Same here! Only one cat has a bell collar because without it she would just run right outside as soon as you open the door lol
There’s a neighborhood cat who I had affectionately named David but it turns out his name is Max. He’s no one’s but there’s a family up the street that brings him in in the winter and gets him checked up and makes sure his vaccines are up to date. My neighbor hates him for shitting in his front yard but whenever I hear him say something stupid I always bring up how few rats there have been in my backyard (with chickens they’re an issue) since I let Max sunbathe back there as he wishes.
I practice tnr with the strays in my neighborhood. I also feed them. Fed, fixed strays are less likely to chase birds but still keep rodent populations down. I keep my pets inside but my escape artist has a collar.
That thing about dogs being checked for chips reminded me of this: the Kitty Convict Project.
Even if there’s no information on the collar, it will alert people that the cat is somebody’s. Then they can take it to the vet or spca and they’ll find its person!
Speaking of which I was actually fortunate enough to see a cat find her home again w the rescue i volunteer with. She had been trapped as part of our TNVR program and checked at the shelter during the preliminary exam we give all the cats while prepping them for surgery, and the number came back with a name!
I’ve said this before and I’ll keep saying it, but compared to how people treat dogs, people really treat cats like shit. No! Your cat does not need to “roam.” Try playing with her instead. If you’d take time out of your day to play ball or walk with your dog, why won’t you dangle a ribbon for her or get a little red light pointer? It’s that easy and cats need just as much care and supervision as dogs, yet people get the idea they’re “not really domesticated” because we don’t have a relationship of obedience where they come when called and roll over when told to. Please please please microchip your kitties in case they get lost from a forgotten open window or a door closed a second too late. Outdoor cats not only decimate local wild bird populations, but they also get seriously hurt and even die! Why would anyone think their kitty could face off against a neighborhood raccoon or coyote, or that they’re any less likely to be hit by a car than your “indoor dog?” In fact, because cats don’t usually come when called, they’re much more likely to be lost forever if they do end up lost. To most people, a cat outdoors is assumed to be a stray (while a dog roaming the streets might be picked up and taken to a vet to check for a chip).
It absolutely breaks my heart seeing people treat their cats like some kind of half wild animal because they Do depend on us for food and shelter and safety just as much as dogs do! And they Do love us just as much as dogs do! Just please, everyone, take care of your kitties because too many people neglect them and think it’s not a big deal just because they don’t act the way dogs do.
It’s like super hella fuckin illegal to just let dogs run around residential areas and like I know people don’t give a shit about animals in any official capacity but maybe some calls to the police or animal control could get that shit sorted out?
That’s just fucking begging for your dog to get killed by a car or find out they attacked someone.
Some people in my neighborhood just let their dogs loose and there’s really no way to tell what dogs are lost and what dogs are expected to come home. Also it scares the shit out of everyone when you’re walking down the street and there’s a dog you’ve never seen before running around with out an owner in sight.
like, if you as a cat owner are concerned about losing your outdoor cat to theft, you should be just as capable of being concerned about losing your cat to any of the countless things that kill outdoor cats every day. if you know there’s people who take in outdoor cats thinking they’re strays and that concerns you because you don’t want to lose your cat forever…
i’m gonna be real with you guys i do not give a shit about people “stealing” outdoor cats. i don’t feel bad for people who let their cat free roam and found out that someone down the block unknowingly took it in because it was neglected enough for them to think it was a stray.
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