Am I A Bad Kitty Mom?

The other day, I got into a discussion with a gentleman, who said that I should take my cats back to the shelter so that they could have a propper home. I was confused, as I thought I gave them a good home. Food, water, warm beds, and lots of love and attention. What more do cats need? Well, he said that cats are, by nature, wild animals, and deserve to go outside, and that if you can't provide for them to go outside, that it's cruel and unusal punnishment, and that I should take my cats back to the shelter, because I am torturing them.

I live in a suburb of Washington DC, about a stone's throw away from the interstate and a street that has horrible traffic. I cant imagine letting my cats go outside with the possibility that they might get hit by a car.

So am I being a bad cat mom? I've never really known anyone that has had cats before, but I always thought that if there were lots of cars around, that it's best to keep them indoors. Or is this guy just retarded?

-Jade

He's retarded! My cats are totally indoor cats; they have a wonderful life with me, as you are giving yours a wonderful life. Ignore him!
***hugs***

I live in downtown Chicago, so there's not much of a "natural" life for cats to have here (or anywhere urban/suburban/developed for that matter), other than to live in an alley and eat some diseased rats and get run over by cars. I don't think keeping them away from outside is cruel in any way. I'd definitely ignore this guy.

Originally Posted by AshleyJade

The other day, I got into a discussion with a gentleman, who said that I should take my cats back to the shelter so that they could have a propper home. I was confused, as I thought I gave them a good home. Food, water, warm beds, and lots of love and attention. What more do cats need? Well, he said that cats are, by nature, wild animals, and deserve to go outside, and that if you can't provide for them to go outside, that it's cruel and unusal punnishment, and that I should take my cats back to the shelter, because I am torturing them.

I live in a suburb of Washington DC, about a stone's throw away from the interstate and a street that has horrible traffic. I cant imagine letting my cats go outside with the possibility that they might get hit by a car.

So am I being a bad cat mom? I've never really known anyone that has had cats before, but I always thought that if there were lots of cars around, that it's best to keep them indoors. Or is this guy just retarded?

-Jade

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I have had in-and-out cats all my life. My first cat lived into her late teens. Since I have been an adult, most cats lived less than 5 years. Sammy was found in a ditch...either hit by a car or ate poison at a nearby farm. Tiger Lily died giving birth to "one last litter"...I had my other two barn cats spayed, but since Tiger Lily was such a great Momma cat, and had such lovely babies...I planned to let her have one more litter. The two kittens who had already been born died, too. I lost my last two barn cats last summer...they just disappeared, as outside cats often do. Scout was about 6 or 7. Angel was probably 8 years old.

So yeah, if your cat needs excitement, cars, fleas, and dogs, by all means send it out to play.

Festus is my first inside only cat. She will be two in April. Garfield is also inside only. And Jasmine was born outside, but was rescued at 5 weeks old. They will all spend the rest of their (hopefully long) lives inside.

Garfield escaped into the garage once. I was afraid he would get outside, so ran to close the outside garage door. I turned to see him running in circles in front of the closed screen door into the kitchen. As soon as I opened it, he "escaped" back inside. He was terrified by his 10 seconds almost outside. I do have a barn cat, Will, my avatar boy. He sat through the entire performance staring at Gar as if to say, "Hey, sissy-boy, are you lost?" LOL!

Yes, I still have outside cats. WIll was born outside, and adopted us. I struggle with the idea of bringing him inside, but he is truly happy outside. Also outside is Josie, adopted from my rescue agency, because she would not stop peeing inside, so wasn't adoptable as a house cat. And 1 to 3 feral outside cats, who I rarely see, but do feed.

Keep your kitty inside. The "gentleman" is entitled to his opinion. But in most areas of the US, he would not be allowed to adopt from a shelter or foster agency, because they require inside only!

That man doesnt know what he's talking about. Housecats are domesticated. Their ancestors were wild, but if you put a regular cat in the wild with predators.... chances are he won't last very long.

Studies have shown that cats who spend significant time outdoors are exposed to more diseases and hazards, and their lives are shortened by years compared to indoor cats.

Samuel always wants to go outside, but its not because he's "tortured." He wants to explore! There's no way he could. I live in a major city and its definitely not safe for him to be wandering around.

Grrrr. I'm so sorry that man made you feel bad. What a jerk!

You're a good kitty-mom because you've made an informed decision to keep your cats safely and happily indoors, and not buy into an antiquated, old-wives-tale that cats can only be happy outside. The guy you talked with is an idiot, pure and simple. He doesn't know or care to know the truth about outdoor cats in urban environments - which the majority of the US and the world is now.

Cats can have a good life outdoors, but not in a high risk environment like a big city, and not in inclement weather. I live in a quiet suburban neighborhood, and my cats get fresh air whenever they want it, but they know that my house is their refuge, and they want for nothing here.
Sounds to me like this guy is trying to make you think he knows more than he does about cats. Blow him off, he's not worth your concern.

tell the guy to take a leap your cats are fine. I have 14 kitties and for the most part NONE show an interest in outdoors

My crew refuse to go outside. They have had the chance but they just sit inside the door and look out. Unless you live in an area that is condusive to outdoor cats, it is best to keep them indoors. If an outdoor cat lives in the country and has plenty of acreage to run and play, that is fine. But my crew will stay indoors.

You are in the right and the "gentleman" has holes in his head and his brains have leaked out.

I agree with all of the above Take no notice of him.

I live in the UK and my 3 have access to the outside. However i live in a quite urban area, not in a city or near very busy roads. My Izzy tho' a stray hates the outdoors now, Jake is different he has always wanted to be out so to keep him in would not be fair, Jaz likes to potter around the garden and rarely goes any further.

If your cats are happy, content and are not distressed by being indoors then go for it!

Take no notice. When i got Rosie and decided that she was going to be an indoor cat, an elderly co worker told me it was cruel keeping them indoors.

These people are what i call " old school " because their set in their ways and years ago it was unheard of keeping cats inside, where i come from anyway!, but thankfully people are changing now.

My vet approved of me keeping them indoors as well

The way the worlds has changed now, there is no natural envoriemnt for them outdoors, it's just cars, cars, dogs, etc.

I have 3 cats who are indoor, and 1 cat whos outdoor, he only pops out for 3 hours a day, but that's because we used to live somewhere so remote there was hardly any cars. so now hes out for only few hours a day.

my indoor cats are JUST as happy. there healither happier.

and you as a mummy, don't have to worry about them getting lost or hit by cars. there in the warm safe and shelterd.

my cat Missy who I got from a shelter runs away whenever a door is opened shes terrified, and you know what? I don't blame her, she was dumped into that nasty world by someone, and she by no means wants to be part of it again!

she'd rather cozy on my bed asfe and warm.

we are good kitty mums. always and forever.

That guy is crazy! My cats are both indoor cats and they are very happy and very healthy. In fact, when we adopted them both from a no kill animal shelter, we had to sign part of their adoption papers that we agree to keep them as indoor cats.

That guy is crazy!

Harley is an indoors kitty only! Although we do take him outside in the summer on a leash, and we play with him in the grass and he loves it. Otherwise we doesn't go outside at all!

If you next see him and the topic comes up, point out to him that cats are man made, domestic animals and are not, by nature 'wild animals'.
I'd no more keep a cat outdoors than a I would a kid.

Indoor cats have been proven to be healthier than cats who can get outside - i can't recall where I read that, but I'll look it up. The "gentleman" definitely doesn't know what he's talking about hun. My Tosca is an indoor cat and she's none the worse for it. This is the point at which you should jsut nod, smile, ignore him and walk off.