I have been visiting the forum for some time and have always found the information exchanged to be very valuable, for which a big thank you to all the regular contributors. I have been prompted to join up and post today because of an incident which occurred this morning - I sort of need to vent.
I have two GRs one is three and the other nine months. Both are trained - neither is 100%perfect but they've both passed KCGC bronze and silver and the older dog has gold. This morning I was heading out for a walk, both on leads, minding our own business. We turned the corner where a woman was cleaning her car and said good morning at which point her two cats subjected my dogs to a totally unprovoked attack. I mean a full on, claws out, fluffed up coat, spitting attack resulting in the cats having claws full of my dogs fur at the end. The attack lasted several minutes and as we tried to leave the area the cats kept coming back -five time in total. The cat owner made no attempt to intervene and just said 'sorry, there's nothing I can do!' My older dog barked, but neither retaliated in any way. What really incenses me is that if the boot was on the other foot no doubt the dog warden and police would have been around to have words with me! These people clearly know their cats are aggressive (I later heard they're referred to locally as the pit bull cats) so why aren't they kept indoors? And don't get me started on cat poo in the flower beds!! Sorry to offload, but I have been seething all day.

omg i am so shocked hope your dogs are ok
i have 6 indoor cats that get on great with my my pointers
i would report the lady as that could easyly of been a child that got attacked

Thank you, they are fine. They seem to have taken it in their stride, although we will see how happy they are to walk past tomorrow. I think I am more shocked!

glad to her your dogs are ok
yes you will be it must of been horrible thing to.witness

I wouldn't condone that course of action myself, I don't wish them any harm but I would like to walk past unmolested!! Added to which I am aware that the youngster has a second fear phase to go through yet and I would prefer her not to be scared of cats.

Me too and again yet another comment which is suggesting people break the law and also incite animal cruelty.. I'm sick of these comments yet should I comment like this they are edited and threads locked... Totally amazed at this place these days.

I doubt very much if these cats would attack a child !! there is a huge difference between a child and a dog. No doubt one day a dog will retaliate, if indeed the post is genuine then I can understand how cross you are. Just make sure no damage has been done to your dogs and walk away. Its not likely to happen again. I somehow think that a dog would very soon get over the encounter.
I have to agree with you.. some very peculiar suggestions this week end... I would imagine they are being posted to elicit a response and for no other reason.
Posting poo through letterboxes and setting rat traps for cats.... a strange mind at work....
Aileen

Why don't you walk on the other side of the road from their house then? Sorry if I sound unsympathetic but cats and dogs have been having spats  for centuries, are we really going to go down the path of making all cats live inside!!

If I've been doing street walks with mine or clients dogs and we see a cat which is clearly going to stand it's ground we cross the road, nothing more to it than that.

I assure you this is genuine. And yes I will be crossing the road in future, but I have used that route for 15 years without incident until today. I know cats and dogs don't get on and always encourage the dogs to ignore cats, horses etc. when out and about.

Didn't know they even had cats till today. They appeared out of nowhere.

Are you for real?? You must be rubbing your hands with glee posting all this rubbish. Where's admin in all of this?

Shakes head in despair and thinks about walking away - not sure why you think your posts are informative or of help to anyone at all - I personally find them offensive.

I would cross the road and hope not to encounter these cats again - at least one of my dogs wouldn't back down if this happened to them but there is no way I would class the cats as vermin ( there are enough people around who think this about dogs) and I certainly wouldn't encourage anyone to set out to maim the cats.

I don't think your comment was made tongue in cheek - more whole head stuck up somewhere the sun don't shine . Or maybe it was a comment made knowing that people would bite back - in which case I am guilty of that but that's not something a forum needs and I thought those who are deemed to be trouble makers for whatever reason - weren't welcome?

I've not met a cat yet that would go after a person outside and I've known a few evil cats so I'd just keep an eye out for them and shoo them off before they get to the dogs.

I am sorry if I am not editing or locking threads as quickly as you might like - I do have other things to do.

I am sorry I am not editing or locking threads as quickly as you would like - I do have other things to do and and would point out that Admin run/administer the site whilst Moderators are volunteers and quite different.
Once comments that are considered offensive are reported all Mods do their best to edit and remove - often offensive posts are removed before they are even noticed/reported.
Thank you for your understanding.
Jeff.

Hi Harley, I have not edited your response even though I have deleted some of the comments it relates to - if you would like me to please let me know.
I would agree that some do seem to post purely for a response and I, along with other mods, try to edit this however I try to be even handed when someone posts for advice and gets ripped apart by those with considerably more experience - many people ask me to view them as "troublemakers" also.
Kind regards,
Jeff.

I have had cats attack my dogs, very rarely, actually not in last 20 years. 

Cats are not treated in law the same as dogs, more like wild animals, and if your dog did kill one, say in your garden, it would still be treated as such, unless you were found to deliberately be hunting them.

Jeff I completely understand, tbh I think you probably realise my problem is not with yourself but admin and some posters and the way this forum is heading of late.
You do a great job and you do have a life beyond this forum, it shouldn't get to the state that actually you really need to be getting involved in the first place.

I would like to apologise for being the cause of all this. The incident this morning really shook me up, I certainly didn't intend to create the hassle that has ensued and I apologise unreservedly.

It's not your post, all the responses bar one have been fine. You have every right to post what you have and we all need to vent. It probably shook you up, when cats want to go, they do go and it's actually pretty scary.
Please don't apologise at all as you've not said or done anything to warrant that.
Cats are unpredictable and if this is the first time you've seen them then I'm guessing unless this lady is outside again they aren't likely to be sitting around there again?

Thank you for that. I very much appreciate your response.

RozzieRetriever you are in no way to blame for the discord on this thread. It wasn't your post that caused offence and there is no need at all for you to apologise- it was the replies from another member who should know better and hopefully will have the good grace to apologise for the remarks made.

Regarding the suggestion that the cats may not attack a child..I wouldn't be too sure.
We were invited for dinner and our host warned us about their cats..they attack people in their garden apparently.
When we arrived the people were out waiting for us "just in case" and the two cats were arched an hissing as we went into the house.
They go in for the kill, all teeth and claws apparently.

> Posting poo through letterboxes

Aileen, this was extremely tongue in cheek and I would be astounded that those who know me thought otherwise.  It was in response to someone having dog poo bags thrown on their property, which I am sure that you wouldn't like either.

If anyone took my post seriously it should not be someone who is used to my posts.  I am amazed that you thought that it was serious.

Jean I know your responce was tounge in cheek it was this one :-

"It would not be the first time & wont be the last, you could heighten the impact by putting some rubber golves & getting a few poo bags out of a park dog mess only bin & dumping the, through, you could also send some through the post if you find their addy & devising an envelope which would get their without 'spilling the beans'! Those & other similar means work well from what I have been told & why stop at dog wast, put up with a some moments of discomfort & use your own human wast.....if you find all that outside your personal tolerance levels then I think I might put myself up for hire.........its got quite a job satisfaction appeal!"

that went over the top...
Aileen

this was extremely tongue in cheek

Yea right
.

I am sorry no one has bothered to welcome you to the forum RozzieRetriever - So welcome I too have had a dog (totally unprovoked and out of the blue) attacked by a cat which resulted in the the cat wrapping itself around my dogs head. He was on the lead at the time and we were just walking up our drive. The dog sustained bites to his ears, head and muzzle and was lucky not to lose an eye! Eventually the cat let go, but we were all very upset by the incident. The cat concerned was a neighbours and actually lived with dogs, but for some reason on that particular day she decided that my dog was fair game. You are right and if it had been the other way round, I am sure all hell would have broken loose. Your dogs did brilliantly not to retaliate and all credit to them and you.

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I didn't see the posts that Jeff edited/removed but please remember that the forum is not moderated 24 hours a day or seven days a week (and that includes ADMIN). The "what a terrible forum this is" posts which are now appearing in so many threads, are a slap in the face for everyone involved in the moderating of this site. We all have lives away from this site and although some would seem to expect us to be here as much as they are, it will not happen.

It is very simple - if you see something you don't like report it and then do not respond. The matter will be dealt with as soon as someone is available. Do not respond to such posts and 'feed' them and do not start slagging off the forum because we haven't had time to deal with the posts. From now on such posts will be removed. Please also remember that you have the option to 'ignore' members if you do not agree or like what they have to say.

Thanks Jeff for being around on a Sunday evening to moderate this thread.

Perhaps it might be time for everyone to have another quick read of the Forum Terms and Conditions :

http://forum.champdogs.co.uk/terms.html

There are a couple I think it is worth highlighting.

"Always be respectful of other users, the system, and the moderators. We put the system online in good faith, please use it in good faith."
"You are responsible for your own posts and agree not to hold County Computer Consultants (champdogs.co.uk) liable for any messages posted."

And Biffsmum to answer your question which was posted on Sunday evening at 18.09

> Where's admin in all of this?

I was in the process of eating a very pleasant Mother's Day meal (which had taken me all afternoon to cook) with my family and my wife's parents.

Funnily enough like Jeff, Leigh and all the other moderators I also had far better things to be doing than sorting out petty squabbles on here.

And might I also suggest that in future you use a liberal scattering of smileys in a post if there is a risk your post might be taken the wrong way. That way everyone can tell whether you are joking or not.