Should cats be allowed to roam "at will"?

[danieldemol]

I was reading this guide by the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) in Australia which states;

'RSPCA Australia encourages the containment of cats in an enclosed area (within the owner’s property boundaries). Containment of cats can help to protect cats from disease and injury through fighting and accidents, increase the opportunity for owner-animal interaction and reduce the impact of hunting by cats and disturbance caused to neighbours.'

Source: RSPCA Policy A09 Cat management – RSPCA Knowledgebase

So what do you think about religion/(s) that legislate that cats be allowed to roam "at will", is it in the best interests of the cat and/or other sentient creatures such as native birds and other native species?

 

[Estro Felino]

That's a sensible approach.
It is the opposite of my country. Each neighborhood has a consistent feline colony. In every city. In every town
In every countryside. The people of the neighborhood organize themselves to feed them.
But feeding them is not enough.
Cats need a house.
I have tried to help so many cats find a house in my life. I cannot even think of the exact number.

 

[Spirit of Light]

I was reading this guide by the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) in Australia which states;

'RSPCA Australia encourages the containment of cats in an enclosed area (within the owner’s property boundaries). Containment of cats can help to protect cats from disease and injury through fighting and accidents, increase the opportunity for owner-animal interaction and reduce the impact of hunting by cats and disturbance caused to neighbours.'

Source: RSPCA Policy A09 Cat management – RSPCA Knowledgebase

So what do you think about religion/(s) that legislate that cats be allowed to roam "at will", is it in the best interests of the cat and/or other sentient creatures such as native birds and other native species?

All animals have their right to live a free life

 

[Twilight Hue]

My cats are all house cats. There is a catio where the cats can enjoy the outdoors and still be protected from danger while at the same time protecting the surrounding wildlife from the danger cats pose.

A win win.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

It's a tough call in my opinion. On the one hand, we created/crafted these creatures. Just like "domesticated" canines, without our hand in breeding variants of feline species into smaller and more docile breeds, we wouldn't even have "house cats" on the planet at all. So we are, truly, somewhat responsible for what happens to them i feel - because true evolution didn't craft them, and so they are somewhat vulnerable to various incapacities to survive "in the wild."

On the other hand, I also believe in autonomy of all animal species. Such that I don't even feel it a "correct" course for humans to claim ownership over other animals. They should be responsible for their own survival, in my opinion (outside of extreme circumstances within which we understand higher-order issues and might help - like forest fires, pollution, etc.), and therefore their fitness will be handled naturally, as it has for hundreds of millions of years. As humans put their hands in things and meddle, animal fitness becomes something else entirely - to the point that even unfit creatures can come into being (think "Toy Pomeranian" or "dairy cow"). Related to my first paragraph above, creating an unfit creature is a kind of cruelty, I feel - because when you are no longer there to care for it, it very likely suffers and dies from an inability to fend for itself.

I feel it best for humans not to get involved outside of fending off unwanted situations for our own fitness/benefit versus detriment. Not that I feel we should "put up with" animals just traipsing all over us and destroying our lives and livelihood - not at all. I just feel a natural separation and implementation of personal/societal defense when warranted is the way to go to keep things running and functioning more naturally in all ecological systems.

 

[sun rise]

All our cats were free roaming just like I was when I was young. They lived long and healthy lives and helped us from being overrun by mice and rats.

I attribute some of the opposition to prejudice against predators which cats are.

Where there are so many cats that the balance of nature is severely disturbed, it's another matter and a reasonable reason to restrict their roaming.

 

[JustGeorge]

I have ten cats. Nine are strictly indoors. Why does the one go outside? Because we cannot keep him in. He has gone so far as to hide under the dogs when we let them out so he can sneak out...

We wish he would stay in. Its healthier for him(and the indoor cats), as he occasionally brings home bugs(of the illness variant, not typically parasites, which are easily prevented). There's also the risk of the road. I've had two other cats that also couldn't be kept in, and they died prematurely, due to cars.

Its best if they stay in, but its nothing to get excited about if they don't. The only requirement to a roaming cat is they should be spayed/neutered.

 

[Marcion]

I think for the sake of the climate emergency keeping carnivores in the home should be heavily taxed if not actively discrouraged.
Unless you keep them on a vegan diet of course. Cats and dogs will kill if let loose, there are just too many of them.
It's a big problem for birds and other wild animals.
People should be encouraged to cuddle toy cats and dogs instead of keeping live ones in their homes.
What we do need are wolves, coyotes and wild cats back in our nature reserves.
They are desperately needed to restore the ecological balance to prevent overgrazing etc.

 

[We Never Know]

I was reading this guide by the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) in Australia which states;

'RSPCA Australia encourages the containment of cats in an enclosed area (within the owner’s property boundaries). Containment of cats can help to protect cats from disease and injury through fighting and accidents, increase the opportunity for owner-animal interaction and reduce the impact of hunting by cats and disturbance caused to neighbours.'

Source: RSPCA Policy A09 Cat management – RSPCA Knowledgebase

So what do you think about religion/(s) that legislate that cats be allowed to roam "at will", is it in the best interests of the cat and/or other sentient creatures such as native birds and other native species?

Cats have contributed to the extinction of 63 species of birds, mammals, and reptiles in the wild and continue to adversely impact a wide variety of other species, including those at risk of extinction, such as Piping Plover.

Cats and Birds

 

[We Never Know]

I have ten cats. Nine are strictly indoors. Why does the one go outside? Because we cannot keep him in. He has gone so far as to hide under the dogs when we let them out so he can sneak out...

We wish he would stay in. Its healthier for him(and the indoor cats), as he occasionally brings home bugs(of the illness variant, not typically parasites, which are easily prevented). There's also the risk of the road. I've had two other cats that also couldn't be kept in, and they died prematurely, due to cars.

Its best if they stay in, but its nothing to get excited about if they don't. The only requirement to a roaming cat is they should be spayed/neutered.

"He has gone so far as to hide under the dogs when we let them out so he can sneak out"

Sly cat lol

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I was reading this guide by the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) in Australia which states;

'RSPCA Australia encourages the containment of cats in an enclosed area (within the owner’s property boundaries). Containment of cats can help to protect cats from disease and injury through fighting and accidents, increase the opportunity for owner-animal interaction and reduce the impact of hunting by cats and disturbance caused to neighbours.'

Source: RSPCA Policy A09 Cat management – RSPCA Knowledgebase

So what do you think about religion/(s) that legislate that cats be allowed to roam "at will", is it in the best interests of the cat and/or other sentient creatures such as native birds and other native species?

If you don't want to have the hassle of keeping a pet, then don't get a pet.

IMO, anyone who lets their cat out to be run over or the like probably isn't the sort of person who should have pets at all.

 

[pearl]

If cats are going to be wandering around, sometimes all night, they do love the hunt, at least be responsible enough to have them neutered or spayed,

 

[Jeremiah Ames]

I was reading this guide by the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) in Australia which states;

'RSPCA Australia encourages the containment of cats in an enclosed area (within the owner’s property boundaries). Containment of cats can help to protect cats from disease and injury through fighting and accidents, increase the opportunity for owner-animal interaction and reduce the impact of hunting by cats and disturbance caused to neighbours.'

Source: RSPCA Policy A09 Cat management – RSPCA Knowledgebase

So what do you think about religion/(s) that legislate that cats be allowed to roam "at will", is it in the best interests of the cat and/or other sentient creatures such as native birds and other native species?

oh please....

don’t fence me in

 

[danieldemol]

All animals have their right to live a free life

So you enjoy the taste of roadkill too ay /dark humour

 

[Heyo]

If you don't want to have the hassle of keeping a pet, then don't get a pet.

IMO, anyone who lets their cat out to be run over or the like probably isn't the sort of person who should have pets at all.

I didn't have pets. Sometimes I shared a house with a cat.
(And I never witnessed those cats catching birds, there were mice enough.)

 

[Viker]

My appeal to cuteness fallusie.

 

[savagewind]

Cats have contributed to the extinction of 63 species of birds, mammals, and reptiles in the wild and continue to adversely impact a wide variety of other species, including those at risk of extinction, such as Piping Plover.

Cats and Birds

It surely is a tough problem. I understand that cats can be a major risk to wildlife. I think that we should bet on the wildlife ahead of the freedom of the cats. Humans do it to each other so it shouldn't be so way-off to do it to the felines too.

I have a cat. It isn't mine but my daughter left her with me because she can't have it where she is. If it was up to me, I wouldn't have a cat because cats are too political, imo. Not cats themselves, but, the problem of them.

 

[We Never Know]

It surely is a tough problem. I understand that cats can be a major risk to wildlife. I think that we should bet on the wildlife ahead of the freedom of the cats. Humans do it to each other so it shouldn't be so way-off to do it to the felines too.

I have a cat. It isn't mine but my daughter left her with me because she can't have it where she is. If it was up to me, I wouldn't have a cat because cats are too political, imo. Not cats themselves, but, the problem of them.

I'm not a cat person. I can tolerate them when I'm at a friends house but would never have one myself except my barn cat that kills the mice.

 

[Valjean]

All our cats were free roaming just like I was when I was young. They lived long and healthy lives and helped us from being overrun by mice and rats.

I attribute some of the opposition to prejudice against predators which cats are.

Where there are so many cats that the balance of nature is severely disturbed, it's another matter and a reasonable reason to restrict their roaming.

Your cats were lucky to live long. Free roaming cats, statistically, have considerably shorter lives than indoor cats.

Yes, outdoor cats can devastate wildlife, but most people don't value wildlife anyway. I think the cats' own welfare, and annoyance with feral colonies, is a stronger motivation to house them.

My cats are indoor only. Most cats adjust to a restricted territory well, and are happy living indoors.

I do feed neighborhood strays and ferals, but I also trap and spay/neuter them, so they can live their lives without increasing the population.

 

[Valjean]

All animals have their right to live a free life

Even when they severely impact the right of other animals to do the same, even devastate entire ecosystems, as in Australia?