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Bottom line... whatever a person chooses to do, indoor or outdoor, that is the owners choice to make. Not yours... If someone wants to let their cat go outside(like I do), then so what. Lets not make this a moral issue because it`s not.
It becomes a moral issue if the cats you're letting out are destroying other peoples' property, spraying, peeing, or pooping on other peoples' property, or compromising other peoples' health due to severe allergies. It becomes a moral issue if you let your cats out in an environment that isn't safe for them (lots of cars, rambunctious kids, or cat-hating neighbors). It becomes a moral issue if you let a declawed cat outside where it can't protect itself or climb a tree to escape the dangers it faces out there.
Bottom line... whatever a person chooses to do, indoor or outdoor, that is the owners choice to make. Not yours... If someone wants to let their cat go outside(like I do), then so what. Lets not make this a moral issue because it`s not.
No its not a moral issue - its a responsibility issue. It is not responsible to let your cat out to spray, kill wildlife, defecate and urinate on other people's property and potenially create a driving hazard for motorist. Thankfully the cat owners in our area do not think like you. A cat in our yard would last approximately 20 seconds because one of our dogs is cat aggressive and would kill it. Think about it - do you want your neighbor ringing your doorbell to let you know your dear pet had just been shredded in their back yard? Or worse yet - find your dear pet dead on the side of the road after being run over by a car. Knowing that it suffered before it died because you wanted it to "be free"?
Don't know how you can justify your arguments with these possibilities out there. Its just not responsible.
The deer that lope over my perimeter fence do more damage in a few minutes than all of the outside cats, feral or pets, in the 18 years I have lived here. And, you know what? I don't care. Let them poop on my deck and eat my plants and trample my landscaping. Same for the cats. We share their world. I'm an inside cat person, but respect the rights of outside cats too.
I don't care about what animals do on my property either...there are plenty of ferals and strays that wander into my yard, plenty of birds that poop...doesn't bother me at all, because I'm an animal person and I love and respect them. But not everyone feels that way, many will harm or kill stray cats and other creatures, which is why it is irresponsible to knowingly let them roam in certain environments. I would even venture to say that most people would get mad if a cat came into their yard and ate their plants, trampled their landscaping, and pooped on their decks...and some of those people will do a whole lot more than have a heart-to-heart with the cat's owners or call animal control. While the intention to allow cats the freedom they desire might be good, the end results can be devastating.
Don't know how you can justify your arguments with these possibilities out there. Its just not responsible.
They can justify it because they love the idea of having a cat but they don't love the cat. Many people own cats and have no love or emotional attachment to them.
I just recently read that only 2% of cats picked up and brought to shelters are claimed by their owners. Many times that number of dogs are claimed. I think that tells us something..........
As I previously said I did try to keep them in, and we got them both as young kittens. (they were much older before they developed their outdoors obsession)
Some cats, and we've had several, simply have no desire to go outside. We would have had to bar the windows to keep the other two inside, though.
If the day comes you must keep them indoors (You move. Angry neighbor.) you can replace the usual plastic screens with good quality heavy aluminum screening. Cats don't claw through that too easily, especially if their nails are kept trimmed. In fact the breeder claimed they can't claw through it although they may make a few snags.
No its not a moral issue - its a responsibility issue. It is not responsible to let your cat out to spray, kill wildlife, defecate and urinate on other people's property and potenially create a driving hazard for motorist. Thankfully the cat owners in our area do not think like you. A cat in our yard would last approximately 20 seconds because one of our dogs is cat aggressive and would kill it. Think about it - do you want your neighbor ringing your doorbell to let you know your dear pet had just been shredded in their back yard? Or worse yet - find your dear pet dead on the side of the road after being run over by a car. Knowing that it suffered before it died because you wanted it to "be free"?
Don't know how you can justify your arguments with these possibilities out there. Its just not responsible.
Again it is location sensitive. There are those places where one simply accepts creatures as part of the environment and those where the property is tightly maintained and guarded. I would think my back yard takes vastly more poop and pee from the birds and the wild creatures than any passing cat. And when the horses drop it roadside it is really hard to get all upset about a cat.
You also have far more faith in your dog than I do. Most outdoor cats and virtually all ferals can fight a huge dog to a draw and get over the fence or up a tree. Even the wiley coyote has trouble with cats until they get old...and even then a feral is probably too much if they can't double team it.
You know our old neighborhood in CA...where the lots were 25% of what I have in Las Vegas tolerated cats. We all know which cat belonged where. And basically they came and went as they pleased. I don't remember a single fight about a cat...though I do remember a couple of dog skirmishes. We all had cat doors...ours was electronic to keep out foreign cats and the possums who raided the garages for garbage.
They can justify it because they love the idea of having a cat but they don't love the cat. Many people own cats and have no love or emotional attachment to them.
I adopted a kitten three years ago and ever since he's peed on the floor in various places in the house. He used to do it in the basement but this past year has branched out to the rest of the house. I've tried everything I can think of to retrain him or solve the problem to no avail.
So I was thinking of making him an outdoor cat even though I don't think it's all that safe for him where I live. Guess what? He doesn't seem to like being outside.
If living with an adopted cat for three years of him peeing on the floor in the house doesn't show love and an emotional attachment I don't know what does. And I *still* considered making him an outdoor cat as a last resort. Back to the crate training for him.
No its not a moral issue - its a responsibility issue. It is not responsible to let your cat out to spray, kill wildlife, defecate and urinate on other people's property and potenially create a driving hazard for motorist. Thankfully the cat owners in our area do not think like you. A cat in our yard would last approximately 20 seconds because one of our dogs is cat aggressive and would kill it. Think about it - do you want your neighbor ringing your doorbell to let you know your dear pet had just been shredded in their back yard? Or worse yet - find your dear pet dead on the side of the road after being run over by a car. Knowing that it suffered before it died because you wanted it to "be free"?
Don't know how you can justify your arguments with these possibilities out there. Its just not responsible.
Whats the difference? I have almost hit more wildlife and never have had a domestic animal run out in front of me. The cat I have was a stray and is used to the outdoors, so there was no way she will stay inside.
So I guess those of us who have an outdoor cat really don`t love them. We really just like the idea of having a cat....LOL, this is so stupid that I have to laugh.
As far as dogs are concerned, my cat chased a dog and is not afraid of them.
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No love for the cat
