Man traps neighbors cats, takes to shelter

I was visiting a friend in Portland, Oregon this weekend when I saw an
article in the newspaper I was sure many here would find interesting.
I'm sure it will be horrifying to some:

A Portland man, upset at his neighbor's cats continually coming over
and killing birds and crapping in his flower beds decided to take
matters into his own hands. He started trapping the cats and taking
them down and dropping them off at the animal shelter. Most neighbors
eventually thought to check the shelter when their cats disappeared,
but one cat had no ID and was euthanized within a few days. The woman
who owned the cat was crushed and it started a fierce debate in the
Portland papers. Out of the dozen or more letters to the editor I
read, I was actually surprised to find that most supported the man who
was trapping the cats. People were not happy that he allowed one to
be euthanized, but most felt he was within his rights to protect his
property from roaming cats. Apparently some politcians are weighing
in and discussing requiring Portland cats to be kept indoors or within
their own yards.

I sympathize with the man, and with the poor woman who lost her cat.
I have two cats, indoor and out. When outdoors, they are restricted
from getting out of the yard by a special fence I constructed. I
personally hate working in my flower bed and digging up a big cat
turd. One of my flower beds I don't even work in any more because it
smells like a litter box (It's not one my cats can get to, and yes
I've tried every product known to man to keep them out). This is
obviously a bad situation with no easy answers, in my opinion.


Bill



************************************************** ********
"The hazards of the outdoors-automobiles, dogs, rival cats, poisonous
plants, infectious diseases, and fleas, to name but a few-are
compelling reasons to keep cats exclusively indoors."
(Dr. James Richards, Director, Cornell Feline Health Center,
College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York)

First off..this has been discussed ad nauseum in here, and is
usually brought up by trolls; but I will take your post on face
value and assume you have no ulterior motive for rehashing the
debate.
I have a couple of comments. Number one, there are all kinds of
wild animals that leave droppings. We don't take it into our
hands to trap and kill them. The "cat" issue is more of a
personal nature, mans ongoing fight with himself (or in this
case his neighbor). One person righteously defending their
personal property and demanding justice. We get so engrossed
with screaming "it's mine, I have rights" that we forget to be
compassionate...to be human.

Secondly...99% of the gardeners I know garden with tools,
wearing gloves. Cats are meticulously clean and tend to
bury (and thereby coat) any droppings they leave, unlike
dogs, birds, possums, etc. What's the big friggin deal?
So you uncover a dirt coated poop with your little spade. Cry
me a river!. Personally I find slugs worse.

Lastly, when did our patch of dirt become more important than
life? A cat is not some "thing" it's a living breathing being...one
of Gods creatures. How did our gardens become more important
than an animal? I don't care if it is legally acceptable, it's morally
reprehensible to discard a life because it inconvenienced you. And before
we get into a debate about health issues I expect verifiable statistics
that cat feces is more of a health risk than all the other stuff one
uncovers in the outdoors. I bet most people use fertilizer or bug
killer that's worse. People have some bizarre priorities if you ask
me. We cut off their fingers to protect our furniture, we take a
perfect work of god and improve it by chopping off it's tail or
reshaping it's ears, and we will have an animal killed to prevent
it from trespassing onto our little spot of dirt. Get some perspective!

I have a cat that doesn't leave her yard and I don't advocate
letting your cat roam if it can get into anyone else's yard..but that's
for the protection of the cat..not someone's flower bed.
BTW..I also have a large herb garden that I put a lot of time into...
I still don't value it above even the feral strays around here.

AG

"Bill S" wrote in message
...
I was visiting a friend in Portland, Oregon this weekend when I saw an
article in the newspaper I was sure many here would find interesting.
I'm sure it will be horrifying to some:

A Portland man, upset at his neighbor's cats continually coming over
and killing birds and crapping in his flower beds decided to take
matters into his own hands. He started trapping the cats and taking
them down and dropping them off at the animal shelter. Most neighbors
eventually thought to check the shelter when their cats disappeared,
but one cat had no ID and was euthanized within a few days. The woman
who owned the cat was crushed and it started a fierce debate in the
Portland papers. Out of the dozen or more letters to the editor I
read, I was actually surprised to find that most supported the man who
was trapping the cats. People were not happy that he allowed one to
be euthanized, but most felt he was within his rights to protect his
property from roaming cats. Apparently some politcians are weighing
in and discussing requiring Portland cats to be kept indoors or within
their own yards.

I sympathize with the man, and with the poor woman who lost her cat.
I have two cats, indoor and out. When outdoors, they are restricted
from getting out of the yard by a special fence I constructed. I
personally hate working in my flower bed and digging up a big cat
turd. One of my flower beds I don't even work in any more because it
smells like a litter box (It's not one my cats can get to, and yes
I've tried every product known to man to keep them out). This is
obviously a bad situation with no easy answers, in my opinion.


Bill



************************************************** ********
"The hazards of the outdoors-automobiles, dogs, rival cats, poisonous
plants, infectious diseases, and fleas, to name but a few-are
compelling reasons to keep cats exclusively indoors."
(Dr. James Richards, Director, Cornell Feline Health Center,
College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York)

First off..this has been discussed ad nauseum in here, and is
usually brought up by trolls; but I will take your post on face
value and assume you have no ulterior motive for rehashing the
debate.
I have a couple of comments. Number one, there are all kinds of
wild animals that leave droppings. We don't take it into our
hands to trap and kill them. The "cat" issue is more of a
personal nature, mans ongoing fight with himself (or in this
case his neighbor). One person righteously defending their
personal property and demanding justice. We get so engrossed
with screaming "it's mine, I have rights" that we forget to be
compassionate...to be human.

Secondly...99% of the gardeners I know garden with tools,
wearing gloves. Cats are meticulously clean and tend to
bury (and thereby coat) any droppings they leave, unlike
dogs, birds, possums, etc. What's the big friggin deal?
So you uncover a dirt coated poop with your little spade. Cry
me a river!. Personally I find slugs worse.

Lastly, when did our patch of dirt become more important than
life? A cat is not some "thing" it's a living breathing being...one
of Gods creatures. How did our gardens become more important
than an animal? I don't care if it is legally acceptable, it's morally
reprehensible to discard a life because it inconvenienced you. And before
we get into a debate about health issues I expect verifiable statistics
that cat feces is more of a health risk than all the other stuff one
uncovers in the outdoors. I bet most people use fertilizer or bug
killer that's worse. People have some bizarre priorities if you ask
me. We cut off their fingers to protect our furniture, we take a
perfect work of god and improve it by chopping off it's tail or
reshaping it's ears, and we will have an animal killed to prevent
it from trespassing onto our little spot of dirt. Get some perspective!

I have a cat that doesn't leave her yard and I don't advocate
letting your cat roam if it can get into anyone else's yard..but that's
for the protection of the cat..not someone's flower bed.
BTW..I also have a large herb garden that I put a lot of time into...
I still don't value it above even the feral strays around here.

AG

"Bill S" wrote in message
...
I was visiting a friend in Portland, Oregon this weekend when I saw an
article in the newspaper I was sure many here would find interesting.
I'm sure it will be horrifying to some:

A Portland man, upset at his neighbor's cats continually coming over
and killing birds and crapping in his flower beds decided to take
matters into his own hands. He started trapping the cats and taking
them down and dropping them off at the animal shelter. Most neighbors
eventually thought to check the shelter when their cats disappeared,
but one cat had no ID and was euthanized within a few days. The woman
who owned the cat was crushed and it started a fierce debate in the
Portland papers. Out of the dozen or more letters to the editor I
read, I was actually surprised to find that most supported the man who
was trapping the cats. People were not happy that he allowed one to
be euthanized, but most felt he was within his rights to protect his
property from roaming cats. Apparently some politcians are weighing
in and discussing requiring Portland cats to be kept indoors or within
their own yards.

I sympathize with the man, and with the poor woman who lost her cat.
I have two cats, indoor and out. When outdoors, they are restricted
from getting out of the yard by a special fence I constructed. I
personally hate working in my flower bed and digging up a big cat
turd. One of my flower beds I don't even work in any more because it
smells like a litter box (It's not one my cats can get to, and yes
I've tried every product known to man to keep them out). This is
obviously a bad situation with no easy answers, in my opinion.


Bill



************************************************** ********
"The hazards of the outdoors-automobiles, dogs, rival cats, poisonous
plants, infectious diseases, and fleas, to name but a few-are
compelling reasons to keep cats exclusively indoors."
(Dr. James Richards, Director, Cornell Feline Health Center,
College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York)

First off..this has been discussed ad nauseum in here, and is
usually brought up by trolls; but I will take your post on face
value and assume you have no ulterior motive for rehashing the
debate.
I have a couple of comments. Number one, there are all kinds of
wild animals that leave droppings. We don't take it into our
hands to trap and kill them. The "cat" issue is more of a
personal nature, mans ongoing fight with himself (or in this
case his neighbor). One person righteously defending their
personal property and demanding justice. We get so engrossed
with screaming "it's mine, I have rights" that we forget to be
compassionate...to be human.

Secondly...99% of the gardeners I know garden with tools,
wearing gloves. Cats are meticulously clean and tend to
bury (and thereby coat) any droppings they leave, unlike
dogs, birds, possums, etc. What's the big friggin deal?
So you uncover a dirt coated poop with your little spade. Cry
me a river!. Personally I find slugs worse.

Lastly, when did our patch of dirt become more important than
life? A cat is not some "thing" it's a living breathing being...one
of Gods creatures. How did our gardens become more important
than an animal? I don't care if it is legally acceptable, it's morally
reprehensible to discard a life because it inconvenienced you. And before
we get into a debate about health issues I expect verifiable statistics
that cat feces is more of a health risk than all the other stuff one
uncovers in the outdoors. I bet most people use fertilizer or bug
killer that's worse. People have some bizarre priorities if you ask
me. We cut off their fingers to protect our furniture, we take a
perfect work of god and improve it by chopping off it's tail or
reshaping it's ears, and we will have an animal killed to prevent
it from trespassing onto our little spot of dirt. Get some perspective!

I have a cat that doesn't leave her yard and I don't advocate
letting your cat roam if it can get into anyone else's yard..but that's
for the protection of the cat..not someone's flower bed.
BTW..I also have a large herb garden that I put a lot of time into...
I still don't value it above even the feral strays around here.

AG

"Bill S" wrote in message
...
I was visiting a friend in Portland, Oregon this weekend when I saw an
article in the newspaper I was sure many here would find interesting.
I'm sure it will be horrifying to some:

A Portland man, upset at his neighbor's cats continually coming over
and killing birds and crapping in his flower beds decided to take
matters into his own hands. He started trapping the cats and taking
them down and dropping them off at the animal shelter. Most neighbors
eventually thought to check the shelter when their cats disappeared,
but one cat had no ID and was euthanized within a few days. The woman
who owned the cat was crushed and it started a fierce debate in the
Portland papers. Out of the dozen or more letters to the editor I
read, I was actually surprised to find that most supported the man who
was trapping the cats. People were not happy that he allowed one to
be euthanized, but most felt he was within his rights to protect his
property from roaming cats. Apparently some politcians are weighing
in and discussing requiring Portland cats to be kept indoors or within
their own yards.

I sympathize with the man, and with the poor woman who lost her cat.
I have two cats, indoor and out. When outdoors, they are restricted
from getting out of the yard by a special fence I constructed. I
personally hate working in my flower bed and digging up a big cat
turd. One of my flower beds I don't even work in any more because it
smells like a litter box (It's not one my cats can get to, and yes
I've tried every product known to man to keep them out). This is
obviously a bad situation with no easy answers, in my opinion.


Bill



************************************************** ********
"The hazards of the outdoors-automobiles, dogs, rival cats, poisonous
plants, infectious diseases, and fleas, to name but a few-are
compelling reasons to keep cats exclusively indoors."
(Dr. James Richards, Director, Cornell Feline Health Center,
College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York)

"Bill S" wrote in message
...
*snip*

Good for him. He did exactly the right thing.

"Bill S" wrote in message
...
*snip*

Good for him. He did exactly the right thing.

"Bill S" wrote in message
...
*snip*

Good for him. He did exactly the right thing.

"Agua Girl" wrote in message
t...

"Jon C" wrote in message
...
Um, he didn't kill the cats.

Read the article next time before posting a long message blasting
something
that wasn't even said.

The guy turned the cats over to the shelter.

" He started trapping the cats and taking
them down and dropping them off at the animal shelter. Most neighbors
eventually thought to check the shelter when their cats disappeared,
but one cat had no ID and was euthanized within a few days"

He turned an animal over to a shelter with a kill policy. Just because
he didn't do the deed himself doesn't make him less responsible.

Read the article next time :-)

AG

Well, I think that any cat owner who both 1) doesn't check the local shelter
when their cat goes missing for several days and 2) allows cats to be
outdoors without any sort of ID shouldn't be surprised when the cat gets
euthanized. The guy did the right thing, and he didn't kill any cats.

Your post made it obvious that you didn't read the article. "We don't take
it into our hands to trap and kill cats." You messed up, get over it.

"Agua Girl" wrote in message
t...

"Jon C" wrote in message
...
Um, he didn't kill the cats.

Read the article next time before posting a long message blasting
something
that wasn't even said.

The guy turned the cats over to the shelter.

" He started trapping the cats and taking
them down and dropping them off at the animal shelter. Most neighbors
eventually thought to check the shelter when their cats disappeared,
but one cat had no ID and was euthanized within a few days"

He turned an animal over to a shelter with a kill policy. Just because
he didn't do the deed himself doesn't make him less responsible.

Read the article next time :-)

AG

Well, I think that any cat owner who both 1) doesn't check the local shelter
when their cat goes missing for several days and 2) allows cats to be
outdoors without any sort of ID shouldn't be surprised when the cat gets
euthanized. The guy did the right thing, and he didn't kill any cats.

Your post made it obvious that you didn't read the article. "We don't take
it into our hands to trap and kill cats." You messed up, get over it.

"Agua Girl" wrote in message
t...

"Jon C" wrote in message
...
Um, he didn't kill the cats.

Read the article next time before posting a long message blasting
something
that wasn't even said.

The guy turned the cats over to the shelter.

" He started trapping the cats and taking
them down and dropping them off at the animal shelter. Most neighbors
eventually thought to check the shelter when their cats disappeared,
but one cat had no ID and was euthanized within a few days"

He turned an animal over to a shelter with a kill policy. Just because
he didn't do the deed himself doesn't make him less responsible.

Read the article next time :-)

AG

Well, I think that any cat owner who both 1) doesn't check the local shelter
when their cat goes missing for several days and 2) allows cats to be
outdoors without any sort of ID shouldn't be surprised when the cat gets
euthanized. The guy did the right thing, and he didn't kill any cats.

Your post made it obvious that you didn't read the article. "We don't take
it into our hands to trap and kill cats." You messed up, get over it.