I'm admittedly not a cat person, but I've never been threatened by one either and don't forsee it happening, at least not to a degree that I fear for my life!!. Certainly a cat doing #2 in the yard is not the same as a Pit Bull doing a number on your pet in your yard. I think there are usually better alternatives (pepper spray, police, animal control, etc.) but when an animal is threatening you or your pet's life or proposing serious bodily harm against you or your animal, particularly on your property, I believe that the use of a firearm may be warranted.george wrote: A cat has no business roaming free.
You are as ignorant of where it roams as the dog owner is.
From a previous post of mine on this topic:
I want to be very clear: I'm not advocating killling a dog just because it attacked, is about to attack or has killed another animal. Obviously a small dog that attacks a loose chicken is not the same as a large, ferocious dog that attacks a child, but the law apparently does provide for legal response to dog attacks on other animals. I couldn't find anything related directly to attacks on humans by dogs, but personally I would apply the same reasoning as I would with human on human. If an animal threatens imminent bodily harm, can't retreat, etc., I would use the force required to stop the threat or allow retreat. No more. Depending on the dog (size, ferocity, already attacking, inability to stop the threat w/o deadly force, etc.), that could include deadly force. Hopefully that never happens....
From the Health and Safety Code (Texas)
§ 822.013. DOGS OR COYOTES THAT ATTACK ANIMALS. (a) A dog
or coyote that is attacking, is about to attack, or has recently
attacked livestock, domestic animals, or fowls may be killed by:
(1) any person witnessing the attack; or
(2) the attacked animal's owner or a person acting on
behalf of the owner if the owner or person has knowledge of the
attack.
(b) A person who kills a dog or coyote as provided by this
section is not liable for damages to the owner, keeper, or person in
control of the dog or coyote.
(c) A person who discovers on the person's property a dog or
coyote known or suspected of having killed livestock, domestic
animals, or fowls may detain or impound the dog or coyote and return
it to its owner or deliver the dog or coyote to the local animal
control authority. The owner of the dog or coyote is liable for all
costs incurred in the capture and care of the dog or coyote and all
damage done by the dog or coyote.
(d) The owner, keeper, or person in control of a dog or
coyote that is known to have attacked livestock, domestic animals,
or fowls shall control the dog or coyote in a manner approved by the
local animal control authority.
(e) A person is not required to acquire a hunting license
under Section 42.002, Parks and Wildlife Code, to kill a dog or
coyote under this section.