I detest a free-running cat that kills every damned thing it can stalk.
Free-running, or feral if you prefer to call them that, cats are one of the biggest destroyers of song birds and small reptiles.
And they don't do it for food...they do it because they can.
I bell every one I can trap.
Yep, I put traps out for cats.
If the owners will not keep the damn things at home, then I'm gonna trap them, bell them and release them.
I've yet to see a belled cat sneak up on a song bird and kill it.
I've belled a couple more than once.
Don't care if anyone likes it.
I don't currently have a cat, but the ones I have had were inside cats...period.
I feel the same about a feral/free-running dog, but I only handle them when I see them running or harassing my cattle...something I rarely see anyway and have had happen once in 30 years.
I keep dogs on a regular basis, both as pets and working/hunting dogs.
Regardless of what they are, I keep them up...I do not ever allow them to run free, other than in the field under my voice control while either quail or duck hunting.
I've got nearly an entire acre fenced in with chain link and two of my house doors have pet access doors on them.
They have plenty of room to run and come and go as they please.
I detest anyone that puts a dog on a chain.
I understand that a leash is necessary sometimes, but if you're too lazy or stupid to train your dog for voice command and to work off leash, then you shouldn't have the dog.
You’ll be happy to know that when our cat brings home a hapless lizard that she caught, there are no injuries to the animal. She drops it on the floor and bats at it. Meows at us to acknowledge her achievement. We confiscate it and release it back outside.
Re: putting bells on outdoor cats
Good idea. Our indoor/outdoor cats have bells. One is too old to hunt much or go too far beyond the back door. The other one is successful with catching mice but thankfully has never caught a bird. The bell must be doing its job.