Indoors or Outdoors?

[Julie84]

Originally Posted by Hreow

I would trust Rover with any one of you (but you **still** can't have him!).

So mean...

Totally agree, Hreow.

[Rosie]

Kittens born in a loving home environment, with plenty of mental stimulation can not miss something they have not experienced.

Animals like humans are born with basic instincts and I believe (in my opinion) that all animals have some right to a degree of freedom even if it is in a large fenced off outside area where there are trees and grass and places to explore in different kinds of weather and I hate the idea of birds in cages as well, just as an aside. If I lived on a very busy main road that my cats had access to I wouldn't have cats I just feel passionately that they need to have choice.

[Booktigger]

I think the stats are for cats that are truly outdoor, rather than indoor/outdoor, they coudl also be including ferals in that stat, and they are only an average. Ginger lived for 3 years outside before I got him, but his teeth were so bad that he could barely get food into his mouth (yet he was still overweight), so I don't know how much longer he would have lasted, as the little old dear who gave him chicken once a week wouldn't have taken him to the vets. Mine have all been allowed outdoor access, my first cat did get an abscess which we believe came from the neighbours cat (so they gave me some money towards the bill, as well as taking her for me), but I do think that is all, and my neighbours have had very few probs with letting them have outdoor access. Ginger could never be an outdoor cat though, he gets awfully depressed if he has to spend the full day and night in the house unless it is by his choice. Doesn't help that he doesn't like using a tray. Yet I can leave the front door wide open and Pebbles will be fast asleep upstairs, and seems to prefer sunbathing on the windowsill than outside.

[Snoof]

Yes, and the stats will also include cats who never go inside (but aren't feral, exactly) and cats who live on a farm (where heavy machinery and possibly herd animals may up the ante). Also, bear in mind that in the US there's a lot more wildlife and rabies is still an issue.

Around here, I don't think many cats have the chance to be snatched by a coyote and the odds of them being bitten by something wild and contracting rabies are pretty negligible. In the US (depending on the area) this is much more likely.

[bobbie3917]

first off yes this is 1 sided its about the danger off letting cats out side yes many cats do died inside as well but if we own a cat then they all have to come in some time!!

with Luke saying about some pedigree love going out i bet all cats would love to go out pedigree or not but some times its not practical at all when you have a breed of cat that is long coated if it goes out for just 10 mins it can come home in a right mess that is stressful for the owner as well as the cat unless the owner just leave it in a mess and then poor cat!

when i get settled after i move i will be making a cat run in the garden for the cats to go out into at any time (like a cat flap straight in to the run or something), before my split with the ex we had drawn up plans to make a cat run in the garden here.
so my cats will get to go out but not get the chance of getting knocked over poo in other ppls garden kill small birds ect ect ect........

please can some 1 tell me why they don't let there dogs stray but they do a cat?

but i have to say there are many more reasons to keep a cat in then to let them out.
the only reason to let them out if cos its wrong to keep them in (i cant see no other reason to let them out)

[Emm]

it is an entirely personal choice whether to allow your cats outdoors or not. When I first got my cats we lived in a flat. We gave our cats limited access outside - this meant we went out with them and walked them around the park or played with them - they weren't on harnesses or leads or anything but they always stayed close - neighbours used to laugh at this

When we moved to this house we deliberately chose it so that we could let the cats come and go as they please no roads to worry about.

Now if I were to get any more cats they will be indoor cats with access to a secure garden - why? because its a cruel world out there and I don't have to worry about roads but I do have to worry about my neighbour poisoning my cats - and that is very stressful.

please can some 1 tell me why they don't let there dogs stray but they do a cat?

Dogs and Cats are completley different. Cats are independant dogs belong in a pack. Where I am the dogs that are left to wander become a real problem they join other dogs and can become quite aggressive and threatening.

oops that is in bold - I never meant it to be in bold but I can't make it go away.

[bobbie3917]

so cats that go out are not a problem?
they rip rubish bags
they kill small birds/animals
they poo where they like and its thats your childs sand box then tugh
same with there pee
i have heard of some that scratch cars and the like.
some big toms can be aggressive and will attack for no reason

[Donna]

My cats have outdoor access, but only when I am home. That is a compromise for us all. I am at work happy knowing they are safe indoors, and when I get home the catflap is open for the evening until dark. Then they are kept in until their early morning half hour stroll!

Nobody is right or wrong. Everybody has to make decisions about their pets. And that decision is right in that instance.

There are no rules. We each decide how best to look after our pets.

[Donna]

Originally Posted by bobbie3917

so cats that go out are not a problem?
they rip rubish bags
they kill small birds/animals
they poo where they like and its thats your childs sand box then tugh
same with there pee
i have heard of some that scratch cars and the like.
some big toms can be aggressive and will attack for no reason

My thoughts on these ideas are:


Rubbish bags should not be left out on streets etc. They should be in dustbins. If cats rip them then they have not been disposed of correctly in my opinion.

If they kill birds and small animals then that is the way things are. Animals KILL each other. Its what animals do.

Childrens sand boxes should be covered. I had a covered sandbox for this reason (also foxes could do their business in it too if left open).

Never seen a cat scratch a car.

I have an agressive cat living near me and it terrorises my two cats, but I accept this is the nature and heirarchy of the cat world. Never seen an aggressive cat attack a human

[Emm]

originally posted by bobbie3917
so cats that go out are not a problem?
they rip rubish bags
they kill small birds/animals
they poo where they like and its thats your childs sand box then tugh
same with there pee
i have heard of some that scratch cars and the like.
some big toms can be aggressive and will attack for no reason

they kill small birds/animals

how many small animals and large ones for that matter do we kill each year on the roads, pesticides etc?

they poo where they like and its thats your childs sand box then tugh
same with there pee

so do many animals - what about birds they poo all over do we stop them from being outside - sand boxes should be covered up. Every weekend how many men are peeing up against a wall or shop window?

i have heard of some that scratch cars and the like

so do many children (and some adults!) some even write obscenities on walls.


I just don't think any of those above reasons are enough to keep cats in. But like has been said before it is an entirely personal choice. I have outdoor cats at the moment - but if I were to get any more they would be indoor with limited access to outdoors.