stuff-I guess it's the circle of life. Does anybody have other examples of extreme animal behavior? Another correlative anecdote I have recently heard I think was about a group of Penguins that were literally freezing to death as they were stuck in a valley of sports....the crew documenting them actually comes in to save the day which amazingly is usually frowned upon and as an industry standard I think is not done to preserve the organic ecosystem. But gosh, if I was seeing a little baby animal that couldn't fight for itself, it would be SO hard not to try and break the 4th wall and save it.

 

[o_PSUALREADYKNOW]

Funny, I was just out on the patio w/ Percival for an hour or so - until he caught a squirrel in a split second. Not a small one. He had it in his jaws, then he let it go. Then he gave it the business (via meows) on his way out.

Percy was a great name choice (taken from Boorman's Excalibur). He's certainly gallant and brave.

Percival/Percy is a VERY awesome name-great job. Glad he lives up to it-almost sounds moviesque!

 

[Anon1656690730]

If I lived on a farm or 6 acres I'd have a Golden or a Yellow Lab. As it is, I have about 1400 sf + a patio. I love dogs, but not little ones - other than beagles (who I'm told bark all day while you're at work).

Cats are so smart and once they attach themselves to you, it's over. I've had 3 Blue Point Siamese over 35 years who are as "dog like" as cats come. They want to play fetch. They NEED to play fetch, and play w/ other toys or they won't be happy.

I've known "cat haters" over the years that have run the gamut - from a golf course superintendent drowning a litter of kittens in a bucket to a friend who had a 6 week old tiger kitten placed in his lap and his entire life literally changed.

We had one cat that had the temperament of a great dog, imo. As a child I could rest my head on the belly of the cat and it never moved. It was the exception of all the cats I've ever known. Once, while diving for golf balls at the local course we discovered a burlap bag and, gruesomely discovered, deceased kittens, a sad moment. We adults occasionally act worse than the animals we disparage.

 

[CaseStudy]

As my vet once told me - outdoor cats live exciting but short lives. Been there myself. Years ago when I was house sitting my sister's cat it escaped as I was dragging my hockey gear out of the door. I frantically searched but it was dark and I was late for the game, so I figured he'd be okay for a few hours while I was away. Unfortunately, he wasn't waiting for me outside when I returned and some fur and a collar was all that I found the next day in the woods behind my house. I don't think I ever felt worse to that point in my life. My sister loved that guy and breaking the news to her was awful. I still feel bad about it 20 years later. Sorry for your loss.

 

[ODShowtime]

I'm so happy that my cat is afraid to be outside. One night he snuck out onto the closed-in porch and the door was shut. A minute later I'm like "damn cats are fighting outside" but it was him having a total freakout fit about being locked out. He jumped back inside so fast when I opened the door. Good.

 

[Indian rocks rich]

A coyote killed our cat last night. I am pissed and hurting. Damn coyotes. Blood trail leading from our sidewalk, down the street. A neighbor two doors down has lost 2 cats in the last 4 months. A calico by the name Kit Kat. My wife is destroyed. Sorry for the rant.

Don’t leave your cat outdoors. Not the wild animals fault. It’s your fault for leaving your cat outside and unprotected

 

[MtNittany]

I'm so happy that my cat is afraid to be outside. One night he snuck out onto the closed-in porch and the door was shut. A minute later I'm like "damn cats are fighting outside" but it was him having a total freakout fit about being locked out. He jumped back inside so fast when I opened the door. Good.

I think if you show your cats the attention they need/want inside then when you do let them out on a balcony or a patio, they are appreciative of the freedom - but they aren't going anywhere. They know where the food is.

Also if your cat never steps paws outside, God forbid if something happens where he does wind up outside alone. He won't know how to get home.

 

[PAgeologist]

All our cats growing up hated being inside. They always stayed in the barn. They were all very much pet friendly and had regular vet visits. I don't remember any of them meeting an early demise. All of them lived at least 10 to 15 years.

 

[laKavosiey-st lion]

At my pop pop farms I saw a box truck back up over ‘my” kitten. Other than that, that barn cats were living the life.

 

[Jordy99]

How…. How you keep Your cat in Your yard is entirely up to you.

It is YOUR responsibility as as pet owner to control and confine your pet to your yard….not let it run freely in the neighborhood.

Why do cat owners feel entitled to let their cat run around the neighborhood? This is a complete lack of common courtesy . It really doesn’t matter if containing your cat is difficult or the cat doesn’t like it….it is still the cat owner’s responsibility.

Individual accountability and responsibility, vs I’ll do whatever I want when ever I want regardless of how my actions may negatively impact others…self-serving, self-centered behavior.

 

[Hotshoe]

Is SC an acronym for 'second child' , #2 son?

Ha ha haha. Charlie Chan, No1 son...

 

[Hotshoe]

All our cats growing up hated being inside. They always stayed in the barn. They were all very much pet friendly and had regular vet visits. I don't remember any of them meeting an early demise. All of them lived at least 10 to 15 years.

You have to realize. There's a huge difference between barn cats and outdoor cats. Barn cats tend to be smarter, and the barn is their sanctuary. They also have a great food source in rats and mice in the barn.

 

[step.eng69]

Ha ha haha. Charlie Chan, No1 son...

Keye Luke, the perpetual Asian-American sidekick in dozens of films over six decades, who will be forever in the public eye as Charlie Chan’s “No. 1 Son” in that classic mystery series, has died in a hospital near his Whittier home.

Luke was 86 when he died Saturday of a stroke, said his longtime agent and friend, Guy Lee.

 

[Jason1743]

Sorry to hear about your loss, but please don't do anything illegal ().

My understanding is that it's highly illegal to shoot a coyote in CA, so I wouldn't do that. And it makes too much noise.

I would go purchase some inexpensive ground beef, add some rat poison and then mix in some of your ex-cat's fur from around the house (not too much) into the mix. Set up a camera and then see what happens.

You’ll kill your neighbors dog.

 

[Jason1743]

Looked it up. Coyotes can be hunted in California. Do need an hunting license and to follow local restrictions. They are getting more brave. Neighbor said he saw 2 on our street in the middle of the day. A few months back.

I’m sure that discharging a firearm in your neighborhood is illegal no matter the season or game hunting regulations.

 

[Jason1743]

Wait, folks eat wild turkeys? Tgar has never known a hunter to eat one.

I’ve been known to drink wild turkey.

 

[Jason1743]

Here is my advice. Forget what the law says, if a wild animal presents a threat (whether it's a coyote or bobcat) to your animals then you do whatever you have to do to keep them safe and deal with the consequences of it. About a decade ago I took out my small dog (18lbs) to go to the bathroom at night around 9:00PM-10:00PM and was approached by a coyote that stood about 10 yards away from us. I picked up my dog and the coyote ran away. I would have fought the coyote to the death. I have had a bobcat in my backyard as well. We have a hawk that flies around and has sat on our fence to our patio. From what I understand hawks attack animals that are ~5lbs or smaller and my dogs are a little more than twice that size so I feel like they are safe, but I always have my head on a swivel outside because they are allowed out on the patio and in the fence in area of my yard by themselves. If it came down to my pets and a coyote/bobcat/hawk I am going to kill whatever threat there is to my family and I couldn't care less what the law says about it.

I had a state trooper tell years ago that if you kill an animal like a coyote in an urban environment, AWAYS claim self defense.

 

[SleepyLion]

I had a state trooper tell years ago that if you kill an animal like a coyote in an urban environment, AWAYS claim self defense.

 

[PAgeologist]

You have to realize. There's a huge difference between barn cats and outdoor cats. Barn cats tend to be smarter, and the barn is their sanctuary. They also have a great food source in rats and mice in the barn.

I fully agree. I always associated barn cats with the unfriendly feral ones you frequently see on farms.

Ours were pet friendly but deadly hunters.

 

[MontereyLion]

Additional info...about 2am last night we could hear a coyote yipping. They don't bark or howl. They yip. It was about a 100 yards from our back fence. On the other side of highway 68. Passed 68 is rolling hills, for miles, with oaks and open space. No houses. I was laying in bed wishing for a long rifle with a thermal scope. My neighbor said at midnight he took his trash out. There were 2 coyotes at the corner. That's about 4 houses from our house. Nature has made our neighborhood a hunting ground. Our safe neighborhood for years has suddenly become dangerous. They must be running low on a food supply. I know there are turkey, skunk, opossum, rabbits, raccoons, deer and foxes in the area. About 10:30 each night we usually let our dog out front for his nightly last pee. He could go in the back yard but he likes the front yard and it has become a habit for him. Now when we let him out both of us go out ahead of him. I am thinking about taking a golf club with me in case I need to drive a 8 iron into a skull. More ranting on my part.