Cat Owners Responsibility

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Keep your damned cats in your house, or on a leash.

To someone who lives somewhere in the general vicinity of my neighborhood:

Your cat came by my house, through my yard, and approached the open window (with a screen) to my office. That is where MY cat sits, inside, on her perch so she can watch the world go by and chill out.

Thanks to YOUR cat, my window screen is now ruined and we have to buy a new one. We will also never be able to keep that window open again, for as long as I have this cat. The single window in my office, where I do my computing and watch movies while hubby is watching TV in the other room.

Now I'm going to have to worry about this creature showing up outside the lanai when my cat is out there, or in the bedroom when she's sitting on the bureau in front of the window there.

If I see this cat again, I will report it to the police, and the local animal shelter. And if I find out whose cat it is, I'll be having a discussion about the cost to replace my screen.

[karostay]

Lots of feral cats in the Villages

[villagetinker]

OP, contact the local SPCA (etc.) for a humane trap, hopefully you can trap the offending cat, take it to the local authorities, if the cat is chipped they will find the owner, if not it will probably go to s shelter. There is a very active cat club in the area that will probably correct me, but they will also have much more information and suggestions. As for your screen, there is a product called PET SCREEN which is used in lanais and birdcages (we have it in ours). This is a heavy duty screen product that greatly resists cats claws. It might be possible to have that installed on your screen (use the old frame, new Pet screen material and the correct size spline.

[Number 10 GI]

Which cat tore up the screen?

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Which cat tore up the screen?

Mine. She was apparently defending herself. I was at work. Hubby reported he heard a crash, he jumped up to see what was going on and our cat jetted out of my room to the living room, hopped on the cat perch there with ears back, eyes fully dilated, hissing (something I have NEVER heard her do in the 3 years we've had her). Then she leapt off the perch and rushed to the lanai, growling and pacing around.

Hubby went outside to see what was out there and saw nothing (this was at night). Came back in. One of my cat's claws was a little ragged from being stuck on the screen but she was otherwise unscathed.

We've had birds in the yard, the big white ones, and she never went off like that. She isn't aggressive against dogs, just other cats.

The only other possibility would be if one of the owls in the neighborhood just happened to be flying very low, between our neighbor's house and mine, and just happened to be going slow enough to happen to notice that my cat was sleeping on her perch in front of the window, under the metal thing that hangs over to keep the rain out. I find this very unlikely.

And I know there is at least one cat who roams the neighborhood because its owner thinks that's a good idea. It has a collar so I know it's not feral.

[mixsonci]

Could possibly have been a bobcat or whatever they call the big cats, coyotes in this area

[Barefoot]

Mine. She was apparently defending herself. The only other possibility would be if one of the owls in the neighborhood just happened to be flying very low, between our neighbor's house and mine, and just happened to be going slow enough to happen to notice that my cat was sleeping on her perch in front of the window, under the metal thing that hangs over to keep the rain out. IMHO, I think you should be sure it's not an owl before you talk to neighbors.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Keep your damned cats in your house, or on a leash.

<snip>

If I see this cat again, I will report it to the police, and the local animal shelter. And if I find out whose cat it is, I'll be having a discussion about the cost to replace my screen.

IMHO, I think you should be sure it's not an owl before you talk to neighbors.

If this happens again we'll know, through experience, to check more thoroughly. It's the first time this happened and we were not prepared to deal with it at the time.

Regardless of whether it was the cat I've seen in the past or not...the point still stands.

Keep your cats inside your home, or on a leash. PETS (not ferals, not bobcats, not wild birds) do not belong on other peoples' property without the homeowner's explicit permission. If you can't control your pet, then don't have one.

Even if my cat doesn't tear up the screen defending against your cat, or if it turned out to be an owl...even if those things are true...

keep your cat inside your home, or on a leash.

[Bogie Shooter]

Keep your damned cats in your house, or on a leash.

To someone who lives somewhere in the general vicinity of my neighborhood:

Your cat came by my house, through my yard, and approached the open window (with a screen) to my office. That is where MY cat sits, inside, on her perch so she can watch the world go by and chill out.

Thanks to YOUR cat, my window screen is now ruined and we have to buy a new one. We will also never be able to keep that window open again, for as long as I have this cat. The single window in my office, where I do my computing and watch movies while hubby is watching TV in the other room.

Now I'm going to have to worry about this creature showing up outside the lanai when my cat is out there, or in the bedroom when she's sitting on the bureau in front of the window there.

If I see this cat again, I will report it to the police, and the local animal shelter. And if I find out whose cat it is, I'll be having a discussion about the cost to replace my screen.

What can the police do?

[dewilson58]

What can the police do?




Be on the look out for cat burglars.

[Heretoday]

Get sonic high frequency sound alarms for yard..keeps out animals

[Barefoot]

***

[Lindsyburnsy]

Keep your damned cats in your house, or on a leash.

To someone who lives somewhere in the general vicinity of my neighborhood:

Your cat came by my house, through my yard, and approached the open window (with a screen) to my office. That is where MY cat sits, inside, on her perch so she can watch the world go by and chill out.

Thanks to YOUR cat, my window screen is now ruined and we have to buy a new one. We will also never be able to keep that window open again, for as long as I have this cat. The single window in my office, where I do my computing and watch movies while hubby is watching TV in the other room.

Now I'm going to have to worry about this creature showing up outside the lanai when my cat is out there, or in the bedroom when she's sitting on the bureau in front of the window there.

If I see this cat again, I will report it to the police, and the local animal shelter. And if I find out whose cat it is, I'll be having a discussion about the cost to replace my screen.

Someone in Katherine Place has been calling their cat "Georgia" since the 1st of 2nd of January. Maybe the cat is lost and hungry? In any case, the information about the lost cat is posted at the postal building at Carolina.

[J1ceasar]

Love your quote to save one dog

[karostay]

What can the police do?

Cat Burglar:1rotfl:

[Barefoot]

Someone in Katherine Place has been calling their cat "Georgia" since the 1st of 2nd of January. Maybe the cat is lost and hungry? In any case, the information about the lost cat is posted at the postal building at Carolina.Good point. I'm a pet lover, so I hate to think that a cat may be is lost and hungry. :cry:

[cathiehines]

If you're letting your cat out on a lanai that is only screened that is a big mistake. Coyotes will go through those screens and grab your furbaby in a heartbeat.

[THUNDERCHIEF]

Move cats to a cat house- they will enjoy that.

[CFrance]

If this happens again we'll know, through experience, to check more thoroughly. It's the first time this happened and we were not prepared to deal with it at the time.

Regardless of whether it was the cat I've seen in the past or not...the point still stands.

Keep your cats inside your home, or on a leash. PETS (not ferals, not bobcats, not wild birds) do not belong on other peoples' property without the homeowner's explicit permission. If you can't control your pet, then don't have one.

Even if my cat doesn't tear up the screen defending against your cat, or if it turned out to be an owl...even if those things are true...

keep your cat inside your home, or on a leash.
There are many, many stray/feral cats in this area, enough to have a Trap/Neuter/Release program. I see one almost every morning on my walk. It comes from a golf course, crosses the street and goes behind another house. It is definitely well fed, but I know it doesn't belong to anyone. People put out food for these cats. It could be going to the back of that house for its breakfast.


Any event, I'm just pointing out that it may not be someone's pet. You might have just been a victim of the stray wildlife around here. I hope your cat is not too traumatized.


Do you think that many people let their cats run around outside around here? Honest question--I really don't know. I know I wouldn't, considering all the coyotes, alligators, and hunting birds in this area.

[asianthree]

Do you think that many people let their cats run around outside around here? Honest question--I really don't know. I know I wouldn't, considering all the coyotes, alligators, and hunting birds in this area.

I do know some who moved here and their cat was outdoors back home. Some think that needs to continue to keep the cat happy. Sadly new homes are confusing after the move, and pets get lost.
There are four cats that have collars, and roam our area. One was so frightened She Allowed me to pick her up, and just melted in my arms. I returned her to owner. Not a good meet and greet, I got a earful for something that was not my business. Cat was back at my home the next day. Some either don’t care, or just don’t get it.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

There are many, many stray/feral cats in this area, enough to have a Trap/Neuter/Release program. I see one almost every morning on my walk. It comes from a golf course, crosses the street and goes behind another house. It is definitely well fed, but I know it doesn't belong to anyone. People put out food for these cats. It could be going to the back of that house for its breakfast.


Any event, I'm just pointing out that it may not be someone's pet. You might have just been a victim of the stray wildlife around here. I hope your cat is not too traumatized.


Do you think that many people let their cats run around outside around here? Honest question--I really don't know. I know I wouldn't, considering all the coyotes, alligators, and hunting birds in this area.

I've only seen one stray cat so far. It was definitely not feral, it was a stray (it had a collar). I've also seen one owl, and a neighbor says they've seen a different owl as well (one is brown, the other is white).

I've also seen a couple of dogs off their leashes - again, not feral, just stray.

I use stray in the traditional sense: it belongs to someone, but isn't with them or contained at their own property at the moment.

My cat would not react that way to dogs, so I already ruled them out. Birds, no idea. She watches the woodpecker in the tree from her perch and doesn't go nuts, and she's seen those white birds (egrets, or sand-whatevers?) pluck ants from our yard under her window, and she hasn't gone nuts then either.

I know absolutely positively she is not friendly toward other cats.

That's why I concluded it was most likely a cat, as opposed to anything else it -could- have been.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I do know some who moved here and their cat was outdoors back home. Some think that needs to continue to keep the cat happy. Sadly new homes are confusing after the move, and pets get lost.
There are four cats that have collars, and roam our area. One was so frightened She Allowed me to pick her up, and just melted in my arms. I returned her to owner. Not a good meet and greet, I got a earful for something that was not my business. Cat was back at my home the next day. Some either don’t care, or just don’t get it.

If it roams onto your property, it becomes your business. Tell her next time it happens you'll take the cat directly to the animal shelter.

What we need, are leash laws extended to cats. Currently Florida law is that they are free-roaming animals. But currently, Florida law also has trespassing laws that are enforced.

If YOU allow YOUR cat to roam onto MY property without my permission, YOU should be held accountable for it. Your dog can't roam on my property, your kid can't roam on my property, you can't set up chairs and a table on my property, and you can't be on my property - without my permission. Why should your cat be any different?

If there's a Villages-located organization trying to get pet laws extended to include cats, I'd love to be a part of it.

[Bogie Shooter]

Keep your damned cats in your house, or on a leash.

To someone who lives somewhere in the general vicinity of my neighborhood:

Your cat came by my house, through my yard, and approached the open window (with a screen) to my office. That is where MY cat sits, inside, on her perch so she can watch the world go by and chill out.

Thanks to YOUR cat, my window screen is now ruined and we have to buy a new one. We will also never be able to keep that window open again, for as long as I have this cat. The single window in my office, where I do my computing and watch movies while hubby is watching TV in the other room.

Now I'm going to have to worry about this creature showing up outside the lanai when my cat is out there, or in the bedroom when she's sitting on the bureau in front of the window there.

If I see this cat again, I will report it to the police, and the local animal shelter. And if I find out whose cat it is, I'll be having a discussion about the cost to replace my screen.

I've only seen one stray cat so far. It was definitely not feral, it was a stray (it had a collar). I've also seen one owl, and a neighbor says they've seen a different owl as well (one is brown, the other is white).

I've also seen a couple of dogs off their leashes - again, not feral, just stray.

I use stray in the traditional sense: it belongs to someone, but isn't with them or contained at their own property at the moment.

My cat would not react that way to dogs, so I already ruled them out. Birds, no idea. She watches the woodpecker in the tree from her perch and doesn't go nuts, and she's seen those white birds (egrets, or sand-whatevers?) pluck ants from our yard under her window, and she hasn't gone nuts then either.

I know absolutely positively she is not friendly toward other cats.

That's why I concluded it was most likely a cat, as opposed to anything else it -could- have been.

So, it may have or may not have been a cat. Right?

[candyco33]

My understanding of TV rules is that cats are not allowed to roam free. Honestly, I don't understand why any cat should be allowed anywhere to roam free. Not everyone loves your pet nor wants their feces or paw prints or getting scared because your animal jumped out from under the car, etc. Rules of consideration for others should always apply.

[Two Bills]

Someone in Katherine Place has been calling their cat "Georgia" since the 1st of 2nd of January. Maybe the cat is lost and hungry? In any case, the information about the lost cat is posted at the postal building at Carolina.

I live at the end of Kathrine Place, and on several occasions we have seen a dark longer haired tabby cat walk past our house.
We have called to it, but it will not come over too us.
Just been to the postal station but could not see any notice regarding a lost cat.
If the owner of the lost cat is reading these posts, please PM me and we can show you the regular route the cat seems to travel when it passes by.
It looks in good health and from its visual condition, has found a regular food source.,

[Barefoot]

There are many, many stray/feral cats in this area, enough to have a Trap/Neuter/Release program.
I think there is already a program in place, but you'd have to find out who to call about it.
Contacting Angie Fox would be a good place to start.

[Bogie Shooter]

It was "most likely" a very specific cat that I have actually seen for myself, roaming on my property in the recent past. Not just "a" cat.

And by "most likely" I mean...

"most likely."

And as I said in subsequent post:

REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THIS INCIDENT WAS THE RESULT OF THE STRAY CAT, THE POINT REMAINS: KEEP YOUR CAT OFF MY PROPERTY.

Is there some part of this that wasn't clear to you? By all means, please feel free to ask and I'm sure I'll be more than happy to explain further.

The two posts just seemed contradictory...….no further explanation is needed.

[Joe V.]

Coyote are canine.

[Chi-Town]

This fearless cat is staying indoors.

Surveillance video shows cat taking on trio of coyotes - CNN Video (https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2020/01/14/cat-against-three-coyotes-pkg-vpx.kcal/video/playlists/atv-trending-videos/)

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[Topspinmo]

Which cat tore up the screen?

Does matter, If the cat had collar was running loose. Cats always get free pass cause they don’t bark

[Topspinmo]

My understanding of TV rules is that cats are not allowed to roam free. Honestly, I don't understand why any cat should be allowed anywhere to roam free. Not everyone loves your pet nor wants their feces or paw prints or getting scared because your animal jumped out from under the car, etc. Rules of consideration for others should always apply.

Plus the hundreds of song birds and baby rabbits that are killed.

[Two Bills]

Cats do kill birds, but more rats, mice and other vermin that are easier prey.
As for baby rabbits, who cares, they are capable of breeding totaly out of control, and turnning a fertile land into a desert/
Research Australia and out of control rabbits!
Cats do not kill as many birds as humans do, who spray insecticides without any thought that they deplete the birds natural food resources.

[Barefoot]

This fearless cat is staying indoors.
Surveillance video shows cat taking on trio of coyotes - CNN Video (https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2020/01/14/cat-against-three-coyotes-pkg-vpx.kcal/video/playlists/atv-trending-videos/) It's ridiculous that the owners ever let that cat out. :ohdear:
A lot of predators can take a cat or dog, including coyotes.
That fearless cat is very lucky to be alive.

[Gpsma]

My cats live in a fully glass enclosed lanai....enjoying watching all the creatures that walk buy.

And the OP worries about his/her cat ripping the screen...wait till a coyote rips the screen and takes the cat away.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

My cats live in a fully glass enclosed lanai....enjoying watching all the creatures that walk buy.

And the OP worries about his/her cat ripping the screen...wait till a coyote rips the screen and takes the cat away.

She wasn't on the lanai when this happened. She was in our guest bedroom on her perch. She doesn't go on the lanai unless one of us is there - the sliding doors are a little too heavy for her to push open by herself :)

[Barefoot]

She wasn't on the lanai when this happened. She was in our guest bedroom on her perch. I've probably wandered off topic.
But could a coyote rip the screen in the guest bedroom and take the cat?
Some coyotes are fearless, especially if they have a litter to feed.

[Two Bills]

She wasn't on the lanai when this happened. She was in our guest bedroom on her perch. She doesn't go on the lanai unless one of us is there - the sliding doors are a little too heavy for her to push open by herself :)

You are sure you do not have a parrot? :)

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

You are sure you do not have a parrot? :)

Heh it's one of those carpet-covered "cat condos" with sissal sides. She never uses any part of it other than the top where she can curl up and watch the world go by or sleep, so I call it a perch.

Also to Barefoot: a coyote can rip a screen open to get inside anyone's house, if they happen to enjoy opening their glass window when the weather's nice. I don't see anyone keeping their windows closed 24/7 "just in case" a coyote happens to come by.

Down the street from my neighborhood in Connecticut there were bears and deer and coyotes, we had skunks and bats and turkey vultures and red-tailed hawks living in our back yard, and we NEVER thought even once, ever, that we should keep our windows closed "just in case" one of them decided they wanted to rip the screen and come in.

It's just not a thing. Or it shouldn't be. I won't barricade myself up in my house "just in case." People who do that are people who dig bunkers in their back yards and stock them for Armageddon.

[JSR22]

Honestly, I never open my windows. I do that to keep the house cleaner. I have 2 dogs and an enclosed lanai. I feel they are totally safe.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Update - it's definitely a cat, it's happened a few times since then and we've seen the interaction between our indoor cat and this outdoor cat. Thankfully we were home to keep the screens from being torn again.

Just as an fyi - in Lake County (and in Sumter county) it is against the law to allow a cat or dog to be "at large." This is more clearly defined in Sumter ordinances but you can check online for the definition of the term, for anyone who wants to pick nits.

Here's the section of the Lake County ordinance that applies:

Sec. 4-27. - Nuisance animals.
(a)It is a violation of this section for the owner of any animal to fail to exercise sufficient care and control of his or her animal and the animal commits any of the following acts:

(1)Runs at large, other than hunting dogs in authorized areas during authorized hunting seasons;

And that's from Municode Library (https://library.municode.com/fl/lake_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=LACOCO_CH4AN_ARTIIANCO)

So - yes I can absolutely call the police and file a report - so that IF we find out whose cat it is, we can prevent further damage to our property and possibly injury to our (or their) cat.

[NotGolfer]

We had a neighbor whose cat(s) were allowed to roam outside. The one would visit our patio, lounge on a settee and peer into the slider in the house and meow. For a time, we didn't know whose cat it was until we asked at a neighborhood drive-way party. The owner told us it was hers but became VERY defensive. Said if it's "bothering" just give her a call. We decided it wasn't worth a confrontation (though I think the defensive demeanor was to off-set us). The owner has since died and we haven't seen the cat in awhile but my response to people who let their cats roam is---"you are taking a chance on predidtors getting your pet". If you truly love your animal take care of it...I say that to those who let theirs roam!!

Years ago, up north, we had an in-door cat who loved to go on our screened in porch. Someone in the neighborhood let their own cat roam and it would come over and "harrass" ours. The meowing and screetching was something to behold and highly irritating. Eventually the neighborhood cat was taken to animal control and we didn't have an issue after that.

[Love2Swim]

We had a cat up north who loved being outside. We lived in the country, and he could roam, catch mice, stalk birds, and do the normal cat-like thing. I think it is cruel to keep cats inside, they are not as happy and it is against their nature. We only let him out during the day. He was in at night so the risk from predators was small. We lived in an area with little traffic, and he knew to stay out of the road, so it wasn't an issue. I would probably not let a cat roam free in The Villages. There are pesticides sprayed which the cat might ingest. Traffic is an issue. And cranky neighbors judging from the comments on this board.

[graciegirl]

We had a neighbor whose cat(s) were allowed to roam outside. The one would visit our patio, lounge on a settee and peer into the slider in the house and meow. For a time, we didn't know whose cat it was until we asked at a neighborhood drive-way party. The owner told us it was hers but became VERY defensive. Said if it's "bothering" just give her a call. We decided it wasn't worth a confrontation (though I think the defensive demeanor was to off-set us). The owner has since died and we haven't seen the cat in awhile but my response to people who let their cats roam is---"you are taking a chance on predidtors getting your pet". If you truly love your animal take care of it...I say that to those who let theirs roam!!

Years ago, up north, we had an in-door cat who loved to go on our screened in porch. Someone in the neighborhood let their own cat roam and it would come over and "harrass" ours. The meowing and screetching was something to behold and highly irritating. Eventually the neighborhood cat was taken to animal control and we didn't have an issue after that.

Our two have a glassed in area and a screened in area and we leave the sliders open a crack so they can go in and out to both except we keep them safely in during the night for fear something could get them by tearing the screen. Our cats are NEVER OUTSIDE the screened area, day or night.

We haven't ever had any cats here where we live wandering around....Or in Hadley, our previous home here in The Villages. I know there are feral cats around The Villages because I read about them and there is a group supporting spay and neuter of feral cats. Usually a neutered cat will hiss at an unknown visitor but the yelling and fighting I thought was behavior associated with mating.

I bet if the OP asked around she could find if the cat was feral or not. If so it could be picked up and hopefully neutered and adopted by someone if that is the case.

If someone is letting their cat roam, not much can be done but to call the authorities. Responsible people who love their cats know how dangerous it is for an unprotected kitty to roam here where there are all kinds of predators that can and do kill small domestic animals. Years ago we let our kitties out in an area that they could roam. I wouldn't do it anymore, here or there. My caring of kitties usually goes out to even bad and naughty ones that may have torn the OP's screen. BUT, I really, really, doubt it was a kitty cat. It just doesn't sound like a kitty cat, even one mating.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

We had a cat up north who loved being outside. We lived in the country, and he could roam, catch mice, stalk birds, and do the normal cat-like thing. I think it is cruel to keep cats inside, they are not as happy and it is against their nature. We only let him out during the day. He was in at night so the risk from predators was small. We lived in an area with little traffic, and he knew to stay out of the road, so it wasn't an issue. I would probably not let a cat roam free in The Villages. There are pesticides sprayed which the cat might ingest. Traffic is an issue. And cranky neighbors judging from the comments on this board.

I'm not a cranky neighbor. I'm a neighbor who has had property destroyed as a result of a cat whose owner has chosen to disregard the county ordinance. In addition, domestic cats do not belong outside. They're at risk of predators, pesticides, insecticides, fleas, disease, turf-wars with other cats whose owners have no regard for their pet's safety, traffic. And their owners are at risk of insurance claims (or lawsuits) against them if their cat is -caught- picking a fight on someone else's property that results in property damage. Both are at risk of losing the cat permanently to the humane society or a shelter for re-homing, once it's determined that the owner intentionally and purposefully allowed their pet to be outside.

Anyone who thinks that a domestic animal *should* be an outdoors animal - does not deserve to have a cat.