I answer a question %26 now I am wrong for suggesting that cats should be kept inside. Cats don't always want to go outside as someone has suggested. I have 3 cats %26 2 of them want nothing to do with the outdoors. I have tried, but they just keep trying their hardest to get back inside. I have one who loves the outdoors %26 she does go out but only on a leash when we go for our morning walks. I still think it is better to keep your cat inside where he/she is safe. too much harm can come to an outside cat, not to mention the diseases they can get. There are many crazy people out there who think cats are nothing. When I worked at a shelter we had a pregnant cat come in that someone had tried to cut her head off. Luckily for her someone rescured her %26 she had her babies %26 they all found good homes. That is just one incident, there are several more, but I won't go into details about them because they are just as bad. If I am mean to keep my cats inside so be it. I love them %26 want them safe.
Answers:
in my opinion, you are crazy to let your cat outside unattended. you are a very good cat owner, don't let anyone tell you differently. cats don't NEED to go outside, they can live VERY happy lives inside. both of my cats only go out on a leash.
I feel the same way. It doesn't take long to be in a shelter and realise the fate of many "free-roaming" cats. We have open space where I live and a coyote cafeteria for outside cats around here though our traffic isn't heavy.
I have cat fence-in in my backyard so the six cats I had had more territory to call their own. A lot of problems can develop with too many cats in a small space.
I understand that there are people who feel it is cruel to keep a cat indoors but i am not one of those people. Leaving a cat outside is not cost effective either. I suggest letting your cats back in - it will save you money on vet bills. I don't know any vets who recommend keeping cats outdoors - ever, and I have worked for a vet for 10 years.
As for the cats that want to be out - I let my cats out during the day and keep them in at night. Cats are nocturnal and night is usually when fights occur.
You are not mean by keeping your cats in. Don't worry about what others think. You do what you feel is right for your pets.
Good Luck!
Cats are independent creatures and know how to take care of themselves. As long as they have all their shots and their claws, they will be safe outside.
That said, I don't think you're wrong to keep your kitty indoors. There are the occasional crazy people who want to hurt cats, and your kitty still gets some outside time, it's just supervised.
Personally, I'd love to keep my cat indoors, but she's faster then me. And when she whines to get out I just can't deny her.
No, you are absolutely correct. Indoor cats have a much longer much happier life. I too work for a shelter and have seen what can happen. Then people are surprised when they let thier cats out and they don't come home. "Oh she'e never been gone this long before" Yeah well she may have gotten killed by a predator, hit by a car, killed by a nut, anything.
You are right, keep the cats indoors.
According to my Vet., an inside only cat will live 5+ years longer than a cat allowed outside. The reasons are simple, they are subjected to less interaction with other animals and thus, not introduced to a myriad of diseases carried by other animals.
Cats by nature are not particularly social creatures with other cats and they establish their territory outside. When that is violated by another cat, they fight. Its just the way it is. Fighting cats get cuts, bites and scratches that can and often do become infected. This in turn puts stress on their physiology, effectively shortening their life span. Not to mention the hazards of cars and people who simply hate cats.
An inside cat does need room to be a cat and things to occupy their time and hunter instinct.
I understand your point of view, I have worked in a shelter and you see some appalling cases of abuse, but think carefully, how many of those were truly caused by strangers? Animal abuse is a horrible thing, but is thankfully rare and often the animals are abused by the so-called owners.
Most cats are allowed outside and most will never come to any harm. Some cats are inside cats through choice, and certain breeds are more fond of the sofa than a tree, like persians or siamese, but most cats do need to go outside to behave normally. They are social creatures and like to associate with other cats, they like to chase birds (with a bell so they don't catch any). Without this they can become withdrawn and even overweight.
It's fine to keep your cats inside if that's the best solution for them, but it's important to realise that not all cats would be happy with this kind of arrangement.
It is unsafe for cats to be outside! There are predators that could get them (racoons, dogs, etc) and they could get run over! Don't worry about people thinking you're wrong. Do what's best for your cats.
I totally agree with you. I'm all for a cat staying safe. However I disagree about the cats wanting to go out thing. I adopted a shelter cat and tried to keep her as a strictly indoor cat. She kept trying to go out the door everytime I opened it and scratched the chair next to the door demanding to go out. I let her out when she wants out and she always tells me when she wants back in. She doesn't go next door near the dogs or across the street through traffic. I think you can let your cats out without using a leash as long as you see that they have the common sense not to hurt themselves, keep them up to date on meds, and get them fixed. Some cats are just happier with a little bit of freedom.
YOU ARE ABSOULATELY CORRECT TO KEEP YOUR CATS INDOORS!! I've owned cats (4 right now...all strays) and have owned INDOOR cats for over 40 years. Yes...they are much, much, much safer indoors than outdoors.
They are healthier and happier. We have enclosures on the front porch and the back porch/pool area/waterfall/fountain area and they can "hunt" LOL for whatever they think is out there. LOL.
Please don't take to heart people that give you a hard time about keeping your cats indoors. They are obviously not thinking about the well being of their own cats. YOU are doing a terrific job keeping them safe %26 loved INDOORS.
Keep up the great work and enjoy your weekend. Many blessings, Patti
I understand your point of view.
I'm just glad my parents didnt use the same line of thinking in keeping me safe.
My biggest concern about an indoor only cat is what happens if the cat should end up outside by accident? Then they would have no way of knowing what is safe and what is not.
Cats have survived well enough for millenia without any human intervention whatsoever. They are pretty well equipped to look after themselves and pretty much still have all their instincts intact. All they need is the opportunity to learn.
I know there are people who get their jollies from torturing little innocent animals and that disturbs me too. But there are also people who get their jollies from doing the same thing to little kids.
You just need to watch a cat watching birds outside and you will have a clear idea about what would make them happy. No this is not about murdering innocent little birds either.
i want my cats to be safe but I also want them to be happy. Freedom comes with some risk.
My kittens were freaked too about going outside but the door was open and they made the choice and free choice about whether to come back in or not. Before long they were asking to go outside.
It is, of course, the owner's choice, but if you've ever buried a cat that was killed on the road (as I did when I was 14) then you become rather adamant about keeping them safe. My 4 cats are all strictly indoor animals and don't seem to have a problem with it. They've got a 2 story 4 bedroom house to run around in and lots of windows to hang out in, beds to sleep on, things to climb. (I have an old hutch in one room I keep for them- I took out the glass and hung curtains on the doors and they go in and out of the openings all day long) They have each other and a dog for company when I'm not home and 4 caged birds to look at and listen to. They eat premium food, have spotless litter boxes and get fussed over, brushed, and played with constantly. Would they still like to go outside? I'm sure they would. But the 4 lane highway down the road, the neighbor's HUGE dogs, the deer with the ticks on them, the skunks, the BEAR I spotted last week.sorry, they're staying inside. My oldest cat is 9, youngest 7, and I expect them to at least double those lifespans before I lose them. I can't say that about an outside cat.The one that died when I was a kid was only 2.
PS: I lost a dog on that same road- it was a terrible road for kids and pets. After that, my mother stopped letting the animals outside, except to walk the dog.
Years ago cats were safe outdoors, but with traffic and strange people. Even in the country predators are more numerous as their hunting ground dwindles. If your cats get lots of exercise they are safer inside. I applaud your love of your cats. But do keep their shots up to date, incase, they ever escape or end up outside.
Amen! If more people felt like you pets would be much safer! I myself have two cats that have only been outside twice in their lives. Once in their kennels when I brought them home and once when it snowed and my husband and I let them sniff and play in the snow (we were standing right there and it was only for about 2 minutes, however it was adorable to see their reaction, much like it must be for a new parent to see their toddler's first time in the snow). People that truely love their kitties would do well to keep them inside where no harm can come to them and they can live long happy lives!
To those who think letting cats outside is safe- even if the cat is spayed/neutered and up to date on shots: there are diseases they can catch, which are spread by fighting that there is no vaccine for- Feline Leukemia does have a vaccine, but it is not 100% effective, and Feline Immunodeficiency virus (Feline HIV, FIV) has no vaccine at all, and is spread quite easily amongst outdoor cats. The only true preventative is keeping your cat indoors, 100% of the time.
So many people should be telling my indoor/outdoor cats that they should have dropped dead way before they lived way beyond the 15 year mark.
Why? Becuase I care enough to teach them to be safe outdoors. More, far more than just shots and things are involved, flea collars or Frontline and microchip, it's much more than all that.
No, I don't have raccoons and stufff around here, as many do, but millions of us do not have those and eagles around to worry about.
My current kitty is five, fantastic health, and we live between a freeway and busy road, she goes near neither because I cared enough to teach her.
If onen cannot teach one's cat, one should keep them indoors, by all means, but do not assume all cats are just dumb animals, it;s their nature to want to explaore more than the inside of a house, it;s the owner's reaponsibility to ensure they are safe, as I have done for her and every other cat - NONE of which have gotten run over, or caught some weird disease. She' does not go near strangers, doesn't even tyry and leap over the small wall seperating us from out neighbour to investigate his yard.
I wish people would realise that there is a middle ground, and that letting one;s cat out is something you need to take seriously. You HAVE to educate your cat if you let it out.
That's if you don;t have a cat fence system, which is perfectly safe. Outside is natural for a cat, they were not bred in test tubes for inside living, but made to do so since so few people realise that a cat can be taught stuff.
I'm not saying you're bad for keeping the cat inside, if that is how you feel you can keep them safe, that's good, I have always been able to keep my cats safe outdoors where she naturally stays away from dogs people and other cats, and see no reason why I should not do that. We just have different ways. There are thousands of us who believe that outside is a cat's natural habitat, and that by keeping them safe they are happy as well as safe. And our cats do not live 5 years or shorter, those vets love getting their fact mixed up with feral cats.
i agree with you. All my cats are indoor cats and i will never never never ever let them go outside. I rescued one of my cats from being outside and he's happily an indoor kitty now.
It's not safe outdoors for kitties. Especially around here where i live..there are too many idiots who abuse poor animals.
My kitties are staying safe inside.
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