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This is so bizarre -- I have never before heard this opinion that domestic cats must be kept indoors! My boyfriend says that he has heard of this in areas where the songbird population is endangered, but here in Portland, at least in the neighborhoods where I have lived, we don't seem to have that problem. The birds keep to the airour , the cats on the ground, and I have lived in this neighborhood for 5 years and never once found a cat-attacked bird, or even a feather on the ground like I used to when I was a kid. Maybe it's because there aren't as many outdoor cats around with the coyotes now, and maybe because the ones I do see wear bells? I know that neighbors love to pet my friendly cats, and we live in a cluster of condominiums and apartment buildings with trees and flowering shrubs, but no flowerbeds or vegetable gardens for them to disrupt, so I really don't see the objection to having my cats outdoors in the daytime. There are lots of fenced parking lots around and nobody has ever seen a coyote in our concrete driveways, nor have they seen coyotes in surrounding greens before dark, so I think the cats are safe as well as long as I keep them in at night and bring them in well before dark.
And no, Mike, it's not a trailer park, but it's near a little shopping area, and I have definitely seen rats there at night. I really do think that people saying stuff like "Outdoor cat, very weird" is the freaky part! Are you guys all young kids that have grown up in cookie-cutter condos where there are no cats outdoors? Never heard of barn cats or neighborhood kittens? Is that really all before your time? I'm not decrepit, but I grew up in a family-populated neighborhood in Portland where we knew all the names of the cats and dogs in the neighborhood because we played with them every day. Dogs aren't allowed off-leash anymore because of biting lawsuits and because they don't clean up their own messes like cats, I guess, but across the river where there are no coyotes, indoor/outdoor cats are the little mascots of every block, and my favorite time of the evening is taking walks and talking to neighbors on their porches and petting their cats. This "NO CATS OUTDOORS" idea seems really disturbing to me, like a neo-sanitized world where people can control every aspect of nature and neighbors. I don't mean to be obnoxious, I'm just freaked out by the idea of a future where cats are kept hidden and never allowed to run outdoors and climb trees and chase squirrels.
It is much easier to have an outdoor cat in Portland than in many places in the country. When I lived
in eastern Oregon my cats could go out or stay in. Sometimes we heard coyotes, and then they all
stayed in, but owls or hawks were a bigger threat. Here in Gilbert, AZ, in addition to coyotes rabid bats
are a real problem. I think it's much harder to have an outdoor cat than it used to be.
This is so bizarre -- I have never before heard this opinion that domestic cats must be kept indoors! My boyfriend says that he has heard of this in areas where the songbird population is endangered, but here in Portland, at least in the neighborhoods where I have lived, we don't seem to have that problem. The birds keep to the airour , the cats on the ground, and I have lived in this neighborhood for 5 years and never once found a cat-attacked bird, or even a feather on the ground like I used to when I was a kid. Maybe it's because there aren't as many outdoor cats around with the coyotes now, and maybe because the ones I do see wear bells? I know that neighbors love to pet my friendly cats, and we live in a cluster of condominiums and apartment buildings with trees and flowering shrubs, but no flowerbeds or vegetable gardens for them to disrupt, so I really don't see the objection to having my cats outdoors in the daytime. There are lots of fenced parking lots around and nobody has ever seen a coyote in our concrete driveways, nor have they seen coyotes in surrounding greens before dark, so I think the cats are safe as well as long as I keep them in at night and bring them in well before dark.
And no, Mike, it's not a trailer park, but it's near a little shopping area, and I have definitely seen rats there at night. I really do think that people saying stuff like "Outdoor cat, very weird" is the freaky part! Are you guys all young kids that have grown up in cookie-cutter condos where there are no cats outdoors? Never heard of barn cats or neighborhood kittens? Is that really all before your time? I'm not decrepit, but I grew up in a family-populated neighborhood in Portland where we knew all the names of the cats and dogs in the neighborhood because we played with them every day. Dogs aren't allowed off-leash anymore because of biting lawsuits and because they don't clean up their own messes like cats, I guess, but across the river where there are no coyotes, indoor/outdoor cats are the little mascots of every block, and my favorite time of the evening is taking walks and talking to neighbors on their porches and petting their cats. This "NO CATS OUTDOORS" idea seems really disturbing to me, like a neo-sanitized world where people can control every aspect of nature and neighbors. I don't mean to be obnoxious, I'm just freaked out by the idea of a future where cats are kept hidden and never allowed to run outdoors and climb trees and chase squirrels.
I think you've got it bass-ackwards. My cats are strictly indoor cats. Why? I lived for several years in a place where coyotes, eagles, hawks, and foxes were common. Having a cat outside there--day or night--was a sure death sentence for it over time. A domestic (even feral) cat is no match for a wily predator looking for an easy meal. I now live in an in-town location, and now the main threat is automobiles--the number of neighborhood cats killed by cars is horrendous. So, mine are still indoor cats. And, yes, there are some coyotes here, too. I'm about a 1/2 mile from a river--plenty of coyotes roam the area around it, and an occasional mountain lion is spotted down there, too. Barn cats and other outdoor cats on farms and ranches frequently do not have a long life span--they are often considered an expendable method of rodent control--they aren't pets the way city-folks think about them.
Wild predators are not stupid. They easily figure out that domestic cats and small dogs are easy prey. I'm absolutely NOT in favor of eliminating the predators--they were here first and serve an important function in the environment, but not eradicating them means keeping relatively defenseless domestic animals out of those predators' hunting grounds.
I can only wish my cats would kill all the friggin' birds that wake me up at 5AM every morning (sorry to offend but my sleep is a helluva lot more important than some stupid birds...plenty of them all over the place besides outside my bedroom window although my gf would disagree)...but alas they are now indoor cats since moving here, I let them out on the porch under direct supervision only.
There is an outdoor cat in my complex that I have seen for 3.5 months now, I am honestly somewhat surprised it has not been eaten by any birds of prey or fox/coyotes yet. Do your cat a favor and keep it indoors unless you are watching it, it's a sad thing to lose your pet cat to a wild animal (had that happen in Alaska once). Even if it is temporary your cat WILL live and be fine for a year or so until you can get it the proper protection it needs...but this is not a part of the country where the wild animals have been eradicated or reduced to peaceful animals only, this is the West
Considering all the barking from the dogs in my complex I kind of wish THEY would get eaten...sure would make it a lot more peaceful around here, it amazes me how much barking and yapping some owners can put up with. You would think they are deaf or just plain don't understand how damn annoying their dogs are to their neighbors. One escaped from its patio one time and I half hoped it would wander in to the street and get run over...I know it sounds mean but damn, some people need to have some respect and understand not everyone enjoys hearing their dogs barking at every person/animal that wanders by. It's more annoying than any car stereos or motorcycles I have ever heard driving by....
Your dilemma is a difficult one, but hopefully, you will consider another option -- keeping your cat.
I, too, discovered a severe cat allergy after my husband bought me my Dustin, in '94. I'd thought my allergies to mold had worsened, and blamed our rental, at the time. It took years for me to realize that it was whenever Dustin cuddled - and he loved to cuddle! -- that my eyes ran like tears, and I sneezed, got that lump in my throat -- you know how it is.
Because our vets were adamant that domestic cats were for INDOORS ONLY, we never let ours out. Regardless of where you live, there are dangers. Outdoor cats have a much, much shorter life expectancy. I guess you've been very lucky. Anyway, I did consider relinquishing him, romantically thinking he would be adopted by a loving home immediately. He was so cute, cuddly, and smart!
After talking with a cat rescue shelter, and the animal control shelter attendants, I realized that if I gave him up, I was delivering him to a life in a cage (at best), or the gas chamber. I kept him, and attempted a few times to place him directly, but the attempts never worked, thank God.
End of story, I had him until he died in August '08. Looking back, I am very glad I suffered through the decade plus with my allergies. He gave me years of love, and demonstrated appreciation for every attention he received. I encouraged my husband to share in the cuddling and play times, for relief, and became a fan of Chlortrimeton.
If you keep your cat entertained indoors, it will adjust. Make sure there are play times, and rotate its toys to keep them interesting, for when you don't have time for play. I always had a bird bath and feeder in view of his windows, and made sure he had amusements. It would be an adjustment for both of you, but in view of the alternatives, you will be happier in the long run about the decision.
I let them out on the porch under direct supervision only.
This is exactly what I've been doing -- well, we don't have a porch, but I don't let them out of my sight. The old cat just naps right on our walkway and I don't worry about him wandering away, but when I let the kitten out, I sit with him to make sure he doesn't go farther than the fence. It's interesting to watch him outside in the daytime now -- I used to let him out unsupervised, and only at night because there wasn't much traffic and I thought cars were the greatest threat, and he would disappear in an instant and not come back for hours. But now that he's allowed out only in the daytime, he acts very differently --all the daytime noises and movement and bright sunlight scares him, and he stays very close to me and wants to come back in after five minutes. Cats are definitely nocturnal adventurers!
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