Boundary and Our Rights?

diggingdude

Cat not car. Why can't I edit my post? Grrrr

Davesnave

I'm still struggling with the concept of a 'house cat,' having just returned from walking around the fields with my two, tearing about like a couple of mad things.

They like to pretend they're dogs on walks, but most of the time they're just somewhere in the garden at this time of year, sleeping under a bush. I don't need to go out and 'find' them; if I want them, I just yell. They'll come.

moneyistooshorttomention

I've always understood it's not in the natural behaviour patterns of a cat to be a "house cat" myself. I feel sorry for the poor little blighters - as I would think it feels like the cat version of "being under house arrest".

The only one I can think of keeps trying to escape - so they can't be happy with it.

Davesnave

Ferrets are he only animal I know that like being caged.

Our two loved to go for walks (you need leads for ferrets!) but when it was time to go home, they'd actually race to get there.

Being out was exciting, for a while, but being at home felt safer, I think.

moneyistooshorttomention

That does rather confirm my feelings on this.

I know a friend of mine that acquired a cat since moving here spent months with "her heart in her mouth" each time her cat decided to go out - as she knew very well said cat had a tendency to start fights with other neighbouring cats (and she's a lot smaller than them:rotfl:) and the vets bills were proving a bit costly whilst this was going on.

But things seem to have quietened down (her cat has probably beaten all the neighbourhood moggies into submission by now...:cool:) and my friend knew she just had to cross her fingers and hope and let the cat out anyway - and be prepared for another possible vet bill any time she did so. But - even so - she didn't keep her cat indoors against its will. Thankfully - said cat is usually quite happy to lie in a near flowerbed or sit on the garden wall these days - but at least it has the choice about it.

NeilCr

My cat is FiV+. He has the same condition as a human with HIV. He can't go out because

a) his immune system is shot so he is vulnerable to catching something from another cat

and

b) he can pass the condition on to other cats through bodily fluids (well in his case bodily fluid!)

He came to me after being a stray for a number of years and is quite happy indoors. I'd prefer he could go out and about and "do cat things" but he can't. I have known a number of "house cats" over the the years and they've generally been content and relaxed.

In terms of the OP the original statement was that the cat had escaped and I can see why the owner, in that situation, would be concerned. It made it sound like it was an indoor cat which never went out and they can get disorientated and panicky if they are suddenly out. Later information was added that it had been out more than once.

There are cat people and non cat people. If my cat got out I'd concentrate on getting him back and sort out the niceties afterwards. Had I broken a fence I would have gone round, apologised and paid for the repair. If someone had chucked a bucket of water over me (pretty childish really) I'd have continued to look for the cat, then gone round and apologised. Had I seen someone in the garden I would have, certainly, asked if it was okay to come in to look for the cat.

In the great scheme of things the safety of my cat trumps a bucket of water and a fence. But I get that others see it differently.

Norman_Castle

Quizzical_Squirrel wrote: »

If you take your eye off this frightened pet

Who said it was frightened?

Norman_Castle

NeilCr wrote: »

In the great scheme of things the safety of my cat trumps a bucket of water and a fence. But I get that others see it differently.

I'm sure the op would see it differently if the owners made the effort to speak to them.

NeilCr

Norman_Castle wrote: »

Who said it was frightened?

As I said I've got quite a lot of experience of indoor cats. If they get out any distance they can very easily get frightened and disorientated. It is a fair assumption to make.

Norman_Castle

NeilCr wrote: »

As I said I've got quite a lot of experience of indoor cats. If they get out any distance they can very easily get frightened and disorientated. It is a fair assumption to make.

Its just an assumption and not what the op said. I was given a "house" cat which stayed indoors for about a year. I took it to a friends house with access to a garden so I could go on holiday and it stayed there and moved house with them until it died. I was happy for them to keep it as it was clearly much happier outside.