#Middlebury #Cats
DEAR PAW’S CORNER: As an owner of six indoor cats, I would like to respond to your recent article (“Cats shouldn’t get free pass to poop”). In the past two years we have had to pay over $300 for damage done by chipmunks to our car. We cannot have a raised garden here due to rabbits, groundhogs, deer and chipmunks.
When my cats used to be outdoors, I saw very few birds killed by them. Generally, it was mice and moles. My cats would kill snakes and scare off the squirrels.
I brought my cats indoors because of coyotes in the area. Also, one of my cats was attacked by a neighbor and had to be put to sleep.
If there were no cats, you would be totally overrun by mice and rats. How would you like that? I suggest that you print this letter, that you do not shorten it, that you apologize for what you said about cats and that you think twice before you put something like this in writing again. Thank you. – Debra in West Virginia
DEAR DEBRA: I apologize for shortening your letter, but we have limited space. You raise many good points based on your personal experience. Cats do keep many rodents at bay, because they are incredibly good hunters. But they are at grave risk being outdoors, from coyotes, from feral cats carrying diseases and from humans who do evil, foul things.
The article that offended you raised many good points about the damage outdoor cats can do to neighbors’ property, and the danger they pose to small creatures. I’m glad you’re keeping your cats safe indoors. Doesn’t your experience prove the point that cats are safer inside?
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