Posted on 05/24/2009 2:34:10 PM PDT by JoeProBono
LODI, Calif. -- A community controversy is brewing in Lodi.
A neighbor posted a sign with the words, "Hit a cat, I'll hit your kid." Some neighbors said they are concerned their children's lives are being threatened.
"Basically what this is saying is: Hit a cat and I'll hit your kid," said Tina Teixeira.
Teixeira got a lot of attention after she put the sign up in front of her West Elm Street home in Lodi.
"You don't want me to hit your kid so don't hit mine. You hurt mine, that is just like if I went over and ran over your kid. Basically, that is what I was intending," said Teixeira.
Teixeira said she decided to take action after a driver ran over and killed her cat on the bike lane on Friday.
Some parents were outraged over her cardboard note.
"Basically she is threatening to hit people's kids," said concerned neighbor Joann Larsen.
"One parent said that I was psychotic," said Teixeira.
Teixeira said she wanted to shock drivers, not harm their kids.
Teixeira said she knows her sign would upset people but she put it up because she is tired of people driving 65 mph on a 35 mph zone.
She said she noticed some cars slowing down and reading her sign so she wrote a new sign.
"After burying the cat and calming down a little bit ... (I realized) that it was a little shock value. It got attention for people, so I thought that I would put it in more understanding terms," said Teixeira.
The revised sign reads: I watch for your kids, so please watch out for mine.
"That is the whole point here is to stop hurting animals," said Teixeira.
Teixeira said she isn't shy about yelling at drivers and even her neighbors. She said she even mentioned she spit on someone to protect her cats.
Only one neighbor wanted to talk about her sign on camera. Others said they wanted to avoid any problems.
"I do like that she changed it," Larsen said.
The animal lover said she can only hope she can keep her cats from losing another life.
Teixeira said some of her feral cats don't like to stay indoors.
She said she hopes her sign will get city leaders to install speed bumps in her neighborhood, which is right near a school.
In Az, after the work day ended, all my neighbors were on foot or on horseback.
Peaceful
I see you like to drown them. There are many homeless cats looking for shelter and food. Do the right thing and HELP them not kill them. GOd born them...you have no right to decide if they should live or die because of your ‘precious’ property. Tell me, do you kill birds? Birds bring over 60 diseases to your backyard. are you a hypocrit?
There are thousands of people and organzations doing TNR...and feeding them. Leave them be...either help or stay out of it.
Last year a hawk was eating a bird ALIVE in my back yard....
It’s like I always tell the PETA types, “When animals stop eating each other for food, then we’ll talk.”
That will get you a felony and a seat in hell. But, I have a feeling it's not your first felony.
Don’t put me in the category of peta..they don’t like people owning animals period.
>>That will get you a felony and a seat in hell. But, I have a feeling it’s not your first felony.<<
Yeah, my felony is thinking like a male. You, of course will be innocent of that charge. And that is a good thing. ;)
>>That will get you...a seat in hell.<<
On what grounds? Just curious.
:)
How are those peta meetings? The snacks must suck.
Enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAt1z_TgPQ4
The article says the cats are feral! It means they are killing and eating native animals. The humane solution is to call the animal control to remove them...
Do you have a better idea? If so, I would love to hear about it...<<
I poisoned a rat once. I feel just awful! No, not really.
Fawn is operating of pure emotion, which is very useful for many things, but kinda useless, and sometimes dangerous on issues like this - and voting.
>>GOd born them...you have no right to decide if they should live or die because of your ‘precious’ property.<<
Holy cow, female, God created all of creation.
That is why we call it “creation”. How about trees, gnats, field mice, etc. Get a grip.
Human beings, being special and made in the image of God, have been granted authority over nature. We actually do have the GOD GIVEN right to decide, beyond humans, what lives and dies, and for what purpose. Think of God as CEO and we are the managers of nature. God does not micromanage. It is ALL natural resources and He has given us authority to manage it. Unless you are worried about feral cats (or any other animals) rising up against their oppressors, a-la Planet of the Apes, you need to get some perspective here. Actually, in that case you would need not perspective, but to be “committed”.
Repeat after me, “They are animals. They are animals. We eat them. They are a natural resource, like wheat.”
Oh dear.
Something similar: my former neighbor's cat eating a bird outside our front window.
The kicker is that the cat was pregnant, and her stupid owners used to put out the food and leave for work. They left a big dog and several cats with no supervision. They didn't even notice as their cats starved (one to death) and their dog got fatter and fatter. What a shame. I tried to tell them.
God takes care of birds but alas depends on people, some of whom are lazy, irresponsible, misguided, and arrogant to look after cats.
Well God bless you for caring for your cat the way you do. Your cat will most likely live longer, suffer less injuries and illnesses and be just as happy playing indoors under your care and attention.
Had a buddy who rented to two gals that had a cat. They let the thing out and the neighbor cat was always fighting with it. Messed him up all the time. The ladies were idiots. They thought keeping the cat indoors was cruel.
No maams, letting the cat OUT was cruel. The thing is getting attacked all the time. Almost got hit by a car a few times. Nothing about letting the cat out was beneficial for that cat.
How sad......too many ignorant people out there...
I think people have watched to many Sylvester and Tweety Bird cartoons and take the role of the old granny that would always hit Sylvester with an umbrella. In the real world, birds are often filthy carriers of disease and cats fulfill well their God-given role of keeping the dirty bird population down. People who love the widdle tweety birds need to keep them in cages and enjoy them there and let the cats do their pest control work in the real world.
Yes she is. I just checked her profile and she is a big supporter of feral cats.
If I learned anything about discussing a passionate topic with someone... you can never change their minds and I won't even try here. (The first hint is when she called me names and said that she was sick of me.)
Ah. A True Believer.
Yes.
Thank you.
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