I adopted an indoor only 6 MO. kitten about a month ago and would love to get her a playmate but my parents will not allow another cat in the house until they see how this one works out.
But I feel sorry for stray cats and shelter cats that dont get adopted and I had been thinking of maybe trying to pursue getting an outdoor only cat that I could adopt and at least give them a place to sleep, eat and hang out. Does anybody know if that would be a good idea though? I know some shelters only look for people who can provide indoor shelter for their animals. On top of that here are some variables that I have been thinking about that could effect this from working out:
1) I live less than a mile away from the mountains and foothills, that means that coyotes and other animals sometimes frequent our neighborhood but I see and know plenty of cats that are outdoor in our area, Rarely have I ever heard of animals eating the cats around her and I have 2 friends that have indoor/outdoor cats that have lived fine for 3 and 7 years respectably and are still going strong. This and disease are the main reasons I keep her indoors.
2) I don't know how the indoor cat would react to an outdoor only one, and it will be the girl inside, (I hope to adopt a boy next cat I get.) a boy on the outside. Does anybody think it wuld be a problem having them see each other but never able to interact?
3) I know all the dangers of having an indoor/outdoor cat, the cars, animals, people, etc. I've read up on the debate too and that is really my only hesitancy about asking to see if this is possible. I would hope and try to keep the new cat around the yard as much as I could too. I would buy him a bed and some toys.
4) I have a mostly outdoor but also indoor Pug dog, who is a ball of energy but would never hurt a flea, I'm not quite sure how he'd react to being surrounded by cats indoors and outdoors though.
He already barks at the one in the house but I see this as not too big of a deal considering I can put the cats bed and toys out of the dogs reach.
I have a strong desire to do this and to adopt another cat to keep in my yard mostly but still open to roam the area's around the house. I think that I could really help a stray get off the street or shelter but I must say I would not be able to give it indoor shelter. Does this sound like a good idea? Does anybody think that the shelters would have a grudge with it being an outdoor cat only? I would try to protect him as much as possible but I cant guarantee that he wont get himself into trouble.
What do y'all think about it?? If you want to know about my situation, I'm 19 and live with a family of 6, have 2 pets (u already know), am learning more and more each day about taking care of my kitten/adolescent, I go to school and work but I try to be home a decent amount of time. Our backyard is very big though, a ton of grass, some walls to climb, a woodpile on one side of the house, a walkway on the other side, a patio for cover when it rains, it's a pretty sweet set up I think, he'd have a lot of room to roam just in my yard alone.
But I feel sorry for stray cats and shelter cats that dont get adopted and I had been thinking of maybe trying to pursue getting an outdoor only cat that I could adopt and at least give them a place to sleep, eat and hang out. Does anybody know if that would be a good idea though? I know some shelters only look for people who can provide indoor shelter for their animals. On top of that here are some variables that I have been thinking about that could effect this from working out:
1) I live less than a mile away from the mountains and foothills, that means that coyotes and other animals sometimes frequent our neighborhood but I see and know plenty of cats that are outdoor in our area, Rarely have I ever heard of animals eating the cats around her and I have 2 friends that have indoor/outdoor cats that have lived fine for 3 and 7 years respectably and are still going strong. This and disease are the main reasons I keep her indoors.
2) I don't know how the indoor cat would react to an outdoor only one, and it will be the girl inside, (I hope to adopt a boy next cat I get.) a boy on the outside. Does anybody think it wuld be a problem having them see each other but never able to interact?
3) I know all the dangers of having an indoor/outdoor cat, the cars, animals, people, etc. I've read up on the debate too and that is really my only hesitancy about asking to see if this is possible. I would hope and try to keep the new cat around the yard as much as I could too. I would buy him a bed and some toys.
4) I have a mostly outdoor but also indoor Pug dog, who is a ball of energy but would never hurt a flea, I'm not quite sure how he'd react to being surrounded by cats indoors and outdoors though.
I have a strong desire to do this and to adopt another cat to keep in my yard mostly but still open to roam the area's around the house. I think that I could really help a stray get off the street or shelter but I must say I would not be able to give it indoor shelter. Does this sound like a good idea? Does anybody think that the shelters would have a grudge with it being an outdoor cat only? I would try to protect him as much as possible but I cant guarantee that he wont get himself into trouble.
What do y'all think about it?? If you want to know about my situation, I'm 19 and live with a family of 6, have 2 pets (u already know), am learning more and more each day about taking care of my kitten/adolescent, I go to school and work but I try to be home a decent amount of time. Our backyard is very big though, a ton of grass, some walls to climb, a woodpile on one side of the house, a walkway on the other side, a patio for cover when it rains, it's a pretty sweet set up I think, he'd have a lot of room to roam just in my yard alone.
