| The assumption that cat owners are exempt from good animal management and husbandry and are not responsible for keeping their animals confined is an idea whose time needs to end. They cannot on one hand claim the cat is not domestic and subject to domestic animal laws and on the other claim ownership and the rights to defend. If the dog were running at large and on the cat's property, then defense of the cat would be legally and morally permissable. The cat was the trespasser and the cat owner was the irresponsible owner. If your dog is found in a farmer's pasture where his livestock is, he can shoot your dog. He cannot put a lamb into your property and then claim to be defending it.
Cats running at large have become a large urban problem and they need to come under animal control laws just as other animals do. If owners allow their cats to run the neighborhood, then they are willingly and knowingly taking the risks with those lives. They do not get to punish and of all things kill the animals belonging to responsible owners to compensate for their own lack of attention and responsibility. That is indenfensible.  |