Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My lease states No Pets. I moved in without a cat, but was adopted by Snickers who was a left behind cat. The two other left behind cats are still outside, and the manager claims that they're his, but he never feeds them - I do, and I also feed two strays. He told a neighbor that I stole Snickers from him, and my neighbor said, "I seriously doubt it!"
Most of my neighbors have cats, and if someone that doesn't like cats ever moves in, they're in trouble!
ANY cat can be converted to an indoor cat. It may take some time and patience, but it is for the good of the cat.
The statistics of deaths for outdoor cats vs. indoor cats very clearly shows it's just not worth the risk to let them out. I'm sorry, but I fully support any shelter's decision to not give a cat to someone who will allow a cat to roam outdoors.
I had a cat, Binky, who was born outdoors and she was indoor/outdoor for 9 years of her life. I got married and moved in with my husband and took Binky with me. I no longer let her out. She was unhappy for quite sometime....but eventually she just got used to it and became quite content. She lived just a few days past her 18th birthday. Her two brothers who stayed indoor/outdoor kitties died at 8 and 11 years of age. If they had been inside - they still would have been alive. So any cat can be an indoor cat.
I work with a rescue and we don't normally adopt to anyone who lets their cats outdoors either. It's just a rule of thumb. We don't know that the same won't happen to one we adopt to the person....maybe they let the one cat in and out and the new cat decides it wants to do that too....maybe the owner will find that ok. So - we just don't do it. We have folks who get mad at us too....we tell them to go to the shelter and to give one of those kitties a home if we won't adopt to them. It is a catch 22 and I can't begin to tell you the horror stories we've had even with erring on the side of caution....it would break your heart.
Kudos to you. I hope the folks who insist that they can't make their cat indoors only see your post. It can be done, sometimes isn't easy but folks who don't keep their formerly outdoor cats inside are taking the easy way out.
I just want to add that just a couple of days ago I almost killed a cat! Such a close call! He came out of nowhere and sprinted across 2 lanes, right in front of me and a car that was going in the opposite direction. It was like threading a needle, I don't know how we both missed him! Those little rascals take such chances!
Anyway, I thought of this thread again because I could imagine that cat's owner being someone with the best of intentions- someone who thinks it's mean to keep their kitty indoors, so they let them go outside because "it's natural" for cats to want to run around.
I know it may feel like you're imprisoning your cat - at first anyway - but gosh, what's the alternative?
We have lots of windows for our cats to use. We also have an indoor bird feeder that they absolutely love and one day I'm afraid they'll push it right out of the window...been almost 8 years though so not yet . We have kitty condos around the windows (so much for us looking out) and bird feeders set up in the backyard... Any good weather day I'll open the windows so they can get an audio experience as well.
Also - we trapped a feral last year...somehow he got tamed really quick (and we know he was feral because we have trapped or rescued 10 or 11 so far that all look just the same). At any rate - he became my little koala....you'd think that he would want to go back outside but he seems to have no inclination to do so.
When we bought out house last year, it came with a cat. "Hammy" is an outdoor cat who likes being outdoors. The vet thinks he's about 5-7 years old. We've taken him to the vet, gotten him his shots, and even taught him to let us brush him. He's a very sweet animal and we've never seen him fighting--he's friendly, but he'll never be a house cat. He likes his independence. We've managed to teach him to come in at night, which I consider a major victory. But there is no way we could ever make him an indoor cat.
Personally, I think that you have some preconceived notions about cats that are not factual.
I have had cats and I am absolutely certain that most of them would prefer to be outside. They are, after all, animals and being indoors is not their natural environment.
That having been said, I would never dream in a million years of letting my cats outside. I love my cats and I regret that they cannot run wild and free like nature intended them to do. I regret that we live in a civilized world where the outdoors is fraught with danger and that statistically the average lifespan for an outdoor cat is three years. **** THREE YEARS ****
Every day I see dead cats on the road during my 45 minute commute to work. Today it was a precious ginger tabby that did not look quite full grown. Still a kitten - probably about 12 - 14 weeks old. Being squished by a distracted/negligent/cruel driver is no way for a kitten to die.
If you cannot keep your cats indoors, then I agree with the agency. It is better to euthanize a cat than to have him torn to pieces by some marauding dog with murder in his eye. It is better than having your cat die a slow, agonizing death in the breakdown lane of the highway. It is better than having him drink a pool of antifreeze from your neighbors driveway.
If you care about Hammy, you'd forget your preconceived notions that he would "NEVER BE HAPPY INSIDE" and keep him safely under lock and key.
It is the only humane thing to do.
You asked.
20yrsinBranson
Last edited by 20yrsinBranson; 05-05-2011 at 11:37 AM..
Reason: repair typo
guess you told him 20 years. But some folks just DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT AND WILL CONTINUE TO SAY YOU CAN'T MAKE AN OUTSIDE CAT INTO AN INSIDE CAT ....BUT... YOU AND I KNOW BETTER.
I had a cat, Binky, who was born outdoors and she was indoor/outdoor for 9 years of her life. I got married and moved in with my husband and took Binky with me. I no longer let her out. She was unhappy for quite sometime....but eventually she just got used to it and became quite content. She lived just a few days past her 18th birthday. Her two brothers who stayed indoor/outdoor kitties died at 8 and 11 years of age. If they had been inside - they still would have been alive. So any cat can be an indoor cat.
I work with a rescue and we don't normally adopt to anyone who lets their cats outdoors either. It's just a rule of thumb. We don't know that the same won't happen to one we adopt to the person....maybe they let the one cat in and out and the new cat decides it wants to do that too....maybe the owner will find that ok. So - we just don't do it. We have folks who get mad at us too....we tell them to go to the shelter and to give one of those kitties a home if we won't adopt to them. It is a catch 22 and I can't begin to tell you the horror stories we've had even with erring on the side of caution....it would break your heart.
Binky Awww I knew a woman who owned a cute little bunny named Binky. (to the bold) from my own experience and from friends I know this to be absolutely true of any and all cats with one exception...cats that are feral. Even the tom boy can become an indoor cat and be happy indoors. Sure they protest at first but once they are spayed/neutered they become used to being indoors. All my cats that were strays got to where they didn't want to go outside anymore because over time and not much time they seemed to feel safer inside. I didn't see that coming at first but I sure was happy they did. I must correct what I previously said that "if young enough" they can become indoor cats I meant to say if not feral. I might be wrong about feral cats and I only say it because I keep thinking they are pact cats but then I don't know much about feral cats just strays and btw there is a difference at least to me there is but it's hard to explain the difference.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
. We have kitty condos around the windows (so much for us looking out) and bird feeders set up in the backyard... Any good weather day I'll open the windows so they can get an audio experience as well. 
