I'm being overprotective of the kittens.

One of my co-workers wants two of the kittens when they are weaned. I will be having them fixed before they go to homes but I wanted to know if she planned on keeping them inside. She has a dog and a doggie door so they will get out. I know that she lives in a not so great neighborhood so that worries me. I personally believe pets should not roam outdoors when you live in a city like ours. If you live on my side of town, we have larger lots but the coyotes roam at night. If you live in the older parts of town, the homes are so close together that a cat can only go from one yard to the next and a lot of people might not be "cat" people. Also, I hear news about people torturing stray animals all the time. In many other ways, this family will be a great home for kittens. They love animals and I have known her to keep and care for all of the pets she's had over the years but I can't bear the thought of her coming to work and telling me that a cat has not returned home someday. Should I refuse to give her a kitten at all?

pxxie---- that is hard. My neice wanted a kitten if Angel is preg., my sister said NO WAY (thank God). But they have 1 cat and while they take care of her she is allowed out and they live on a fairly busy street. They used to live on a main road and ended up letting their DECLAWED house cat out, along with a kitten she found and bottle fed from about a week old. The kitten got hit by a car right at their driveway and their other cat used to be gone for weeks and months at a time and one time just never came back. So far this cat has been fine but I did NOT want one of the kittens going to a home they would be allowed to roam outside. anything can happen to them!

I think I would just let her know you don't like the idea of them being outdoor kitties. That you have "raised/helped raise" them from birth so they are still part of your family and you can't deal with all the dangers outside.

but it is a tough choice but I don't blame you at all.

I don't think you're being overprotective of the kittens at all. So far, we have found homes for 4 (one to my mother, one to my sister, one to a neighbor, and one to us ). We still have two more, I am am already frantic about getting them good homes they're 4 days old). I'm even worried about the one going to my mother because she's got two older cats. I don't want Duke and Gracie to be mean to little Layla. My mother takes wonderful care of her cats (she wants a kitten, because she just lost her elderly cat.) I think THAT is overprotective. Worrying about my little kitty at my own mother's house!

You are being smart. Our shelter discusses this with potential adopters and tells them flat out we will not give cats to them if they will be lettng them outside. All of your concerns are valid.

Originally Posted by pxxiegirl

One of my co-workers wants two of the kittens when they are weaned. I will be having them fixed before they go to homes but I wanted to know if she planned on keeping them inside. She has a dog and a doggie door so they will get out. I know that she lives in a not so great neighborhood so that worries me. I personally believe pets should not roam outdoors when you live in a city like ours. If you live on my side of town, we have larger lots but the coyotes roam at night. If you live in the older parts of town, the homes are so close together that a cat can only go from one yard to the next and a lot of people might not be "cat" people. Also, I hear news about people torturing stray animals all the time. In many other ways, this family will be a great home for kittens. They love animals and I have known her to keep and care for all of the pets she's had over the years but I can't bear the thought of her coming to work and telling me that a cat has not returned home someday. Should I refuse to give her a kitten at all?

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I would inform her that it is not recommended to allow kittens to venture outdoors until they are at LEAST 6 months of age (they will need to have received their rabies shot that they cannot receive until they are around 4 months of age). She should at first monitor their time outdoors and it would be best if she could provide them with an outdoor enclosure that they could play in but could not venture too far away and get lost. She will need to get them both microchipped and also buy them breakaway collars for identification.

Katie

You know, I had the worst experience just last weekend, and if nothing else, it made me realize that overprotectiveness is not really a bad thing.

I was at a party on a 3rd floor balcony, and a cat jumped out of a tree onto the balcony. No one seemed to mind him being there. He was a big grey tom, and very affectionate. Then the one guy, who'd had way too much to drink and couldn't hold his liquor, grabbed the cat under the armpits with one uncoordinated hand, and held it far out over the edge of the balcony. He started ranting about how he could drop the cat and it would land on its feet, 'cause he did it all the time. I realized he was serious, so I grabbed the cat, and he tried to get it from me, because he was mad that I was defying him. Then he started yelling about how animals wouldn't hesitate to hurt you, so he doesn't care if he hurts an animal. In the end, the cat is fine. I watched him until the drunk guy was driven home later.

I'm not trying to scare you. It was just a wake-up call for me that some people have absolutely no regard or empathy for animals, and are willing to cause them harm, just for a little party fun. I shuddered when I thought that one of my own babies could encounter someone like that. So, I think it's entirely reasonable for you to decide not to give your kittens to a home where they would be allowed outside. That decision is totally yours, and is a totally valid decision either way.

I think you are being a great grandma looking over her babies babies Listen to your heart and gut

Yes, I'd tell her that you are concerned about the safety of your kitties and that you feel they might get out (and list all the dangers). You can't in good consience give her a kitten because you are uncomfortable about the cats having access to the outside via the doggie door.

IMO if you have cats and dogs, you shouldn't have a doggie door

My co-worker told me today that they will get some sort of doggie door only openns if the dag is wearing some device on his collar. I have not heard of anything like that, but I'll make sure they have a way to keep the kitten inside. She agrees that the cats should be inside only so I feel better. It's nice to at least have a possible home for 2 kittens! 4 more to go!

Originally Posted by pxxiegirl

My co-worker told me today that they will get some sort of doggie door only opens if the dog is wearing some device on his collar.

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Someone posted not long ago that their cats had learned to stay close behind the dog and were able to sneak out through the dog door. So it's not fool proof.