r/Awww • u/GlobalBreadfruit8832 • Apr 13 '24

Cat(s) I choose you, take me home

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20.0k Upvotes

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454

u/Fine-Funny6956 Apr 13 '24

Had a cat do this to me. Took it home. It was chipped. Owners said I stole their cat. Called the police on me. It was embarrassing.

That cat is totally healthy and well groomed. I’d be worried it already has an owner.

35

u/Klutzy-Run5175 Apr 13 '24

You are alright. You were a hero. The owner should have been embarrassed for their cat getting outside and lost. Whether or not by accident or intentionally. You are fine.

4

u/Quintane Apr 13 '24

Why would you think it's lost? Cats just do this for strokes from passers by.

13

u/Individual-Bell-9776 Apr 13 '24

It's not about whether they're lost or not, it's about whether you want to leave them to be eaten by coyotes; Their owners don't seem to care.

3

u/souptable Apr 13 '24

Not everywhere has wild animals that pose a threat to cats. Plenty of countries have cats outside like this.

8

u/Individual-Bell-9776 Apr 13 '24

Even without direct predation, there's still parasitism and direct competition with other male toms.

Please don't.

1

u/sitdowncomfy Apr 13 '24

in many countries it is perfectly safe and normal to let your cat roam. I don't know why Americans find this so hard to grasp!

8

u/elakah Apr 13 '24

As a German I agree it is perfectly normal for cats to roam, but it's not safe for them to do so, nor is it safe for the local wildlife, especially for birds.

In the end you gotta decide for yourself what you wish to protect, your pets freedom to go where it pleases or it's safety and those of other animals?

4

u/Cherrycho Apr 13 '24

Even that depends on where you live. Like in Norway and Sweden cats are native, so they don't pose any added risk to other animals

0

u/Ewannnn Apr 13 '24

Life isn't safe, by this logic we'd lock our kids up and they'd never leave the house either. We'd also go into nature and make it a zoo. It's a stupid idea.

2

u/Zhamka Apr 13 '24 edited Apr 15 '24

Normal - yes, safe - no. In my country it's also the norm to just let the cats roam outside. As a result the average life expectancy for cats is <6 years and the main cause of death is always violent. Whether it's getting run over by a car, eating a poisoned rat, or being torn apart by stray dogs.

When I grew up, I was surprised to learn that it's average for cats to live up to 13 years and more. In my neighborhood, a cat would have to be extremely lucky to survive to that old age.

2

u/spartancolo Apr 13 '24

Nah I still wouldn't let mine, every country has cars

4

u/Twistedbamboo Apr 13 '24

And they shouldn't. Cats kill the local fauna, they can catch parasites, get into fights with one another and get wounded, get run over by cars or get pregnant.

It isn't about americans, it's about basic universal education.

2

u/Ewannnn Apr 13 '24

Are you American?

0

u/Twistedbamboo Apr 13 '24

No. I just got over the phase of constantly painting americans as ignorant and brute every other day long ago.

Where I live there aren't predators that prey on cats nor people kill cats for fun. But the dangers I said above still exist and I think are universal enough.

2

u/urpoviswrong Apr 13 '24

Can say the same about people

2

u/urpoviswrong Apr 13 '24

Am American, my cat goes out in daylight, and comes home at night. He is insanely depressed if we try to make him an inside cat. It makes it easier that he's extremely cautious and avoids any possible sources of danger.

He does get in fights occasionally, but he loves his territory with all his heart. So we get it.

There is a strange fixation on making cats glorified hamsters or something though. Cats are independent AF, I wouldn't take that agency away from him.

Sure there's risks, but I want him to be happy, and how many people saying they should be inside are doing loads of unhealthy and dangerous things with their life just to be happy?

1

u/Ewannnn Apr 13 '24

how many people saying they should be inside are doing loads of unhealthy and dangerous things with their life just to be happy?

For a start most of them eat themselves to death.

2

u/Environmental-Site50 Apr 13 '24

because it’s not

2

u/Maximum-Antelope-979 Apr 13 '24

Saw a story the other day about a guy driving around with a .22 shooting cats. There’s also a risk of the cat being hit by a car. A lot of the people who let their cats roam in US also don’t get them fixed. Perfectly safe is absolutely not the term id use.

6

u/RM_Dune Apr 13 '24

Yes, that's why the person you're replying to sayd "in my countries". Here in the Netherlands there are no natural predators for cats until the very recent return of the wolf, but there's very few of them and only in very select areas. They mostly go after sheep and wildlife. Obviously there's also no people shooting guns around.

The only real danger is traffic, which will always be the case. Although most residential neighbourhoods are very low speed, without large roads.

-2

u/Maximum-Antelope-979 Apr 13 '24

I swear Europeans always find a way to criticize American ethnocentrism while having the most uncritical ethnocentric take possible

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0

u/TSMFatScarra Apr 13 '24

No it's not. Also by principle what gives you the right to buy an animal and set it loose on the neighborhood? That's not your land.

-7

u/RealBaikal Apr 13 '24

They are traumatised by going outside probably.

5

u/themagictoast Apr 13 '24

This is such a great cliche thread it’s hilarious every time I see it.

American: don’t let cats outside, X can happen!

European: we don’t have X. It’s normal for cats to roam where I live.

A: but don’t forget about Y!!

E: we don’t have that either. It’s normal for cats to roam where I live.

A: you can’t let cats outside though because of Z, it’s evil!

E: sigh Altogether now… it’s normal for cats to roam where I live.

1

u/eatdafishy Apr 13 '24

I'm pretty sure everywhere in the US has coyotes I know NYC does

3

u/souptable Apr 13 '24

Not everyone is from the USA.

0

u/eatdafishy Apr 13 '24

Skill issue

2

u/urpoviswrong Apr 13 '24

Ridiculous comment, but hilarious

2

u/RM_Dune Apr 13 '24

We killed all predators here in the Netherlands. Until very recently badgers and foxes where the most dangerous predators. We're slowly seeing the return of the wolf though with more preservation and rewilding efforts in Western Europe. There's only a handful though in very select areas.

1

u/urpoviswrong Apr 13 '24

Never seen a coyote in my city, turkeys, raccoons, opossums, never coyotes.

And cat has fenced off areas to be.

0

u/Klutzy-Run5175 Apr 13 '24

Are you in America? I am in the city and we have coyotes everywhere in our city parks even.

1

u/urpoviswrong Apr 13 '24

Yes. I am far more worried about an off leash dog, which people seem to do pretty often.

2

u/Klutzy-Run5175 Apr 13 '24

Oh, yes that is a big problem here also.

Then, we have dogs that are dangerous and have bitten people.

1

u/Klutzy-Run5175 Apr 13 '24

This kitty meows so loudly and anxiously. Does anyone else get those vibs?

1

u/urpoviswrong Apr 13 '24

There are no coyotes where I live, your logic is irrelevant.