Keeping cats as indoor cats is definitely catching on more in the UK, thankfully. It's better for the cats and everyone else around them.

I've never understood why people can be fined £1000 for not clearing up their dog's poop but it's fine for people to let their cats crap in other people's gardens. My parents had a terrible time recently. They'd just moved and are very avid gardeners but before they could do anything they always had to go round and check the garden and remove all the cat poop that had piled up since the last time they were out there. My sister had a similar issue, having to go out and check her garden every day before she can play outside with her daughter. In my eyes it's not fair having a pet and just dumping it outside and expecting everyone else to clear up after it, epsecially with the risk of toxoplasmosis.

I also don't get why a dog will be demonised for merely chasing a rabbit or squirrel and yet there's no issue with cats decimating the local wildlife. The songbird population in some areas of the UK is really suffering, partially because of the amount of cats who entertain themselves by playing with them.

It's not that I don't like cats, because I do and I'd have them if it wasn't for my husband's allergies (in fact I may have to test that he's still allergic...) but it bugs the hell out of me that people let them affect others to such a degree. Even back in the UK any cats of ours would have been indoor cats, I don't believe that it's in any way detrimental to a cat's wellbeing as they are properly stimulated. There's always cat runs and it's not impossible to make a garden secure so they can go out without being able to get beyond the boundaries.

It seems to me that if you have an animal it's up to you to keep it from affecting the people around you, not the other way round but a lot of cat owners seem to see it as a right to let their precious kitties terrorise the neighbourhood.