Posted by Drummel:
I love our cats. We have four, all fixed, one inside and three outside. I just spent $300 on the oldest who was sick and needed medicine. My outside cats keep close to the house but I know they roam. No one has complained. Our male cat roamed alot and now he's missing. He was probably killed by someone like Mr. Polyniak. 

Over by the Freeway near the Target on Ming ave, people including us, put out food for a batch of kittens.  I will continue to do that sort of thing and no one can stop us. So take that Mr. Polyniak.

I love our cats too and find people like Polyniak disgusting.   In case he has not figured it out, poisoning a cat with "mothballs" is cruel and considered cruel in a civilized society.  I hope that the local enforcement agencies read this article and come after such a poor excuse for a human being.  Polyniak, I bet you used to get beat up in grammar school.   Go ahead and take out your deep hatred on a poor defenseless animal and if you do come down with something, justice will be served then.

Be grateful that you dont live in my neighborhood, cause I would personally walk my cats over to your yard.

Have a good day, Micky.

You know, I love my cats(Indoor only), but I also take care of all the cats that come and eat at my house in the late evening and early morning, cats that were once someones pets, just dumped in our neighborhood, more than likely at the water tanks on Panorma. I do agree that there is a problem with overpopulation, I take the ones that are friendly to the SPCA to be adopted and the ferals I feed, until they no longer come around. Having the ones that I can spayed or nuetered. In the years that I have been doing this I have not had a mouse/rat/squirrel problem in my home or yard as many of my neighbors do....hmmmm...kitties crapping in my yard or vermin in my home? Thanks I'll take kitty crap anyday.

Resq...seriously, when was the last time that a feral domestic cat, or even a tame domestic cat, attacked a child or adult of its own free will. A feral cat will do everything it can to avoid detection, and good luck trying to catch one. A tame domestic cat will attack if you hold on to him when he wants to get away. As a general rule, cats don't attack like dogs do. 

There is a solution to the feral cat colonies here in Bakersfield. Trap Neuter and release. Cats are trapped, taken to the vet, tested for feline diseases, spayed or nuetered if healthy, (if not the animal is euthanized) ear is notched and then the animal is released back in the area if was removed from to live out its life if the animal cannot be rehomed. Vets in this town used to do this for like $20 a cat, but lately more and more have quit doing this. Perhaps if the local government would get something going at the Animal shelter this could become a really effective program. Education is also key, spay and nueter would eliminate the need for these programs both for dogs and cats.

Does anyone remember their history and the Black Plague in Europe. If my memory serves me, they did away with the cats and dogs fearing they were the carriers.  And then it spread uncontrollably because it was the rodents carrying it and there were no more cats and dogs to kill the rodents.  The plague is found periodically in some outlying areas.  Maybe the real problem is the feeding of the stray cats.  If they were left alone to fend for themselves they'd be forced to use their instincts and hunt.  This would certainly eliminate a lot of problems.

Now that's a good dog.  She killed it, but didn't eat it.  Give Allie a pat on the head for me.  Animals have their place.  On the dairy there were wild cats everywhere.  My mom and pop used to go nuts when I'd drag one in.  But they kept the mouse and rat population down.  You don't want those nesting in your feed.

Sometimes "uninvited" cats can be a blessing.  We've been contemplating getting a dog for our 2-year-old, but I've never liked the slobbery, goofy, yap-yap-yapiness of dogs, so we just put it off.  Then about a week ago, this skinny cat showed up on our doorstep, and we've been feeding it ever since.  My baby LOVES this cat, and the cat is so mellow and patient with the baby, he's like a dog but without any of the dog drawbacks.  My baby named him "Waddie," and we're keeping him.  He makes my baby so happy.  They walk around the yard together and my baby talks to him and feeds him and pets him "nice."  Now to the vet's office for a check-up and neutering.

As for the sociopaths who are incapable of feeling empathy for the pain or suffering they inflict on cats or any other animals--hide your illness.  Hide it behind the fence in your backyard.  Hide it from your neighbors.  Hide it from your boss, your date, and anyone else whose opinion you value.  Keep your ugly feelings and torments to yourself.  

The world is big enough and history is long enough to shrug at your own petty deformities.  People with consciences will continue to benefit from their appreciation of life and all its manifestations.   

I agree completely CatB.  If you notice, the psychopaths are careful to use the anonymous feature of the blog.
Which leads me to believe, they know deep down their behavior is unacceptable to decent people.

CAT B:

I DO have a consciense,   
I am NOT a sociopath.  
-and-
I am one of the most level-headed compassionate individuals you will ever chance to meet.  HOWEVER,  I stand by my earlier post.   

I am happy you are blessed with a cat that brings you and your family pleasure.  However, as the apartment dweller once said:  "One man's ceiling is another man's floor".  

My point is:  Not everyone feels as you do and to "brand" someone as a sociopath or to infer they do not have a conscience simply because they want the cat population controlled is one of the most self-serving and shallow assertions I have ever heard.

Those who do not own cats (for whatever reason) are not sociopathic because they want their yard and gardens free from cat feces, They simply do not want for cat SH*# in their yard and THAT seems to have been lost in this discussion!

Your cat is a blessing to YOU and as long as your cat is confined to your house you will be a responsible cat owner.  However, if you let your four-footed blessing out of your house to roam and it poops in someone's yard or worse, gets run over by a car crossing the street , then I would maintain it would be you lacking in consciense.

Try not to paint everyone with your all-inclusive brush.  Just because we disagree does not mean we lack compassion.

Posted by Drummel:

Curt, sounds to me like you are a sociopath toward people who own outside cats. 
I didn't read anyone's post as defending the cat's right to roam and to destroy property.
Are you saying that people who like cats are pro-roam and pro-destruction?
And you are doing more than "disagreeing", you are telling people to pick up cat shit or shut up. Then you said people who own outside cats don't have a conscience because they roam. That doesn't make any sense.

"My outside cats keep close to the house but I know they roam. 
No one has complained. Our male cat roamed alot and now he's missing. He was probably killed by someone like Mr. Polyniak." 

If you live near Ming Avenue and the freeway, your dear old kitty was probably flattened by a motorist either on the surface streets or on the freeway.   While I do not in any way condone killing cats, it is owners like YOU who are causing this debate in the first place.  Letting your cat out to roam is signing their death warrant and you can rationalize it all you want, but deep down inside, you KNOW it's YOUR FAULT he's missing or dead.  You are either in severe denial or do not have a conscience.  Let me say it again: You illustrate my point perfectly.

As for cleaning up the kitty poop...

When you volounteer to clean cat poop from your neighbors yard, When you volounteer to replace your neighbors cat-damaged landscaping, you will have taken the second step toward responsible cat ownership.   -- The FIRST step is not letting them roam!

After all,  you knowingly let your cat roam and by their nature they ARE going to poop in your neighbors yard.  Whether they complain or not, you are taking advantage of their goodwill.

If your cat does the crime.....

Curt
5 of the 43 comments above were mine, so I feel like I'm one of the people you're shouting at.

If you reread my comments you will find that

1.  I have 4 cats
2.  They are all neutered or spayed
3.  Two are strictly inside cats, two are inside and back patio cats
4.  We had a problem with feral cats when we lived in the country.  At least 20 cats took up residence on our property
5.  We handled the problem humanely and at a personal cost to ourselves.
6.  I cautioned using poisons in neighborhood where there are children 
7.  I advised that it is against the law to kill animals in a neighborhood if those animals are not being a danger to anyone
8.  I said and still MEAN IT that people who use poisons, razor wire, drowning several cats in a bag, etc are exhibiting psychotic
     behavior.
9.  I will start keeping my two patio cats inside full time , when other people keep start keeping their pet 
     dogs, pigs, horses, sheep,  alligators, ducks, chickens etc inside FULL TIME.

LEFT FOOT...

If you see yourself in my post, it could very well be my words DO in fact apply to you.  I am entitled to my opinion you yours.  Again, for the record, NOT ONCE have I endorsed the harming of ANY animal.   If you let your cat out of your immediate control (your house) and they roam uncontrolled, you are indeed one of the causes of this entire topic.   If none of my comments directly apply to you, feel free to ignore them.    

EVERY OTHER AMIMAL IN THE COUNTY OF KERN IS CONTROLLED.  DOGS, PIGS, HORSES EMUS (GO ON AS LONG AS YOU WISH)   Cats are currently allowed a "PASS" and can roam to their hearts content and poop wherever they wish and nothing is done to control them.     If you think I am picking on cats, think again.  I would be just as critical if it were pet emus or badgers.   It is about equality - If it's good for the goose, it's good for the cat.


DRUMMEL...

Nice try.   If it's not your cat, it's probably one of the strays you've been feeding.  If you feed it, you own it!   So by carefully reading your previous posts, Given the reproductive rate of cats, I figure you probably OWN 750 to 1,000 cats by now. - Depending of course on how long you have been feeding them.  

Again, your dear old kitty that didn't come home was probably turned into a "sail-cat" by a car on the freeway.  While you were quick to blame someone for your cats demise, it was  YOU who allowed your pet to wander into harms way and it is YOU who is ultimately responsible for his death.

Period!

I shudder to think what would happen to some poor family driving down the freeway if they swerved to miss your cat. How would you like THAT on your conscience?  I can see the headline now...   "Family of five killed in firey accident trying to avoid cat on highway 99"

My comments aren't to bash cats.  It's about personal responsibility.  It's also about fairness.  

IF YOU OWN AN ANIMAL,  ANY ANIMAL, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT'S WELFARE AND ANY DAMAGE IT MAY CAUSE - EVEN IF THAT MEANS YOU GET SUED FOR THE DEATH OF A FAMILY THAT SWERVES AND GETS INTO AN ACCIDENT TRYING TO AVOID HITTING YOUR SWEET LITTLE DARLING KITTY!

If you don't get it by now you never will. 

Just an observation, and I am generalizing, but it seems to me the people screaming about cats rights and the value of life are the same ones raising hell if the subject of restricting abortions [killing "HUMAN" life] is brought up. I could be wrong, but from by occasional trips through these blogs this is the sense I get.  OK blast me. I'm ready.

Don't posion cats! They no taste like chicken with strictnine in dem.

APPARENTLY, MANY CAT LOVERS JUST DON'T GET IT. THE PROPOSAL IS FOR THE GOOD OF ALL. REGISTERED
CATS ARE NOT STRAYS, AND THE OWNERS CAN BE FINED FOR NOT CONTROLLING THEM, JUST LIKE DOG
OWNERS. UNREGISTERED CATS ARE STRAYS, HAVE NO HOME, AND CAN BE ROUNDED UP(NO ONE NEEDS TO PAY FOR THE LICENSE). THOSE WHO HAVE CAT ALLERGIES WILL BE SAFER,AS THE HOMELESS CAT POPULATION WILL GO DOWN, AND THEY WILL NOT BE USING NON-CAT OWNERS YARDS AS A LITTERBOX. OH, AND I HAVE YET TO SEE A
COYOTE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, PREYING ON STRAY CATS. I HAVE A STRONG ALLERGY TO CATS AND WHEN I UNCOVER A PILE HIDDEN UNDER LEAVES AS I RAKE, MY SINUSES SWELL SHUT, MAKING IT VERY HARD FOR ME TO BREATHE. AND NO, HIRING SOME NEIGHBORHOOD KID TO DO IT FOR ME  IS OUT-THIS IS MY PROPERTY AND I ENJOY WORKING IN MY YARD.