Cats should be kept inside
There are lots of reasons to keep cats inside rather than letting them roam.
And the latest should make even non cat-lovers wince.
It seems that here in Lee County, coyotes find felines to be a tasty treat.
Lee County Domestic Animal Services has confirmed that the “severed remains” of three cats “tested positive for coyote DNA,” meaning they were killed – and possibly partly consumed -by the wiley predators that have made their way into area neighborhoods.
Ugh, ugh and triple ugh!
Pet owners near north Cape Coral should take particular note – the coyote confirmation comes in the wake of increased sightings in the city, the agency states, cautioning pet owners “to be vigilant in protecting their pets, particularly cats and small dogs.”
That means not leaving pets outside alone as “pets allowed to roam freely are especially easy prey for coyotes.”
Potential predators are not the only reason to keep cats inside.
For one thing, here in Lee County, it’s illegal to let your cat or dog loose off your property.
Other reasons directly impact the health and welfare of your pet: Roaming pets can pick up diseases; be struck by a car; or become lost, adding to either the overload of strays brought into animal shelters or the feral cat population.
Keeping cats inside also keeps them from doing what outside cats sometimes like to do – stalk the native bird population or make the neighbors crazy by finding that flower bed or vegetable garden, an, umm, enticing draw.
We urge pet owners to do the responsible thing – keep Fluffy inside. There are simply some things you don’t want to chance finding in your backyard if you don’t.
– Neighbor editorial