Obese pets

[NickyJ]

And yeah, that's the other reason. Many owners don't have a good concept of what overweight is. I'm not an owner, but if asked, I wouldn't see anything noticeably" wrong with it.

Going off of that picture, I would suspect something is wrong. The abdomen is sagging to low for a German Shepherd.

 

[Winner]

Friend made a nifty cat toy for when he was out to work. He screwed on of these http://www.amazon.co.uk/Amazing-Powered-Flying-Fluttering-Butterfly/dp/B003T7K8J4 on a frame near a sunlit window, so the sun will hit it during the afternoon.

The cats are so taken with this toy, they will be waiting around the toy long before the sun will hit it. Then when the first rays hit it they go into that silly "tiger crouch". Then it's pandemonium for half an hour until they got the top half separated from the bottom half.

My cat loves chasing a laser pointer, ping-pong balls, stuff like that. He's quite good at catching stuff in the air. However, he's getting lazy - he used to be much more active.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

My cat loves chasing a laser pointer, ping-pong balls, stuff like that. He's quite good at catching stuff in the air. However, he's getting lazy - he used to be much more active.

My cat just stares at toys and doesn't do anything. But one time I bought some peacock feathers at a yard sale (5 for a dollar, real ones by the way) and he had them all demolished in a week.

 

[ParkCungHee]

Your kidding right?

No I'm not. I'm not doubting the dog is overweight. I'm just saying I wouldn't find it noticeable.

Could bulldogs survive in the wild?

Probably not.

 

[Rashiminos]

I dont even get how you let a pet get that obese.

You feed it pet food.

 

[Camikaze]

It's illegal to let cats out at night in Oz?

To protect the local fauna, since cats are very good at killing native bird species.

Though note it's entirely up to the local council (they set cat regulations as far as I can tell). It's not illegal where I live, AFAIK. NSW law doesn't require councils to prevent cats being let out overnight.

 

[naterator]

My cat once escaped from the house. 5 minutes later he was meowing at the back door wanting back in.

My brothers cat got out once, she couldn't find the screen door that she broke out of, but she did find the window by his bed. He awoke to her meowing and meowing, he flung the curtain open to see what she was meowing at, and she was hanging from the outside of the screen with her little face pressed up against it.

People with obese pets should have those pets taken away from them.

Great idea! Then we can give the obese pets to the long lines of people who are on waiting lists at their local shelters to adopt the next stray to be found! Win-win!

My boy-cat is kind of fat though but that's cause a stupid old lady puts out food for strays & he eats some of that. Also, he's very lazy.

That's no excuse, please surrender the cat/victim, you monster.

 

[7ronin]

Our neighborhood is self regulating with regard to late night cats: we have coyotes roaming around.

 

[cardgame]

My dogs always have access to food. Their bowl is never empty and occasionally they will get table scraps. They're not fat at all though

 

[amadeus]

People with obese pets should have those pets taken away from them.

Yes! All unautorized pets must be confiscated by the Ministerium für Staatssicherheit.

 

[GinandTonic]

Though note it's entirely up to the local council (they set cat regulations as far as I can tell). It's not illegal where I live, AFAIK. NSW law doesn't require councils to prevent cats being let out overnight.

Our neighborhood is self regulating with regard to late night cats: we have coyotes roaming around.

Why in gods name would there be an issue with cats out at night? Thats the core of what cats are and do, the whole point of cats. Banning cats going out at night is like banning dogs from fetching sticks. I honestly cannot understand why there would be the slightest motivation to do such a thing.

Why in gods name?

 

[Ataxerxes]

Why in gods name would there be an issue with cats out at night? Thats the core of what cats are and do, the whole point of cats. Banning cats going out at night is like banning dogs from fetching sticks. I honestly cannot understand why there would be the slightest motivation to do such a thing.

Why in gods name?

7ronin gave a very good reason. In areas with coyotes your cat will be dead within the year. Coyotes where I live have no qualms or fears about coming into your yard and up to your house. That's not being a responsible owner. Also, cats do damage the local flora and fauna, they're still hunters and enjoy killing, even when they get enough to eat.

 

[GinandTonic]

7ronin gave a very good reason. In areas with coyotes your cat will be dead within the year. Coyotes where I live have no qualms or fears about coming into your yard and up to your house. That's not being a responsible owner. Also, cats do damage the local flora and fauna, they're still hunters and enjoy killing, even when they get enough to eat.

The local wildlife issue has nothing to do with time of day. If wildlife was the issue ban cats or mandate those little bells on the collar.

Oz has a noticeable absence of Coyotes, and I really dont believe in any modern city in the developed world a cat faces a greater danger than traffic. A danger much reduced at night. For Coyotes to present a greater danger than traffic the city would have to be awash with vast numbers of slavering predators, snatching toddlers from paddling pools and storming butchers shops. Unless butchers look like something from Mad Max or 28 days later this just doesnt hold water.

EDIT

Ozzie butchers shop not ready to face the coyote apocalypse. Note the lack of Mad Max style fortification.

 

[NovaKart]

Maybe it's protection of the local wildlife then. Australia has pretty unique wildlife and cats may not be indigenous to the place. Like the problem they've had with rabbits.

 

[cardgame]

My guess would be that it is to stop them from breeding like rabbits and ending up with strays everywhere.

 

[GinandTonic]

Maybe it's protection of the local wildlife then. Australia has pretty unique wildlife and cats may not be indigenous to the place. Like the problem they've had with rabbits.

My guess would be that it is to stop them from breeding like rabbits and ending up with strays everywhere.

Neither of these relates to why there is a night time only ban. Poor furry buggers.

 

[Camikaze]

The given reason is to protect local wildlife. Not so much the rabbit problem, I think. Bells on collars generally are mandated too, and in some places cats aren't allowed off your property whether it's day or night. I believe cats in particular compete with possums. Possums are nocturnal.

 

[Quintillus]

This thread reminds me of our old neighbors' cats. One of them was very overweight, and would eat food whenever he had the opportunity. Squirrels loved playing with him because they knew they could always outrun him if need be, or climb a fence and be in no danger. This other cat was quite thin, and was a light eater. Two cats in the same house, but very different outcomes. A good illustration of it not always being the people who cause the obesity or lack thereof, but it can certainly also be the individual pet.