Discussions

a big shout out to animal control. I called yesterday regarding all the cats that come into my yard and this morning there’s already a trap in my yard.

had a trap for 2 days. caught 4 cats. To bad pet owners in this city cannot be more responsible. Cats should be kept indoors so they are safe and not crapin in neighbors yards!

Over the years we’ve gotten cats from the pound as rescues. They have lived out doors, and that’s a tough habit to break. They are amazing at sneaking out the door when the humans are a little slow. We try to be responsible but the four legged ones have other ideas.

......sometimes cats can be so quick slipping out, thank goodness I no longer live in the city and have to worry about that.

well said! could not agree more

I can’t believe that you would trap an innocent animal like that. Inhumane

It's inhumane to allow them to roam where they can be run over, attacked by dogs or other cats or humans.  
 
Keep them in, or if in my yard they will be trapped.

To each his own if it’s a pet then keep it as a pet only not in my yard

As Bob barker would say “have your pet spayed or neutered “

I agree keep them inside .

For cat owners it is a bit of an investment, but having a cat-proof fence is a wonderful thing! I live on a farm and I have a huge cat yard for my cats to keep them separate from my dogs (I have 13 mostly rescue cats- all spayed and neutered). They can’t get out because I have chicken wire at the top on an angle facing in, and 1-2 feet of fencing overhanging on the ground so they can’t dig under either. Cats can’t climb upside down, so it works well. My cats LOVE being outside. They climb all over my trees, chase mice, watch the birds etc. They have the best of both worlds of being outside but having a warm cat house at night, and they are safe from traffic and predators. If you can afford it, I highly recommend cat-proofing your fence if you have one. (See pictures of my fence -it is tall and angles in at the top. I will post a few more to the discussion).

What a strange thing to admit. Cruelty to animals is usually the kind of thing people don’t divulge to the public. Choosing to hurt defenseless animals that don’t know any better should be embarrassing. We all know there’s plenty of stray cats, some don’t have homes to go to and the cats that do have homes to go to don’t even comprehend the idea of property lines. I’ve seen plenty of cats in my yard and honestly I usually smile because they are sweet and then I check BALA to see if anyone is missing a kitty. I have never once through to myself ‘maybe I should hurl o:bjects at it’

There are actually bylaws concerning cats and dogs with regard to running at large and defecating/urinating on property other than their owners. When a discussion like this comes up some folks seem oblivious to this fact.  
I'm mostly a dog person but when I owned a dog I felt that it was my responsibility to keep her safe and also keep her from bothering other people. None of the dogs I owned over the years was allowed to roam. I guess people seem more likely to take this for granted with dogs but they must think there's a separate set of rules for cats.  
https://brandon.ca/images/pdf/bylaws/5900C.pdf

Obviously irresponsible owners have caused this problem. I wouldn’t want cats pooping in my flower beds either. The cats are not disposable garbage either. Definitely spaying and neutering would help, but I imagine some people can’t be bothered or can’t afford the cost. It would be nice if one of the local vet clinics offered a low cost spay and neuter clinic. Sad situation.

Agree!

owner does not let their animal run loose.  
 
I do not believe in hurting animals , but sometimes  
out of frustration people will do things that they normally would not do as it appears that is the only way to get the idiots that let their animals run loose and damage others property to pay attention.  
 
These are same people who jump on social media and complain someone hurt my cat, or where did my animal go. Guess what if it was in your yard it is very unlikely to have someone or something hurt it or make it disappear. KEEP YOUR ANIMALS ON YOUR OWN YARD.  
 
CATS, DOGS OR WHAT EVER KEEP THEM ON YOUR YARD  
 
Keep your animals in your own yard and you will have one less thing to get on social media and whine and bitch about. Or maybe you like the drama.

Oh come on, we all know the main people who bitch on social media are the ones complaining about an animal in their yard, not the ones who fail to keep them home. Yeah, people shouldn’t let their animals roam free, but the biggest whiners of all are the same people who go on many different posts and complain about cats in their yard, or how people parent their children(cellphones in school for example). Being annoyed by an animal in your yard doesnt validate punishing the animal. Just as children shouldn’t be punished if their parent is negligent. It’s ridiculous to be so worked up about animals getting in your yard, half of them are probably strays and shouldn’t be punished for just trying to exist. We aren’t the only living things of value. There are more important things in the world than perfect lawns or flower beds, and I can’t imagine caring enough to decide I should hurt innocent creatures that accidentally roam into my garden.

Not the cats fault…trying to survive

I'd like to see this exact statement made to a farmer protecting his field and/or livestock from wildlife.

lol are we really going to act like a front lawn and a few flowers is the same thing as livestock or a farmers field? Obviously a farmer requires livestock and crops for their income so it’s not even close the the same thing. And I would hope that a farmer would humanely remove the animal, not play around throwing rocks or shooting a BB gun like people do with animals within city limits. I grew up in a farm, I’m well versed and fully aware that wild animals can pose a threat and sometimes need to me humanely euthanized. I would not be afraid to have this conversation with a farmer, why should I be.

You're comparing two vastly different things.  
They are not killing livestock and hurting people's livelihood. They are occasionally peeing in some ladies flower bed.  
 
Cats are not wild animals, they are domesticated and the stray cats in Brandon are just trying to survive.  
 
There are occasionally stray cats that come into our yard. I'm sure they have peed/pooped in my yard or even in my garden but I've never noticed. If it was happening so much that I "couldn't even open the front door without smelling the stench" I would probably investigate why that is.. or I might do a little personal reflection and stop being so dramatic.  
 
I certainly wouldn't throw rocks at them, you have to be a pretty horrible person to think that's okay.  
 
Edited by readingwithmycat, 2024-09-11 10:40:07

It is your prerogative to hate cats!  
I hate birds. That’s my prerogative. I don’t throw rocks at birds in my yard because I’m not a psychopath.  
 
If I walked past your house and saw you throwing rocks at cats I would 100% report you for animal abuse.

My cats are indoor cats. They do go on supervised outings to the backyard to get some fresh air and sunshine. I am very lucky I had to open a window and I forgot that there was no screen in it and on of my cats got out. I rushed outside calling his name... I heard this tiny Meow.. and found him in the backyard on the deck.  
 
My cats were rescues and were strays prior, with routine and training (yes you can train a cat) They probably won't run away. Both my cats are male and neutered.  
 
A catico is another idea for your kitty to get some much needed sunshine. If you can. I know I still have to watch the door on a nice day but I just make sure I open the door slowly to see if any one is there and scooch them away if they are there

To the person who spends countless hours in their yard or garden and 100's and possibly 1,000's of their hard-earned dollars only to see it destroyed by an animal, it's the same.  
 
I'm not bothered by animals, I'm surrounded by them. I live in a pet friendly apartment building, and formerly fostered dogs as part of Bright Eyes Dog Rescue.  
A creature is a creature, one isn't worth more than the other, whether it's a stray, domesticated or wild.  
And your property is your castle, whether it's a farm, a garden or a yard. Nobody wants anything or anyone foreign to come in and destroy it.

Vote to relocate the cat to a different place that has plenty to eat instead of destroying it.

You are a responsible cat owner and I applaude you! I have three dogs who are secure in our own back yard, yet when I go out my front door, the stench from my flower bed can be overwhelming. I would like to blame the cats that I see roaming the neighbourhood, but I also have seen the occasional rabbit in my yard and while I'm sure it's the cats that are using the bed as a toilet, I can't rule out wildlife.  
 
What hurts me a lot is the constant posts on social media about lost cats and cats found dead by roadways. I would be mortifed if one of my dogs got out and I wouldn't stop looking until I found them. I'd never let them roam for fear of harm (and because I follow the rules of pet ownership).

You should be embarrassed. Tossing rocks at cats? No different if people who don’t like old people throw stuff at you . Granted pet owner should be responsible and should be held accountable.. still isn’t a reason to try and hurt them . I’m sure cats are not the only animals taking a dump in your flowers .