Daddy Kiril does not drive a car...he walks, bikes, and uses Mass Transit/Commuter Trains, to get around, originally in southern California, where we used to live, from Santa Barbara in the north, to San Diego in the south, and from San Pedro/Santa Monica/Malibu, in the west, to San Bernardino, Riverside, and Temecula, in the east, even up into the mountains themselves and, since Sept. 2012, here in Houston (He’s made it as far out as Spring, Pasadena and La Porte).
On his travels, day, and night, he often sees feral cats, and cats with homes whose humans let them outdoors.
It occurred to him and Nikita that it would be cool if he took pictures of his feline encounters, and Nikita shared them here, for all to enjoy (Street Seens: Cats Outdoors, Thru the Daddy Cam), starting the same month this blog began, January 2010.
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Cat Burgler, Cat with a Death Wish, or just an innocent, though risky, choice of a spot to take an afternoon snooze? - Jan. 7, 2010
When questioned the tough looking feline took the 5th.
Daddy said that a passing human told him the cat lived on the block, in a home with several other kitties.
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They called his photos "Street Seens"...as in scenes that Daddy saw on the streets during his travels.
As regular readers know, since February, I have been covering the reporting by the Houston Chronicle regarding the serious stray dog and cat crisis this city faces.
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Just chillin', on a sunny Friday afternoon, in June 2010.
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Yesterday the human of Rascal & Rocco left a question in the comments: "is he sure these cats he takes pics of around the neighborhood have no homes?"
Daddy & Nikita have, over the years, occasionally discussed how hard it is to tell and daddy replied to Leah this way:
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Busted! This kid is gonna be trouble when he grows up! - Oct. 2010
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"It is more socially & culturally acceptable, in America, and many other nations, especially in the west, for cats to be allowed out of the house (not just on farms, either).
It probably goes back hundreds of years, well before commercial cat litter (1947) and cat foods (dry probably 1890's, canned 1930's) were invented allowing for cats to come indoors on a more permanent basis.
Unless the cat looks rather scruffy, or acts in a less that sociable way, there is no way for me to know if the cat is a true stray/feral cat.
There is no way to know if the cats I see live on the property I see them on, unless I learn that information from someone or see the cat go into a house or garage (and even then they just could be visiting).
There is also no way for me to know if the cats are fixed or micro-chipped, unless told.
I have seen cats do many interesting things and photos I took of a Mother and her 2 kittens (proper parenting in action!) were once noted by a local journalist for the OC Weekly, in Santa Ana, Ca.
While cats are safer and healthier indoors a first step toward getting a handle on the crisis of too many animals on the streets, I think, is education about proper care, including getting animals fixed and also licensed where required."
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A Leash Lion taking its humans out for walkies! - The day after Chrissymouse, 2011.
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Daddy sees cats with collars, some with tags attached, but mostly the cats are collarless, and while he has seen one cat taking its human out for walkies he has never seen any stroller kitties...we hope to replace our broken stroller, someday, so I can get out again and Sneakers can get her first taste of the fun.
I'd love to know your thoughts on this subject, either in the comments or by e-mailing me a link to a post you have written.
NOTE: For more from the Daddy Cam see the Archive! - Street Seens: Cats Outdoors, Thru the Daddy Cam.
itz bee veree hard ta tell bout catz round heer two...while we live within bout 3 miles oh two highways, peepulz still let kittehz roam.....coz therz nothin but houzez for as far az de eye can see....we HOPE all de kittehz we haz seen pass thru...haza home...
sneakers...enjoy yur stroller time if it getz mended !!
happee week two all
Posted by: da tabbies o trout towne | March 24, 2014 at 10:59 AM