In or out, that is the question???

[littleraven7726]

my cats got to go outside when we had an apartment that was an old house converted to apartments. we had the back apartment with a patio & grassy yard. it was in a safe neighborhood, not a lot of roaming critters or fast cars. raven and nabu got to go out on leashes and harnesses and they loved it.

those were pre-stimpy days.

we haven't had an apartment like that since, so they haven't gotten to enjoy that for years. they really liked it though. my MIL did that with her previous cat, too. the town she lives in, and we used to, required cats be on leashes and licensed. it was pretty strictly enforced. although there were still roaming housecats anyway.

my parents have indoor/outdoor cats, and have lost a few. i prefer the leash and harness method. or even better and outdoor enclosure, but that's really only an option for homeowners.

i've thought about the portable outdoor enclosures for our balcony, but the balcony is so small i don't think it would work out.

 

[jpawz]

Originally Posted by littleraven7726

my cats got to go outside when we had an apartment that was an old house converted to apartments. we had the back apartment with a patio & grassy yard. it was in a safe neighborhood, not a lot of roaming critters or fast cars. raven and nabu got to go out on leashes and harnesses and they loved it.

those were pre-stimpy days.

we haven't had an apartment like that since, so they haven't gotten to enjoy that for years. they really liked it though. my MIL did that with her previous cat, too. the town she lives in, and we used to, required cats be on leashes and licensed. it was pretty strictly enforced. although there were still roaming housecats anyway.

my parents have indoor/outdoor cats, and have lost a few. i prefer the leash and harness method. or even better and outdoor enclosure, but that's really only an option for homeowners.

i've thought about the portable outdoor enclosures for our balcony, but the balcony is so small i don't think it would work out.

Your post made me think back....when I was little and had cats. My mom and my gramma were NOT into cats so much, hated them inside (my gram about freaked when she found out I sneaked the kitties in my room at night hahah)....and as a result my childhood cats were indoor/outdoor.

I lost a couple--one just never came home, and one was hit by a car (we lived on a quiet side street but Muffin managed to make it all the way down to the main intersection--never underestimate where these cats will wander!)

One of my in/out cats, Clyde, my BESTEST (

)friend , lived a solid and happy 15 yrs. And cancer was the taker. I miss him to this day

Eventually, as I became more animal-aware, and worked in animal care, I finally converted my mom more to my thinking about indoor cats, nutrition, etc. She got a Ragdoll mix for my sister....prettiest little thing. We trained her on a leash so she could go outside with us and sit in the sun, chew some grass, chase a bug (I do love to see cats enjoy nature too!) And Nikki did great on the leash. My mom was so happy!

The tragedy was Nikki had a sneaky/deadly arrhythmia ... probably a genetic anomaly. She died in her sleep before a year old. Cruel stuff.

Where am I going here...(sorry!)....

Oh...my point being that despite being an indoor cat advocate, there are ways to allow your cat to get some outdoor time, safely. It's fun to watch their instinctual behaviors come out, moreso than you see inside (even when you try to make little hunting games and whatnot).

Currently we are in a more country like setting--no main streets, no traffic, but I also keep in mind the woods (critters, ticks, etc..) Both rural/city settings have their own brand of dangers. I definitely prefer the rural setting

It's quite the norm here to have outdoor cats (or both out and in)--and they are doted upon! Lots of barn cats too (barn cats are a totally different species, lol, who have their own way of living--it's not so bad, actually).

Mine are indoor out of personal preference, aside from a momentary roll in the grass. But it's not a one size fits all