No More Mr. Nice Meow

I don't really have anything against cats. Honest.

After having been a "dog "person" all my life, I ended up owning a couple of cats for awhile. They are fascinating creatures, to say the least. Yes, they cough up hairballs the size of Buicks and try to scratch your eyeballs out, but they are pretty darned cute when they hop up on your lap and curl up to spend good, quality purring time with you.

But I have always hated the fact that cats are not subject to the laws aimed at restraining dogs. A cop can write you a ticket for having your dog off of a leash, but your cat can wander the county for days on end. How is that OK?

Cats are independent! Cats are natural hunters! They need the freedom of the great outdoors!

So much for that freedom when a cat ran out in front of my car and became one with the tire. It was AWFUL. That was probably someone's pet. And they didn't have to die like that. But what do you expect when you let them roam around your neighborhood?

A Boulder, Colorado official wants to clamp down on a feline's free spirited ways by pushing an ordinance that would require cats stay INSIDE.

What's so awful about that? Our cats were strictly indoor cats and they were the happiest cats on earth. Cats don't HAVE to run free outside. They can live perfectly content lives within the confines of your house.

I hope ordinances like this gain ground all over the country. It's bad enough dodging the wild turkeys, coyotes, and jack rabbits. I don't want to have to dodge your cat as it tries to beat my car.

This doesn't even take into account that loose cats can come into your yard and do their thing. They can leave diseases that both your pets and your family can contract. They can even leave fleas for your poor dog who was just minding their own business.

Cats are fine. Just keep them inside, curled up by the fireplace. No more Mr. Nice Meow.