[workerbee]

Well, I'm a serious cat lover, but I don't take offense to what you've said. Feral cats can be a problem anywhere, as they were even in my suburban neighborhood. A person's livelihood, and most certainly their kids, take precedence every time. And cat owners should be held to the same standard as dog owners -- cats do NOT have some sort of privilege to go anywhere they please.

But I do hope you'll reconsider your "cat folk are all liberals" stance. That really hurts! ;-)

[theneanderthal]

"But I do hope you'll reconsider your "cat folk are all liberals" stance. That really hurts! ;-) "

(grin)

I'm in a rural area, and keep horses. If you've got horses you have grain. That means rats. So it's keep cats or snakes.

I prefer cats.

Occasionally feral cats cats show up and kick my cats off their food dish and do battle with Thompson, my tomcat, or beat up on Barnkitty my fixed female, hunter, killer. Thompson kinda earns his keep but he is lazy.

Problem cats are trapped. I send pics to my few neighbors inquiring as to ownership. If the cat is locally owned I tell them I'll let it go in two days. Then it gets a really miserable two days in the cage. Trapped ferals are shot outright.

Very large coyote population around here and I've lost three Thompsons in the last 7 years. Dogs and horses can't be everywhere all the time but they are both death on coyotes. An occasional lure and kill coyote party is held around here to control the numbers.

There's a neighborhood red tailed hawk that frequently flies through the barn looking for a snack. Barnkitty doesn't want a piece of him or her!

[MeganC]

Sorry! It’s just a general observation from personal experience and is not a ‘rule’ of any kind. No offense intended and props to you for being a responsible cat lover!