numbnuts
Squire
- Location
- Gone over the hill and far away
They get run over, well they do in my area at least one a week
Sell me on cats
- Thread starter slow horse
- Start date
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Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
See, I've had 7 cats since me and Mrs D got together (not all at one, 4 being the max at any one time) and my experience is the opposite.
I'm a firm believer that people should only keep cats in built-up areas and not in rural villages and countryside. They obliterate the wildlife doing immense damage to the environment/ecology.
But I'm not anti-cat and have kept one in the past when I lived in Oxford city for a bit. Good fun but split with girl-friend and she took the cat and I moved to a small rural village which was inappropriate to cats (due to that a cat would have devastated the wildlife).
Ian
But I'm not anti-cat and have kept one in the past when I lived in Oxford city for a bit. Good fun but split with girl-friend and she took the cat and I moved to a small rural village which was inappropriate to cats (due to that a cat would have devastated the wildlife).
Ian
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
It's common knowledge males are more affectionate. 8 cats, 2 males.
Alex321
Guru
- Location
- South Wales
I don't think they do any more damage to the wildlife than the natural predators do.
We had two cats fro almost the entire 20 years we lived in our last house, which was pretty rural https://www.google.com/maps/@51.783...try=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTAwOS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw==
Yes, they used to bring us "presents" fairly regularly, but not in great quantities. Mainly mice & shrews, occasional rats, young rabbits, young birds.
An average of less than one per day between them. I'm sure there were things they killed that never made it back to the house as well, but I doubt that was significantly more.
And pretty well all farms keep a few cats around to control the vermin. The occasional house cat is not going to make any significant difference.
T4tomo
Legendary Member
I would say not a lot of difference affection wise between neutered males and females. defo neuter any pet cat.
handling cats a lot as kittens makes a big difference to them being friendly and affectionate.
I'd call that significant... by your numbers that's say 150 extra deaths per cat per year; add to that the fact that they probably represent a disproportionate threat to songbirds since fully-grown birds don't have a lot of natural predators but will be taken by cats.
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If cats are hovering up wildlife there is nothing left for the predators (owls, BoP, etc.) so they go so environment badly damaged.
I used to have barn owls, buzzard, etc., every night my trailcam (set for small rodents) would get 100+ clips of mice, voles, shrews, etc. but after neighbours got cats buzzard gone, no owls, trailcam lucky if it gets any sighting overnight.
"I don't think they do any more damage to the wildlife than the natural predators" - taking the prey the natural predators would have taken means prey not there for those natural predators. Natural predators depend on that prey (those natural predators don't go home each night and get fed a tin of Whiskers, for them it's eat of die).
Ian
Time Waster
Veteran
I have never seen a cat bury its poop in all the gardens I have had experience of and I have had a lot of experience of cat poop being found in gardens and indeed chasing off cats having a poop in the garden which is satisfying if done before the deed but annoying when seen but unable to take action. They are dirty buggers and the owners should be made to follow them and use biodegradable poo bags to collect their cats poop then dump it over their own veg patches, inside their own patio plant pots and other places in their own gardens that I have seen one poop in mine or relatives gardens. At least majority of dog owners do pick up after their dogs, never seen a cat owner do it.
They are cute animals but as far as poop goes they are definitely a problem pet.
Tail End Charlie
Well, write it down boy ......
- Location
- In green and pleasant hills.
I live in the country and I got my latest cat specifically to control the mouse population. She's doing a great job. She also buries her poop.
MontyVeda
a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
- Location
- Lancaster... the little city.
cats are great until you want to read something... then they affectionately put themselves between you and the book/paper/iPad and no matter how many times you put the bundle of joy back on the carpet, they'll keep coming back until you put the book/paper/iPad down... then they'll lose interest until you pick the book/paper/iPad up again.
Time Waster
Veteran
On the way home we saw a car parked in the middle of the road. Thought it was a breakdown. It wasn't, they saw a car going the other way hit a cat. A lovely one and they were freaking out. Anyway, we gave them a pure wool rug to put it on and potentially take it to a vets. Unfortunately the driver saw it take its last breath. At least it died in a nice, soft, pure wool rug and looked out cold and died peacfully. The other car took it to a vets the next day and we found the owner who was able to recover the body. We never got the rug back so I bet it is in a vet's hospital/ recovery ward now.
It was sad but that is one of the worst things about cats, you can not keep them safe unless they are house cats. BTW one cat got caught in an illegal animal cat in a nearby village and managed to drag the trap away to die on the doorstep of the humans it owned the most. Apparently the cat crawled a few miles in that state. It was both amazing and veryh sad that effort!!
Give me a dog any day, we can at least keep them safe on a lead (and not an extendable one neither). plus dogs are cuter. I mean who can say a cat is as cute as a cruffy little terrier looking at you then it tilts its head to one side as if it it thinking "wtf are you doing?" Terriers, like our border terrier, is as cute as any animal can get with all its "look" it gives you. It has a PAddington style hard stare that really works on you.
It was sad but that is one of the worst things about cats, you can not keep them safe unless they are house cats. BTW one cat got caught in an illegal animal cat in a nearby village and managed to drag the trap away to die on the doorstep of the humans it owned the most. Apparently the cat crawled a few miles in that state. It was both amazing and veryh sad that effort!!
Give me a dog any day, we can at least keep them safe on a lead (and not an extendable one neither). plus dogs are cuter. I mean who can say a cat is as cute as a cruffy little terrier looking at you then it tilts its head to one side as if it it thinking "wtf are you doing?" Terriers, like our border terrier, is as cute as any animal can get with all its "look" it gives you. It has a PAddington style hard stare that really works on you.
Time Waster
Veteran
We live in the country and moved in with the dog. Never had any mouse problem, although we do see some outside but they stay out there. Dog does its job, not catching them just scaring them away. Plus you get a more social animal!!
derrick
The Glue that binds us together.
- Location
- On the edge of London
Nothing, But if you get one you will be out of pocket, vets don't come cheap.
BrumJim
Forum Stalwart (won't take the hint and leave...)
- Location
- Selly Oak, Birmingham
Our cat is lethal with regards to flies, but won't attack anything any bigger.
What are you missing? A cat, largely.
I am a dog person. Dogs are great for greeting you when you come back home. They are a good excuse for going for a good walk, and will thank you if you look after them, e.g. attention, exercise, games, etc.
Cats are very good for anthorpomophism. They will stare blankly into the distance as you are convinced that they are sulking, thinking, begging, plotting, etc. They will either spend most of the time out of the house if you want a cuddle, or hang around when you want them to have a bit more independence. But when I got married, I knew that the pitter patter of tiny feet would be the four paws of a cat first-off.
They are lovely and cuddly, and very rewarding. A troublesome cat can be reassured, and a frightened cat can become very trusting and soppy within a reasonably short period of time. And, as mentioned before, there are few more relaxing experiences than a cat cuddling up to you on the sofa or in a bed and purring contentedly.
What are you missing? A cat, largely.
I am a dog person. Dogs are great for greeting you when you come back home. They are a good excuse for going for a good walk, and will thank you if you look after them, e.g. attention, exercise, games, etc.
Cats are very good for anthorpomophism. They will stare blankly into the distance as you are convinced that they are sulking, thinking, begging, plotting, etc. They will either spend most of the time out of the house if you want a cuddle, or hang around when you want them to have a bit more independence. But when I got married, I knew that the pitter patter of tiny feet would be the four paws of a cat first-off.
They are lovely and cuddly, and very rewarding. A troublesome cat can be reassured, and a frightened cat can become very trusting and soppy within a reasonably short period of time. And, as mentioned before, there are few more relaxing experiences than a cat cuddling up to you on the sofa or in a bed and purring contentedly.
