Cats definitely keep away rats and other pests, by killing them and also because just smelling cat urine is a repellant. We have feral neighborhood cats who come to our porch at dinner time. They're terrified of humans and bolt the second we open the door or take a step towards them, so I don't think you have to worry about any allergy issues. Just make sure your kids know to let them be and not try to chase them down.

Anonymous wrote:Let me be very clear with you weirdo cat people - If I see your cat in my yard I will do whaI I can to catch him, put him in a crate, and drop him off at the nearest animal shelter as a stray. I've done it plenty of times.

Keep your nasty cat indoors or move out to the country.

Good luck. The shelter will do a stray hold for 7 days and return to the owner if claimed. If the cat is feral, the cat gets returned to wherever he was found from. Only domesticated cats that a truly strays (abandoned/owner surrender) get taken in by shelters and rehomed. And DC doesn't have high-kill shelters in case you were just hoping to get peoples' pets euthanized.

My yard is rabbit poop free thanks to my cat. I have less bald grass patches and dandelions thanks to my cat.

ooh this thread as turned super nasty - where's Jeff when we need him???

Let me be very clear with you weirdo cat people - If I see your cat in my yard I will do whaI I can to catch him, put him in a crate, and drop him off at the nearest animal shelter as a stray. I've done it plenty of times.

Keep your nasty cat indoors or move out to the country.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate that cats are allowed to roam free. There is a male cat that comes by every day and sprays all around our house and poops in our mulch. It's gross and it drives our dogs crazy. I think there should be the same laws in place for cats as there are for dogs. Cats can be really aggressive if they feel threatened and cat scratches can be really nasty.

Fixed that for you.
Cats and dogs are entirely different creatures, just like dogs and children, cats and ducks, rats and cows. The same rules cannot apply. But based on this post, you seem really annoying, and I hope that cat poops in your yard every day until you move.

My dog needed stitches because it cornered a cat in my yard and the cat sliced his nose open. I want to know why you think cats should be allowed to roam free? I contain and clean up after my dogs, why shouldn't you have to contain and clean up after your cat? What would you have said if I hadn't been able to break up the fight between your cat and my dog in my yard and your cat was killed?

Your dog learned a valuable lesson that day: stay the fuck away from cats.

What if the dog had been a kid? Keep your nasty cat in your yard.

Next thing you know, OP will be complaining about the feral rat population, once she convinces the powers that be that all cats must remain indoors.

I don't think cats kill rats. Rats are too big/aggressive. Someone who knows more on cats please chime in here. But it's well established that cats kill songbirds; huge numbers; big problem there.

Our cat kills rats half its size, rabbits, voles, moles and yes, slow witted robins. Other birds are generally too fast for her to catch. The hills and dales of AU Park are vermin free within her one block perimeter.

Depends on the cat. I formerly had a cat who was a great mouser and both my Mom and a friend *asked* me to bring him round to scare off moles and (indoor) mice respectively. Do not underestimate the benefit you may reap from a cat prowling your neighborhood. Of course, my current two cats are lazy and hopeless hunters - our neighbors make fun of them. So perhaps not as much help there. That said, the chances of a cat pooping on a hard deck are approximately zero. There is no way they would poop (1) our in the open, (2) without some leaves/sand/dirt to scrape and cover it up.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate that cats are allowed to roam free. There is a male cat that comes by every day and sprays all around our house and poops in our mulch. It's gross and it drives our dogs crazy. I think there should be the same laws in place for cats as there are for dogs. Cats can be really aggressive if they feel threatened and cat scratches can be really nasty.

Fixed that for you.
Cats and dogs are entirely different creatures, just like dogs and children, cats and ducks, rats and cows. The same rules cannot apply. But based on this post, you seem really annoying, and I hope that cat poops in your yard every day until you move.

My dog needed stitches because it cornered a cat in my yard and the cat sliced his nose open. I want to know why you think cats should be allowed to roam free? I contain and clean up after my dogs, why shouldn't you have to contain and clean up after your cat? What would you have said if I hadn't been able to break up the fight between your cat and my dog in my yard and your cat was killed?

Your dog learned a valuable lesson that day: stay the fuck away from cats.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Next thing you know, OP will be complaining about the feral rat population, once she convinces the powers that be that all cats must remain indoors.

I don't think cats kill rats. Rats are too big/aggressive. Someone who knows more on cats please chime in here. But it's well established that cats kill songbirds; huge numbers; big problem there.

Our cat kills rats half its size, rabbits, voles, moles and yes, slow witted robins. Other birds are generally too fast for her to catch. The hills and dales of AU Park are vermin free within her one block perimeter.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate that cats are allowed to roam free. There is a male cat that comes by every day and sprays all around our house and poops in our mulch. It's gross and it drives our dogs crazy. I think there should be the same laws in place for cats as there are for dogs. Cats can be really aggressive if they feel threatened and cat scratches can be really nasty.

Fixed that for you.
Cats and dogs are entirely different creatures, just like dogs and children, cats and ducks, rats and cows. The same rules cannot apply. But based on this post, you seem really annoying, and I hope that cat poops in your yard every day until you move.

My dog needed stitches because it cornered a cat in my yard and the cat sliced his nose open. I want to know why you think cats should be allowed to roam free? I contain and clean up after my dogs, why shouldn't you have to contain and clean up after your cat? What would you have said if I hadn't been able to break up the fight between your cat and my dog in my yard and your cat was killed?

You can try putting moth balls around your property. Sometimes that will keep cats away. Just make sure your kids don't find them. You can also spray the cat with water every time you see him. Or pop him with a BB gun. Just make sure you are far enough away that it doesn't actually harm them. Eventually he'll stay out of your yard.

I hate cats in my yard more than just about anything. They are so gross.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate that cats are allowed to roam free. There is a male cat that comes by every day and sprays all around our house and poops in our mulch. It's gross and it drives our dogs crazy. I think there should be the same laws in place for cats as there are for dogs. Cats can be really aggressive if they feel threatened and cat scratches can be really nasty.

Fixed that for you.
Cats and dogs are entirely different creatures, just like dogs and children, cats and ducks, rats and cows. The same rules cannot apply. But based on this post, you seem really annoying, and I hope that cat poops in your yard every day until you move.

NP:

Wow, strike a personal button?

Why cat owners think they are above pet laws is beyond me. It's safer for all involved if the cat stays inside, and it's common courtesy to your neighbors. I have to pick up cat poop off my deck almost daily before I can let my dog or child out in my own yard. That isn't fair.

+1
These same owners will be screaming like banshees if dog owners don't pick up. Hypocrites.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate that cats are allowed to roam free. There is a male cat that comes by every day and sprays all around our house and poops in our mulch. It's gross and it drives our dogs crazy. I think there should be the same laws in place for cats as there are for dogs. Cats can be really aggressive if they feel threatened and cat scratches can be really nasty.

Fixed that for you.
Cats and dogs are entirely different creatures, just like dogs and children, cats and ducks, rats and cows. The same rules cannot apply. But based on this post, you seem really annoying, and I hope that cat poops in your yard every day until you move.

NP:

Wow, strike a personal button?

Why cat owners think they are above pet laws is beyond me. It's safer for all involved if the cat stays inside, and it's common courtesy to your neighbors. I have to pick up cat poop off my deck almost daily before I can let my dog or child out in my own yard. That isn't fair.

Are you sure its cat poop? (different pp here). It could be racoon or squirrel or similar, or a very large rat. They do huge poops.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate that cats are allowed to roam free. There is a male cat that comes by every day and sprays all around our house and poops in our mulch. It's gross and it drives our dogs crazy. I think there should be the same laws in place for cats as there are for dogs. Cats can be really aggressive if they feel threatened and cat scratches can be really nasty.

Fixed that for you.
Cats and dogs are entirely different creatures, just like dogs and children, cats and ducks, rats and cows. The same rules cannot apply. But based on this post, you seem really annoying, and I hope that cat poops in your yard every day until you move.

NP:

Wow, strike a personal button?

Why cat owners think they are above pet laws is beyond me. It's safer for all involved if the cat stays inside, and it's common courtesy to your neighbors. I have to pick up cat poop off my deck almost daily before I can let my dog or child out in my own yard. That isn't fair.

Anonymous wrote:I hate that cats are allowed to roam free. There is a male cat that comes by every day and sprays all around our house and poops in our mulch. It's gross and it drives our dogs crazy. I think there should be the same laws in place for cats as there are for dogs. Cats can be really aggressive if they feel threatened and cat scratches can be really nasty.

Fixed that for you.
Cats and dogs are entirely different creatures, just like dogs and children, cats and ducks, rats and cows. The same rules cannot apply. But based on this post, you seem really annoying, and I hope that cat poops in your yard every day until you move.