From the department of stupid ideas comes this AP story:
LINCOLN, Neb. - If city officials get their way, cats roaming the streets here freely may be a thing of the past. Attorneys are drafting a cat-at-large law aimed at eliminating strays by requiring that cats be on leashes when not on their owners' property. Officials have cited both health and annoyance concerns.No cases of rabies in cats has been reported in Lancaster County this year, but rabies in cats have been reported elsewhere in the state.
Cats are one of the most common, domestic transmitters of the deadly disease nationwide, said Jim Weverka, director of Animal Control.
Jim Weverka's assertion "Cats are one of the most common domestic transmitters" of rabies sounds like one of those quick stats off the top of the head. I'd like to see some data on that. I know you live in another state, but I've never heard of rabies in cats here in NC. Cats who get vet care are REQUIRED to have the rabies vaccine, but of course there are strays. Foxes and racoons are the notorious carriers here, and I suppose ferel cats would have exposure. Still, never heard of rabid cats.
Posted by: Indigo at June 16, 2004 10:48 PMI think so too. When Kimo bit and scratched me so badly during the Winter, even though they couldn't catch the cat, the doctors decided that rabies in rural cats was so rare they didn't bother giving me the shots.
Posted by: Jeff Soyer at June 17, 2004 11:11 AMMy cats do very well soley indoors and I feel this is the best for them. It does require the litter boxes which I am diligent about. I think seeing so many tiny bodies on roadways makes me glad to do the little service of the box and keep them where they are safe.
Posted by: DancingRainGirl at June 23, 2004 03:19 AMI have two neighbors with cats. One walks both her dog and cat on a leash. They get along fantastically and its a trip to see the dog (a beagle) try to follow the cat around, jumping up where he does and walking on guard rails, etc. Very funny. cat is very well adjusted.
The other neighbor likes to leave her cats outside, but since we live near a major intersection, doesnt want them run over. She has constructed what I think is the first escape proof fence for a cat. It attaches to the top of the brick wall and wooden fence in her backyard about 6 ft high. It then slopes in (like a barbed wire fence slopes out) another 2 feet or so in hieght. But instead of using barbed wire, she has netting around it. Its been very protective of her cats
Posted by: countertop at June 29, 2004 12:37 AM"This basically means you can't let your cats outdoors since no known fence can keep them in."
www.friendlyfence.com. This stuff is revolutionizing people who used to think as you do.