Indoors or Outdoors?

[Snoof]

Whether or not cats are meant to go out, they cannot be compared to dogs. Completely different animals, behaviours, and psychologies.

And I don't see how "because it would be wrong to keep them in" is an invalid reason. If that's what someone believes, then how is it different from "because it would be wrong to let them out"?

There are hazards to the outside. There are hazards, period, to keeping animals as pets. For Ninja, being kept inside carries the consequence of deep depression. I don't think that's a negligible risk for an animal whose happiness is my responsibility as much as his health is. In my opinion, his health isn't going to do him much good if he's perpetually unhappy and in a state of rebellion.

[Kim]

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

Sorry, but I don't think these reasosns are valid enough not to let cats out!

• we have wheelie bins around here, no rubbish bags around, if there are they are people's responsibility and foxes in my experience are far more likey to do this.
• Yes, sadly some cats do kill birds/animals. It is their nature. Not all cats do though, my cats hardly ever kill birds/animals, far too lazy and much prefer lazing about. Other animals/wildlife kill birds and some dogs off leash kill rabbits. etc.
• I have a cat litter tray and an area in my garden which I make appealing for my cats to wee/poo in, and have never had any complaints about them doing so in other people's gardens. I always used to cover my children's sand pits. If you don't other animals, flies, dirt etc could get in.
• Never heard of a cat scratching cars, enough kids do this though!
• Most neutered tom cats are not really aggressive.

I think that with a little forethought and planning the above *reasons* for NOT letting a cat outside can be avoided, apart perhaps from them killing birds.

I have a cat who has free access outside, that most of the time prefers to be inside, but my Birman would go crazy if he couldn't go outside. I decided to give my cats the choice, based on the fact that we live in a fairly good, safe area and let them decide what they want to do. I agree there is no right or wrong here, purely personal choice. I can understand why some owners prefer to keep their cats indoors, and in some ways I am envious of their peace of mind and I accept that my choice imposes certain risks. However, I feel they have the best of both worlds by being allowed outside. One thing I would worry about if they couldn't get outside is if we had a fire.

I have a dog and I would never give him free access outide, as they are completely different animals, I don't feel you can compare them.

[Moli]

My cats get out for a few hours each day, when I am home and the door is left open, if I am going out they are in, they are in at nights...I had intended keeping the two siamese in, but they wanted out, and watching them playing in the garden, couldn't keep them in all the time..They need that few hours of freedom! Although they do not go out if the weather is bad...All I have to do is rattle their catnip tin and in they all come!

[Mags]

I love to see the cats laying out in the sunshine.

Cassie never wanders far from the house and she is always locked indoors at night.

[bobbie3917]

Originally Posted by Donna

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

OK how about rubbish that is kept in the garden that is waiting for the day the bins go out? not every 1 has a bin in the garden. a black bag by the back door can be ripped oep by cats and they can make a right mess

what about ppls gardens should a gardener have to put up with other ppls cat poo? you can cover over your garden can you? what about kids playing in the garden they dont want to be around can poo do they?

[Hreow]

Nobody likes dealing with cat-poo, but it may not be a problem where she lives?
Biggest problem here with binbags was the sea-gulls. Big, evil-eyed bossy ones, and lots of them. We now have proper bins for everything, which has reduced the number somewhat, but their waste is still the major poo-problem here. Not nice to find your car white after just a day. We have roaming cats here, but they don't seem to use the garden as a loo. Despite a fair bit of unplanted, friable soil.

[Emm]

I'll never understand gardeners who dislike animals being in their gardens. For me that doesn't make sense. A garden is an outside area which is visited by many animals hedgehogs, badgers, foxes, squirrels - these are a few that visit my garden - I love to see them so close. Animals do not have a flushable toilet like we do so they are going to do the toilet outside. If you don't like this then why have a garden? I just don't get it. Its just part of nature - its funny how the more advanced humans become the further away from nature we become.

[Jac]

Everyone is entitled to there opinion. What works for one does not always work for another.

Very interesting post. Thank you. No C-Fur has not returned home but I dont think any of the above has happened.
Perfect timeing.

[carternm31]

Personally i thinks cats should be allowed outdoors. However Jaffa wont actually go out .

However, In this day and age with all the 'sicko's' that are killing our animals, in a way, im kind of happy that she doesn't like going out !

[Julie84]

Originally Posted by Emm

I'll never understand gardeners who dislike animals being in their gardens. For me that doesn't make sense. A garden is an outside area which is visited by many animals hedgehogs, badgers, foxes, squirrels - these are a few that visit my garden - I love to see them so close. Animals do not have a flushable toilet like we do so they are going to do the toilet outside. If you don't like this then why have a garden? I just don't get it. Its just part of nature - its funny how the more advanced humans become the further away from nature we become.

But not everyone likes cats. Just because we love them and enjoy being around them doesn't mean someone else has to. Just because you have a garden doesn't mean you have to welcome the neighbourhood's cats round does it? Cats can be a nuisance - they can poo in gardens, dig in flower beds, lay on flowers, kill animals and leave bits/feathers around. Cats can also be charming to have round, a pleasure to spend time with, and a visitor you look forward to - but that all depends on how the person in questions feels. Just because you have a garden doesn't mean you have to love cats though, surely? Why should someone have to put up with that just because they have a garden and someone else has a free roaming cat?

I'm not sure that added anything to the the original topic, sorry!