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Outdoor Cats--what's the deal?

lil_kirk
December 14th, 2004, 11:22 AM
I just read in another thread about an outdoor/indoor cat. I don't have a cat--and probably never will (very allergic)-- and I'm really a dog person at heart, but I've always wondered what the deal is with having outdoor or outdoor indoor cats? It seems rather dangerous for the life of the pet, and your own as the pet could bring in so many things with it...

Any thoughts?

Schwinn
December 14th, 2004, 11:45 AM
I think having an "outdoor" cat is very inconsiderate...to your neighbourhood. And by "outdoor", I mean letting the cat run at large. I've had problems with my garden, my lawn from the cat going to the washroom and digging, my own cat when one decides to hang out outside my window, my pitbull, who won't go in the backyard when ones there...but that's a whole other embarassing issue...

It's different if you live on a farm, or out in the middle of nowhere. But if you live in a typical subdivision in the city or suburbs, then that's just inconsiderate to those in your neighbourhood who don't particularly care for cats. We had a problem with one cat for a while. I was going to trap it (with a humane trap the use for racoons) and take it to the humane society. It finally got sick of Daisy in the backyard and stopped coming around.

lil_kirk
December 14th, 2004, 12:02 PM
I never even thought of the garden issue. I just don't understand why someone would want to have an outdoor cat--roaming at large as you've said. It doesn't make sense to make the effort to go buy or rescue a cat only to send it on its way all alone--to brave the elements, other animals, cars, kids, parasites..etc..

dmc123
December 14th, 2004, 08:30 PM
I have three indoor cats, and two indoor dogs. I also was adopted by 2 "outdoor" cats. I chose to adopt them when others left them to fend for themselves. As soon as I gave in and let them stay, they were fixed and get regular vet care.

One of them, Spaz, is a wanderer, I don't like it, but he comes home to sleep and eat. No telling where he goes in the day. I knew his first owners, they put him out when he was very young, when they got their first human child. They thought he was a Spaz. (I tried to change his name to Simon, but he knew the name Spaz, so I gave up). We tried to bring Spaz inside once, he went nuts.

The other, Grayson, must have lived inside prior to being left and then hanging out here. He would love to live inside, but he fought with my oldest male cat, 13 now, the first time he saw him, wrecked Cody to no end. So, we bring him in on supervised visits, and he loves it.

Grayson and Spaz share a house my dad built for them on the front porch, extra padding and protection from the weather. We find them in there sleeping together, quite good buddies.

I hate that I don't have a bigger house to accomodate all of them, but feel good that we do take care of them. All the neighbors know Spaz lives here, so if he ever gets into anything or destroys anything, I hope they will tell me. Not sure what I will do then. At least these two beautiful male cats aren't populating our neighborhood with more babies.

I would never intentionally choose to adopt and then place any of my babies outside, these just decided they liked it here......so they paid the price by being fixed, and are better off for it.

~~Diane

lil_kirk
December 14th, 2004, 08:39 PM
Well it sounds like they have it made :) Very nice of you to take those guys under your wings :crazy:

lilith_rizel
December 14th, 2004, 09:06 PM
I can see having an indoor/ outdoor cat when you live in the counrty, like I did, growing up. We had a desent amount of land, and most of the cats we had were strays that we took care of, or cats we got from a farmer we knew. They always had the option whether they wanted to be inside or out, except for hunting season. But in town, I don't see how people could allow their cats out. Seems too dangerous to me.

2Cats&AGolden
December 14th, 2004, 09:23 PM
I just read in another thread about an outdoor/indoor cat. I don't have a cat--and probably never will (very allergic)-- and I'm really a dog person at heart, but I've always wondered what the deal is with having outdoor or outdoor indoor cats? It seems rather dangerous for the life of the pet, and your own as the pet could bring in so many things with it...

Any thoughts?

If you had a cat, you might understand better. I know many of you have indoor cats but to me it seems such a shame to never let them outside. Living creatures need sunshine and fresh air to thrive. I worked very hard with my cats to help train them to stay in and around the yard. Both my cats can respond immediately to a low whistle when I need them to return inside. They also both can sit & beg on command - that took perserverance! They are never outside for long - usually just 15-30 minutes a day, or longer when we are out in the yard with them. They even enjoy a quick outing in the winter evenings if there is no snow! Anyhow - even if I had an untrainable/roaming type cat I would still let him outside - but tied up of course. I've had 3 cats and it is possible to teach them to accept wearing harnesses...you can then rig up long leash on a clothesline so your cat can romp and play in the grass. Denying a cat from outdoor fun is unnecessary. if you are afraid of them running off, use the harness/clothesline tie out. Imagine being a cat and never being allowed to climb a tree, roll in the grass, or chase a butterfly! Yes, there are risks with letting cats out... but in my opinion I feel the benefits outweigh them. My cats are healthy & alert, and come in from outside playtime buoyed with energy & affection.

lil_kirk
December 14th, 2004, 09:35 PM
Very intersting points 2Cats&AGolden. I've seen very few in my life, but I have seen the harness and leash thing done for a few cats. They seemed to like the chance--as you said--to bask in the daylight and soak up the sun.

2Cats&AGolden
December 14th, 2004, 09:41 PM
Hey LilKirk...glad you weren't offended by my thoughts...I feel somewhat passionately about this. Like everyone else, I just want the best for my furry little guys. It is up to us as owners to provide the things they need, including the best quality of life. Sometimes it takes creativity, but it's worth it in the long run!

lil_kirk
December 14th, 2004, 09:54 PM
Well I suppose the difference for me is whether or not the owners are simply opening the door and having their pet run out and closing the door behind them without a thought of the animal they've just set free---or having an owner who keeps their cats on their grounds, has trained them, is monitoring their time outside and has set up and environment in which they can be safe (and so can all of those around them).

glasslass
December 15th, 2004, 12:22 AM
Puss-Puss was about 3mo when we found her on our porch. In the short time she was on her own on the street, she must have had a pretty bad experience because she was terrified of the street. Now at 15yr, she still won't go near the street. It's impossible to keep a cat indoors when you have a doggie door for the dog and work full-time. She loves the back yard and doesn't leave the property. We found the right cat at the right time.

Batman
December 15th, 2004, 06:58 AM
We always had 2 or 3 cats at a time while I was growing up and now I have 2 cats myself (1 dog & 2 ferrets :p ) When I was younger everyone let their cat outdoors in my busy Toronto neighbourhood. It was weird to have an indoor cat, however in the last 10 years it seems people have been made aware of why not to let your cat outside.

One of my cats was killed by a German Sheppard/ Huskie while she was outside.
Another lived to be 21! and was attacked by a dog up at our cottage where he also was allowed out.
A third cat died at 15 after trying to cross 4 lanes of busy traffic.
The rest of the cats are still living and are all indoors. My mom has one who is allowed out on a leash which she LOVES more than anything. Infact all she does when she gets outside is roll on her back over and over in delight. The other two cats she has dont' WANT to do outside and my two boys live in an apartment and never go outside.

I don't think after having 3 cats die from being let outside I would ever just let my cat run free. Plus these days there are so many crazy people.... we had someone putting poison in a park where dogs (& children) play. :(

chico2
December 15th, 2004, 07:53 AM
All the cats I've had in the past 20yrs,were trained from kitten-hood to come outside with me and go back inside with me(or hubbie!),my backyard is quiet large and fenced...cats ARE trainable.Start with a leash and slowly get them used to the area and your commands.
In the summer we stay outside for hours,winter 2 min :D
I would never expose my cats to cat-haters,dogs,traffic or fights with other cats I LOVE my cats.
If you have the time,which I do,you can train a cat to do a lot of the things dogs do,both Rocky and Chico "give paws" for treats,Vinnie is another story :crazy:

Copper'sMom
December 15th, 2004, 10:31 AM
I have or should I say I had 4 cats. 2 of them go outside but barely leave the doorstep. The other two roam about our ?? acres of land. I lost one this morning on the road. Why it has to go across the road I don't know. I tried to have him as an indoor cat - just for that reason. I used to take him out on a leash but then he got mad because he couldn't go out all of the time and started to pee on the couch - right in front of me!!! So I knew it was a risk I had to take and unfortunately he succombed to it this morning. If it makes them happy why not? Life is full of risks and chances - you can't get away from it. Now if we lived in a suburb, that would be a different story.

Schwinn
December 15th, 2004, 10:51 AM
I agree, most cats like to go outside. We have on who bolts for the door if we don't pay attention. My wife takes her outside with her in the summer, and brings her back in. The other one runs outside, but as soon as she looks up and sees no ceiling, freaks out and runs back in. She has issues. I think taking your cat out is a good idea, and if you live in the country and want to let it roam, that is okay too (just make sure it is spayed or neutered). It's when people live in town and let their cats roam the neighbourhood that gets to me. And for those of you who have "adopted" neighbourhood strays, I don't fault anyone for that. I can only imagine the damage a cat that has never lived indoors could do if you try to contain it. As a matter of fact, if you are choosing to feed it and pay attention to it, it's probably spending less time getting muddy prints all over my freshly waxed truck! ;) (Or even worse, trying to catch a nap sleeping under my hood. Just an aside there, heard this one in the summer. If you think of it, give the hood or the fender a bit of a knock before you start your vehicle, wake up any critters looking for warmth. Even if you don't like cats, you don't want to have to take your car in because it howls when you start it!)

chico2
December 15th, 2004, 12:06 PM
Good advice Schwinn,I always bang the hood to make sure no animal is inside snoozing.A long time ago one of my cats(Tigger RIP)ran away and was caught under someones hood,luckily he survived with the loss of an eye and the tip of his ear,that is just another reason to not let your cats roam :evil
I pay hundreds of $$$/year to keep my cats healthy and I would never risk their lives by letting them roam....I love them and care for them the same I would any animal in my care.The loss of anyone of them would be devestating to me...
As a matter of fact,all three are just now meowing and lining up at the Patio-door,so I better bundle up and take them outside :thumbs up

louie's mum
December 15th, 2004, 10:12 PM
2cats&agolden ... what ur speaking of is a whole lot different than just opening ur door to let ur furbabies run wild.
i'll never louie out unharnessed. god only knows how long he was left out there when he adopted me but he was in rough shape. never again. who knows what they'll pick up or what/who they'll encounter in their travels.

Iggette
December 16th, 2004, 04:59 AM
I have 7 cats .....all indoor-outdoor cats but like someone mentioned I live in the middle of no-where and the cats love to be outside, to play and bask in the sun. They get there shots and I have never had a problem with them bringing any disease home.

In the city my cats also liked the outside, and pooped in the odd garden I always offered to clean anything up from my neighbours gardens that my cats did but my cats never went beyond one neighbour....so it was not that bad in 8 years I only had to replace a couple of annual plants for them, and that was my idea, my neighbour was very nice , I was lucky. :)

lil_kirk
December 16th, 2004, 09:12 AM
These are all very interesting points---thanks for the input! I've always wondered about this subject. Dogs don't run loose in the neighbourhood so it just seemed really odd to consider cats roaming loose.

chico2
December 16th, 2004, 09:51 AM
IMO,there are outdoor cats and then there are outdoor cats,people like Iggette,Coppersmom who makes sure the cats are looked after properly,are not sick,are spayed/neutered come inside or have a warm barn for when it gets cold,are different from people in the city,who let their cats roam until one day they don't come back.
People who take in a kitten because they are"cute"but as they grow older,have no interest in the cats safety or spending money on n/s or any other health-risks,are the ones who fill up the shelters with unwanted animals.
I am happy I can give my cats a little bit of outside time,but not everyone can do that without a danger to the cat and I know of several indoor cats who seem to be perfectly happy staying inside.
Personally I think the same by-law as for dogs should also apply to cats.

mona_b
December 16th, 2004, 09:56 AM
All my cats have been indoor cats.Even the 3 I have now.But they are taken out on a harness.A friend who lived across the street from me moved.Her cat Tootie would go out but just around the house and back in.Well she moved.There is a law where she is.They trap roaming cats there(when they can).If there is a tag or chip in the cat,they will contact you and you pay a fee to get them out.I'm to scared to find out what they do if there is no tag or licence.Well what she ended up doing is making a run in the backyard for Tootie.This way Tootie has the freedom,but can't go anywhere else.

CyberKitten
December 16th, 2004, 01:24 PM
Gowing up, all our cats were indoor/outdoor pets and now that I am older, I look back and think how foolish we were, that our pets would have lived such longer and perhaps even healthier lives. One was killed by a car (enough said!). That was until I was about 18 and since then, all cats have lived long and healthy indoor lives. No coming home beat up by some ruffian cat down the block and thus having to be nursed back to health, no unwanted illnesses and none were ever hit by a car!

Recently, I read a great narrative by soimeone who was outraged that she, a cat lover, was refused a cat by a rescue because she said she'd allow him outdoors and then discovered one of her cats dead and she did not know why. Of course now that I want it, I cannot find it and I am at my parents' computer in Florida so it's not on the Favorites menu (they have that horrible IE thing!!).

It's interesting. In Britian, declawing is illegal but many more peple allow cats outdoors (bit there are more cat owners than dog owners too, another difference) and in North America, we still permit the outrage of declawing and for the most part allow them to live longer by keeping them in!

here are some useful links:

http://www.theanimalrescue.com/indoors.html
http://www.narfrescue.org/animals/cats/cat_pdfs/indoor.pdf

Lucky Rescue
December 16th, 2004, 02:34 PM
Training cats to stay on property is quite an accomplishment - congrats.

Yes, of course cats love to go outdoors, and in a perfect world they could do so safely. Animals love to do all kinds of things that aren't in their best interests.

Even if a cat stays on his/her own property, there is nothing to stop other cats or dogs or kids, etc. from entering your property and attacking them, or scaring them so they run off and get lost, or get run over.

One bite from a dog can kill a cat, and one bite from a FeLV positive cat can also kill yours.

Every time a cat goes out unsupervised, there is a good chance it will never come back.

CyberKitten
December 16th, 2004, 02:48 PM
This is the article I meeant! (It was on Siamese Rescue!) Now, I cannot imagine allowing a unharnessed Siamese outdoors! Gawd!

THIS IS ALL I HAVE LEFT OF HER . . .
Charlotte.
Our beautiful 3 year old lilac siamese purr-monster. Alex's best buddy. Even though Alex was quite a bit older (a 13 year-old lilac Siamese), if you were looking for Charlotte, you knew Alex would always be close by.
I have always had Siamese cats, even as a child. Our family always allowed them to go outside, because after all, who can deny a Siamese cat anything? We lived in the suburbs, with no major highways, and we were fortunate as a family to never have lost a kitty to "outside dangers" such as car accidents or poisonings. So I carried this Outdoor Philosophy with me into my adulthood.
With Alex being 13, my husband and I were concerned that we had better bring another furry baby into the household. Being a member of every animal organization around, such as the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the National Humane Education Society, PETA, (if it has the word animal in it, I've funded it!), in addition to having sat on the Board of Directors of the Richmond Animal League (non-euthanizing shelter), I knew three things:
(1) I wanted another Siamese
(2) I wanted to give a shelter cat another chance at life
(3) I would be a shoe-in for adoption from the Siamese Rescue.
They would be begging to get me!
I completed the adoption process in record time! One of my references even wrote, "In my next life, I want to come back as one of Karen's cats." I thought, this is a slam dunk - just give me my kitty!! I was even asking them to put my chosen kitty on hold for me while we got all the darn paperwork over with!!

However I began to suspect that all was not going well when I was asked to elaborate extensively on the fact that I listed occasional outside trips on my application. I told them that Alex was an angel who had never, never gone outside her home boundaries in all her 13 years, and now that she had arthritis, it was all she could do to sit on the lounge chair.
And Charlotte, well, she wears a beautiful red, diamond-studded collar with her ID tag on it every time she goes out the door! And when she goes out, she is supervised; I'm always at home when she is outside. I've had her for 3 years, and there hadn't been a catastrophe yet!
Well, Siamese Rescue didn't like this. They would not let me adopt a kitty unless I agreed to put both cats on harnesses while they were outside. I had been rejected for adoption! My friends laughed hysterically - Ms. Animal Lover couldn't even get a shelter cat! To add insult to injury, I had even done adoptions for the Richmond Animal League!

You can't imagine how angry I was with these people. I was indignant. I called the Director and demanded further explanations. I went into excessive elaboration about my loyalty to the Siamese breed, along with my stellar credentials. I begged. I cried. I wanted to help another animal have a home. I could not understand how these people could turn me down and not give a shelter kitty a wonderful, loving home. These folks were fanatics!! They clearly had taken a good idea too far. I truly felt these people were taking themselves too seriously.

But I refused to give up. I demanded that at the next Board meeting, I be allowed to present my case for review. I wanted to be granted an exception to the harness rule, because Alex's arthritis would make a harness too painful for her to wear. They agreed to hear my case. Many times I approached the computer - I was going to send a scathing letter to all of them and give them a piece of my mind. But each time I walked away, reminding myself that I would be acting out of emotion rather than composure, and I had better calm down first.
I never got to have my case reviewed at the Board meeting. A few weeks later, on one of those beautiful summer days, another one of the many days I let Charlotte outside, my beautiful, precious Charlotte was found dead across the street. I came upon her first. We assumed she was hit by a car, but will never know for sure. For some unknown reason, she had ventured out across the road bordering our house. I called and called for her, but this time she did not come home. I will never know whether or how long Charlotte suffered or whether anyone even stopped and tried to help her, but I can tell you that these questions continue to haunt me.

I was not there for her when she left this world. I will never watch Charlotte grow old gracefully. I will never hold her again and hear her purr. After she died, I had to endure watching Alex look for her over and over. I watched my husband grieve. And I feel responsible, because I should have known that no matter what my experience has been with letting cats go outside, and no matter how smart and well-disciplined Charlotte was, I cannot control the outside world. And our world is mean, and it is cruel. It is fast and furious for those little kitties who want nothing more than to play and smell and chase a chipmunk across the street. They are innocent beings in a not-so-innocent world. And they depend on us to make their world safe.
And I failed to do this for Charlotte.

Death by motor vehicles (roughly 65% of all outdoor cat deaths) is just one of the many perils that await your kitty in the outside world. Have you thought about poisonings from weedkillers, antifreeze and rodent poisons? What about the people that are cruel, and seek out animals for sale to medical researchers and for their own pathetic entertainment through physical abuse? Cats can get caught in fan belts when seeking warmth, or picked up by owls, hawks, or vicious loose dogs. Think of the microscopic parasites, and the diseases that can be picked up by using gardens as litter boxes. Cats, being natural predators, can pick up tapeworms, fleas and roundworms by hunting small prey such as mice, moles, chipmunks and birds. Finally, there are several fatal diseases out there - Feline Leukemia, for which there is a vaccine, yes, but 100% effectiveness is questioned; and Feline Aids, for which there is no vaccine, and which is always fatal. Siamese Rescue can provide you with additional research statistics and information about the dangers facing outdoor cats - this is what they base their policies on. Remember, you are getting a cat that has already been rescued from some form of abuse, abandonment or human apathy - you are giving them a second chance at life - don't let them down!
Someone else has already done that!

I pray for Charlotte's forgiveness. I told her I would try to make it up to her by agreeing to keep any new kitties indoors from now on. I called Siamese Rescue, and told them how sorry I was for doubting them and their intentions. I am a believer now. But I paid with Charlotte's life to learn this lesson. It won't happen again - ever.
If you have been turned down for adoption, I can understand all the feelings you must have: bewilderment, anger, sadness, frustration, rejection, and more anger. I know you would give a wonderful home to one of these kitties. But it has to be on their terms, because that is the right thing and the best thing for the cat. Please reconsider your position. I had to lose my beloved Charlotte to reconsider mine.

You don't want to be in my position:
left with just a collar.....

Here are a couple additional sites you should visit for more information on this subject.
http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=animed_cats_indooroutdoor

cats.about.com/library/weekly/aa102400a.htm

home.hiwaay.net/~keiper/indoors.htm

www.theanimalspirit.com/indoors.html

www.rescueguide.com/indoors.html

www.frasiershome.com/indoor.htm

chico2
December 17th, 2004, 07:52 AM
Cyberkitten,that's a powerful story,but very true and sad :sad:
Only once did my Rocky jump the fence,there was a strange cat on the other side,I could not stop him...luckily the other cat was not interested in fighting and I got a leash and literally had to drag Rocky back.
I watch them every minute when they are out with me,but there is always a risk,they can be awfully fast if something gets them excited.
Fortunately there are no stray cats in this neighborhood and before I take the cats outside I check,excited squirrells are always a good sign another cat is out there.
Rocky and Chico seem perfectly happy laying around watching birds and squirrells,young Vinnie I have to keep a closer eye on,he still has not realized he could never catch a squirrell.
Yesterday we stayed out 5 min,they definetly do not like the cold,which resulted in kitty-paw prints all over the house..but I guess you all know about those :D

krdahmer
December 17th, 2004, 11:11 AM
IMO,there are outdoor cats and then there are outdoor cats,people like Iggette,Coppersmom who makes sure the cats are looked after properly,are not sick,are spayed/neutered come inside or have a warm barn for when it gets cold,are different from people in the city,who let their cats roam until one day they don't come back.
People who take in a kitten because they are"cute"but as they grow older,have no interest in the cats safety or spending money on n/s or any other health-risks,are the ones who fill up the shelters with unwanted animals.
I am happy I can give my cats a little bit of outside time,but not everyone can do that without a danger to the cat and I know of several indoor cats who seem to be perfectly happy staying inside.
Personally I think the same by-law as for dogs should also apply to cats.

I'm with you Chico...I'd love to see a by-law for cats where they need to be registered and tagged. Welland, Ont. actually has that, so I took their by-law and emailed it to the rep here in Niagara Falls!

Schwinn
December 17th, 2004, 11:24 AM
I forget what town I lived in that had tried a leash law, and all these people came out and said you can't leash cats, it's not fair. It's too bad they didn't think about what was fair for the neighbours and unwanted kittens.

krdahmer
December 17th, 2004, 11:28 AM
Cyber-kitten, that was such a vivid story. I'm bawling here! :sad:
It is sad that more people don't use situations like that as a learning experience and often continue to let their pets roam outdoors, some without even having tags (my in-laws :mad: ). Their cat Ben was so beautiful, I remember he had me at the first drool, (he would literally drool on your lap while you pet him). When he was taken by the road, it was handled like that was normal, and it so infuriated me. I could not believe that they now continue to let Ebony out to roam where ever he pleases! Grrrr.... :mad: :sad: :(

Lucky Rescue
December 17th, 2004, 11:51 AM
We often have people calling to adopt a cat because their own "went out and didn't come back."

Why on earth do they think we would give them another one only to have the same thing happen. :confused:

chico2
December 17th, 2004, 12:46 PM
A friend of mine,who is a"crazed animal-lover"won't even kill a roach(worse than me)had an orange cat,beautiful!
She was under the wrongful impression it's cruel to keep a cat inside,the cat was her sons.He insisted on keeping the cat safely inside,but she let him out,until one day she had a call from HS,to come and pick up his collar...
I think her son to this day has not forgiven her for"murdering"his cat.
He was killed on Lakeshore rd,a very busy road.... :sad:
I think for many people it's an excuse not to have to bother too much with the cat,let him out and he'll be out of the way :evil:

krdahmer
December 17th, 2004, 03:57 PM
Ya there is a lady here in my building who was leaving her kitten outside, it would run out the door as the kids were leaving for school, etc, and she just never bothered to go out and bring it back in. Well a few days ago I heard from her daughter that someone else in this building has snatched the kitten and is keeping it. The kids are upset, but perhaps the kitten is better off. Getting a pet for your kids to take care of is kidding yourself, you have to be willing to do all the work and take all the responsibility. As a result of that incident though the other lady beside her that was doing the same thing with her kitten, is now very careful to keep it indoors.

CyberKitten
December 17th, 2004, 04:10 PM
krdahmer , I learned a lot from that story - well much I thought I knew but it really puts it in persective. And Lucky, you;d think people would know by now when they come to your Rescue looking for a cat they could easily loose again.

In my mind, it is rather like allowing a toddler play outside with no supervision. You can train them but some shiny object, another animal, a person with good or not so good intentions - can draw your cat out of its private domain in the yard and that can be the last you see of your baby! Gosh, just even the various plants that are poisonous to cats are enough for me!!

chico2
December 17th, 2004, 05:25 PM
Dahmer,about the by-law in Welland? I have sort of a"friend"in Welland,she lives in a semi-detached house and the other part has a family with 15 cats :crazy: Only two cats are allowed outside and my friend says those two cats are killing her plants,I say her plants die because she forgets to water them :rolleyes: My"sort of friend"HATES cats,or any animal and I know she has called HS on the cats next door,but they'll do nothing :thumbs up
So maybe the by-law is not that strict?

doggy lover
December 17th, 2004, 08:57 PM
I have 2 cats both indoor cats that are allowed outside supervised in the summer with a harness and leash on. I know too many people that have lost cats to roads. I have also known people in the country to lose dogs to roads and have seen a few dead on the road on my way to the cottage. I always think how awful it would be for your child to find your pet on the road dead. People in the country think that its ok to let their pets run loose, as they have lots of land. So do I but I know where Tucker is he is tied up or with us on long leash running loose, my last dog Travis could be trusted loose with supervision not Tucker. Not yet anyways. Keep your animals safe.

krdahmer
December 19th, 2004, 03:17 AM
Dahmer,about the by-law in Welland? I have sort of a"friend"in Welland,she lives in a semi-detached house and the other part has a family with 15 cats :crazy: Only two cats are allowed outside and my friend says those two cats are killing her plants,I say her plants die because she forgets to water them :rolleyes: My"sort of friend"HATES cats,or any animal and I know she has called HS on the cats next door,but they'll do nothing :thumbs up
So maybe the by-law is not that strict?


Ya I get the same feeling when I call the HS here, I just think that they are so swamped with animals being turned in as it is, that nuisance complaints (ie. cat hating neighbours) just get the big old brush off. I imagine that it is hard to muster the man power to enforce such a by-law, but at least they took the step of putting one out there. :thumbs up

Oh and everyone remember, this holiday season there are bins for food at your local grocery stores that go to the humane society. (I always just add $10.00 worth of stuff to my cart every week.) Or stop by and take a doggy for a walk....or play with a kitty! It's an hour for you and much needed affection for them! ;) :love:

Oliver
December 23rd, 2004, 12:23 PM
I used to think it's better not to have a cat if you can never let him outside. Now I understand more the reasons people have indoor cats. However, I am still of the opinion that if a cat has already known the outdoors (like an adopted stray) and wants to go out, it is best that he not be forced inside always. I have seen several cats who turned "crazy" after having tasted freedom outside and then forced to remain inside (maybe it feels like imprisonment to them).

Gazoo
December 24th, 2004, 11:55 PM
If you had a cat, you might understand better. I know many of you have indoor cats but to me it seems such a shame to never let them outside. Living creatures need sunshine and fresh air to thrive. I worked very hard with my cats to help train them to stay in and around the yard. Both my cats can respond immediately to a low whistle when I need them to return inside. They also both can sit & beg on command - that took perserverance! They are never outside for long - usually just 15-30 minutes a day, or longer when we are out in the yard with them. They even enjoy a quick outing in the winter evenings if there is no snow! Anyhow - even if I had an untrainable/roaming type cat I would still let him outside - but tied up of course. I've had 3 cats and it is possible to teach them to accept wearing harnesses...you can then rig up long leash on a clothesline so your cat can romp and play in the grass. Denying a cat from outdoor fun is unnecessary. if you are afraid of them running off, use the harness/clothesline tie out. Imagine being a cat and never being allowed to climb a tree, roll in the grass, or chase a butterfly! Yes, there are risks with letting cats out... but in my opinion I feel the benefits outweigh them. My cats are healthy & alert, and come in from outside playtime buoyed with energy & affection.

I basically agree with this philosophy. Have always had outdoor/indoor cats. They live a fuller, richer life. Even if there are more risks. (and luckily my vet has outdoor cats too :p )

I live in an older subdivision in a big city and my beastie brings home a couple mice a month in a neighborhood where there are many other outside cats!! :eek: One of the reasons we domesticated them was to control rodents.

I've always felt that I'd rather have the occasional cat&%$# in my yard than mice around or even in my house!!!! :yuck:

Gazoo

Gazoo
December 24th, 2004, 11:59 PM
I used to think it's better not to have a cat if you can never let him outside. Now I understand more the reasons people have indoor cats. However, I am still of the opinion that if a cat has already known the outdoors (like an adopted stray) and wants to go out, it is best that he not be forced inside always. I have seen several cats who turned "crazy" after having tasted freedom outside and then forced to remain inside (maybe it feels like imprisonment to them).

I agree with that...I've known many cats that were just too high strung to live indoors successfully.

pitbulliest
December 25th, 2004, 01:41 AM
someone mentioned something about declawing cats...why is it such a bad thing? Don't they give the cat anesthesia and do it in a surgical procedure? I understand that its unnatural...but is it painful for the cats or do most people just disagree with it because its unnatural to declaw a cat?

CyberKitten
December 25th, 2004, 12:50 PM
There are many reasons people oppose declawing and it is illegal in almost every other country except the US and Canada. It is essentially amputation of the finger digits and cats, more than most mammals, use their digits to walk. I've known many people who have declawed their cats only to have them turn into biters and NOT the same cat they had before the procedure.

Plus, declawed cats do not live as long (they have arthritic problems from standing on their toes so much - you ever watch a declawed cat walk? Or should I say try to walk normally?).

here are sites that explain it better than I:

http://declaw.lisaviolet.com/

chico2
December 25th, 2004, 01:26 PM
Pitbulliest,the site CB provided will explain why declawing is outlawed in most countries.I would cut off my own fingertips before I would mutilate my cats,it is cruel,inhumane and very painful :mad:
Would you even consider cutting off the tip of your doggies bones in his paws???
Cats are cats and come with claws,anyone considering declawing IMO should get a turtle,aquarium,snake etc....not a cat.
Dogs and cats do damage to your furniture,floor or whatever,as I am sure you know :)
But what's a scratched piece of furniture,compared to the furry love you get in return :love: