How Many Cat Owners Do this?

[SummerRiot]

Snark - I DO agree that barn cats are useful.

They keep the mice away from eating the horses grain/cows grain. They also keep the barn rodent free and bird free(most of the time).
But, barn cats (males if unaltered) DO mark on the horses hay and turn it.

But - allowing your cat out in an urban setting is a No-No in my books.

 

[Snark]

Probably not nearly as many as are killed by cars and urban sprawl destroying their habitats...

Riot: All of our cats are neutered or spayed (and any strays that wander in and stay long enough to get a hand on are whisked to the vet for shots and to be fixed - probably why we don't get a lot of visitors. Lol!) And yeah, when we lived in an urban area, our cats were strictly indoors.
By the by: Our feral cats that became housecats show no inclination to go back outdoors, in fact, they'll run the other way from an open door. And, like I said, I'd love to have them all indoors but it's just not feasible (we already have nine housecats).

 

[blue]

Ive never had an indoor only cat. My first pair where barn cats, that came in when it was too cold for the dog to sleep outside on the porch.

The next had never been outside untill she jumped out of the apartment window when I was getting my stuff ready to move, she came back on her own shortly thereafter. She is now an indoor/outdoor cat my parents spoil.

The current cat is in/out, she just show up as a really young kitten that wouldnt leave. After 5 days of her living on the porch I got some cat food and other supplys and let her in. Erp was happy inside until there where no more mice to catch and she started finding ways to get outside.

Side note on the first cats Ive had. The stepmoms dog was a confirmed cat killer, on cold morning I go to feed the cats and the dog I didnt see the cats. The dog was lying on the porch couch and had to grey lumps on his back. Another time the dogs, 2 greyhounds, a Heeler, the stepmoms mutt where chasing the horses and the cats where nowhere to be seen. A closer look I saw the cats out in the feild chasing the horses with the dogs.

 

[Dizzy]

But that's because they've been outside and know what it is like. Yes, they may like it more than being inside. BUT, a cat that has

No - the Bengal was originally kept, and has been kept as a house cat. Only recently has he been out. Same with my last mog Ozzy (who is now with the ex). When we got him, we lived in a 2nd floor flat, he was a house cat. So I know his behaviour pre going outside, and post going outside. I can tell you a cat is far more relaxed with the extra experiences, no matter how many hours you play with them.

 

[Dizzy]

And don't get me started on the whole cats killing birds things.

Yes - cats kill birds, but they do not make much of an impact on bird numbers compared to what HUMANS do. If you want to decrease the decline in species, we need to start thinking about controlling our power mad urges to claim the countryside as our own, and not about keeping fluffy indoors.

Hedges are a good place to start if you want to encourage bird species back. Modern farming techniques/monocultures/pollution etc etc - NOT cats.

I am sure I've had this discussion here already somewhere....

 

[femke]

But that's because they've been outside and know what it is like. Yes, they may like it more than being inside. BUT, a cat that has never been outside will not whine to get outside and will not be miserable. They will be perfectly content inside, and will not miss the outdoors because they have no idea what it is like.

I beg to differ! When I lived with my mom & dad back in Holland all our cats were always outdoors/indoors. They were allowed to come and go as they pleased. They returned home every day, knew where they belonged, and never came home with anything major. They were happy cats being outside. Still of course there is always risks, we have lost cats to cars. And so when my mom got me and my brother two little kittens (brothers) we decided they were going to be indoors. We never let them outside! That lasted til they were about six months old and then we couldn't stand to see them always sit in front of the window/ trying to get out. etc. We knew that they would be much happier if they would get to go outside as well and so in the end we let them.

About two years after that we lost one of them. No clue what happened. We were heartbroken. But if you ask me if I would have kept him inside instead? No. He loved being outside I would never have taken that away from him. The other one is still happily living with my mom. He never wanders off far. usually he's just in the backyard. But he's happy going out.

I think it's up to the person that has the cats to judge what is best for the cat. And of course it depends on where you live. I know in Holland it's a much more common thing than in Canada (where I live now). I have three cats now, all indoors. If I would have a choice I would let one of them out. He's one of those cats that would just love to be outside. But since I live right next to a really busy road I wont let him go. It's too big of a risk. But to say a cat should never be outdoors I dont think that's right. It depends on the person/situation and the cat.

 

[mjb]

Growing up, I always had cats, but my parents wouldn't let them in the house. These cats sat at the screen door and cried and meowed and climbed the screen door and tried to get in every time the door opened. I have indoor-only cats now, and the one is always looking for an opportunity to escape!! It seems to me that they always want to see what they don't have access to!!!!
Actually, I have one who is quite happy being indoor only. She's scared of her own shadow, and she certainly wouldn't want to risk going into the big unknown.....and that's whether it's outside or very far from the room that she has her tree, food, water, etc.
But curiosity will kill the other one!!

 

[PixieSticksandTricks]

How many of you cat owners allow your cats to be outdoor cats?

If so, WHY? Is there a purpose behind it?

Do your cats have boundries that its not allowed to cross??

Has your cat ever come home with cuts?

When we lived on our farm all our cats were indoor outdoor cats. They came and went as they pleased and were just typical farm cats really. Yeah some would come home with a scratch or two to the but they all had their shots and such. Some got hit by cars or trampled by horses from time to time as well but cats are a dime a dozon on a farm.

Now living in the city I am more careful. The only reason Weezer is an outdoor cat is because he was a stray/feral kitten. We also already had two male kittens in the house and it just didn't seem like a good idea to bring in anouther male. Weezer was born and raised on these streets so I trust his judgement. Though he is neutered and wears a collar with tags so people know he is a pet he runs the neighborhood like a normal stray. And yes he has a couple battle scars but he is alright. We have tried to bring him in but he and Rooney fight indoors (where they play outside ) and he tries his best to get back out. He's happy outside though he sleeps in the garage at night. He has his own little hold in the door he slips in and he has a cat bed and food dishes. He is taken to the vet often and is just fine.

Rooney rarely is ever outside and when he is he goes on his harness and leash and never leaves the yard. He wasent raised outdoors and doesent know how to properly defend himself or climb a tree. Actually he can't do either because we keep his nails clipped.

Sebastion Rooney's brother was raised the same way he had never been outdoors really and had no idea the difference between a street and a yard. My sister accidently let him out of the house one day and he was hit and killed by a car. So now we are even more careful with Rooney.

 

[PixieSticksandTricks]

No way.

Three cats all stay inside at all times.

Let a cat outside and you are asking for it to be hit by a car, eaten by an animal, poisoned by a neighbor (accidently or purposefully).

I have a 15, 14, and not quite 2 year old cat.

Cats would never live that long outside.

Elissa

We had an 18 year old outdoor farm cat. So that logic isn't very reasonable.

 

[PixieSticksandTricks]

I can't beleive some people are acting like its the worst thing in the world to have an outdoor cat . I'll go and bring in my outdoor cat so my indoor one can rip it to shreds . Or so he can run from door to door wanting out and bolting on the door to the safety of his garage when I open a door *sweet freedom!!!!*.

 

[Aussie Red]

Hats off to cat owners that keep their cat at home. I resent those that don't because I don't appreciate your cat walking on my cars (my dogs don't walk on yours) and my hubby is extremely allergic to cats and they come lay in our patio furniture and then I have to wash it down before we can use it( my dogs don't use your patio). Don't get me wrong I love cats I just think that cat owners should be held to the same restrictions that dog owners are such as leash law, licensing, cleaning up after your pet (pooper scooper) and not running at large.. I don't like picking up the trash every time a cat gets in it and I don't like my cars paint job scratched up. I feel that if you cared about your cat you would keep it home and if you cared about your neighbors you would keep it home. I find it very unfair that a dog and its owner are fined for these actions and that cats and cat owners are not. My daughter was bitten by a neighbors cat that her dog had cornered in her yard and I must say that she suffered a lot of pain from that bite yet was told she shouldn't have tried to rescue the cat and was the one in the wrong now had that cat been a dog running loose........ need I say more ??? I know that this may anger many cat owners but really think about it and those of us who don't want your pet in our yards!!!

 

[PixieSticksandTricks]

I feel that if you cared about your cat you would keep it home and if you cared about your neighbors you would keep it home. QUOTE]

Thats a very unfair statement to make. I LOVE my cat Weezer and he stays on our street. Everyone knows him and knows who he belongs to. We often ask if he is pestering anyone and we always get a no. He is the neighborhood cat and everyone loves him and if they don't they chase him off.

But I let my cat be outside so I must not care about him or my neighbors *shrugs*. Or because I have a indoor only cat I must care about him more then my other. Both of which are neutered.

 

[PoodleMommy]

Aussie Red... I totally agree with you.

Call Animal Control in my area and they are telling people to spray annoying cats with ammonia... I would never want this to happen to my cat... I know it wont since she is safe in my bed.

On a side note we have not tried the ammonia yet for the cat problem here, but the animal control lady said it doesnt ruin stuff, so you may try spraying it around your patio or on your lawn furniture to keep the cats away from bothering your husbands allergies, just dont spray it on flowers we were told. Good Luck.

Pixie: Just because you had a cat that lived to be 18 doesnt mean anything the average life span of an outdoor cat is about 2. I feel like I just got my 2 year old if anything happened to her now I would be heartbroken.

This debate is very simple... if you are willing to risk your cats lives outside thats your right.
If you are not willing to gamble with your cats lives, they are living inside your home and kudos to you.

Elissa

 

[Aussie Red]

Pixie I'm sorry you feel that way but does my husband not have the right to go and sit in his patio befoer disinfecting it and does my husband not have the right to drive his truck before having it cleaned because he left the window down and the neighbors cat used it for a bed ? My neighbors don't come clean it and don't think they are in the wrong either. I agree with Summer that I will start taking them to the shelter as well maybe if people had to pay to get their loved one back they would keep it home as I said I love cats I have had a cat in my life for 40 years until I married my present husband who also loves cats but has such a sever allergy to them that he needs medical help for it. My cats were on leashes and indoors because that is whose cats they were MINE not the neighbors !

 

[PixieSticksandTricks]

Aussie Red... I totally agree with you.

Call Animal Control in my area and they are telling people to spray annoying cats with ammonia... I would never want this to happen to my cat... I know it wont since she is safe in my bed.

On a side note we have not tried the ammonia yet for the cat problem here, but the animal control lady said it doesnt ruin stuff, so you may try spraying it around your patio or on your lawn furniture to keep the cats away from bothering your husbands allergies, just dont spray it on flowers we were told. Good Luck.

Pixie: Just because you had a cat that lived to be 18 doesnt mean anything the average life span of an outdoor cat is about 2. I feel like I just got my 2 year old if anything happened to her now I would be heartbroken.

This debate is very simple... if you are willing to risk your cats lives outside thats your right.
If you are not willing to gamble with your cats lives, they are living inside your home and kudos to you.

Elissa

I still don't think people who have indoor cats should be sainted and those who don't shunned. Just my opinion.

 

[PoodleMommy]

People who allow their cats outside have all kinds of excuses to make themselves feel better.

If you dont want to bring an animal into your home and care for them full time, why even get them?

 

[Fran27]

I think it's up to the person that has the cats to judge what is best for the cat. And of course it depends on where you live. I know in Holland it's a much more common thing than in Canada (where I live now). I have three cats now, all indoors. If I would have a choice I would let one of them out. He's one of those cats that would just love to be outside. But since I live right next to a really busy road I wont let him go. It's too big of a risk. But to say a cat should never be outdoors I dont think that's right. It depends on the person/situation and the cat.

I totally agree with this. You can't judge people who let their cats out when you have no clue where they live. In lots of places, there really isn't much more of a gamble letting your cat go outside than driving to work on the highway.

I can understand how cats can annoy the neighbors, but again in lots of places it's not an issue, particularly when those neighbors also have outdoor cats... but outside cats don't bother me anyway, I couldn't care less if they destroyed my yard, not like I'm going to win a landscaping contest with two dogs anyway.

I don't see the purpose in letting them out...a cat that has never been outside won't want to go outside.

Definitely untrue. It depends on the cat. My cat was an inside cat for one year but was always trying to escape through the building stairs (I was on the 3rd floor), and was quite happy to get out when she arrived here. Now, if I close the cat door for a day she gets really mad. Obviously, she loves going outside. Plus the house is too small for a cat that likes chasing things, climbing, jumping etc.

About the risks, yes, there are always some, but it depends on where you live. And even then, I think a cat will be happier living 5 years and going outside than 20 years in a 2 bedroom house. Personally, I think we're responsible for making our pets happy - and if it involves letting them out in our safe street, well, so be it.

That's one thing I don't really understand...it's okay for cats to wander outdoors but not dogs?

I do really wonder how it even occured to you (and the other two who made that comment) to compare both? I wonder what kind of super-cat you have if you really think that a roaming cat can do as much damage as a roaming dog

no, but stray cats do a BIG bit of damage to widlife, including birds, in the area. have you ever seen the numbers of how much cats will kill, including endangered species?

Oh, I'm sure it's way worse than all those coyotes, skunks or whatever beats that will eat your outdoor cat.

People who allow their cats outside have all kinds of excuses to make themselves feel better.

If you dont want to bring an animal into your home and care for them full time, why even get them?

Again, I want to make my cats happy. And I don't think that being stuck in three rooms all day would make them as happy. You're in no position to judge what other people do when you have no idea where or how they live. We don't go out and tell people who keep their cat in a one bedroom apartment how cruel they are to keep a cat in such a small space, so don't come tell us how to take care of ours.

I'll tell you, I'm totally paranoid that something will happen to my cat at some point. But at this point it would be totally selfish for me to keep her inside, and she would NOT be happy (last time I tried, she peed everywhere, even though we have a litterbox). Our road is pretty safe (narrow with cars on both sides, so you have to go slow), my cat hates cars and keeps a safe distance, we're between two large roads so it's very rare to have wild animals around, and the cats avoid them anyway, plus probably three or four of our close neighbors have outdoor cats also... so, I think it's not too much a risk to let her out, given the choice between that and facing her wrath. I've had three indoor/outdoor cats live after 18 so far. The last one pretty much goes out to lie on the porch nowadays. Even if they die younger, at least they will have made the most of their life.

If we end up moving, or a neighbors starts having issues with the cats, then of course we will rethink our decision. For now though, it doesn't bother anyone... and it's not your place to judge us

To all of you who said they meet all those outdoor cats that look terrible... please. Just because you see a dog in a yard that looks horrible, does it mean all dogs left in a yard are not taken care of? My cat goes to the vet, gets her flea treatments, and I take her to the vet at the least problem (which has only happened once in the last three years, to answer Summer's question - and it was some rodent bite). Just because you know some irresponsible outdoor cat owners doesn't mean all of them are.

 

[blue]

People who allow their cats outside have all kinds of excuses to make themselves feel better.

If you dont want to bring an animal into your home and care for them full time, why even get them?

My cat apears happy and the mouse population is under controll, that is all the excuse I need.

I brought a stray kitten in from a cold long winter to warmth and food.

 

[PoodleMommy]

I think a cat will be happier living 5 years and going outside than 20 years in a 2 bedroom house.

You have hit the nail on the head as to where indoor only and outdoor cat owners differ.

To me 5 years is NOT enough.
My 14 year old recently had cancer and we paid a great deal of money to ensure she recovered because 14 years is not enough. I can not imagine my life without my animals.

Elissa

 

[PixieSticksandTricks]

People who allow their cats outside have all kinds of excuses to make themselves feel better.

If you dont want to bring an animal into your home and care for them full time, why even get them?

I didn't GET my outdoor cat he came to me. I did what I coul for him by having him neutered and getting his shots and taking him to the vet often. I think im a GREAT pet owner and no one can convince my otherwise. No matter how ignorant the comments.

I DO care for Weezer full time. He is fed everyday he has his own cat bed which he sleeps in everynight in the heated garage.

I did mention that I have a completely indoor cat as well but you have overlooked that because your just looking for the bad.

Okay im going to bring in Weezer so he and Rooney can tear each other apart. I'll get right on that .