Kitties that go outside

Humph. I'm finished pet sitting but these cats had their way with me. 2 of the 3 are indoor/outdoor and I decided early on that I'd feel better not letting them out while they were under my watch. Well last night that Tabby was TORTURING the Tortie on purpose. And if it wasn't it was scratching and meowing at the door. So I sucked it up and let the tabby out. I checked for him before I went to bed, nothing. So I had just laid down and the motion light came on - I went downstairs and there was the kitty. I let him in and all was quiet and well.

Guess that cat told me.

Whew! That is sooo nerve wracking. JC has been getting allowed for a little bit lately, because he is also getting so stressed about going outside. But it is almost too much to bear, waiting for him to come safely back. Even tho it's a small town & we're at the edge of it, I worry that he'll get hit by a car, taken by owls or maybe climb into a dumpster on trash day, so many dangers lurking out there ara: But if I don't give him the chance, he pees inside & yowls/paces; he's been severely attacking the other cats in his frustration, etc. My vet is a country vet & she understands - she told me that the Maine Coon breed is a "working cat" and needs a higher level of excercise. Her opinion is that indoor/outdoor cats are happier & healthier, but in our area, the risks to cats seem lower, esp, if they don't get caught by mean kids/men; I tried making a cat fence, over 8 ft., with mesh at the top, but JC happens to be the only cat who can scale it
Glad to see your situation turned out okay.

I refuse to pet sit cats who go outside. If something happened while you were watching them, the owners could blame you, and most of all, I just couldn't handle the guilt. And then the experience of trying to keep a cat inside who is used to going outside can be rather trying. One of the cats I sat for only went to the bathroom outside (the owner didn't tell me this), and I kept her inside the whole time I was watching her. Well, she pooped everywhere!! Anyway, I'm just not comfortable pet sitting cats who go outside - it is not easy to deal with keeping them inside, but yet you don't want to feel or be made to feel responsible if something happened to them when they were out. A sticky situation for sure...

Cats being allowed to run outside, it's alot like when your kids want to fly the nest.

In truth it's scary, cars,others animals,people, there's a big world out there and you don't really know what will happen. I've been letting Skunk outside for years now..sometimes I'll even walk with him, I've trained him to literally stop at the edge of the road to look both ways before crossing. There's times where he has brought home anything from snakes,birds,rabbits,squirrels and so on,thus I know he's a decent hunter.

Our neighbors have told us that at times he'll stop by and get some lovins or a treat..so there's no worry about him being taken away, though I have worried about that before, thus the addresses,phones numbers etc all over his collars..I'm just your basic worried parent over my kitty ^_^

Cats being outside is a definitely up there on the top list of things to worry about for ones own cat...I try to think of it as one of those big steps in raising in kid I may have one day..got to learn to let them fly the coop.

Hope I've helped!

Originally Posted by mycherona

I refuse to pet sit cats who go outside.

Click to expand...

The owners should inform you if their cats go outside and I don't think it will be your fault if anything happens to them.

I'm still too scared to let my boys outside by them selves, (Snakes, busy roads, a housefull of dogs a few houses down) not that Murphy wants to go out side by him self, I think he's agoraphobic or something and has a total breakdown if I even suggest it.

Winston however, stands at the door meowing for hours to go out, so last weekend I worked out a compromise. I brought him one of those dog pegs that screw in the ground and a long 20 ft cord that attaches where the lead would on his harness. Every time I walk in the door from work now he stands on his back legs pawing the draw where his harness sits, telling me to put it on lol.

It makes me feel a lot better about being out side, knowing hes not going to get run over or get in to mischief or go after the local wildlife (Although catapillers have become his stalk of choice lol. He tried with the big black ants but discovered they bite back) , makes me never have to cut the grass cause he eats 90% of it and makes him happy just laying out in the sun.