Dear George,I’m deeply disturbed by an article published in a local newspaper over the weekend. The article was about a City by-law that’s going into effect soon and I’m afraid it will affect cats’ freedom and well being. According to this new by-law all cats’ owners (how ignorant of law makers to think we have “owners”) will be fined $100 plus some additional fees if a cat is found roaming around or it is brought to a shelter.
What I’m afraid of ….is that this by-law will give too much room for interpretation and abuse. For example….some neighbor who doesn’t like the cat living next door can easily call the animal control people who will take the cat away from its own backyard and fine the “owner”. Many cats will end up in shelters and many people won’t be willing to pay the fine to get them back. It’s a rather sad situation.
Even if it’s true that indoor cats live a safer life, some of us are simply “indoor-outdoor” beings. We like to go out to check our territory and then come back inside to eat or sleep. Now, some will end up on a leash (like a dog with restricted mobility) tied up in the backyard or, in the best scenario, their humans will get a cat enclosure for the backyard.
Are we going to live in a cramped box (see my picture) from now on?
Don’t get me wrong; this by-law will be good and protecting the cats if we would deal with an educated public, but how to educate humans in such a short time?
George, what are your thoughts on this? Any ideas from your or other cats?
In distress
Cayenne
Dear Cayenne,
Humans are always trying to control us, aren't they? I am horrified by this law - details of which can be found here. Humans who let their cats go outside will be fined $105. This means if a cat ends up in the local cat shelter in Oakville, near Ontario, Canada, its human will be fined if it retrieves it. Humans are not known for responsible behaviour. It will be cheaper for it to get another cat. So the law will penalise the responsible humans and do nothing to stop the irresponsible ones. If anybody knows of a petition against this Canadian bye-law let me know and I will sign it immediately. So will many of the cats I know.
Here in the UK, we cats are treated as wild animals. It is acknowledged that humans cannot control us so there are no leash laws, no requirement for registration, vaccination or microchipping. We cats are free to roam, if our humans give us a cat flap. There are laws, thank goodness to make sure our humans do not mistreat us.
There are disadvantages, however, in the law's recognition that we cats cannot be controlled. If there is a road accident, the car driving human does not have to report it. They do have to report an accident involving a dog. So our grieving human pets cannot ask the police if a cat accident has been reported. And, of course, with no requirement for microchipping or registration, people can keep cats at will without any identification. I mean obviously we can identify ours
elves but these poor dumb creatures need help from a microchip.I cannot approve of a law that forces us to be kept always indoors. I like the outdoor law - the stealthy hunt after mice, the territory to be patrolled and marked, neighbouring cats to be chased or greeted, as I choose. Yes, I know there are dangers but for me life without risk is not worth living. Long live the cat flap.
Love George
PS: Terri has been kind enough to do this nice portrait of me, surrounded by kittens (not mine due to human interference with my love life! Wish they would give themselves the snip). I think her tribute to me deserves a wider audience.
PPS. Nice box. Must get my humans to purrchase one.
This is a sad state of affairs. In our county dogs AND cats are required to wear a collar and rabies tag at all times. My cats always had a collar, even though they would come home without them, so I had an endless supply of collars with our phone number written on them with a Sharpie. I kept the rabies tag and registration handy so I had easy access to it. Fortunately, I never had to use it.
ReplyDeleteWe are so happy to live in the UK cos we just love going out (we are microchipped). We love the breeze in our furs, the aroma of a passing mouse, the view from the rooftop and a good spit at the local "hard man-cat" (not you George)!!
ReplyDeleteLuv Hannah and Lucy xx xx
We are horrified by this! There are a lot of bad things happening in England at the moment but we are still glad we live here and not in some place that would take away our freedom and make us life prisoners in our home. This isn't penalising the cat owners it's punishing the cats, it's far too easy to get a cat and some people will use this as a way of getting rid of older cats so they can replace them with a cute kitten. We hate the idea of cats on leashes too, it's all wrong, we are free spirits, we love to roam and roll in the soil and eat the grass and watch the birds and catch mice, it isn't cats faults that songbirds are declining it the muck that humans are spreading all over this world. And guess what? Some humans go out with guns and shoot birds! We feel very sorry for cats in this area,we both agree (for once) that the world has gone quite mad.
ReplyDeleteWalter and Jozef in England
George, there are always people pro and con!
ReplyDeleteHOW can we educate humans (in a fast pace)in the first place?
Sebastain
May be that's what happened to me!
ReplyDeleteI'm not from Oakville but may be there are other towns with similar by-laws?
I lived on the streets for about 2 years before I was rescued and found my mommy.
Shumba
I would fight for my rights to go out and check my ravine! Humans make me sick!
ReplyDeleteMinnie
Hey, man! That sucks!
ReplyDeleteCan anybody start a petition, please?
May be we can help our friends in Oakville and other towns?
Diego
We are considered "wild" in France too :-)
ReplyDeleteMost of us...are not even spayed or "sniped" (that's the English term, right?)
probably because the French verb for it... is "castrate" and it probably gives "goose bumps" to male humans :-)))
But, all is good ....we can roam freely.
Porthos
George, I searched a bit and found out that a similar by-law is in force (for about a year now) in a number of towns and cities in Ontario and probably across Canada. It seems that more and more towns are adopting it. I found out that soon all cats in Toronto have to be licensed. If someone has a cat....that person has to have a license for the cat regardless if it's an indoor cat. I think of it as a easy way for the government to make money. The laws to protect animals in Canada are quite lax! Such a pity if not damn right shame!
ReplyDeleteCayenne
How horrible - not being allowed to be free, this is just against cats' nature ! I mean, i personally totally choose to live indoors, and i am greatly scared of the opened front door, but it is my choice, not a rather cruel rule imposed by an ignorant specimen of a different species !
ReplyDeleteMaybe in protest i'll ask to be taken to the back garden - i mean, if i'm brave enough. Maybe.
How terrible, i'm totally shocked and very sorry for all my unknown friend in Oakville !
KattyCat.
Cats to be licensed? Is this a SF or horror story?
ReplyDeleteOr it's just governmental money grab?
Does anybody realize the impact this will have upon cat rescue groups and foster "parents"?
And....actually not only? Are they trying to kill all cats? I'm in shock!
Sir Winston
It'll allow those vets in Canada who still declaw cats to develop a new sales pitch too, persuading owners that all indoor only cats should have their toe ends removed, because "outdoor cats are against the law"
ReplyDeleteApe laws like this suck badly, let cats make the laws.
Wuudler
I'm an indoor cat and my human won't let me out even when I beg.
ReplyDeleteKassey
Nice family portrait (looks like one eventhough you said it isn't). It will be a nice practice for you when finally you put one up.
ReplyDelete