A Clay Co Citizen wants to Fine Cat Owners That Let there Cat Run Free

What if I have a nice back yard with my own little bird sanctuary that I created for my enjoyment and my neighbors cats keep coming over and killing them till they are all gone, is that fair.

What if I have a nice boat and my neighbors cats come over and keep using it as a toilet is that fair.

Would it be fair to say that my neighbors right to have a cats running loose ends, when those cats infringe on my rights, and my ability to enjoy my property.

TRUTHHURTS

 GET REAL........

Who said anything about shooting anything. thats kind of a far stretch from what we were talking about.

All I am saying is if some one has cats (as in owned by a person that is responsible).

Why should their right to own cats that are allowed to roam free infringe on my rights, and soil my property that I worked hard and paid for.

Birds pooping on my car is an act of nature, not owned by a person.

TRUTHHURTS

Is there a leash law for dogs in the county? I don't have dogs, so I haven't paid attention. I will say that if there is, it's certainly not enforced because we have dogs from all over the neighborhood who come to call on occasion. To my knowledge no one is getting fined for that. So why would we think that anyone would enforce the the same for the cats?

Now maybe dogs roaming less of an issue in more civilized areas like EH and FIP, but to me this proposal sounds more like a code that neighbors can use as a stick to beat each other with along with the derelict vehicles and lawn maintenance. What fun. 

Hey, we have neighbors who feed some feral chickens that occasionally end up in my yard. Can we leash them as well? My husband is tired of chasing them with the garden hose. 

NCLB: No Chocolate Left Behind

He lives out on 22o has for years, every so often he "lets" his horses loose. Always has some tragic ending, either for horse or human. He has been arrested 7 times for this.

Pity the deputy that has to enforce that cat law..

yes we have a leash law. 

in a perfect world, common decency would allow for poop to be scooped by the owner

don999677,

For one thing, even if the law was passed, not all cats will get leashes because there are just way to many out there without owners, or at least acting as though they had no owners.

I also noticed that there are a few things missing in your statements & therefore, I assume, your philosphy on pet ownership.  Respect for the pet, respect for the law, respect for the rights of others & any sense of responsibility as a pet owner.  I guess maybe it's just me who thinks those should have some kind of importance.

As far as the bird v cat analogy, all I can say is that you've got to be kidding.  To attempt to equate a wild animal to a pet is, at the very least, ridiculous. You may want to try again.  JATFUR.

RichK

I agree that comparing cats to wild animals (or feral chickens) was capricious on my part. However, there is a fuzzy gray area.

Our next door neighbor feeds the feral and/ or stray cats who wander into our corner of the world and decide to stay. (generally one or two, not colonies) He has them spayed or neutered and pets them on the back porch. They don't live in his house. He's basically keeping them from starvation, abuse, and roaming wild, but I wouldn't say they're exactly his pets. So now, if one of these cats decided to move on or roam into my yard, would he be liable for a fine? It hardly seems fair to me that a good Samaritan be punished.

Now I suppose the only way he'd be fined would be if we (or the neighbor on the other side) complained. However, this is my original point. It seems to be a way for disgruntled neighbors to battle by proxy using the county agencies. I don't think we have the money to spend on that, even in a good budget year.

NCLB: No Chocolate Left Behind

A feral cat is self sufficeint, they will hunt on their own and survive. They are in essence a wild animal.

If you put a bowl of food out for them every night, guess what they will come back every night because it's a free meal. You are teaching that cat  a behavior. The back and keeps comming back. You made that cat yours by providing that cat with it's daily meals.  

If no food is put out and there is no food to hunt, that wild animal moves on to where the food is.

If you feed that cat everyday, and every day that cat comes to you for sustanace, you made that cat yours by your actions.

TRUTHHURTS

Before we go out on a limb with feline leash laws, let's get a good handle on canine leash laws!! 

Thats what you call not barking up the wrong tree!