The laws aren't necessarily the same. In Texas it is up to cites/counties to draft leash laws. From the city of Austin web site: Dogs and livestock in the City of Austin and Travis County are required by law to be safely leashed or confined on the owners’ property at all times, except when a dog is in a designated leash-free area. Cats are not required to be confined or leashed... http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/health/animal_services_control.htm#ordinances
It sounds like your neighbors are very irresponsible and a lot of the problems, spraying, kittens and aggression, could be fixed by getting their cats neutered. Depending on how well you know your neighbors you might want to check on if they actually own the cats or just put out food for them out of sympathy. What you describe sounds like a semi-feral cat colony if that is the case you can call animal control to pick them up and their are programs that capture and neuter feral cats.
That is interesting.....what are the property laws regarding loose animals? If one comes onto your property are you allowed to capture it? Or if you consider it a hazard to your family can you shoot it? DD
I saw a comedian once that nailed cats. He asked why in the hell people name them because they don't come when you call them anyway. The comedian was right. You see grown men standing outside going "Here kitty, kitty.....Here kitty kitty..." I wouldn't own a cat if you paid me to.
we live in circle c in south austin and since its such a safe neighborhood we let our cats go outside as they wish. sometimes they go in the neighbors yard but i doubt they notice. Cats don't make a mess like dogs
Also something you need to consider in letting an indoor cat outside is them picking up fleas. Fleas can infect the cat with worms. If you're attached to your cat, don't let it outdoors unless under very close supervision.
I like cats a lot but I'm allergic to them so we have had dogs. Consequently, I know a lot more about dogs and have a stronger opinion about whether dogs should be outdoors or indoors (generally indoors, with outdoor playtime). But I did get to see someone walking his cat on a leash. That has just got to be the most humiliating cat experience of all time. Cats stay alive much longer when they live almost exclusively indoors but there are a lot of other factors here to consider. The sex of the cat and whether it has been fixed will determine how far it roams. The commitment of the owners will determine how carefullly their health is monitored. JV's parents have had a cat for at least 15 years that is doing reasonably well for her age spending her days outdoors and coming inside to sleep and eat. It is fair to consider that cats are natural preditors. That is their "job". If anyone else has ever had a dog that was a working breed they should be able to understand that an animal doing what it is designed to do gets great enjoyment from that. Indoors it's hard for cats to get that preditor work done (assuming your house isn't infested with rats or mice). Yet, I agree that it is annoying to have cats roaming the neighborhood. Our neighbor feed quite a slew of unfixed kittens and when we don't have my brother's antisocial dog in the yard the cats sit on the cushions on our porch. As I said, I'm allergic to them so that I feel like I can't sit on my own porch. Solution: get your cats fixed, let them roam outside during the day, and if you don't like cats get a mean dog
<br> This is such a myth... I've had lots of cats, and they pretty much all come when you call them. Sure, random cats wont, but ones that know you will
That may be a general rule, but it's by no means absolute... especially for indoor cats. I have two indoor cats and each knows her name. They come when I call them, and they know when to stop doing things (scratching, going into rooms they're not supposed to go in, etc.) based on how I talk to them.
Updawg, that is the problem. People who think like you do regarging their cats. Your neighbors do notice and cats make a much bigger mess than dogs. While their loads may not be as big, they are still there. They dirty up cars with their pawprints everywhere, leave a window down and you will not be able to breathe in your car for a week. They track mud all over your porch and patio, and fences no matter how high do not stop them. My kids see them in the yard and run after them causing the cat to bow up start hissing and clawing at my kids. My dog is confined and these things come in the yard, pissing him off and now he's trying to get out to get them creating another problem. I keep my pets in my yard, why should you not have to do the same?
Just so you know, and you may not even care, but many of your neighbors don't enjoy loose cats running around the neighborhood. Especially when they are crapping in their yard or trying to kill birds on their bird feeder, or spreading around fleas. Most cat owners couldn't care less, however, that it annoys their neighbors.
Alright, cats can be a nuissance. But do you guys really want to live in a world where you never see an outdoor cat? Meanwhile there are outdoor possums, deer, roaches (!), etc. coming onto people's property all the time. At least for the cuter stuff like deer, snakes and rabbits I love to be able to show them to my young daughters. Cats make me sneeze but I don't want to live in a world without any wild life.
couldn't the exact same thing be said of neighborhood dogs? in the city or in the suburbs, I can't tell you how many times an aggressive dog got in my way and wanted to chase me down.( i ride skateboards through the community) lol. if a neighbor told me my cat bothered him I would certainly do something about it. my parents adopted my cat and told me how the kids of the young neighbors love to hold and pet him, and while my parents are away they learn responsibility by feeding the cat and letting him out at night and letting him enjoy the AC during the day.
Says the guy who stands on the corner calling his kitty then trys to make himself feel secure about it by resorting to a weak call out on a message board.
