Allowing cats to roam outdoors unattended is just as dangerous
and unwise as allowing a toddler to wander down the street
alone. Cats face countless dangers outdoors: They can be hit by
cars, attacked by other animals, or abused by cruel people. They
can contract contagious diseases or parasites. They can be
poisoned by spilled antifreeze or maimed by fan blades when they
crawl into warm vehicle engines on winter days. They can even be
stolen by dogfighters who use them as "bait" or by "bunchers"
who cruise neighborhoods for friendly dogs and cats who can
easily be picked up and sold to dealers, who in turn sell them
to laboratories for use in painful experiments. What's more,
free-roaming cats defecate in gardens and sandboxes and eat
plants on other people's property. Angry, exasperated neighbors
frequently take matters into their own hands. PETA's office
routinely gets calls from people whose cats have been stolen,
shot, poisoned, or tortured to death. Such crimes are rarely
pursued by law enforcement, as