Why Do People Have Cats If They Just Let Them Run Outside All-Day, Every-Day???

EllenD

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I just don't get it, I never have and I never will...People have a cat, or multiple cats, and they are supposed to be their pets, otherwise why would they get them in the first-place. They get up first thing in the morning, feed their cats, and then put them outside. And then 12 hours later, at sunset or after it's already dark, they open up the door to their house or apartment and start calling for the cat to come home. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. And then their cat comes inside and sleeps all night, then first thing the next morning they're right back outside again all day long. And this is every single day...They only see their cats for an hour or two a day max. So can someone please fill me in as to what the point is in the first place? I'm asking seriously because it makes no sense at all to me, and of course along with this there are the many other obvious issues that go right along with having a cat that you keep this way....

So for 12+ hours a day, every single day, these cat owners don't have a clue where their cats are, what they are doing, who they are with, what they are eating, what they are killing, how many times they are breeding with another cat or being bred by another cat, or who's property they may be going to every single day...And they don't seem to care either. If I let my dog out the door every morning and just let her run all day long, every single day, and didn't bring her back in my house until dark every night, people would call the police, the dogcatcher, Animal-Control, etc. on me pretty much immediately on the first day, and they'd call me an "irresponsible pet owner" and tell me that "I'm neglecting my dog and I need to re-home her to someone who will care about her and take care of her"...But people who let their cats out the door every day, all day long, with no idea where they are or what they are doing act like I'm the crazy, mean person for asking them to stop letting their cats run free all day long every day because they're on my property...And when I call Animal-Control on them and they are given a citation they have to pay and a warning that if they let their cat loose outside again and are caught they will lose their cat and it will be put into a foster-home and adopted to someone else, then I'm the Anti-Christ....

I'm half-venting here and half really asking what it is that I'm missing...I know there are some "Cat-People" who are members of the forum (I'm not accusing you of letting your cats run all day long every day, I know that many cat owners keep their cats inside all the time, or if they do let them outside they keep them tied-up on their own property...It's not all cat-owners, I know that)...However, I'm sure that there are at least a few members here that either currently have at least one outdoor cat that runs free all day long, or that used to have an outdoor cat that ran-free every single day, all day long...So maybe they can fill me in on why I am the bad-guy in this equation because they got their cat taken away from them on warning #3...
 

dhraiden

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For the kind of people you describe it may be a sense of comfort derived from knowing the cat is 'around', if not exactly where it is at any particular moment.


My aged neighbor has had somewhere around 3-4 cats over the years basically living outdoors. As part of this neighborhoodcats.org initiative, the City (NY) solicits people to come out to this house and setup an outdoor shelter for them, ensuring they are spayed/neutered and otherwise healthy. Check out this article, which he's mentioned in:


https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/14/realestate/feral-cats-working-cat.html


The cats are called 'community cats' (ha) and the program justifies the attention spent in that they make competent mousers, and I have seen occasional evidence of this (rarely these days, which is a good thing). I've also found evidence of them killing wild birds in the area, but that's not something I can really stop (I wish they'd go after starlings exclusively). This excerpt may go someway to partially answering your ponderings.


My neighbor is also someone who appreciates avian lives too, having once had a parrot, and he regularly sets up feeders for cardinals, bluejays, mockingbirds, and such.



Mr. Stoike is already the caretaker for a feral cat colony near his property, so adding a working cat in his garage wasn’t that big a deal. He does consider working cats like any other pet. He feeds them, talks to them and allows them in his garage, where he puts a heating pad in winter. Sometimes they leave β€œgifts” of mice on his doorstep. β€œWhen they pass away,” he said, β€œit’s like a family member almost.”
 
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EllenD

EllenD

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Just to clarify, I live in a residential neighborhood/development that was built in the 80's and that has one major highway as the northern-border (Rt. 26/East College Ave.) and then a major 4-lane Interstate as the southern border (I-99)...So the dangers of people who live here letting their cats run-free all day long, every single day are huge and many...Besides the 2 major roadways surrounding the neighborhood (and the local traffic as well), we also have a huge Cattle/Sheep/Goat/Pig Farm that is the western border, with it's massive Corn and Wheat/Hay fields wrapping around and making the eastern border, which is then surrounded by Acres and Acres and Miles and Miles and Miles (like hundreds of miles ) of State Forest...So we get every type of wildlife running around our houses pretty much every day and all day long as well; everything from Raccoons, Opossums, Groundhogs (EVERYWHERE, and huge mutant ones), Foxes, Coyotes, Bears, Deer, and many Hawks, Eagles, Owls, and other Predatory Birds...And then all of the outdoor Dogs who are properly tied-up or fenced-in on their owner's property...So I can't tell you how many dead cats are found on the roads/highways and then all over the place, in pieces, obviously attacked and eaten...So you would think that the constant dangers and threats to their cat's lives would be enough for them to keep them inside or tied-up on their properties...NOPE.

Some of you may remember a few years ago I adopted 2 just-hatched baby Ducks and I was raising them here in my house and in MY TOTALLY FENCED-IN BACKYARD...ON MY PROPERTY...And while I had both of my Ducks outside in my own front-yard with me (they were about 5-6 months old at the time), one of my neighbor's cats, who lives way down at the bottom of the street about 2 blocks away from me, suddenly appeared out of nowhere on my property and pounced on top of one of my Ducks, and proceeded to rip him apart right in front of me...And on pure adrenalin and without realizing what I was doing until after I did it, I kicked the cat in it's side/ribs as hard as I could, and it took-off running, while my neighbor across the street stood in their yard and watched the whole thing (they also have multiple freaking cats who run all day long, every day)...It's the only time in my entire life that I have ever even touched any animal in that way, and I felt horrible for doing it...However, I felt worse that their cat killed my Duck right in front of me...And even worse, I did CPR on him for at least 15-20 minutes and kept getting him back and losing him again...He lost way too much blood and he finally died, right in front of his brother and constant companion that he had been with since the day they hatched...And the neighbor who owned the cat (who I didn't know at all at the time) was immediately told by my neighbor across the street that I had kicked their cat (she apparently walked right down the street to her house and told her what had happened because they're friends I guess, and because she hates me...why? Because I constantly am telling her to please keep her cats off of my property)...

So the cat's owner immediately called the local police to report me for kicking her cat, but this was even before her cat had come home! She still hadn't seen her cat, she only knew what had happened because my other neighbor who saw it told her (I didn't have any idea who the cat belonged to, it didn't have a collar on and I'd seen it many time before in my yard and running around the neighborhood)...So when the Cops showed-up at her house to take a statement from her and ask her if she wanted to file charges against me for animal abuse, they asked her to describe her cat's injuries and then wanted to see her cat for themselves...And she immediately told them "Oh, he hasn't come home yet, he'll be back later tonight when it starts getting dark, that's when he usually comes home"...The Cops told me that she said it like there was nothing at all wrong with her letting her cat run loose/free all day long every day, and had no idea that this was breaking the law every day all day long...They came and spoke to me and took my statement, and then verified my story about what had happened with the neighbor across the street, who did tell the truth (I was shocked that she didn't lie to them about the cat attacking and killing my Duck)...In the end I pressed charges against her for Destruction of Property since my Duck was killed, and they cited her for letting her cat run free off of her property and also for not having a collar on her cat with a Rabies-tag (the cat wasn't vaccinated against anything)...So that's that story...

Now today, 3-4 years later, I was outside with Lola, my Australian Cattle Dog, who is extremely well-trained, with her license and rabies vaccination up-to-date and the tags on her collar...I was cleaning stuff I don't want anymore out of my outside shed, which is in my front-yard on the side of the house, and Lola was laying in the grass watching me in MY YARD on MY PROPERTY....Was she tied-up? No, because I was outside with her and about 5 yards away from her the entire time, and again she was on MY PROPERTY...If I hadn't been outside with her then she wouldn't have been outside either, and when she is outside without me she is in my totally fenced-in backyard with both gates shut and locked!!! Well guess who's cat came running through a neighbor's yard up the street? Lola started barking at something, I couldn't see what at first, then I saw a black cat with no collar running through a neighbor's front yard and into the yard of the house across the street from my house...I told Lola to ignore the cat and stop barking, which she did, but the damn cat came running across the street full-speed and attacked a new little young Robin that was in the grass. I started yelling at the cat and waving my arms at it, and it immediately took off across MY FRONT YARD, and Lola bit him in the back of his rear leg (that's what Cattle Dogs do, they nip heels to herd things, including me, lol)...Well guess who the owner of this cat was 3-4 years later? Yep, same woman letting another cat of hers run free...I originally thought it was the neighbor right to the left of my house, they are very nice people and great neighbors, our yards are connected, but they also have 4 cats that all run free all day long, every single day, which drives me nuts...

So here we go again, and it's exactly the same situation. She called the police again, as if she didn't learn a thing the first time and just does not seem to be able to understand that she can't let her cat run free and in other people's properties, and then call the Cops when the property's owner's dog bites her cat while it's on their property....Again I had to give a statement, and again she was cited from letting her cat run free off of her property, and for not having it's Rabies Vaccination up-to-date...The Cop said she was so irate this time because it was the second time that one of her cats was injured by me/my dog that she kept yelling 'There has to be something you can charge her with this time!"...In the end the Cop told her the only thing she could do would be to file a Lawsuit against me in Civil Court for the amount of any Vet bills she has to pay due to my dog biting it, but that she would probably lose because her cat was on my property and I had my do on my own property, and she would end-up having to pay the Vet bills, then the lawyer costs, and then also all of the court costs if she lost...which they told her she would because she was the only one who broke the law, I did nothing wrong, and neither did my dog...So she is apparently losing her mind and was talking to herself when they walked out of her house...Crazy Cat Lady...
 
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EllenD

EllenD

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And also, forgetting that a free-running cat killed my pet Duck, I am constantly finding dead/half-eaten wild birds, rabbits/bunnies (little bunnies who are not yet weaned that they stole from their nest and literally "scalped", with the bunny still alive and with it's entire back scalped and down to bare, exposed muscle tissue), chipmunks, squirrels, etc. I have found so many dead birds all over my yard, the road, and all over the neighborhood while walking my dogs that I can't begin to give a count...And that scalped bunny was just heartbreaking...

It's one thing to use "keeping the wild mouse/rat population in-check" as justification for people letting their "pet" cats run free all day long every day, I guess they can tell themselves that if it makes them feel better, but there is no justification for allowing your own pets that you are responsible for to run free all day, every day, 365 days of the year, to do nothing but kill wildlife and make more little baby kittens that won't have homes...And if they feel good "just knowing that they have a cat that's around somewhere", well, I don't know what to say to that except usually they bring their cats inside at night to sleep inside their house, so if they "want to know that they have a cat around somewhere", then they need to keep the inside of their homes all the time, or put a collar on them, put up a clothesline with a long lead on it, and keep their cats tied-up on their own properties...

I'm an animal lover, that should be obvious. I love all animals and always have. No, I'm not a cat person, but I don't dislike cats, and in fact I have many friends with cats who I actually really like...but they keep their cats inside of their houses 24/7 and are responsible owners. Forgetting that they do nothing but kill innocent animals and birds and breed all day long every day, they go onto other people's properties all day long...And then their owners get furious and call the police when the owner of the property they're on has to hurt their cat to protect the life of their pets, who are supposed to be on their own properties...That's what my real problem is...There seems to be a mutual feeling of entitlement among these owners who allow their cats to run free all day long wherever they want to go, like "How dare you kick my cat just because it was on your property killing your pet duck!!! You broke his ribs!!! You're a monster!"...Literally, not exaggerating, that cat's owner not only didn't apologize for her cat killing my Duck, but she actually told the Policeman that "She shouldn't have her Duck down on the ground outside if she wants to keep it safe, she knows there are lots of cats running around the neighborhood besides just mine, so what was she thinking letting a pet bird out in the front yard?"...Can't make this stuff up...I actually kept the police-report with her statements in it because no one ever believes me when I tell that story...

If you make the decision to allow ANY of your pets run free and unsupervised on other people's properties, and on the properties of people who themselves own pets, then don't get angry when your cat gets hurt or killed by someone protecting their own pets. That's my point.
 

Kiwibird

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This topic is definitely one that definitely gets me angry! They make lovely outdoor enclosures for cats so if you want your cat to spend its days outside, put it in one of those to protect your local wildlife. I actually have a family member who has a fenced yard has apparently started letting her previously inside only cats out to β€œplay” while she is there to supervise. Not that the fact she is β€œsupervising” matters. She posted a video a few days ago of one of the cats β€œplaying” with a lizard that she thought was the most hilarious thing ever. When I was a kid, I used to catch these little lizards during the summer, keep them a few days to observe and then let them go. I have a lot of love and empathy for them, plus they’re pretty cute and totally harmless/defenseless. They’re actually very important to the local ecosystem and eat a lot of bugs and pests. I got the impression she was pretty offended I never watched this video of her cat torturing a lizard while she sat and laughed, but it was hard enough to hold my tongue to keep the peace about how wrong it was to let her cat kill native wildlife. I think some dog/cat people think their dog/cat is superior to all other animals and is therefore entitled to do whatever it feels like to other animals, as though they are lower life forms and therefore only exist for the dog/cats amusement. I noted she was super pissed a few years back when a new puppy kept getting into her flower garden. More upset about plants getting dug up then other sentient beings being mauled and left to die slowly and painfully. Disgusting.

For anyone who currently lets you cat outside, do it responsibly. Here is a few links to outside cat enclosures in various price ranges that would be wildlife friendly and look like a great place for a cat to safely hang out. The last one is only $85 and free shipping!

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Wooden-O...MI16ruy7jV4QIVDtRkCh3_bAPcEAkYAiABEgJL0fD_BwE

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Prevue-P...hguid=b61e0e7a-f1a-16a27d196164ad&athena=true

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Yaheetec...hguid=9409771f-3e6-16a27d264b2ad6&athena=true
 

Kiwibird

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I live in a development, but being Florida, the coyotes pick the cats off quite quickly!

And gators and 15’ pythons as well, I’d imagine!
 

ChristaNL

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Well, biologically speaking:

catpeople *are* crazy... just because they almost all contract toxoplasmosis (the Toxoplasma gondii ) and that actually impairs common sense (selective braindamage by parasites).

In mice it makes them bold (coming out in the daylight) and actually makes them attracted by and moving towards the smell of catpee instead of running for the hills.
(aka turning them into the perfect prey)

In humans is turns people (worst case scenario) into cathoarders, blind to the reality of the situation concerning their pets ...
Most people will not sink that low, but will close their eyes to the actual world and what they and their cat are doing to other lives.

So, like all people with impairments, we should be nice to them? They cannot help it ;) the parasites make them do it.


And they do their best to spread 'the joy' by not providing enough (or any) litterboxes, so everyone else can have a chance of being infected and live cat-crazily-happy ever after...


(I can imagine if you live on a farm the idea of a litterbox is ridiculous, here we are as overcrowded as you can get, so letting your animals crap in other peoples precious space is just plain disgusting and immoral; not even saying anything about the millions of small songbirds etc. that get massacred every year because cats will kill, even if they are completely full.)
 

bill_e

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I live in a development, but being Florida, the coyotes pick the cats off quite quickly!
Fisher cats up here. When we moved up here 30 years ago we lost 4 cats in a year. We didn't let them roam but all of them were escape artists and were killed while hanging around the yard after dark.

I once came home to see my wife's favorite cat in the driveway walking right up to a fox...luckily for her the fox bolted when I blew the horn. i can only assume that she thought we had brought home a new pup and she was going over to rub on it.
 

Kiwibird

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Well, biologically speaking:

catpeople *are* crazy... just because they almost all contract toxoplasmosis (the Toxoplasma gondii ) and that actually impairs common sense (selective braindamage by parasites).

In mice it makes them bold (coming out in the daylight) and actually makes them attracted by and moving towards the smell of catpee instead of running for the hills.
(aka turning them into the perfect prey)

In humans is turns people (worst case scenario) into cathoarders, blind to the reality of the situation concerning their pets ...
Most people will not sink that low, but will close their eyes to the actual world and what they and their cat are doing to other lives.

So, like all people with impairments, we should be nice to them? They cannot help it ;) the parasites make them do it.


And they do their best to spread 'the joy' by not providing enough (or any) litterboxes, so everyone else can have a chance of being infected and live cat-crazily-happy ever after...

Very interesting! I’ve known more than my fare share of downright weirdo/crazy cat owners or cat owners who thing EVERYONE should love their cat/the cat deserves to do whatever it wants. I also notice a large portion of cat owners are not respectful at all towards those who don’t like or are allergic to cats in terms of imposing their cats on anyone and everyone. Even most dog owners and certainly most bird and reptile owners tend to respect others wishes regarding NOT having the desire to interact with their pet(s). Cat owners? Not so much. Not every cat owner of course, but they really do seem to be the pet of choice for crazies. Brain parasites would certainly be one logical explanation.
 

Owlet

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this topic has been blowing up lately and I agree that it's just downright negligent to let your cat free-roam unsupervised. Catios or leash training your cat are excellent forms of getting them outside without hurting the cat or wildlife.
I recently saw a post saying "when did it become human responsibility to take care of cats" like excuse me what? we domesticated them and you (cat owners) took them in as pets. They're your pet. They are your responsibility. Do people really think owning a cat is just a pet without any commitment? Really??
On my nextdoor app someone posted a video of a gorgeous fox just minding it's own business. Comments were flooded with "don't be fooled by that pretty fox it killed my cats and has been hunting the other cats in my cul de sac. it lures my neighbors cat out of the house to attack it" ??? then keep your cats inside ESPECIALLY if you know there's a predator actively around? The fox isn't evil or anything it's just doing what's natural and it founds good hunting spot and its gonna reap the benefits. I just dont get it. Most cat owners could easily be compared to flat earthers and other such communities that simply neglect to face the facts and multiple studies that go against their argument.
 

bill_e

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dog-people-and-cat-people-dont-see-eye-to-eye-32239311.png
 

Kiwibird

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Cat owners may have brain parasites, but amazon owners are straight up addicted to that wonderful odor our amazons produce:green::32: It’s like a drug! And owners of several other bird species report a similar pleasant scent their hooked on emanating from their feathered companions. Let’s face it, sniffing birds is pretty weird.....:p

From an outsiders perspective, a cat running loose recking havoc on local ecosystems is horrifying, but to the cat owner, they probably see it as letting their cat do what cats do naturally, getting exercise, breathing fresh air, engaging in natural behaviors etc... Those blinders of love and devotion to the pet is probably a big driving factor in why a lot of cat owners let them run loose and see no issue with it. Just like a lot of bird owners don’t bat an eye at bird poop dripping down their back or on the kitchen counter etc... it’s just a little bird poop after all. Or when great aunt Susie’s wood chair gets a few nibble marks, it’s just what birds do right? I see comparisons in the bird community, though I think a lot of bird owners opt to potty train or keep their antique furniture out of beak reach etc... just like many cat owners keep them indoors or on a leash outside. I think there’s a subset of individuals in every category of pet owners that just have a more β€œlax” attitude, be it right or wrong, regarding β€œletting the animal be an animal” VS training it appropriately and taking responsible precautions to make it into a pet suited to a domestic home environment. That said, choosing not to potty train your bird or allowing it to destroy family heirlooms doesn’t hurt local wildlife or impose on neighbors or allow unchecked breeding/feral populations to grow.
 
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LordTriggs

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well I can bring some insight from the other side on this as over the years all my cats have been allowed to roam. Of course things over here are different with the lack of as many hazards to them in the form of predators. In fact having roaming cats as I've come to know them are quite common here, often times I'll see cats when out for a walk and make a friend.

Though not in the manner of kicking them out in the morning and bringing them back in the evening, but just they can come in and out as they please. Out of all the cats that have been in the family (nearing 20 total, some had kittens) we only had one get injured by a farmer firing his gun at something and her getting hit by one of the pellets (she survived happily) the rest of them never got into trouble, most times they would hang out either in the garden, on the roof or in and around the neighbors. Though when my mum got her new big dog one did decide he was going to move in with the family down the road, still see him from time to time and he still recognizes us.

The funniest one I remember is one of the cats walking with me to my old job and just ended up sitting around by the back door for most of the day then came back with me, she was a bit of an oddball. Though more often than not the cats would be around the house relaxing, playing and demanding attention.

Saying all that there's definite reasons more to at keeping your cat indoors, especially in more built up areas. I've been lucky to always be situated in more rural areas than built up. No way would I allow a cat to roam in a city. Also the general area I am now I wouldn't allow a cat to roam right now as there's some sick person decapitating cats which local authorities cannot be bothered to catch so keep claiming it's a fox. You know, because foxes cleanly cut the head off and dump the remains at the owners front door...

I do find it funny how I never really thought about it until now, it's always just been how the cats are with my family, they come and go as they please and nobody really bats an eyelid.
 

charmedbyekkie

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As someone who grew up in the US and with family in the US, I totally feel you, Ellen. But just as a fun fact - in Singapore, government/public housing (which an overwhelming majority of the population lives in) has made it illegal to keep cats in the flats/apartments. So people either illegally keep cats (and risk getting reported), or the whole community comes together and takes care of the neighbourhood/roaming cats, feeding them and bringing them to the vet (including for spaying/neutering).
 

Kiwibird

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As someone who grew up in the US and with family in the US, I totally feel you, Ellen. But just as a fun fact - in Singapore, government/public housing (which an overwhelming majority of the population lives in) has made it illegal to keep cats in the flats/apartments. So people either illegally keep cats (and risk getting reported), or the whole community comes together and takes care of the neighbourhood/roaming cats, feeding them and bringing them to the vet (including for spaying/neutering).

I wonder if this has to do with allergies and them being government owned? After living in cat/dog free apartments, 2 of them pretty gross old units, when we bought our condo the prior owner had cats (as evidenced by the cat hair/grease caked kitchen) and despite deep cleaning the place floor to ceiling, vacuuming 3x a week and running air purifiers 24/7, I had allergies for about 2 years! I could see publicly managed units not wanting to run that risk when the tenant who had cats moves out and a new tenant with cat allergies moves in. It’s so hard to remove the cat detritus (I think it’s actually the dander and saliva people are allergic to) left behind and so many people have bad allergies to them.

Plus, I don’t think places like Singapore have much wildlife around. Just a lot of rats and mice and pigeons that people are probably happy to have less of around because they are pests with no natural predators in the area. That may also be why a similar program mentioned earlier works so well in NYC- the cats aren’t killing animals that are beneficial to the local ecosystem because there isn’t one in the same context as more suburban or rural areas. In many places though, they kill native songbirds, rodents, reptiles and amphibians that feed natural predators like owls, hawks, foxes, snakes etc...
 
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charmedbyekkie

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As someone who grew up in the US and with family in the US, I totally feel you, Ellen. But just as a fun fact - in Singapore, government/public housing (which an overwhelming majority of the population lives in) has made it illegal to keep cats in the flats/apartments. So people either illegally keep cats (and risk getting reported), or the whole community comes together and takes care of the neighbourhood/roaming cats, feeding them and bringing them to the vet (including for spaying/neutering).

I wonder if this has to do with allergies and them being government owned? After living in cat/dog free apartments, 2 of them pretty gross old units, when we bought our condo the prior owner had cats (as evidenced by the cat hair/grease caked kitchen) and despite deep cleaning the place floor to ceiling, vacuuming 3x a week and running air purifiers 24/7, I had allergies for about 2 years! I could see publicly managed units not wanting to run that risk when the tenant who had cats moves out and a new tenant with cat allergies moves in. It’s so hard to remove the cat detritus (I think it’s actually the dander and saliva people are allergic to) left behind and so many people have bad allergies to them.

Plus, I don’t think places like Singapore have much wildlife around. Just a lot of rats and mice and pigeons that people are probably happy to have less of around because they are pests with no natural predators in the area. That may also be why a similar program mentioned earlier works so well in NYC- the cats aren’t killing animals that are beneficial to the local ecosystem because there isn’t one in the same context as more suburban or rural areas. In many places though, they kill native songbirds, rodents, reptiles and amphibians that feed natural predators like owls, hawks, foxes, snakes etc...

You'd think if all you know about Singapore was 'city-state'.

Regarding public housing, it actually works that people consider that buying a flat (because it is buying a flat in a way), but it's really just leasing for 99-years (not joking). So it's not like other countries where public housing is shorter-term (versus 99 years at least). So it's really not about allergies at all because if you buy a flat, you live there until you die (few people move after buying it). It really just seems to be the government considering cats as pests (you should hear some comments made by local politicians).

And there's plenty of wildlife if you don't go to the tourist areas and actually go where people live. Mynahs, starlings, bulbuls, orioles, moustache parakeets are all found in my street alone. And most neighbourhoods have a local eagle or goshawk or kite hunting there as well. The wildlife here really does live amongst the humans - you can find a monitor lizard casually walking down some streets, but pythons typically bring the government to help make the area 'safe' again :p

So, at the end of the day, I'm all for domicile-kept cats (just like I'm for domicile-kept birds) - outside is good with supervision. But I can understand why some people let their cats roam..
 

Kiwibird

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I did know about the 99 year leases. I did not know that was all there was. I thought there were some people in the long term leases and others in shorter term leases more comparable to renting in the US. A lot of people in US public/subsidized housing in larger cities stay there for a very long time/most of their life, though I don’t think it’s considered β€œowning” the apartment here even if you stay there for decades. Cultural difference I guess.

I haven’t been to Asia but I did spend a few weeks in Manhattan for a training course when I was younger and I didn’t see much of anything besides a few rats and legions of pigeons. I think there is some wildlife in their parks and commuter suburbs, but not much in the city to speak of. Perhaps I’m wrong, it was only a few weeks, but it was really creepy as I have family who lives upstate and there is tons of wildlife up there, yet in the city I saw nothing besides pests and feral dogs/cats.
 
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Scott

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Cats are not responsible for their proclivities but humans have the duty to restrain the feline assault on birds. Shelters are overloaded with unwanted cats due to virtually unfettered breeding.

Cat "cafes" are an upcoming fad with high-kill shelter refugees available for adoption in festive setting. A local facility charges $12/hr to play with kitties and purchase Starbucks-like items from attached store. Free wifi of course!
 

wrench13

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Holy S**T, this Toxoplasma gondii is a real thing !!
This could explain the behavior of several people I know, and reaffirms my aversion to felines.
 

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