Do Your Cats Go Outdoors?

sammiesmom

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Sammie does not. I live in Florida, and where I live, there are conservation areas right across the street...areas where there is natural habitat, not permitted for development and no building or clearing permitted.

We have raccoons, alligators, snakes, occasional wild hogs and who knows what else. I made the decision that she would remain an indoor only kitty.

What about yours? What factors entered into the decision?
 

sportbikemike

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Mine are strictly indoors. In fact, the shelter I volunteer for won't adopt a cat out unless the people state on their application that they will be indoor only.
 
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sammiesmom

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Interestingly enough, I read a statistic last year when I first got Sammie that said outdoor cats' average lifespan (remember, folks, this is statistical stuff...your experience may differ) was a mere 5 years!

OTOH, a strictly indoor kitty can live 15 years and beyond. That sealed the deal for me.
 
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sammiesmom

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Originally Posted by SportBikeMike

Mine are strictly indoors. In fact, the shelter I volunteer for won't adopt a cat out unless the people state on their application that they will be indoor only.
Mike, I like that requirement.
 

creativgirl

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My boys are strictly indoor kitties, mostly because it's safer. There are raccoons, possums, and the occasional coyote hanging around my apartment complex, not to mention traffic.
 

harlowquin

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My cats are indoors only. The are Ragdolls and no way would they be safe outside. Heck they don't even move for the sweaper, let alone a speeding car!
 

goldenkitty45

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Except for my first cat Mitten, all of mine have been indoor cats. Mitten was in and out, but things were different in the 70's when he was alive.

Far too many dangers now to risk letting your cat out. I tell people that if they really think the cat has to be out, then train them to a harness/leash or build an outdoor cat enclosure rather then let them roam unsupervised.
 

laureen227

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all 5 of mine are strictly indoors only. most of the time, they don't even try to go outside!
 

bnwalker2

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All of mine are indoors only. Since we live on a big farm way out in the middle of nowhere, Leo was allowed outdoors for awhile. He would come in at night or if the weather was bad. Until one day, he fractured his leg somehow while outside. Now he is 100% indoors and I will never let any of them outdoors again.

Now, we do have a couple of barn cats as well, but they refuse to come inside period.
 

clsmith9

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mine go in and out when they want apart from one that has a few mental issues who either stays indoors for months and then goes out for a week at a time. It helps them sleep more and as active kitties they need to have a lot of room to play. I live on a quiet road though and I dont keep them out at night. My childhood cat was the same and she lived to be 21 so a mixture cant be bad.
 

mrblanche

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I have not had a cat that I let go outdoors since the second day we had Snoopy, our first cat after we got married.

We let him out, and when we called him the next morning, he had grease spots on him and a burned paw. It wasn't hard to figure out where he'd spent the night, and what would be the eventual result if he kept on doing it.
 

strange_wings

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I have two in and two out.
Max is outside because he has a really rotten attitude. We started caring for him around age 5-6 and neutered him, but all those years of being an intact alpha tom are ingrained pretty deeply.
He will "play" too rough, uses claws and teeth and has a thing for bare toes -he will chase you down trying to get them. And sometimes the slightest provocation will set him off, such as walking by him, he'll attempt to latch onto your leg. He can't be petted. He would attack Sho and Tomas...and of course he sprays.

MewMew is a stray we recently spayed and is really sweet all around. She'll become a house cat in a few months after we move. It isn't possible right now because 1) two cat limit inside and 2) there's no proper place to keep her during introductions. (Max will get a large outdoor enclosure - not allowed to build one here).

Sho and Tomas are indoors only. Sho is not a terribly bright cat. Letting him out when he was younger resulted in him getting himself hurt. He even managed to cut his ear open trying to climb the rose trellis.
So no more outside for the big goof unless it can be in a very safe, "fool cat" proof enclosure.

Tomas is afraid of outside... and doesn't like other people either so, agoraphobic cat?
 

sakura

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No, mine are both indoor-only. We live in an apartment on the 2nd floor. Matilda is de-clawed (by previous owner). My plan is to keep them indoor-only the rest of their lives.

The cat my family had growing up, Ivy, was indoor/outdoor and my dad & stepmom's cat, Roo, is as well. Roo is 10, they've had him since he was 2. They live in a secluded cul-de-sac and he doesn't seem to wander far. He's de-clawed too so I've been trying to convince them to let him stay in but it hasn't been an issue yet. We adopted Ivy when she was 2-ish, and sometime when she was about 12-ish she just never came home.
 

faith's_mom

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My three are spoiled wimpy indoor kitties...Lol...

I live in town, so there is no where that they can 'roam' safely...

I do take them outdoors on leads, as they do appreciate the fresh air, and sunlight, but they don't step outside the door except on a lead.

If I had a yard of my own, with a high security fence (that they couldn't climb) I would let them out there to explore, but I don't...so for now, it is safely on leashes that they venture outside!!!

Ms. Martha Mae is even learning to enjoy actually going for walks....she is absolutely ADORABLE walking with my husband, because he's a big guy...so picture a little cat...and a big guy mosying along in a park...It's cutest from behind...Lol!!!
 

naia

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My cats are strictly indoors. I don't need them getting run over by a car... or some other danger that could hurt them.
 

yayi

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My 11 cats are indoor/outdoor. The oldest cat is 13+ and the youngest will be 2 this June. They are all fixed, street smart cats
I am okay with them having the freedom to come and go as they please.
 

tobi

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My Lily is an inside only cat, but Memphis goes outside. When I got Memphis I didn't even consider the thought of him being an indoor only cat. It's only after I joined these sites and learned more about cats that I realised the outdoors probably isn't the safest place for a cat.
As an example, even though my cats have lived happy long lives, none of them have died of natural causes. Not one. All hit by cars, and one attacked by a big dog.
Memphis still goes out (and it scares me stupid because we live at the end of a dead end street where cars SPEED down because they don't see the dead end). We tried to keep him inside, we really did. But for a cat who's spent his entire life having the choice, it's just not an option. It's not possible without closing ALL the windows, and we have no security screens for air, and even then he knocks stuff over and scratches the door and meows loudly to be let out.
Lily has been inside all her life. When I'm home with her I have all the windows and doors open. She's scared of outside!

Any cat I get in the future will be an inside only cat.
 
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