I’m upset: Cats in the UK continue to be allowed outside despite a warning there are ‘cat killers’ in the neighborhood

I’m upset: Cats in the UK continue to be allowed outside despite a warning there are ‘cat killers’ in the neighborhood. Is this a thing in the UK because I just don’t understand why a cat owner would put their cat in harm’s way when warnings have been posted all over news media as well as social media.

Timmy (Gazette & Herald)

Case in point is a cat named Timmy in Devizes. Timmy was thrown and kicked into London Road by two girls back on January 11. Then on January 23, he was found with his back legs tied together with a plastic bag. Why was he even back outside?

Devizes police are patrolling more frequently around the Quakers Walk estate but have yet to make any arrests. They are following up on a lot of leads, Sgt. Pete Foster told Gazette & Herald.

“This is a really horrible thing to happen. We are taking it very seriously. People have been outraged by what has happened. It is nasty that this same cat has been hurt again. We would like to hear from anyone who has any information. We have spoken to a number of people but as yet no-one has been arrested.”

Timmy’s owner said their cat is on house arrest and is getting ‘very bored.’ They call him ‘the most precious boy.’ There are a lot of comments from people in the area who are concerned about cat cruelty. I wonder how many of them are keeping their cats inside?

Anyone keeping up with the news in the UK knows there have been a lot of cat cruelty cases in Brighton and Croyden and now Devizes.

Take a look at the map. While the cases may or may not be related, it’s disturbing. Cat advocates are warning others on social media to keep their cats inside. A killer is on the loose.

It would be a bit different if these were homeless cats people couldn’t comfortably keep inside (as in feral) but most of the cats attacked have families who are turning them outside despite the warnings. Why? Then, when the unthinkable happens to their cat, they appear to shake their head and wonder how it could happen to their cat. Wake up!

Am I the only one who thinks this is wrong? Please state your opinion in the comment section below. Poor Timmy is using up his nine lives in a hurry. If he’s considered as precious as his family states, shouldn’t they do more to protect him?

Comments

I’m upset: Cats in the UK continue to be allowed outside despite a warning there are ‘cat killers’ in the neighborhood — 8 Comments

M. E. King on February 10, 2019 at 5:06 pm said:
It’s not a UK thing, It’s bad guardianship. Timmy died not because there are monsters outside but because his idiot owners opened the doors so he could play with them. When people let their companion animals roam they are no better than the thugs that hurt and kill them.
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Michele Massa on February 10, 2019 at 3:54 pm said:
It was a condition of the legal contract I signed with the rescue I adopted my cat from that she not go outside except in a harness and leash under my direct supervision. If they found out they can sue to get the cat back if they feel the cat is in imminent danger. They also advise if you declaw the cat they will sue to remove the cat. I agree with this as we have the usual hazards here outside cats face as well as urban coyotes where it has been documented by video that 6 feet fences are no problem for them if they want your pet for dinner. They will grab the pet and jump back over the fence in seconds. So my girl stays inside. I recently read of a case where an owner posted a pic of her cat outside on a harness and leash. The rescue found out and is now suing to get the cat back as they do not even allow harness and leash. In this case I believe the rescue is over reaching and harming the cat. The owner apologized and said she would never do it again. I do not think they should pull a cat from a good home and stick it back in a cage. I think a catio is the way to go in urban and suburban areas in the spring. I give my girl as many cat trees next to windows as I can and a window bed on the second floor which she loves. I also have a variety of toys for her and play with her. She is extremely well behaved so I don’t believe she is upset about not being outside. Her safety is number one to me. However when the weather gets better I may get a catio for our front deck and stay out there with her as it is very pleasant out there in the spring and summer. Since she would still be protected and under my supervision I believe it is ok for her and would be ok with the rescue.
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Ruth aka Kattaddorra on February 10, 2019 at 8:44 am said:
I have no doubt that as time goes on, most cats in the UK will become prisoners, until most are confined, as is the case in the USA. It has become very unsafe outside for these little furry creatures and this is why at present, after 44 years of the pleasure of cats in our home, we have none now, since we said goodbye to Jozef and Walter. It’s very sad that because of humans taking over the planet and reigning supreme, cats which have descended from their wild and free ancestors have had to adapt to being confined, when their natural instincts to enjoy roaming their territory has become too dangerous. The only upside of this is that cats in the UK will never be mutilated by declawing because thankfully it is illegal here. Some people say declawing was started in the USA because of cruel people wanting cats to use for training dogs for fighting, I don’t believe that! No veterinarian would have experimented on cats to ‘perfect’ declawing for that reason. The truth is that it was invented to protect ‘precious’ furniture as more people started keeping their cats strictly indoors. It has made millions of dollars for the American and Canadian veterinary profession and still does! Even worse, those poor cats, disabled in order to be kept indoors, are many times abandoned outside when the problems from declawing begin, even more defenceless than a fully clawed cat against evil humans!
So there are faults in both our countries and sadly it’s the cats who are suffering.
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Michael Broad on February 10, 2019 at 6:15 am said:
Well, you’re right Elisa. You are the first American to comment on this on this site and it something that Brits should be ashamed sometimes of quite frankly because there are times when it is wrong to let cats out to wander freely. It depends on the location clearly but cars and the biggest accidental killer.
It is a deep rooted habit that Brits have to let their cats roam freely in the neighbourhood. When there are stories of people abusing or killing cats in an area they don’t alter their habits which shows how fixed it is.
The article touches on a very fundamental debate. Should domestic cats be confined or not? It’s a competition between cat safety and allowing natural behaviour. In some developed countries, there is a gradual, very gradual move towards confinement as the human population grows with greater human population density (making it more dangerous for cats) and a concern for wildlife.
I think there is a fundamental dilemma with the domestication of the cat. It’s gone wrong in some ways. Arguably both cat confinement inside the home and free roaming are both less than ideal. There is no easy answer.
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- Elisa on February 10, 2019 at 7:57 am said:
  It’s 3am here and the cats are playing with the turbo scratcher. They have a good environment we worked hard to perfect. I’m about the most paranoid person you could ever meet when it comes to the indoor outdoor issue. I’d go crazy if the cats went outside and one didn’t come back.
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  - Michael Broad on February 10, 2019 at 2:04 pm said:
    I know you do a great job in maximising cat entertainment in the home.
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    - Elisa on February 10, 2019 at 11:51 pm said:
      I even have 2 humane traps tied open and set up as cat dens with a blanket covering them. They love that. And the Pet Taxi is used as a feeding cage so the cats don’t freak at vet visit time because it’s always open and involves a treat. We also throw out bird seed where the cats can watch them eat.
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- M. E. King on February 11, 2019 at 3:48 am said:
  The same argument can be used with any domestic pet. Most pets are horribly neglected as far as their emotional needs go. You can enrich your cats life indoors with little effort and not a ton of money. I see this time and time again on many issues. We deal with what is not what was. Letting your domestic cat roam is a good way to get it killed. Really you might as well beat your pet to death with a hammer and get it over with. That’s what you’re subjecting them to only if it happens out of your eyesight then you don’t have to see the horror of them being squished under a car or torn apart by dogs or tortured by demented humans. Nothing is perfect we just do the best we can. Letting our domestic house cats outside to roam is the same as abusing them yourself.
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