PLEASE Keep Cats Indoors

I wasn't sure where to put this. I have a friend who lets their cat outside. I got my baby boy from her as a kitten. Cocoa had two siblings. One of them was a mirror image of him. I always enjoyed seeing him as he reminded me of my baby. I found out today that Cocoa's brother is dead. My friend suspects he was deliberately poisoned. PLEASE, I beg you to keep your pets indoors. There are a lot of evil people who want to harm them. You may think they're ok. They always come home. But all it takes is one time of them being poisoned, hit or shot. Cocoa's brother is with him now but suffered needlessly.

What makes you think he was deliberately poisoned? Many common plants are poisonous to cats, as well as decorative plants that may have been kept outside (orchids are not usually kept outside but definitely poisonous). I'm really sorry to hear about Cocoa's brother and being indoor is massively safer for the cat - but some are incredibly intelligent and energetic and need the stimulation of the outdoors for a happy life.

I agree with you on that. My cat needs the outdoor stimulation. I have a two or three year old male. He is an amazing cat who is full of personality. He's one of a kind. When I first got him I was against letting him outdoors. I live with my parents and my father overruled me and let him outside. This has done so much for him. I could only imagine how annoying and off the wall he would be without that. We live on two acres which he stays on most of the time. He comes in at night and goes out during the day. 

It depends on where you live, I think. I've always lived in suburbs with large populations and traffic. I had a neighbor who hated cats and put barbed wires around her property and my cat got stuck and injured very badly. She survived but that was the last time I let her out. I also saw many cats hit by cars near my house. Also, I heard that some cats carry typhus in my area. My friend lives in more rural area, but she said outdoor cats eventually all disappear because of coyotes. But without these hazards, I'm sure cats are happier outdoors. 

lngo said:

What makes you think he was deliberately poisoned? Many common plants are poisonous to cats, as well as decorative plants that may have been kept outside (orchids are not usually kept outside but definitely poisonous). I'm really sorry to hear about Cocoa's brother and being indoor is massively safer for the cat - but some are incredibly intelligent and energetic and need the stimulation of the outdoors for a happy life.

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She said it. Not me. She has crazy neighbors that go after her cats. Mine like to sit at open windows and watch nature without being in danger. Outdoor cats are more likely to get sick, get ticks, fleas, ear mites or get attacked by another animal or human. If I had my own house I'd make a large screened in porch for them.

I have an outdoor enclosure and that is wonderful. One of my cats, Leo ( RIP) would harass me all day to go out. Scream in my face, walk between my legs, get up on shelves and knock things off etc. Eventually he became an outdoor during the day cat. He was very happy BUT, on 3 occasions he was bit by a big tom in the area requiring emergency vet care.Thankfully he survived and as he got older he liked to go out but never left the yard. The cats I have now are not allowed to roam and I feel good knowing they have the enclosure but are not at risk.

Maureen Bradley said:

I have an outdoor enclosure and that is wonderful. One of my cats, Leo ( RIP) would harass me all day to go out. Scream in my face, walk between my legs, get up on shelves and knock things off etc. Eventually he became an outdoor during the day cat. He was very happy BUT, on 3 occasions he was bit by a big tom in the area requiring emergency vet care.Thankfully he survived and as he got older he liked to go out but never left the yard. The cats I have now are not allowed to roam and I feel good knowing they have the enclosure but are not at risk.

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Enclosures are great. They can watch nature, get fresh air and stay safe

    If I may...I think we all love our cats just as much as we love our children.... I know I do. We treat them like babies, we feed them, care for the, and watch over them. I couldn't trust my cat "Rosco" to be safe "out there" unattended, just as I wouldn't  I trust an infant or child neither. And sadly, there is this a lot of cruel people out there, and they got pellet guns or worse.

"Enclosures are great. They can watch nature, get fresh air and stay safe" I agree...but I would still keep a close I on your cat....and watch for snipers!!!

Dragonheartjoe said:

 
    If I may...I think we all love our cats just as much as we love our children.... I know I do. We treat them like babies, we feed them, care for the, and watch over them. I couldn't trust my cat "Rosco" to be safe "out there" unattended, just as I wouldn't  I trust an infant or child neither. And sadly, there is this a lot of cruel people out there, and they got pellet guns or worse.

"Enclosures are great. They can watch nature, get fresh air and stay safe" I agree...but I would still keep a close I on your cat....and watch for snipers!!!

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I agree with you 100%. My cats are not going outside unattended ever again. They were strays and now they are indoor cats. I have a screen room at the back of the house that I am cat proofing so they can go out there and see the world safely. I would not let them (or the dog, also a former stray) out alone any more than I would let a toddler out alone. There are too many dangers out there to take the risk. 

I do understand that others disagree with this and to each his own. We all have to do what we think is best. For my situation, the road behind my house is very busy and there are no street lights. The street in front isn't much better although there are street lights. My HOA has a zero tolerance policy for loose/stray/feral animals. We used to have a lot of strays/ferals around but they get trapped and turned over to animal control as soon as they are spotted. They will trap any loose animal and hand it over to AC, even if it's wearing a collar. With or without tags. The owner can then deal with AC themselves. There are just too many risks involved for me to let any of the furkids outside. We also have a large wooded area just down the road and plenty of raccoons who are not afraid of humans at all. I don't need the babies tangling with them. We all know who would lose that battle. 

I don't completely agree with you about keeping cats indoors all the time, however, some cats ARE better off staying inside. Like my cat...she LOVED to go outside...until she got in a fight. Now she wont step foot outside...Nevermind she's trying to go outside in almost a foot of snow...lol shes so cute:lovegrin:

100% agreed on keeping cats indoors. From childhood onward, I've lost three cats, one hit by a car and two others eaten by local wildlife. Never again.

In addition, cats are killers of local wildlife themselves, as an invasive species. Best to keep them inside and save the local bird population.

Very good point about "preserving the wildlife" My ex-wife always let her Calicco out, and she would bring back everything from dead birds, to mice, and even baby bunnies. Although she wouldn't harm the bunnies, she would just bring them home. It was kinda cool actually.

Dragonheartjoe said:

 
    If I may...I think we all love our cats just as much as we love our children.... I know I do. We treat them like babies, we feed them, care for the, and watch over them. I couldn't trust my cat "Rosco" to be safe "out there" unattended, just as I wouldn't  I trust an infant or child neither. And sadly, there is this a lot of cruel people out there, and they got pellet guns or worse.

"Enclosures are great. They can watch nature, get fresh air and stay safe" I agree...but I would still keep a close I on your cat....and watch for snipers!!!

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Snipers? I never thought of snipers. There is no way we would have a sniper around here. I live in the suburbs homes on both sides of me and behind. We have a very tall fence and I know my neighbors really well. All of them have their own pets.Regardless, my cats are safe. They only go out into the enclosure in the day and then I close it off. I work from home and spend most of the day working from my picnic table on the backyard patio.If we ever had anything like a sniper in this neighborhood I would move.I guess anything is possible.

Yes, It actually happend to a very good friend of mine. her cat was shot while she was laying on the porch. Good neighbours, never any problems before, just an act of sick randomness by some "animal haters" we guess. Can't blame anyone except the "sicko's" out there.

 I know I couldn't forgive myself if something happend to my Rosco. He just turned 10, and a recent diabetic, so this summer a couple times I tried taking him out in the backyard, luckily he wants no part of being outside   He gets lots of excersize in the house. And he's never been happier

I live in an apartment. My cats watch nature and get fresh air sitting at windows. I sort of live in the country so they see lots of birds and butterflies.