*If this is in the wrong forum feel free to report so the mods can move it*
Since Minka, our older cat is an outdoor cat, we have decided that Lightning McQueen, our kitten can be one too. They never stray far from home and will always come when called.
This morning, before I went to school, I made sure both cats were inside. I found Minka sleeping, but Lightning was nowhere to be found. I went on my deck and called him, but he didn't come. I was about to be late so I just went ahead to the car. To go outside I have to go through the lobby, and that's where I found Lightning, meowing. I brought him inside, and went to school, wondering how he got in. He couldn't have let himself in because there is no way a cat can open that door. He wouldn't have followed anyone in, because he doesn't follow people unless they call him. Someone must have locked him in the lobby.
Both of our cats have been raised as outdoors, and they love having the freedom. But McQueen is young and a transition may be not as hard, and Minka being 8 isn't very active.
I'm starting to consider keeping them as indoor-only cats. When Minka was 3-4 years old she got ran over and paralyzed. Then when she was 6 or 7 her collar was caught in a tire and she was dragged. My friend used to have a cat named MammaCat, since it had kittens, and she got ran over, fatally. Her owner then got 2 females, Lexi and Perry. They both had a litter of their own. Lexi and her babies have been rehomed, but Perry and her son Micheal were killed by coyotes after being brought to live at their Grandma's farm. My other friend, who lives in BC, got 3 cats named Chief, Max and Vinnie. Vinnie had the same fate as Perry and Micheal, and Chief often fights with neighborhood cats. There used to be 10+ cats living a few blocks away, and now only 1 or 2 remain, many dissapeared for unknown reasons.
And now there's this. Is sacrificing my cat's happiness for their safety worth it?
(Also, they are both trained to potty outside, since the litterbox odor was too smelly to handle.)
Since Minka, our older cat is an outdoor cat, we have decided that Lightning McQueen, our kitten can be one too. They never stray far from home and will always come when called.
This morning, before I went to school, I made sure both cats were inside. I found Minka sleeping, but Lightning was nowhere to be found. I went on my deck and called him, but he didn't come. I was about to be late so I just went ahead to the car. To go outside I have to go through the lobby, and that's where I found Lightning, meowing. I brought him inside, and went to school, wondering how he got in. He couldn't have let himself in because there is no way a cat can open that door. He wouldn't have followed anyone in, because he doesn't follow people unless they call him. Someone must have locked him in the lobby.
Both of our cats have been raised as outdoors, and they love having the freedom. But McQueen is young and a transition may be not as hard, and Minka being 8 isn't very active.
I'm starting to consider keeping them as indoor-only cats. When Minka was 3-4 years old she got ran over and paralyzed. Then when she was 6 or 7 her collar was caught in a tire and she was dragged. My friend used to have a cat named MammaCat, since it had kittens, and she got ran over, fatally. Her owner then got 2 females, Lexi and Perry. They both had a litter of their own. Lexi and her babies have been rehomed, but Perry and her son Micheal were killed by coyotes after being brought to live at their Grandma's farm. My other friend, who lives in BC, got 3 cats named Chief, Max and Vinnie. Vinnie had the same fate as Perry and Micheal, and Chief often fights with neighborhood cats. There used to be 10+ cats living a few blocks away, and now only 1 or 2 remain, many dissapeared for unknown reasons.
And now there's this. Is sacrificing my cat's happiness for their safety worth it?
(Also, they are both trained to potty outside, since the litterbox odor was too smelly to handle.)