Rel said:
Then again, we don't seem to be running out of songbirds.
There also isn't any real shortage of cats.
I DID (emphasis on DID) have a pair of Ring Necked Doves living in our backyard. They're not native to Missouri, they probablly got thier up the Mississipi Flyway & along the Missouri River.
Haven't seen them since the cat moved in.
Stray cats are decimating Hawaii's native fauna. Some rare birds might not survive.
The simple fact is that if you have a cat it is for 1 of 3 purposes:
1. Breeding/Showing. This is the high priced world of the show-cat.
2. Companion-ship. This is what most cats are kept for now-days.
3. Pest Control. Aside from rural farms, stray cats ARE the vermin now.
If you want the cat as a companion, keep it inside. (or live on enough land it's in a pretty safe location.
Next to a busy county road, on a small lot, next to a lot of neighbors that don't want cat poo/urine in their yards is NOT being a good owner.
I have recieved Confirmation from Animal Control that the kitty is a "Dead cat Walking". If they pick it up (which can happen if I trap it on my property or they respond to an anonomous tip about an unregistered feline running loose), they'll let the owner know they have it. If the owner has the cat registered & copies that its shots are up to date, they'll return it.
If it's not registered, she'll have to apply for a registration tag & pay an 'impound fee'. In order to get the Registration tag, she has to prove all its shots are up to date, if not, they'll do it for her (it won't be cheap). The cat doesn't have to be spayed/neutered (that'd tick off any breeder wouldn't it), but the Animal Control has a local vet who'll do it pretty cheap.
If she can't/won's pay for kitty's tab. It goes up for adoption, unless it's wild (this one is). If it's wild, and doesn't calm down around human interaction over 2 weeks or so.
Kitty takes a trip to the 'special room'.
I don't WANY something bad to happen to the cat. The owner is leaving me little choice. SHe won't even
attempt to try to change it's behavior or work with me on some sort of compremise (say, only letting it out after I get off work & on weekends so we can shoo it off).
I can't reason with the cat.
The owner WON'T reason with me.
The city says un-registered cats NEED to be brought to their attetion to keep the stray count low.
This weekend I'll try to locate some of the products posted about keeping feral cats away.
As for telling the Landlord. One of my neighbors knows him, so I'll talk to her about what sort of guy he is.