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-   -   Outdoor cat poisoning - report back (http://www.catbanter.com/showthread.php?t=25992)

Ashley April 4th 05 10:43 PM

Outdoor cat poisoning - report back
 
OK, as promised, I quizzed the vet, who was most helpful. His response:

Antifreeze poisoning simply isn't an issue in New Zealand. He has never seen
a case. That's never. However, it is an issue in the UK, where he has also
practised, and where it is the leading cause of cat poisoning. It makes
sense that this is probably a climate issue - the UK is colder, people are
more likely to have antifreeze around and use it. The leading cause of cat
poisoning in New Zealand is paracetamol, given by ignorant owners. He has
referred me to the Vet Poisoning Information Service, a British
organisation, for more info, which I shall look up when I have more time.
But he also said poisoning is not the issue with cats that it is for dogs
simply because cats don't eat everything they encounter, and that if I check
out the VPIS, I will see that cat poisoning hardly rates.

Rat poison is also not an issue in New Zealand. There are two aspects to
this. 1. Cats won't eat rat poisons. 2. The older rat poisons started having
a secondary effect only at the level of about 5 rats - ie, cats would have
to eat 5 rats in a row before they started getting any ill effects, and
those effects would not be fatal at that level of consumption. Some of the
newer poisons being developed do have secondary effects at lower levels, but
New Zealand regulations keep those poisons out of the country.

He also commented that he was not impressed with the American method of
managing risks, ie keeping all cats indoors at all times.



CatNipped April 5th 05 12:28 AM

"Ashley" wrote in message
...
OK, as promised, I quizzed the vet, who was most helpful. His response:

Antifreeze poisoning simply isn't an issue in New Zealand. He has never

seen
a case. That's never. However, it is an issue in the UK, where he has also
practised, and where it is the leading cause of cat poisoning. It makes
sense that this is probably a climate issue - the UK is colder, people are
more likely to have antifreeze around and use it. The leading cause of cat
poisoning in New Zealand is paracetamol, given by ignorant owners. He has
referred me to the Vet Poisoning Information Service, a British
organisation, for more info, which I shall look up when I have more time.
But he also said poisoning is not the issue with cats that it is for dogs
simply because cats don't eat everything they encounter, and that if I

check
out the VPIS, I will see that cat poisoning hardly rates.

Rat poison is also not an issue in New Zealand. There are two aspects to
this. 1. Cats won't eat rat poisons. 2. The older rat poisons started

having
a secondary effect only at the level of about 5 rats - ie, cats would have
to eat 5 rats in a row before they started getting any ill effects, and
those effects would not be fatal at that level of consumption. Some of the
newer poisons being developed do have secondary effects at lower levels,

but
New Zealand regulations keep those poisons out of the country.

He also commented that he was not impressed with the American method of
managing risks, ie keeping all cats indoors at all times.


ROTFLMAOWTIME!! OK folks, hang it up, the ultimate argument on this issue
has been made. Ashley's vet said cats should go outside, so now all of you
go open your doors and let your cats outside (be sure to take the balls and
chains off first!).

Hugs,

CatNipped



Ashley April 5th 05 12:38 AM


"CatNipped" wrote in message
...

ROTFLMAOWTIME!! OK folks, hang it up, the ultimate argument on this issue
has been made. Ashley's vet said cats should go outside, so now all of
you
go open your doors and let your cats outside (be sure to take the balls
and
chains off first!).


So you're another one who really likes putting distorted words in people's
mouths, huh? Lord, this newsgroup is full of them.



CatNipped April 5th 05 12:46 AM

"Ashley" wrote in message
...

"CatNipped" wrote in message
...

ROTFLMAOWTIME!! OK folks, hang it up, the ultimate argument on this

issue
has been made. Ashley's vet said cats should go outside, so now all of
you
go open your doors and let your cats outside (be sure to take the balls
and
chains off first!).


So you're another one who really likes putting distorted words in people's
mouths, huh? Lord, this newsgroup is full of them.


I see you snipped out the section of your post I was responding to. Here
I'll add it back so you can read it again (not that I think that will
help!)...

Ashley wrote..."He also commented that he was not impressed with the
American method of managing risks, ie keeping all cats indoors at all times.
"

Care to interpret that differently than the way it did???

Hugs,

CatNipped



Ashley April 5th 05 01:20 AM


"CatNipped" wrote in message
...


Ashley wrote..."He also commented that he was not impressed with the
American method of managing risks, ie keeping all cats indoors at all
times.
"

Care to interpret that differently than the way it did???


He's not impressed. That doesn't mean he's telling you what to do - which
appears to be a concept a few posters here have difficulty with. He would do
it differently, that doesn't mean you have to.

If you're genuinely interested in reading a dispassionate debate of the pros
and cons of both indoors and outdoors, you might try reading this, which I
found while searching for the VPIS (which it appears you can't get the data
from unless you're a vet):

http://www.fabcats.org/inorout.html




CatNipped April 5th 05 01:32 AM

"Ashley" wrote in message
...

"CatNipped" wrote in message
...


Ashley wrote..."He also commented that he was not impressed with the
American method of managing risks, ie keeping all cats indoors at all
times.
"

Care to interpret that differently than the way it did???


He's not impressed. That doesn't mean he's telling you what to do - which
appears to be a concept a few posters here have difficulty with. He would

do
it differently, that doesn't mean you have to.

If you're genuinely interested in reading a dispassionate debate of the

pros
and cons of both indoors and outdoors, you might try reading this, which I
found while searching for the VPIS (which it appears you can't get the

data
from unless you're a vet):

http://www.fabcats.org/inorout.html


Ashley, I don't need to read anything on this subject. Unlike some I have
two assets which tell me what to do about my cats regarding keeping them in
or letting them out, they're called common sense and observational skills.

You can do what you like, obviously, but don't try to convince anyone with
either of those assets that letting cats outside is a good idea.
Anthropomorphize as much as you like about how cats, like humans, "need to
be free to roam". Cats are *NOT* human, can be perfectly happy inside 24/7
and certainly can *only* be safe from outside dangers if they *are* kept
inside 24/7.

Come back here, like *SO* many others have who let their cats roam outside,
and post to the group about how upset you are that you've found your
"beloved" kitty lying on the side of the road dead with his intestines
hanging out! We'll all cry with you until you get another cat to weep over.
I'm sure as your cat lays dying he'll be thinking how "lucky" he is that
you're so concerned about his freedom.

Hugs,

CatNipped



CatNipped April 5th 05 01:44 AM

Here, counter these facts:

Indoor cats...

have a life span of 12 - 20 years
are not exposed to disease
will not get abscesses from fighting neighborhood strays
will not be threatened by dogs or wildlife
will not suffer injury or amputation from leghold traps
will not suffer from frost bite
will not be hit by cars
will not get lost
will never go hungry
cannot be abused by strangers
are safe from chemicals and fertilizers
cannot be stolen
are happy living indoors

Outdoor cats...

have a life span of only 1 - 5 years
will be exposed to leukemia, kitty AIDS, parasites, etc.
will fight - causing expensive vet bills
are maimed or killed by dogs and predators can get caught in leghold traps
do suffer from frost bite
are hit by cars and injured or killed
do stray from home and get lost
can die from starvation
are abused by strangers
are exposed to toxic lawn antifreeze
are stolen
breed, if not neutered or spayed, and add to pet overpopulation

Disagree? Which of those things above are wrong? OK, I already know, where
you live you have none of those dangers right? I think Mary has the right
of it - fingers in your ears chanting lalalalalalalalala!

Hugs,

CatNipped



Ashley April 5th 05 01:53 AM


"CatNipped" wrote in message
...


Ashley, I don't need to read anything on this subject. Unlike some I have
two assets which tell me what to do about my cats regarding keeping them
in
or letting them out, they're called common sense and observational skills.


You still don't get it, do you? I am not in the United States. My cats do
not face the dangers cats in the United States face. The world outside your
borders is different.

I have no objection to you managing your cats and keeping them safe in the
way that you think is best for your environment. I can understand that in
some of the environments described, it would be best to keep cats inside.
What I *do* object to is people who, based on their experiences of their
environments, then extrapolate to the fanatical, immovable belief that all
cats in all environments should be kept indoors. That is plain ignorance.

What I also object to is the unwillinginess to even consider that the world
is not all as you see it from your window.





Ashley April 5th 05 02:05 AM


"CatNipped" wrote in message
...
Here, counter these facts:

Indoor cats...

have a life span of 12 - 20 years


As do outdoor cared-for pets in safe environments

are not exposed to disease


but are exposed to an increased risk of diabetes and obesity, not to mention
anxiety disorders

will not get abscesses from fighting neighborhood strays


yup, agree

will not be threatened by dogs or wildlife


yup agree

will not suffer injury or amputation from leghold traps


yup agree, but then neither will urban cats in New Zealand.

will not suffer from frost bite


yup agree

will not be hit by cars


yup agree

will not get lost


unless they accidentally get out - then it's more likely

will never go hungry


if they have an owner who ensures that

cannot be abused by strangers


it is less likely, but there is no guarantee that people inside the home
will not abuse them

are safe from chemicals and fertilizers


you don't keep disinfectant and deterents in your house?

cannot be stolen


it is less likely, but not impossible


are happy living indoors


some are, some aren't


They're also more likely to find themselves on mood-altering drugs and have
their claws lopped off.

Outdoor cats...

have a life span of only 1 - 5 years


Nope. Compare like with like - pets with pets. No ferals. And even then,
unless you can produce worldwide figures, your figures relate only to the
States. If that is their lifespan, how come my two are both 10, and the vet
who saw one of them a couple of weeks ago spoke of him having "at least
another 6-10 years"? How come I was having a conversation yesterday with a
colleague about her 18yo cat? You've been brainwashed.

will be exposed to leukemia, kitty AIDS, parasites, etc.


yup. Parsites are easily treatable, most other diseases can be vaccinated
against.

will fight - causing expensive vet bills


Antibiotics ain't expensive

are maimed or killed by dogs and predators can get caught in leghold traps



depends on where you are. I know of one cat that has been killed or maimed
by a dog. And that was before laws changed to make it illegal to let dogs
roam. Any roaming dog now runs a very high risk of spending the rest of its
life at the pound. We don't have leghold traps in the suburbs, only in the
wilderness areas where, whether anyone likes it or not, cats *will* be
killed for the sake of the environment anyway.

do suffer from frost bite


not here they don't. And not anywhere where they've got free access to a cat
door. Or a warm barn.

are hit by cars and injured or killed


yup. A risk that can be minimised by choosing your house carefully,
neutering your pets and keeping them indoors at night.

do stray from home and get lost


see above

can die from starvation


if they're ferals, yup. If they're pets, no.

are abused by strangers


very occasionally

are exposed to toxic lawn antifreeze


not here, they're not

are stolen


very rarely - more of a risk with expensive pedigrees than with moggies

breed, if not neutered or spayed, and add to pet overpopulation


but as pets *are* neutered and spayed, this isn't part of the issue, is it?
That's actually a straw man

Disagree? Which of those things above are wrong? OK, I already know,
where
you live you have none of those dangers right? I think Mary has the right
of it - fingers in your ears chanting lalalalalalalalala!


I appear to be the one with my eye open, here.



CatNipped April 5th 05 02:11 AM

"Ashley" wrote in message
...

They're also more likely to find themselves on mood-altering drugs and

have
their claws lopped off.


OK, now we've come full circle - you've just confirmed yourself a troll.
Have you *read* any of my other posts in this group??

Hugs,

CatNipped




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