On April 22 I discovered that a neighbor’s cat had come on my property and onto my front deck, where it killed two baby juncos. I discovered the baby birds lying on the deck and the cat had already eaten the heads off of both.

The cat was back again the next day at 8:35 a.m. It was back on my deck looking for the nest.

The cat left as it did not find anything as I had removed everything the day before.

I am very upset about this; not at the cat but the cat owner. The Audubon Society Care Center in Oregon has statistics on how many cats are responsible for killing or injuring many song birds.

The following is taken from “The Pet Owner & The Law,” published by Kitsap Animal Control: “Animals at Large; It is unlawful for the owner of a pet or livestock to suffer or permit such an animal to leave the premises of the owner, unless the animal is under physical restraint adequate to the size and nature of the animal or is sufficiently near its owner to be under its owner’s direct control and is obedient to its owner’s commands.

Responsible pet ownership … is serious business.

Each year in the United States there are over one million bites and attacks on humans and domestic animals. Most of these incidents are preventable with proper pet obedience training, spaying/neutering, and by exercising control over your pet’s activities. Free roaming pets are illegal.”

All I ask is that you keep your pets off my property. And, I do not feel this is asking too much of you to be a responsible pet owner and obey the laws of Kitsap County.

Barbara Wilhite

Bremerton