4 ms·
> Mine walk in and out as they please, they do their stuff ...on other people's property. In the UK cats enjoy a unique status of protection. They are not cla
by dingaling 11y ago
> Mine walk in and out as they please, they do their stuff
...on other people's property.
In the UK cats enjoy a unique status of protection. They are not classified as vermin ( so cannot be eliminated as pests ) but are considered "free spirits" under the law, so their owners are not held responsible for their actions.
Basically they can do whatever they like wherever they like and we have to tolerate it. In fact it goes beyond that, as a property owner I have to ensure the safety of any cats which come on my property e.g. I can be charged for cruelty if I salted their paths with something nasty even if I was targeting rats.
This status is completely unlike foxes ( vermin ) or dogs ( owner responsible ). Little wonder cats are so polarizing of opinion.
- imaginenore 11y agoWell yeah, cat's are not known to hunt humans in packs, or murder children, or severely damage adults. You really need to provoke a cat into defending itself, whereas dogs tried to attack me even when on a leash with the owner attached.
- JoeAltmaier 11y agoCats do public good - they are killing your vermin, entertaining your children. And when they 'do their stuff' on your property, they do it discreetly and bury it. One dog makes a more public mess than a week of 10 cats. I guess the polarization depends upon the individual perception of the value/weight of those activities.