KEEP YOUR CATS INDOORS! - Page 5

eddyandme · ‎09-24-2011

I would notify my local congressman's liason, explaining the situation and providing pics if necessary. In my state it's against the law what these neighbors are doing. I thought animal abuse is also a federal law - not sure. Your city and ACO can be penalized for not doing their jobs.

Also, I'd haunt the board of health. Perhaps someone in that department may get involved.

Nightowlz · ‎03-11-2010

@eddyandme wrote:
@Nightowlz

I would notify my local congressman's liason, explaining the situation and providing pics if necessary. In my state it's against the law what these neighbors are doing. I thought animal abuse is also a federal law - not sure. Your city and ACO can be penalized for not doing their jobs.

Also, I'd haunt the board of health. Perhaps someone in that department may get involved.

@eddyandme

I think the board of health was who got involved when one of their daughters teachers turned them in. She's anorexic. This is what one of my neighbors told me.

Who ever it was they were in their house because after they left pickups & horse trailers showed up hauling off all the garbage in the house, backyard & garage. It took a couple of weeks. We finally lost count of how many loads were going out of there. The man has OCD & is also a hoarder. The wife must also have issues if she lets her husband do these things.

The daughter now parks her car in the garage so he cannot fill it back up. I have seen it when she leaves the house when I'm getting our mail. It has garbage stacked from floor to ceiling on one side of her car. Don't know how it keeps from falling with her going in & out of the garage.

We have to turn them in to get them to mow & not use the backyard as a garbage dump. When the garbage was stacked so high I could see it over my 6' fence I told DH I have had it. I turned them in.

You could see mice or should I say rats running from his backyard to the neighbors on the other side of us along the fence in our backyard. When we told the neighbor it was from all his trash he said no rats live outside that's where they live so so your going to see them. I told him I know they live outside but it's not normal to look out your window & see them running back & forth. At least we got the problem taken care of.

I can go on & on but I've said enough.

sgraham30 · ‎03-14-2010

@FuzzyFace wrote:
I'm fuming and sad at the same time.

Two sweet little kitties that used to wander the neighborhood and would occasionally come by for a visit, now have pictures of them are posted on mailboxes with "Have you seen my cat?" om them.

These are the nicest little cats. One is a huge gray tabby; he looks like a gorilla and his voice is a high-pitched squeek. When he shows up on our deck wanting BooBoo to come out and play, BooBoo gets furious and tells him, "GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"

The other cat is Lucie, who is the sweetest, friendliest cat ever. When I would go for a walk, Lucie would meet me on the way back: "Hi! how are you today? Did you have a good walk? Can I come over and play?"

DAMMIT! I hate to see this! If you don't want the responsibility of taking proper care of your companion animal, DON'T HAVE ONE!

I agree with you 100%. Sometimes there's a good outcome & the animal is found or returns home on their own, but more often than not, that's not the case. I have 6 cats whom I consider my kitty babies since my human children are grown & out of the house. My cats are NOT allowed outside by themselves. When they go out, I'm sitting outside with them & we're in my fenced in backyard. My oldest male is a ittle escape artist & has snuck out of the yard a couple of times by going under the fence, WITH ME WATCHING HIM so I saw exactly where he went. Now, he doesn't go outside unless he's wearing a harness & a leash, with me with him. The other 5 are happy to be outside & content to stay in the yard, but I have my one little explorer. He was a feral, but he was 6 weeks old when he came inside. He's now 10 years old but he still tries his best to get outside when he can, I have to be very careful opening doors with him around.

Glittergal · ‎05-12-2010

Maybe call animal control for the animals' well-being?

tsavorite · ‎03-09-2010

Have/had this same problem in my neighborhood. Next door let their cat just roam day and night for days! My husband nearly ran it over in our driveway going to work in the morning at 5am. My son who works the night shift would have it trying to scoot in our side door as he would leave at 10pm to go to work. It was in our bushes under our other kids cars in driveway constantly. They only had it for about 2yrs...it died of some cancer that is supposed to be preventable by a vaccination. Can't believe it wasn't killed by a car.

We had a dog for 15yrs....she never was outside without a leash or tie out to play in our yard. Never on other peoples property doing "whatever" or going to the bathroom on their property. I really feel the laws should be changed for cat owners....to match dog owner laws. Leash and tie out at all times and keep your pet in and on your property! It is after all YOUR pet and responsibility to care for it 24/7 not when you "feel" like it.

As for animal control in my area you can forget about it...if you say ferel cat they won't call you back even! Humane society is full and tells you DON"T bring them here....nobody wants them to many. Vet's offices and so on....terrible situation...and breeding over and over.

Mominohio · ‎08-08-2010

There are different schools of thought on this.

Many cats will tear your house down if they can't come and go as they please outside.

We had three feral cats that were born in the barn on our property (just showed up out of nowhere), and the mother especially was very hard to capture. We got them to the vet, brought them indoors slowly and they became house cats....but needed out every day. They would literally tear the curtains off the windows if they couldn't get out.

As time passed, they became more domesticated, and more indoor than outdoor. One did get killed in the road years ago (still breaks my heart), but cats are natural hunters and when born and raised in the wild , they don't always change easily or quickly.

They have the best life we can give them, but being able to be out stalking, hunting and free is a more quality life for many cats, than sitting in a window and watching the world go by.

It may not net the the quantity of life that an indoor cat gets, but it can be a much better quality while they are with us.

People don't believe in humans being constrained, that we should get out and live life, and cats are really no different. They mostly aren't like dogs, that are willing to be trained and leashed and obey commands when outdoors.

It's just the nature of the beast.

Ms tyrion2 · ‎05-08-2017

@beach-mom wrote:
DH, who many of you already know is a veterinarian, has one sentence he says to people who ask if their cats can go outside: "Nothing good will happen to a cat outside." He often talks about how dogs will pay attention to things, but cats expect everyone and everything else to pay attention to THEM!

Our cats are indoor only cats. YES - Keep you cats indoors!

Absolutely agree.

It is a myth that cats "need" to go outside and hunt. They are perfectly happy and a lot healthier if they remain indoors.

Even a stray or feral can be rehabbed to be an indoor cat. I brought a female feral and her kittens into my house over 10 years ago.

The mom cat is now deceased, but the daughters are still with me. Mom cried at the door for a couple of weeks, but ended up content to be inside. The daughters have no desire to go out.

Cats are animals. Not human beings. They do not pine for "freedom". They do not yearn for rolling in the grass. They live content lives as house pets especially if that's all they've ever known.

Spurt · ‎03-20-2010

@Nightowlz wrote:
@eddyandme wrote:
@Nightowlz

What you described is animal abuse and you must report this to your PD or ACO. Your identity will not be given out. But, you must report both neighbors asap - these anmals are suffering.
@eddyandme @Spurt @Allegheny @nougat

I have turned in the one neighbor several times for his barking dogs & inhumane conditions. It's still like that.
The City tells you when they come out that they cannot see thru the fence to see what's happening & they cannot get on a ladder to see either??? They don't want to do anything.
I take pics over the fence & show them. I have even removed a fence section just so they can see.
City Ordinance says they have to have shots, shelter, food, water & cleaned up pin. It also says they cannot be barking & howling which these dogs do a lot. You cannot sit outside & enjoy the weather when it's nice from the barking, howling & poo smell.
They City will not do anything about our other neighbor just because he leaves his dog in the backyard & pays no attention to him. He has not had this dog long. It won't be long before his backyard is also full of poo. He does not clean his backyard. It looks like a jungle.

We do have an SPCA but as far as I know they shelter animals there & find homes. They don't go to someones home & take their dogs. The City would have to get involved. Seems they are not willing to do anything.
I think the neighbors have a relative working at the local dog pound. Last time I reported them for one of their dogs running lose the wife showed up home pretty quick after my call.

@Nightowlz

And I certainly understand what you are going through with the dog poo---thats a health hazard if they dont clean it up and you are breathing that in when you go outside. I know every city is different, but in our city Animal Control Services handles situations like you have, but your right, they wont do anything to those people that just don't pay attention to the dog...BUT they will do something about the unsanitary conditions....and if they dont give food/water shade on hot days, and a warm place for the winter. In fact, they just had a news story here since it has been so hot and they Animal Control went out in neighbors warning people they cant leave their pets out in the heat.....and they cited other ordinances as well....and even took one dog away that was tied up on a chain without shade, food, or water....

I hope someone at some city agency can help you. If you news station has a team that does "troubleshooting" for different situations that might be a route you can take...when things go before the TV cameras then these elected officials take note and get off their rear ends to get something done....GOOD LUCK!

Animals are reliable, full of love, true in their affections, grateful. Difficult standards for people to live up to.”

Toppers3 · ‎10-25-2016

@Ms tyrion2 wrote:
@beach-mom wrote:
DH, who many of you already know is a veterinarian, has one sentence he says to people who ask if their cats can go outside: "Nothing good will happen to a cat outside." He often talks about how dogs will pay attention to things, but cats expect everyone and everything else to pay attention to THEM!

Our cats are indoor only cats. YES - Keep you cats indoors!

Absolutely agree.
It is a myth that cats "need" to go outside and hunt. They are perfectly happy and a lot healthier if they remain indoors.

Even a stray or feral can be rehabbed to be an indoor cat. I brought a female feral and her kittens into my house over 10 years ago.

The mom cat is now deceased, but the daughters are still with me. Mom cried at the door for a couple of weeks, but ended up content to be inside. The daughters have no desire to go out.

Cats are animals. Not human beings. They do not pine for "freedom". They do not yearn for rolling in the grass. They live content lives as house pets especially if that's all they've ever known.

They live much longer and healthier lives when allowed to live indoors, too.

halfpint1 · ‎03-10-2010

I adopted a shelter cat 2 years ago. I have to really watch when I go out the door for she is fast. Her wanting to get o ut only started a couple of months ago. I teach th e word no when I see her near the doors. One night I had to call my son to help. He came and flashed his lights and she came in. Thank good ness there are walls in the back yard but not the front. She likes to look out and pushes down the venetian blinds so I open them up and she can go up on a sewing machine closed to look out and eat if she wants. Also hot here in California so the door is open for her also to look out. She remembers when she was free instead of locked up. The only thing my older cat is jealous and likes to chase her at times.