The woman I met yesterday

kateincornwall

kateincornwall

Location
Cornwall , UK
I really didnt know if I should post this because it sounds so unbelievable but here goes .
I had taken the dogs to Golitha Falls really early , it being bank holiday and a lovely sunny morning to boot . There were one or two familiar dog walkers doing the same as me , avoiding the hoards and so we approached the place where Reuben loves to retrieve in the river , the widest point and as I drew near , I saw a lady standing by the edge, no dog . She saw me coming and said ` Oh no , not more dogs off lead ` , to which I replied that dogs are allowed off lead at Golitha and always have been . She then went on to tell me that she had only moved into the area ten days before and was searching for places suitable to walk her cat who was currently in the car . She must have gauged my surprised expression as I asked if she walked the cat on a lead , ` Oh no ` she replied , ` he likes a little wander around in freedom ` .:facepalm: I went on to tell her that this was a very popular destination for dog walkers and that by 10.a.m. there would be many people and dogs in the wood and by the falls and did she really think it a suitable or safe place to walk a cat off lead ? She appeared to take some offence at this , saying that her cat had just as much right as any dog to walk where it wants to . I responded by mentioning the dangers of the river , she said her cat was sensible :facepalm: but that on my mentioning the Falls , she thought the word Falls should be dropped as they were nothing like real waterfalls and so it was misleading . I rounded by informing her that Golitha Falls had been named thus since the year dot and thought it most unlikely that the powers that be would listen to a protest re the naming of the place . With this , Reuben who had been swimming happily , exited the river and shook himself all over her to which she stated angrily that this obviously was not the place for her and her cat to walk in meditation , thank the Lord for that , thought I x
 
Beanwood

Beanwood

Administrator
How odd. I see nothing wrong in walking a cat though, as long as the cat is comfortable and very safe. In an area like a public wood, this can be very exciting for dogs there is an element of risk for the cat, which would be a terrible tragedy for all concerned.

Remy used to join us all when we walked up the top fields, he doesn't do it any more now he is older. Stoli does that now, racing like a maniac ahead of us, or streaking across a retrieve I have set up in the paddock, I swear the sabotage is deliberate...
 
kateincornwall

kateincornwall

Location
Cornwall , UK
The cat we had when we lived in France used to follow me on walks but this was in our own fields where she used to hang out to hunt every day . To be honest , I came home doubting the existence of the cat in question as it beggars belief that anyone would consider it an ideal location for the cat to walk , what with all the dogs , children and the river running by , a disaster waiting to happen x
 
David

David

Moderator
Staff member
Well cats can swim as our old cat, Tom demonstrated when he fell in the pond. :cwl: I'm not sure how a cat would cope with the combination of falling in with a Lab in hot pursuit AND go over the falls (or rapidly descending rapids as in the case of Golitha :giggl:).

I assume she hasn't got a partner then. Must be a nightmare to live with.
 
SwampDonkey

SwampDonkey

There's nothing wrong with walking a cat but not in a dangerous place. I've walked mine on the front garden and in relatives garden whilst on holiday but I would never endanger my cats like this woman. Colin would wait for us on our return from a walk and walk back with us,. But it was in a safe area. A lot of dogs will kill a cat given the opportunity. I can't believe anyone would put a beloved pet in such a deadly situation. It would be meat on a lead. We have racoons on leads here too and they drive dogs crazy
 
David

David

Moderator
Staff member
SwampDonkey said:
There's nothing wrong with walking a cat but not in a dangerous place. I've walked mine on the front garden and in relatives garden whilst on holiday but I would never endanger my cats like this woman. Colin would wait for us on our return from a walk and walk back with us,. But it was in a safe area. A lot of dogs will kill a cat given the opportunity. I can't believe anyone would put a beloved pet in such a deadly situation. It would be meat on a lead. We have racoons on leads here too and they drive dogs crazy
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Our cat, Tom, would often come with us over the fields when we went for a walk but not very far. He'd stop and go back after a bit. The one worry was a railway line that runs at the back of the house and he had to cross that to come with us. No danger of getting knocked down by a train really, but if he didn't cross at the crossing point he was in danger of getting electrocuted. As he had access to the line all the time we didn't used to worry too much about that. On the dog front, the SBD is afraid of them!
 
Emily_Babbelhund

Emily_Babbelhund

Mama Red HOT Pepper
Location
Regensburg, Germany
It is kind of sad that you can't walk a cat around like you do a dog and I guess she does have the RIGHT to walk her cat there if she wants. Whether that would be a completely nutty thing to do and dangerous for the cat is another question.

It reminds me of the tourists who would always try to sunbathe on the dog beach near my ex-home in California. CAN you sunbathe there? Of course! Will you get salt water shook on you, sand knocked on you by playing dogs and your belongings (or possibly your head) marked/wee-ed on? Of course! 😂
 
SwampDonkey

SwampDonkey

David said:
Our cat, Tom, would often come with us over the fields when we went for a walk but not very far. He'd stop and go back after a bit. The one worry was a railway line that runs at the back of the house and he had to cross that to come with us. No danger of getting knocked down by a train really, but if he didn't cross at the crossing point he was in danger of getting electrocuted. As he had access to the line all the time we didn't used to worry too much about that. On the dog front, the SBD is afraid of them!
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I really miss Colin Moo really loved him. he used to roar like lion when we came home from a walk. He would sit on the fence and sing the neighbours always knew when we were coming home. He was such a clever cat.
 
JES72

JES72

Location
SW London UK
Cats may choose to follow you on a walk but I don’t really get taking a cat for a walk Especially to a specific place. We had cats who would roam on their own, one who liked to roam the neighbours house. My brothers cat will follow him and his girls to the park and wait for them up a nearby tree. I feel sad for cats that are kept inside all the time, although it can be so dangerous for them as they roam on the roads. Theres always one or another cat gone missing on our local community website.
 
Stacia

Stacia

Location
Malvern Worcestershire
My cat would often walk a little way down the lane with me, but that was her choice and she could get into the hedge pronto, I would not term that as taking a cat for a walk. However, I used to walk on a common and there was a couple who brought their cat and took if for an off lead walk, scared me to death when I first saw it as I had three dogs with me! The owners said not to worry, the cat would dive up a tree! They were reasonable people, not like the lady you met!

Once I was walking in the middle of farmland, as I knew the country I knew there were no houses. My one dog suddenly went into a hedge and came out with a cat in his mouth!! I do hope it was alright, they can be damaged internally with no outside visible wound.
 
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