Those of you with cats in the Chandler/Gilbert/Mesa areas (Maricopa: house, neighborhood)

[Journey2]

Are your cats indoor cats or do you allow them outside?
We will be moving from the UK, and though he started life indoors (he was adopted in Asia and we lived in a flat) he has been an outdoor during the day if he so chooses cat for the last 4 years. Something made me think recently that it may be in his best interests to become an indoor cat again when we move, so am curious what other cat owners do for their cats?

[Lilina]

I think it's in his best interests to be an indoor kitty (even if he's against the idea )

Outdoor cats around here usually only make it a few years where as indoor cats tend to live a lot longer. To me it's just not worth the risk.

[Phxguy]

We had two cats here in our Mesa home. In my neighborhood, it has homes and the natural desert blended into one. There's even a small ravine just steps from my backyard(no fence). One cat was outdoor, one was indoor. The outdoor one lasted for a few years until this January when a hungry pack of wolves devorered her in the wee hours of the morning. We've had the indoor cat a few years longer and still have her.

[KarmaPhx]

I would keep them indoors, unless they're trained not to leave the yard. Most cats will stay in their own yards, they just want to be outiside, but others will roam, get on your roof, in your trees, and can get eaten.

I have personally seen a hawk swoop down and pick up a rabbit, I can't imagine cats weigh much more.

[aiwei]

I did not know we have wolves in phx area! Really?!

We are in E. Mesa and have 2 indoor cats. I never thought to let the cats out, even if they want to. I do not want them to roam and pick up ticks or fleas. Nor I wish them to contract feline leukemia. Like anothe poster said, outdoor cats just do not live as long nor healthy. I think if I keep them as pets , I'm better off treat them as pets and keep them in.

[JSizzle225]

Yeah I have a cat and she is declawed. She's never been outside. Just can't see a good reason for it. If nothing else she'd get beat up by all the bigger neighborhood cats.


EDIT: When I lived in Maricopa, I saw a cat on my fence...then I heard a ruffling...and I saw flying off in the distance a humongous OWL with his meal in his talons.

[Vinny536]

Besides the risk of predators it isn't socially acceptable here. From what I understand it is more acceptable in the UK to let your cat roam. Many people have a hatred for cats and will intentionally harm or kill your cat for being in their yard.

So, besides cars, predators, venomous critters, shock from the change of climate, and learning that everything here has thorns your cat will need to be on the lookout for humans that are trying to harm him. It's best to keep him inside.

[Hatetheheat01]

I would never let a cat outdoors. I care to much about them. Yes, they would have a significantly shorter lifespan if you let them outdoors.

[crystalys]

I have 2 cats. They are 16 and 9 years old. They both started out as indoor cats. They were afraid to go outside. Eventually their curiosity won and they started going out in the back yard. The older one never went out of the yard. The younger one used anything that was up against the fence to climb up on and get out until she got in trouble with a dog and was too traumatized to go out of the yard again. Then we moved to another house that had nothing against the fence that she could climb up on. We have been in our current house for almost 5 years and we also have two dogs so we of course have a dog door. About 6 months after moving here I started training the cats to use the dog door to go out in the yard. It didn't take them long and I was able to get rid of the litter box completely. I am not concerned about them, they stay in the yard. But for most of the day they stay indoors. I think it helps that the dogs are around too so the predators stay away. Also we are in the heart of Moon Valley so we are not rural enough for predators but we have twice in the past 5 years seen a small pack of coyotes walking down the street near the golf course. So I guess you need to know what the surroundings are going to be for your specific living situation and make a decision based on that. Welcome to Arizona.

[aiwei]

Originally Posted by crystalys

...I was able to get rid of the litter box completely....

I was all fine until I read that. It reminded me how I stepped in cat fecal matter around one side of my house, because neighborhood cats would use that spot to defecate. It coated my shoes' bottoms and I tossed them away after that.

Yeah, I can see why some folks would choose to harm roaming cats.