Editor:
Re: "Cats ought to be outside" (Coast Reporter letters, March 29).
The question whether a cat belongs outside or inside is a life-long question. There really isn't a proper answer; however, I do believe it's the owners' responsibility to provide a safe, friendly environment for their pets.
On the Coast we have many predators who love little fluffy kittens and small dogs.
Our pets are fair game for raccoons, coyotes, cougars, even raptors. Have you ever witnessed a cat after a raccoon attack or a coyote who chases its prey right into the mouths of its pals? Have you ever cleaned out an eagle's nest, full of pet collars with no pet to be found? These examples are not pretty sights, but it is a fact of survival between predator and prey.
I am a cat owner. I came here for a peaceful kind of existence, to enjoy nature at its finest and to drink in the beauty of the Sunshine Coast. I made a conscious decision to be a responsible pet owner; therefore, I trained my cat to become an indoor pet seven years ago. I didn't want to lose my buddy of 12 years to the ugliness which predators leave behind. Do you?
Cats are killing machines - period. You could chastise the cat until the cows come home, but it doesn't work. Killing is a natural instinct with a cat.
I understand your frustration with the neighbour who could have come to you first before filing a complaint about the cat's behaviour, but by a simple life adjustment, your cat and their birds could live harmoniously.
Pat Jorgensen, Sechelt
