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We left the window open one night in the summer and one of our cats clawed a hole through the screen and we have not been able to find him since. He had tags and everything, we checked shelters put up signs and nothing. We always try to keep them inside but I guess he just wanted out, I still hope he comes back but it doesn't look likely.
I am a first time cat owner, and I admit I felt badly for my cat that she will never be outside. However, I quickly got over it because my cat is actually very happy and content in our house. She has never exhibited any anti social behavior. Plus, cats that are let out at night tend to kill baby rabbits and birds for the pure joy of it.
I don't think that you can let a specific breed of cat roam freely outside without someone stealing it. Such as Devon Rex, Persians, etc. Some breeds wont even handle or survive the life outside (like the Sphynx). If a cat is born and brought up inside, there should be no problem, as long as it is socialized and stimulated. Even vets say this. You as an owner can see when your cat is happy and satisfied. Then there should be no problem to keep a cat inside.
I have a Maine Coon and I would never let it outside. It is a very curious cat and I live in a bad neighbourhood. There are also many aggressive dogs here. My cat loves dogs.
My two cats don't even want to go outside. They were rescued from a field when they were young, and apparently got their fill of the great outdoors then. They are 14 years old now and perfectly content, spoiled rotten actually.
Sure, if there were no traffic and no loose dogs, etc., it would be great if they could live outdoors. While we're at it, let's wish for a chicken in every pot and world peace.
People who keep their cats inside seem to mean well, but do they really? The freedom to roam, learn and explore is as important to cats as it is to humans. Why deny them that? Imagine a very rich person offering you a mansion to live in and you can have anything you want but you must stay inside for the rest of your live. Who would take that deal? I didn't think so. Cats don't think so either. Seriously, if they can talk, what do you think they would say on the matter?
I think they would tell their human owners that caging them is cruel. Yes, my human owner, your house is just a big cage. Sure, it's nicer than the ones at the shelter or the zoo, but a cage is still a cage. We know you mean well and don't want us to get sick and run over, but we would be much happier if we can run outside once in a while. We notice that you don't stay inside for long unless you are sick or the car is in the shop. And we know you are very happy to be outside. We just want to be happy like you too.
I listened to mine and let them out. They were so happy and thankful that they always came home, showered me with kisses and purrs and slept in my room every night.
Ours (all 7 as of this moment) are indoor-outdoor cats. We have no close neighbors, so that isn't an issue. Ours think they are little dogs, they follow us on walks through the woods, we've taken them on some of a couple miles or more. They do seem to enjoy their outdoor time.
On the other hand, we are constantly cleaning up feathers when they get birds inside. The bigger issue is that we usually loose a couple of cats a year. We have a pretty big (and well fed) coyote population that takes it's tool.
I would love to be able to let my cats run around outdoors, well, they do go out on the balcony when the weather is nice, but we've had a spate of coyote attacks around this area lately. I also live close to two very busy main roads and my cats will not tolerate collars of any kind. I've had cats my whole life and I've lost count the number that have disappeared for good - it's heartbreaking and I'm not going thro that again . I'm planning for the day when I can buy a house with a nice 6ft fence around the garden so they can run around outside but not run AWAY.
Cats that live outdoors live an average of 2-3 years versus many more years indoors. Cats get used to living indoors if they are happy, well-fed and spoiled. They become more family/people oriented.
Letting a cat go outdoors unattended is irresponsible. They can fall prey to cars, larger animals (dogs, coyotes)and/or injuries.
exactly, and as is also the case here, the neighbor feeds the feral cats, so they are always hanging around, and they are full of disease and such. i DO NOT want my cats interacting with the feral cats at all!
Feral cats are not full of diseases any more than your average indoor-outdoor kitty nearly as little as your average indoor cat. And your cats ain't any better than those disgusting ferals you refer to. Sheesh.
Thank you to your compassionate neighbor for feeding the ferals. I hope she has also neutered them.
My cats, as a matter of fact, interact with ferals all the time as most of them started off life that way and a couple of them are still semi-feral indoor cats.
I keep mine indoors (with an outdoor enclosure accessible at any time through my window). One cat, elderly, in kidney failure - I let her out on the patio most days for a bit of sun as she's in no danger of jumping my fence and won't be around for much longer anyhow, so the small risk of a hawk or something is worth it. I actually had to convince her to sit out there in the beginning, as she seemed to have never heard of roosting anywhere but a sofa!
They are quite happy, but I also support any cat's right to exist outdoors too. It is a risk game, for sure, but one in which there are good arguments for both sides. I would never call someone irresponsible because of their decision to or not to let their cat access the outdoors.
I've got a couple who would love to dash out the door any chance they get. I've got a couple to whom the thought has never occured. My semi-feral guy got out once by accident and scared himself so bad he hid for a week and when I finally did recover him (I don't think he'd ever left the yard) it was pretty clear he hadn't eaten in that time.
I think they would tell their human owners that caging them is cruel.
I don't think that, as a human, you are qualified to evaluate what fulfills your cat or to speak on their behalf. But I DO think that, as the cat's owner, you have accepted the responsibility of providing a safe and healthy home for your furry companion. Opening your back door to let the kitty roam removes the safe shelter you are suppose to be providing as a responsible pet owner, and leaves your domesticated animal highly susceptible to disease, injury, torture and almost certainly an early, untimely death.
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Originally Posted by davidt1
Imagine a very rich person offering you a mansion to live in and you can have anything you want but you must stay inside for the rest of your live. Who would take that deal? I didn't think so.
Comparing or attempting to predict the behavior of a domesticated animal that reacts to its environment solely based on instinct, prey drive and sensory perception to the rational and analytical behavior of a human being, who, for example, would perhaps choose NOT to attempt to cross a busy highway during rush hour, is not only pointless, it's irrelevant and a highly-flawed argument for your case. As much as we ALL love to imagine our sweet furry ones as little hairy people - they aren't ANYTHING like humans. They perceive differently, they react differently, they metabolize differently, they THINK differently. There simply is no comparison.
Cats are so driven by their base instict to hunt (even fat housecats like to chase the red laser light or the furry imitation mouse toy), it is their greatest advantage "in the wild," but it is also their greatest weakness - and most likely to get them into trouble (fighting, crossing busy streets, attracting the attention of THEIR predators, etc.).
Quote:
Originally Posted by davidt1
I listened to mine and let them out. They were so happy and thankful that they always came home, showered me with kisses and purrs and slept in my room every night.
Respectfully, that sounds like your emotional rationale in an attempt to relieve yourself of the guilt that will surely follow some tragedy with your indoor/outdoor kitties. You will simply tell yourself you were "acting in their best interest" - giving them a fulfilling life as cats (albeit a short one). But I believe that's a cop out.
I think it requires much more patience and a higher level of responsibility to adequately care for an indoor kitty that lives out a typical indoor kitty lifespan (~17 years), than it does to simply open the back door and pat yourself on the back for being a "considerate" cat owner.
I don't honestly expect to change your mind about this issue - one thing I've learned from reading and posting on the cat board is that cat owners are as stubborn and set in their ways as their whiskered friends - but I do hope that you will at least do everything in your power to keep your kitties safe. They deserve safety and good health... even if it costs them their human's perception of feline fulfillment.
Recently, a story from St. Catharines illustrated clearly some of the dangers from letting a cat go outdoors. There are people out there for whatever reason who can see a cat and think 'lets have some fun' - then they proceed to torture and murder a defenseless animal who probably thought they were going give them petting and loving.
This story is not pleasant, and I'm warning people if you are easily upset don't read it.
A 10-year-old Maine Coon cat named Bailey got away from his owner. When he was found, he was in agony and dying. He had been brutally beaten, kicked in the face repeatedly and set on fire. He died in his owners arms on the way to the vet.
People are outraged by this story - but the person responsible from what I understand has not been identified despite a heavy reward and a great deal of desire on the part of many cat lovers to see this person punished severely.
Personally, I hope the same thing happens to him or her or them.
This owner was a responsible owner and watching her sobbing on the news was just heartbreaking.
I just don't think that allowing a cat to go outdoors even for a short period of time is a good idea because the number of people who are cruel and uncaring just grows constantly.
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. I'm planning for the day when I can buy a house with a nice 6ft fence around the garden so they can run around outside but not run AWAY.