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Old October 27th, 2005, 09:43 AM
scuba0095 scuba0095 is offline
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indoor outdoor cats do you agree?

Hey everyone

Just curious how many of you here let your cats outside? well we have lots of trees around and my cat is 10 years old and is extremly healhty and has always been a indoor outdoor cat. HE loves to just sit on our front steps and watch nature LOL WE have never even had a single problem with him getting lost, He has been in a few fights but nothing worth getting scared about, I also give him his shots de worm and de flea him reg. But ok i know everyone is very agaisnt it but dont some of you believe that some cats are actually better off going out and in? I have had many cats do this and all my experiances have been really good. BUt I thought it more depends on the cat you have. LIke for example my cat is a big male cat very solid build and i have seen him interact with foxes and minks and usually predators dont get to close to him other then a fox that snuck up behind him once and stole a rat from him, the funny thing is he chased after the fox to try and get it back! LOL but my neibours have a very small delicate female cat that they would let out and this cat actually was killed by something either a fox or an owl not sure exactly but she was so small and had a fragile build i really dont think she could do much to protect herself (Unlike my big tank of a cat) So Overall it seems some cats are good outdoors while others are not do you guys agree? PS I THINK ITS SO cruel to let a de clawed cat outdoors!
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Old October 27th, 2005, 09:57 AM
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I let both of my cats outside, and one is declawed in the front. BUT I do have rules about it, they are only let out during the DAY, when I'm home, and only for an hour or so at a time - during which, I keep tabs on them.

I leave the door open for them, so they can get back into the mudroom if they need to. My cats stay in my yard, and they ALWAYS come right back when called. They are NEVER allowed out after dusk, or if we are not home.
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Old October 27th, 2005, 10:05 AM
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I'm one of those people who do not agree with cats being outside unsupervised. Cats can and do get injured in the great outdoors. They can get into cat fights or fights with other animals. There are many dangers facing domesticated animals in the "wild". In a city, many cats are poisoned or hit by cars.

Another reason is the risk that cats pose for our wildlife such as birds. Cats are natural predators and do prey on birds. In some areas, bird populations have been affected by cats.

Our cat is allowed to go into our backyard as long as one of us is out there with her and is supervising her.
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Old October 27th, 2005, 12:44 PM
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My cat(s) are strictly indoor. I gew up with cats who went outside but even neutered, inevitably one of them was hurt in some way - chasing something, eating a piece of something that made them ill, scratched by a neighbourhood bully - cat or other creature. It's hard when others insist on allowing their kitties roam. Cats will be cats.

Here is a list of perils that may beset a cat outdoors.

http://www.runway.net/b/moonmaid/in-or-out.html

Mine are strictly indoors - they have short hair or no hair so are interested in outside only when it is warm anyway. YY goes out in her stroller or on a leash. I also have a back yard that is enclosed for her but I never allow her out unless I can be there.
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Old October 27th, 2005, 01:03 PM
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I let my cats outside. My kitten doesn't go out. Latley I have realized cat really shouldn't go out, but when I tried to make the two older cats indoor only. KC would not have it. After about 4 days being couped up, you couldn't even go near her without being hissed at. She was PISSED! She ended up sneaking out by destroying a screen in my bedroom. Smokey goes out but actully perfers being inside (He lived outside when I got him). I realize there are many dangers out there that the kitties face, that is why Salem and anyother cat I ever get will be an indoor cat. Tipper, my mom cat was and indoor/outdoor cat until about age 13 when she became an inside only cat. She is now 18 and still kickin. These cats do not live in the city.

I agree that every cat is different. My cat KC is very smart outside. She sits in one spot and watches everything going on for an hour before exploring. She rarley leaves the yard, and will run and hide when being approached by a stranger.

My cats also have rules for going outside:
1. They only go out when I am home.
2. The have a curfew, not allowed out one hour before dark. This gives me an hour to round them up before dark. There are alot of predetors around my yard, but they don't come around during the daylight hours.
3. I check on them constantly while they are out or I go out with them.

I honestly beleive that KC would not enjoy her life if she was not allowed outside.
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Old October 27th, 2005, 01:03 PM
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I was all for letting our cat be an indoor/outdoor cat. That was until her boundaries became further and further away as she explored. And one day she didn't come back. She has been gone for 3 months now, and it is heartbreaking not knowing where or what happened to her.

If I had to get another cat, which I don't think will happen for many years to come, it will be an indoor cat. The stress of not knowing how far or where she is wandering around, is too much. If she comes back, which I have heard could still happen , I will only let her out on a leash.
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Old October 27th, 2005, 01:18 PM
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I, too, let my cats outside. Shadow, a Manx X and Calli - a Calico - both neutered - love it outdoors. We have a HUGE Red Cedar tree in the back yard that they both love to climb. They both use a piece of driftwood in the back yard as a scratching post and watching them chase grasshoppers is a hoot. I tried the indoor thing but both (from the local SPCA) must have been outdoor cats because when kept indoors the noise is unbearable! Shadow particularly will howl and will scratch the door and rugs to get out. Both will come when I call them in, thank goodness! I do believe that they are better outdoors where they can run in the grass and sleep under the plants and chase grasshoppers...
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Old October 27th, 2005, 01:42 PM
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I am totally against letting cats outside if they are loose. I used to let mine out but they were harnessed and on a 25 foot leash. I can't stand it when people let their cats loose outside. How is it any different than a dog? I would never let my dogs out loose either. It is just WAY too dangerous. A friend of mine has had 3 cats, a dog and a rabbit all hit by cars. I am not willing to take that chance with my babies.

Also, I don't want any of my animals going and pooping on anyone elses property. Some people don't have animals because they don't like the mess so why would they want the mess from my cat?

Sorry, but it's just my opinion.
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Old October 27th, 2005, 01:46 PM
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I'm glad you asked this question. There are a lot of stances on the topic, but I think it really depends on the circumstances, the cat, and other factors.

I have one of each: an indoor cat, and a cat that is allowed outside.

When I first got Ruby from the shelter 5 years ago, she was strictly an indoor cat for---2 years. Why? Location. There was no way I would let her out when we lived near a road and there were tons of other animals around. It just wasn't safe. However, she had been a stray and was intensely focused on getting outside and would sit by the door and cry. Outdoors was 'where it was at' for her.

Once we moved to our present location, we started a trial period of letting her outside. We live miles from anything on a dead end, unpaved road now (and boy, do I love it.) In warm weather, she may stay out for a few hours; in cold, she usually goes potty and comes back in within 10-15 minutes.

We sometimes do keep her indoors for several weeks during early summer because some years, grouse nest behind the garage and she will raid their nest if she finds them. Most of the time, she can be seen sleeping on the picnic table, pouncing on leaves, or getting in the way of gardening/weeding/mulching. She's very good at that.

Our indoor cat only makes half-hearted attempts to go out and she's a little physically challenged, so we're more than happy to keep her in.

My feeling is that letting a cat outside exposes them to risks. Sometimes the risks are too great in my opinion, and they should be kept inside no matter what. However, I feel that in our present circumstances that it is an allowable, and not irresponsible, risk to keep our indoor/outdoor cat happy by letting her come and go during the day. JMO.

That being said, I grew up in the suburbs. We always had cats, we always let them outside, and we always were getting new cats to replace the ones that had gotten run over in the road. It was just disgusting and tragic. We never had more than 2 or 3 cats at a time, and I was able to count 17 cats--that I remembered owning--in as many years. :sad: RIP kitties.
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Last edited by shannonRN; October 27th, 2005 at 01:50 PM.
  #10  
Old October 27th, 2005, 01:54 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Grover4
How is it any different than a dog? I would never let my dogs out loose either.
Not that it makes it any safer, but in the small town I grew up in (pop. 2000) there was no bylaw about cats being loose only dogs.

I guess for our family that was the difference. Our cats never really left the yard, and no other cat would come in the yard becuse of the dogs.
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  #11  
Old October 27th, 2005, 03:35 PM
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Growing up we always had indoor/outdoor or barn cats. I never saw a single one of them die of old age. In fact, I don't think any made it past 3 years old :sad: . The area we lived in had a high coyote population, which, although no bodies were found, I'm pretty sure accounted for most of the deaths. So I'd say indoors is better, unless you live in an area with no nearby roads or predators.

It's unfortunate though because I really do think outdoor cats are happier, so if a safe outdoor area can be made that is ideal, or using a long leash although I don't see how that would protect from predators, if anything it would make them an easier target.
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Old October 27th, 2005, 03:42 PM
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Both my cats are indoors cats, I use to let them in our yard supervised where we lived before but now we are about 50 feet from a small highway, so I don't take the chance. But since we moved they have no ambition to go out, I guess because we moved into a house from an apartment, so there is more room to roam. I grow them cat grass and bring them in fresh cat nip I grow in the summer so they are happy.
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Old October 27th, 2005, 03:50 PM
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sorry i didnt fully read everyones posts before posting in here
ok about 2 months ago if anybody tried to ever suggest to me to keep my cats inside id tell them cats have survived for many many many years without us keeping them inside they're happy out there and they have instincts that cant really be fully fulfilled with them being stuck inside at all times
well
september 15th i found my cat in a hole on my porch after being gone for 2 days we couldnt get him out of that hole but somehow he got all of his strength and got himself out after us trying to get him out for 45 minutes.... once i picked him up to bring him inside my brother and mom saw his side... it was really bad... few hours later we finaly found a way to get him to the vet they removed his tail he had a wound from his back to below his knee bone and nerve was exposed he was imapled by something but we arent sure what... we're leaning towards hit by a car... baby now walks flat footed he has pretty bad nerve damage in his leg now they didnt ever think hed even be able to urinate on his own but luckily they were wrong.. he has 2 breaks on one of his other paw and is basically learning how to walk again
they had to cut off some dead skin and hope it would fully close(luckily it did) hes almost fulyl healed but he will always walk flat footed
my vet told me that we might have to put him down but he pulled through and everytime i take him in for a check up they tell me that he truly is a miracle cat
now i relize that cats need us to show them whats good for them and what isnt... well i wouldnt let a 3 y/o outside without supervision so why should i with a cat?
my cats are now inside only
its just not worth the risk... they can be happy being inside only it just takes time for them to adjust
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Last edited by xFire Angelx; October 27th, 2005 at 03:53 PM.
  #14  
Old October 27th, 2005, 03:58 PM
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All of my cats are indoors all the time. They hate it outside anyway, even the formerly feral kitty, as i try to get them to sit outside with me on nice days and run around (on a harness and lead, of course). They will usually have nothing to do with it. I have heard people say that they have a cat (often semi-feral or formerly feral cats) who would be absolutely miserable indoors, which is a bit of a different situation, I suppose.

The rescue group i work with does a lot of TNR and we also take feral cats that the local shelters pick up and take them in so they are not automatically euthanized. Plenty of the cats that we are called to "trap" turn out to be people's pets-- it is really sad. We also have gotten a number of calls to trap in areas where outdoor cats are being poisoned. There are just too many things I would worry about. Maybe if i lived in a nice, out-in-the-middle-of-nowhere kind of place I would feel differently, though.

The absolute worst is when they are declawed. No cat that is declawed should EVER be outside unless their owner is out there with them giving them constant supervision. That is just cruel and ignorant, in my opinion. I used to work at a vet clinic and thinking of some of the things i saw happen to declawed cats that were outdoors still makes me shudder. Of course, terrible things can and do happen to any outdoor cats, but when it happens to a cat that a human rendered hepless and defenseless, that just makes me sick.
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Old October 27th, 2005, 04:36 PM
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I have both indoor/outdoor and outdoor cats. The indoor ones were all rescued as kittens from alleys, and so never developed a taste for the independant life. They are definitely very curious as to the comings and goings of the others, and make frequent escape attempts. My out/ in cats were rescued in full adulthood, some after having lived on their own for YEARS. They would just never tolerate being imprisoned. Every morning they are all climbing the walls to get out of here and check out their turf.
Personally I think it is cruel to expect an animal to be truely content in a house all the time. ( I would go insane being stuck inside myself, and I am a human).
But we expect all kinds of things from pets which go completely against their natures- That is what they were invented for: to be controlled and have their natures taken away for our entertainment. Very sad really. Really it seems to me that all pets should be spayed and neutered so that the entity ceases to exist.
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Old October 27th, 2005, 04:42 PM
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in australia there are certain laws being pased and have passed that require cats in certain states and areas to be confined to houses or catteries, for kindness purposes ppl are being encouraged to build a cattery on the side of the house with access from the house for the cat. these laws will hopefully be national soon.

firstly for the cats safety i think its dangerous, i dont know about wehre you are but here ppl trap cats in nasty fishing wire traps and then kill them, these are household pets that certain morons think should not exist here, i know a stupid local woman who will kill any cat she can catch, even if its the little girls next door. so no its jsut dangerous for cats. not to mention the spate of kitten tortures going on at the moment, in one case three teen boys beat and tourtured a kitten to death and this has happened several times of late, this would never have happened if ppl were responsible.

secoundly have you ever seen how a feral cat is killed, its nasty and sad and not nice at all, these cats would not be feral if it wernt for irrisponsible humans, animals suffering because of human reasons, that just sucks and feral cats are a huge problem for us. yes they must die, they do to much damage but it kills me to know their old owner is sitting pretty while the cat suffers for no fault of its own. its sick

thirdly- have you ever seen what a house cat can do to a native bird or reptile?? i once saw a poor lizard that had been attacked by a cat on a porch of the house, the poor thing was so terrified it stayed still till the blood dried, the offending cat came back and attacked it for several days as it was stuck there by its blood, until it was dead. jsut imagine the suffereing of that animal

its sick and humans have a responsibility to protect all animals not jsut our pets. its important to remember that. i dont let my dog roam for her own safety and that of others, i think its time certain cat owners take on that responsibility. dogs have yards, cats should have catteries. and everyone should be respected and treated as they deserve, pet or not.
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Old October 27th, 2005, 05:02 PM
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quote 'That is what they were invented for: to be controlled and have their natures taken away for our entertainment. Very sad really. Really it seems to me that all pets should be spayed and neutered so that the entity ceases to exist.'

the idea of pets was not to destroy their nature or make them our slaves, for thousnads and thousands of years ppl have lived in harmony with animals with both parties ofthen forming a symbiotic relationship, that is one helps the other.

through out history dogs and cats have been used for companions and hunting aids, this is not destroying thier nature, its natural because we are human animals and enjoy/need the company of animals. we could help each other.

for example - the aboriginal ppl of australia have lived with the dingo for up to 50000 yrs. the dingo has always been a camp companion, and at times a hunting companion. there are many aboriginal stories of the important role the dingo played in the family and in the camp. yet after 50000 yrs dingo nature and personality is still the same regardless of this relationship with humans, they are the same dog now as they were then. if humans had had such a great impact on the dingo it would certainly be more domesticated than it is today, its nature was enver destroyed. dingos chosse to live this way, aboriginal ppl never trapped them or forced them, the dogs just naturally came to gravitate and live with the humans. maybe ppl dont give dogs enough credit as many ppl believe the dingo could see benifit of living in the human pack, that is safetry and better feed in numbers.

sadly due to habitat destruction and the mighty march of the huaman, the naturael habitat for these animals is disapearing fast, not to mention the miriad of other threats to animals in the environment. for my GSD to go live in the bush, well even if she was a pup she would not have lasted long, she does not have the skill as her mother never taught her the skill. that does not mean she is controled or has a altered personality, it just means that she does not have certian skills, she is stil l the dog she ever was.

now consider this, imagine what used to be the aboriginal camps, and place them into the context of todays life, that is my camp is my house and the big backyard. even in camp a dog does not stray far, so my yard compensates for that. i really have not moved far from my forefatehrs, i am jsut the same but my camp looks different. its as simple as that. and given the choice my dog would never leave her pack, she is content and that is what a pack is about.

she is not for entertainment, she is for company and pack. humans need packs too jsut as muc h as dogs. yes i have taught her certain things ,like manners, but that is no different to what her pack leader would teach ehr in the wild, that is life skills for survival in the pack.

yes some ppl want their dogs for entertainment, but they wont sucede in their packs, but many of us truly respect animals and love them, we respect the pack and work darn hard to maintain a healthy environment for our pets, we are evolving in this relationship as re dogs. should we turn them out into the bush, what would happen then, this planet donesnt have the resources or habitat to support such a thing so by having pets we may jsut be helping the species as a whole.

as far as desexing, well given that in the state of NSW alone, last year over 40000 dogs were abandoned and killed in pounds i dont think that is an issue, as we all know there are plenty of dogs out there and more on the way. desexing is about responsible ownership, its about not adding a nother number to those already being killed every year. its about sustaining a reasonable population number, and being kind and caring for those we love. there are some great numbers on this site somewhere (posted by lucky) that give the numbers kittens a breeding pair has in a life tiem, no i dont find desexing these cats cruel, whats cruel is to allow over population and destruction of resources, that s unfiar and cruel.

so many animals die daily because their parents were not desexed, the entity will continue to exist, there are always animals breeding, but i for one dont want to be responsible for the deaths of little puppies jsut because i assumed in this environment i live that it would be wise to leave my dog intact.

so in a nut shell im saying its natural to live with aniamls, and desexing saves lives.....
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  #18  
Old October 27th, 2005, 09:05 PM
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Re: "Really it seems to me that all pets should be spayed and neutered so that the entity ceases to exist."

Oh come on, get serious! Either you are an extremely sarcastic person and think we are all fools or you want a debate. I do not have time to argue the issue - I know most ppl here are very strong propnents of spay and neuter but NOONE would propose wanting such a beautiful and glorious creature as a cat to disappear. And I really see no need for anyone - even you - to be snarky in this discussion. Or are you one of those ppl who think it is so terrible for cats to be domesticated that you'd prefer to kill them all since they'd be better off without us messing up their lives.

Frankly, not one of us can be holier than thou about anything. I understand why some allow their cats outside. I live in a safe area but the possibility always exists that my baby (and for me my cats are my babies - and I do nothing against their nature. If they hated it, there would be very loud Siamese yowls to contend with - I'd never hear the end of it, lol) might be stolen, hit by a vehicle or worse!! It is well known that indoor cats live long healthy lives, an average of 15-20 yrs while most (and I emphasize most since I do think a responsibe cat "owner" (I do not believe any cat can be owned tho our laws are written that way and I have not yet convinced the govt to add YY to the voter's list - ) like the regulars on this site - do have outdoor kitties who live good long lives. But the avg lifespan f outdoor kitties is 3-5 yrs.

There was a time our society thought human slavery was just fine too. Or that racism was acceptable - it was against human nature - and the law in many jurisdictions for people of different races or religions to marry. But we learn as we grow and progress. (We do make mistakes along the way of course) As a child, like Kayla, we had kitties who spent a lot of time outside. They slept with us and enjpyed meals and play time but they were hunters and mousers. We had many a feral cat gradually move in the house but still go outside daily. Some of them enjoyed long lives but not all of them. There were accidents and injuries - and with no vet in the immediate area, we all (even the kids) had to become good at caring for them.

I am much better educated and aware of what can go wrong now. If you honestly believe it cruel to keep a cat in a house, do you believe it better for the kitty to be picked up by a boucher and sold to a lab? I know of one family in Nova Scotia whose cat met this fate! And this program on CBC outlines the program very well:

http://www.cbc.ca/disclosure/archive...als/royal.html

Even if your cat is picked up by Animal Control for wandering (and it is illegal in the community I live in now to allow your cat to roam, a good law I think), that pet can - after 3 days - be sold to a research lab for the grand total of $6!!

There are also cruel people. A child in Nova Scotia - the same one responsible for a serious passenger train derailment I happened to be involved in (I was travelling from Mocton to Halifax on the train) was prevented from killing a cat he was torturing by two small boys who came upon him in this horrific cat.

I do think - in addition to our all being better informed - that the times we live in are more complex than they were during my childhood. Cats could roam then and while cars and injuries were always a problem, there were fewer ppl to do carry out terrible things we hear of now.

My cats have never known life outdoors and they are not too keen to discover it. Especially when it is -20 in the winter. Do you think it is fine then for cats to wander? But they are short haired kitties (or in the case of the Sphynx, almost no hair) and need sweaters to go outside. I would protect my cats to the death - and leaving them roam anywhere and everywhere is never going to be an option. They live in a large home, one comes to work with me and is a certified therapy cat with a rich vibrant life - she is very social and loves to meet new ppl. I do draw the line at toilet training them because I fear it may cause arthritis and I won't use covered litter boxes because they may lead to more illness - given the closed tiny space where germs and bacteria more easily replicate and grow.

If we lived according to our nature, we'd still be living in the neaderthal age. We haved moved on - and while not all of our discoveries are wonderful (like splitting the atom so that we can blow each other up) - I for one do not want to go back in time. I very much doubt most cats, given the choice, would opt to live outside. We have domesticated the cat and for better or worse - we cannot turn back. As a cat fancier of course, I think cats have benefited from us tho we much more from them. We can ensure even the most feral cats longer lives thru spay and neuter programs and managed colonies.

To suggest any of us would want to end the species - which is a huge diversion from this topic - is at best ill considered and naieve and at worst the work of a troll and mean spirited in the extreme.

Now that I have written this, I will prob discover that post is a troll. Oh well - you all well know my thoughts.
  #19  
Old October 27th, 2005, 09:29 PM
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All my cats have been indoor cats.The only time they are allowed out is on a harness and leash.And that's only in the nice weather.I also have a cat that has been deaf since birth.Do you think I would actually let him out to wander?Heck no.He wouldn't last out there.Even though they get time outside(not in cold weather)They enjoy the indoors much better.And they have never tried to sneak out.

A friend of mine moved to a town that has a VERY stricked cat law.All cats MUST be licenced.Raoming cats WILL be picked up.They made a kitty run for Tootie.She has the grass to play in and all her toys.
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Old October 27th, 2005, 09:50 PM
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my kat HAS to go out or the little bastid sprays in the house!!

I also really and truly believe that quality of life is more important than quantity when it comes to people AND pets. Carpe Diem!!

I think I'd probably rather slash up than be kept caged in a house...day in and day out!!!
  #21  
Old October 28th, 2005, 10:54 AM
huskypup huskypup is offline
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This is an interesting thread, and can show how different people from different countries have different veiws about animals.

In the UK, 99% of cats come and go as they please, we have 4 so to be 5 cats and all of them are indoor/outdoor cats, one of them will only go out when put out and one only goes out in the dark, but I would never dream of keeping them in.

If you walked a cat on a lead and harness in the UK you would be laughed at, I have one cat who is nearly 20 and yes he does kill the odd bird, but as someone says cats are natural predators and it is in their nature to kill - not nice I know and if I do see mine do it I shout at them.

But like the responsible pet owner that I am, I also go round the front gardens of my neighbours on a daily basis and clean up after my cats as I do my huskies if they go to the toilet while out walking.

I work as a RSPCA volunteer and I know that they do not recommend keeping any animal solely in the house.

I live in the country with badgers and foxes etc and we have never lost a cat on one of them.

Just my opinion - interesting thread.
  #22  
Old October 28th, 2005, 11:17 AM
Jazz&Cricket Jazz&Cricket is offline
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Last year we moved from a small city to 160 acres of rural bliss. We have 2 cats and 4 dogs. The FIRST thing I did, was build an 80 x 60 fenced area for the dogs, no roaming around without supervision. Rex ( a former feral kitten..now cat) and Lucky (the dumpster find) are both indoor cats. Rex loves to sit in the window watching the comings and goings of birds, etc.

I like to have lots of birds around (keeping the bug population to a dull roar) so I don't want the cats 'hunting'. That being said, they both do a reasonable job hunting the unfortunate mouse who manages to get in.
We also have a great number of raptors (hawks, owls, eagles) and foxes, wolves, raccoons, etc. so I don't want my cats being 'lunch' either.
We are considering building a 'covered run' from a basement window to access the yard (away from the dogs) during the day. That will give the cats the opportunity to be outside...without the dangers of being outside.
My 2 cents...keep them inside, they are just fine.
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  #23  
Old October 28th, 2005, 12:05 PM
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Schwinn Schwinn is offline
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My opinion is if you live in the country, and you want to let your cat roam, that's fine, but if you live in a suburban neighbourhood, that's just ignorant. I'm tired of the cat crap in on my lawn, my wife's cats going nuts when the neighbour's "outdoor" cat comes to the windows (especially at 1 am!), and the damage to my screens as it tries to get my wife's cats, and the muddy prints on my freshly waxed cars, or the scratches where the little idiot either mis-judged it's jump, or was scared by something and tried to get traction. Now, when I see it around the house, I let out Daisy in the hopes it'll stop coming around. I've tried talking to people in the nieghbourhood, and in thier selfish and self-centred way, "Oh, it's just a cat!". Well, you know what? You aren't going to pay for my car, or my screen, or go to my job for the day when I'm tired from being woken by the cat, who scared my baby and I had to try to get back to sleep. I've now got a two-stage approach. If I have a cat that continuously comes in my yard, I attach a note to the collar, "Next time I catch you cat, you can pick him up at the SPCA". And then if it is still a problem, I borrow my buddies humane traps they use to relocate problem racoons, and I take them to the SPCA. Sorry, but unless you'll be okay with my pitbull running around your yard, keep your damn cat in your own yard! (yes, this has been an issue for us lately. Can you tell?)

As for letting them outside, Cheryl takes her cats outside, but they stay in the yard. Not only do I think that's okay, I think it's a good idea.
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  #24  
Old October 28th, 2005, 12:45 PM
StinkyT StinkyT is offline
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I have very strong opinions about outdoor cats. If you live in the country or have lots of acreage then I am not at all opposed to someone letting their cats out. However, my aunt lives in the country with very smart farm cats and they too, were taken by the coyotes.

If you live in the city and have neighbours around you, I am very, very, very opposed to you letting your cats out. My parents' next door neighbours' cats were outdoors and it stank! Our gardens were dug up, both our front and backyards had yellow patches of grass and piles of crap on them. ALL THE TIME!! We'd see the cats all over our yard. They'd fight in our yard, mate in our yard and have litter after litter of kittens in our yard.

We also had a wooden fence separating the properties, they had taken to crapping on the support beams that lie in the middle of the slats. I took out the ladder once and saw as far as the eye, nothing but crap on the fence. We tried talking to our neighbours about it and they were just trashy people. But whether you love your cats or not, you can't control them.

I have my own place now and the neighbours across the street have an indoor/outdoor cat. My cats like to sit on the front windowsill and look outside. Occasionally I'll hear hissing and banging noises, it's the other cat coming to actually attack my cats on my cats' territory! My very laid back, very indoors cat will then try to get out to go fight (even though she's done nothing but live like a queen her whole life and probably wouldn't be very good at fighting).

I know people think cats are "wild at heart" and need to go out, but you need to be considerate to your neighbours too. THEY didn't ask for a cat to roam on THEIR properties when they bought the house. THEY don't want to have to clean up after YOUR cats. Besides, how many times have you driven out in the country and seen a little dead cat on the side of the road? It could've been your cat.
  #25  
Old October 28th, 2005, 01:21 PM
scuba0095 scuba0095 is offline
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I dont think you can compare letting a dog loose to a cat loose. I have a dog he is 80 pound german shepherd he has the ability to take out a human man women or child (NOT THAT he ever wood just to know that he has the power to do that) NO cat can do it and when have you ever heard of someones child being put in the hospital because the neibours cat attacked him and savaged his face? Also dogs will FORM PACKS if allowed free range they will make friends form packs and begin attacking ANYTHING including horses donkeyies sheep goats and sometimes even people (usually children). (I LOVE Dogs i have one and am getting more) but im sorry having something that powerful on the loose and comparing it to a 10 pound house cat is just silly. When you are walking threw the woods happen to have a cat cross your path im sure most of you will smile maybe even call the cat over but if you happened to have a 100 pound rottie or shepherd cross your path with no owner im sure not many of you will react in the same happy manner. Another thing is dogs will also attack and kill other dogs. YEs cat fights do happen but they are not usually fatal unlike dog fights. Cats are also MUCh smarter then dogs when it comes to being outdoors. NOT always but many times they are. Cats wont chase cars and a cat is not stupid enough to go and attack a porcupine or a raccoon. Im not saying cats are smarter but when it comes to being outdoors they are. They know their limits and wont do something silly like attack a buck deer and then get its head smashed into the ground or have its face lacerated by a badger.
  #26  
Old October 28th, 2005, 01:22 PM
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CyberKitten CyberKitten is offline
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Just had to add this cautionary tale from the news to this thread since it is quite relevant and delineates why cats need to be kept indoors!!!

Huskypup, I did notice that in England (and many parts of rural Ireland - less so in Dublin), it is accepted that cats can go outside. It is one of those cultural differences - quite interesting.
  #27  
Old October 28th, 2005, 01:34 PM
Prin Prin is offline
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Rural Ireland is not the ideal place to use as a role model at all... No offense CK, but ALL, and I mean ALL of the dogs I saw while I was there for 6 months (I was in the south) were ALL beaten, underfed, abused, or just basically in very, very poor health. Every dog. In the towns or on the farms. I didn't meet one well cared for doggy. It was so sad. I think I wrote already about the dog near my office who you could only pet on the head because his body was so swollen and sore from the beats. He was consistently tied up to a wall with a 1 foot chain. I wish I had met just one shiny, healthy, happy doggy there. Just one.
  #28  
Old October 28th, 2005, 03:26 PM
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Schwinn Schwinn is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scuba0095
I dont think you can compare letting a dog loose to a cat loose.
Absolutely I can. I don't want your German Shepard sitting on my car either.
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  #29  
Old October 28th, 2005, 04:31 PM
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Gazoo Gazoo is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Schwinn
My opinion is if you live in the country, and you want to let your cat roam, that's fine, but if you live in a suburban neighbourhood, that's just ignorant. I'm tired of the cat crap in on my lawn, my wife's cats going nuts when the neighbour's "outdoor" cat comes to the windows (especially at 1 am!), and the damage to my screens as it tries to get my wife's cats, and the muddy prints on my freshly waxed cars, or the scratches where the little idiot either mis-judged it's jump, or was scared by something and tried to get traction. Now, when I see it around the house, I let out Daisy in the hopes it'll stop coming around. I've tried talking to people in the nieghbourhood, and in thier selfish and self-centred way, "Oh, it's just a cat!". Well, you know what? You aren't going to pay for my car, or my screen, or go to my job for the day when I'm tired from being woken by the cat, who scared my baby and I had to try to get back to sleep. I've now got a two-stage approach. If I have a cat that continuously comes in my yard, I attach a note to the collar, "Next time I catch you cat, you can pick him up at the SPCA". And then if it is still a problem, I borrow my buddies humane traps they use to relocate problem racoons, and I take them to the SPCA. Sorry, but unless you'll be okay with my pitbull running around your yard, keep your damn cat in your own yard! (yes, this has been an issue for us lately. Can you tell?)

As for letting them outside, Cheryl takes her cats outside, but they stay in the yard. Not only do I think that's okay, I think it's a good idea.
Wow....

take a valium man...lifes too short too worry so much about little things like this
  #30  
Old October 28th, 2005, 04:36 PM
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Shamrock Shamrock is offline
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The indoor/outdoor debate is always interesting and widely varied in viewpoints. It's of course an individual choice to be made, for all the reasons stated.

My own experiences:
-My lovely indoor cat was accidentally let out. His mutiliated partial remains were found the following morning. Didnt make it through one night.

-This Feb, my sister's outdoor cat was killed by a coyote. They chased it down when they heard the awful screams. and it dropped it, but his neck was broken.

-My daughter and I have long had the indoor/outdoor disagreement regarding her two cats. She felt that they should be free to roam..it what cats "do". They've been doing this for six years, she said... they are "street-smart".
The last time she saw one of them was on the first day of school last month.

Three cats that found the great outdoors to be fatal. :sad:


Aside from issue of those who resent other's felines, in most areas and cities, letting a cat roam free is playing "Russian Roulette" with it's life, imo.
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