lahti - cats allowed outside?

toxibuny · Post by **toxibuny** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 3:02 am

ok, so we're moving to ahtiala, 10km from lahti. we're taking the cats, but I've heard that cats aren't allowed outside by law. is this true? anyone hear anything about this?

I don't want to keep the kittens locked inside a small flat all the time. one of the reasons we got one on the gropund floor was so we could just let them out...

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Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 9:33 am

Each municipality has it's own rules and sometimes the rules depend on the time of year (eg springtime, nesting season). You should be able to find something on http://www.lahti.fi or try sending them an email.

BTW, even if you are allowed to let your cats out, be careful in rural areas as there are raccoon dogs etc which don't like cats (and vice versa) and some people (and even some municipalities) lay traps for them... you don't want your cat going in to one of those.

The main problem will be your neighbours.... if they are kissafani (what a word

) then you'll be OK but I have a friend who has to keep her two cats indoors because she has had hate mail in her letterbox from a neighbour threatening to kill them

Karhunkoski · Post by **Karhunkoski** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:01 am

I've heard of people shooting cats around here, so be careful if you let them out.

(I like cats, a super pet, always craps in someone else's yard

)

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:14 am

A feral cat is on the "kill on sight" list of unprotected species in the hunting law.

Karhunkoski · Post by **Karhunkoski** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:24 am

Yup, the only problem is the people who can't tell the difference between feral and some kid's pet.

odon · Post by **odon** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 12:30 pm

cats are animals, that will become inside animals, if you keep it inside, they are happy to be in their own "home", we have a cat who when he was young, was running outside and falling in some small stream and catching small birds...

now we are staying in a block of flats on the 5th floor, he is still happy and does not miss going out, but likes to sit on the balcony and chat with his bird friends.....

coming to your question, there is no problem to let your cat out.....but then if your cat gets runover by a car, if there is a road near by...then u will have a bit of a bother with someone coming and making an issue....if there is no road near by then let him out sometimes,...

Tiwaz · Post by **Tiwaz** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 9:22 pm

Karhunkoski wrote:Yup, the only problem is the people who can't tell the difference between feral and some kid's pet.

Which is why it is not good idea to just let your cat go loose unless you are willing to lose it.

Teach kitty to use harness and make sure you put it in leash.

odon · Post by **odon** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 10:17 pm

Tiwaz wrote:
Karhunkoski wrote:Yup, the only problem is the people who can't tell the difference between feral and some kid's pet.
Which is why it is not good idea to just let your cat go loose unless you are willing to lose it.

Teach kitty to use harness and make sure you put it in leash.

i would like to see you walk a cat with a leach

they are really not meant for cats....

Tiwaz · Post by **Tiwaz** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 8:25 am

odon wrote:
Tiwaz wrote:
Karhunkoski wrote:Yup, the only problem is the people who can't tell the difference between feral and some kid's pet.
Which is why it is not good idea to just let your cat go loose unless you are willing to lose it.

Teach kitty to use harness and make sure you put it in leash.
i would like to see you walk a cat with a leach

they are really not meant for cats....

Actually they are. Kitties have harnesses and leashes too.
There was this older lady where I used to live and her cat obediently walked in leash.

Either leash it, or stand to lose it. If you are lucky, some animal shelter volunteer/worker will pick up your stray cat when it is out there.

If you are unlucky, someone exercises their right to get rid of cat on their yard.

Your call really, but if you like your cat you will protect them by confining them to your own yard.

agn71 · Post by **agn71** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 10:22 am

Actually since 2003 we have common Public Order Act which overruns the municipalities own public order regulations. The Public Order Act concerns all public spaces, regardless of who owns the space.

Act in Finnish: http://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/2003/20030612

Law mentiones that dog are needed to keep in leash, but in the other hand law says also that following is also for the cats: "2) pidettävä huolta siitä, ettei koira pääse kytkemättömänä kuntopolulle tai muulle sen kaltaiselle juoksuradalle eikä lainkaan yleiselle uimarannalle, lasten leikkipaikaksi varatulle alueelle, toriaikana torille taikka yleiseen käyttöön kunnostetulle ladulle tai urheilukentälle, jollei se ole erikseen sallittua."

So if cat is not in leash you really cannot guarantee that it doesn't go to publich beach, childrens playground etc. Of course if these places are miles away, but anyway I don't recommend it.

First of all there have been interpertitations that animal protection acts might be used against you if you let cat's run out. Because if you let them out you cannot protect them from different kind threats or hazards.

Secondly cats doesn't belong to Finnish nature, but if you still insist to let them out I hope you have castrated them.

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