Indoor Vs Outdoor

[carlman]

I am a new first time kitty owner, and happened across this online:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cats-S...e/384096228912

I haven't thought about it much before, but they have valid points. I wanted to hear from some experts before I decide though. Any thoughts, or valid arguments otherwise?

Thanks for the input,

Carl

 

[stephanietx]

I didn't log into FB to read the whole thing, but I firmly believe that cats do NOT belong outside. There's just too many dangers out there from cat haters to predators (some of them being cat haters) to being exposed to toxins (antifreeze for example), not to mention traffic and crazy drivers.

 

[strange_wings]

I'm more middle ground. You don't let dogs run loose (or at least I hope no one on here does) so why should you allow your cat to do so? Keep your pets contained in a proper fence/enclosure or on a leash if you wish them to be outside.

 

[stephanietx]

This is true, as strange_wings said. I don't have a problem with cats in adequate outdoor enclosures, but do with them roaming everywhere.

 

[strange_wings]

Originally Posted by stephanietx

This is true, as strange_wings said. I don't have a problem with cats in adequate outdoor enclosures, but do with them roaming everywhere.

The problem with them roaming, that no one really likes to take into account, is that cats can pose a danger to other animals and humans - just like dogs can. Plus, cats love to defecate in nice soft dirt - neighbors do not like cat feces in their gardens and childrens play areas. I don't even want to deal with trouble from neighbors.

 

[stephanietx]

Don't I know it! Our neighbor has two great cats, but they let them roam. The male cat is the worst! He poops in all my flower and veggie beds as well as my compost pile! He does keep the rodent population under control for us, but still....!!! The little girl kitty doesn't come out too much and she only comes and sits in my container of catnip, then goes back home. I tell my neighbor I'm her dealer and she visits to get her "fix".

 

[the_food_lady]

i am a huge proponent of cats being strictly indoors. It's proven that they live longer lives because they are exposed to so many risks/dangers if allowed to roam free:

-getting hit by a car
-in a fight with an ill, feral cat
-in a fight with a vicious dog
-getting poisoned by deranged neighbors/sick teens who don't like cats (some like to leave little dishes of antifreeze out for them; very sweet tasting, only takes a few licks to cause a cat to go into severe acute kidney failure which is a very long and painful death for which there is no cure)
-getting lost
-crapping in the neighbors' flowerbeds and therefore p*ssing off the neighbors (I think this is rude and I have 5 indoor cats myself but am unimpressed with my neighbor who lets his cat roam and each year i have to contend with his cat sh*tting in my nice flowerbed)
-risk of coming into contact with an FIV+ or FeLV+ cat
-risk of worms, fleas, heartworm (depending where you live)
etc etc etc

I live in a very quiet urban area and I can't tell you how many times I've seen beautiful cats lying dead on the road because they were hit by a car. It breaks my heart and makes me livid because it's so entirely preventable.

 

[ebrillblaiddes]

I grew up with indoor/outdoor cats, and took it for granted at the time. Since I got out on my own and the responsibility to get informed and take care of them right was on me, though, all my cats have been indoor with the exception of one who was older when I got him and used to going out, therefore miserable if I made him stay in. (Even so, I kept him in anyway when we lived between two very busy streets in a bad neighborhood where if the traffic didn't hurt him the neighbors would have.) However, mine do have supervised balcony access, and if I ever have a backyard again I'll be open to building them a proper, safe enclosure.

 

[strange_wings]

Originally Posted by the_food_lady

-getting hit by a cat

Hit by a cat, huh? I would joke that that must hurt... but I have been hit by cats.

I always try to type cat instead of car, too.

My neighbor has, or had, two front declawed neutered males that roam. I haven't seen Blue for a while, either something happened to him or he was taken back inside. Gizmo comes over, poops in my front flower bed, hacks up hairballs on my front walkway, is always sneaking into the shop building, gets up in my windows if they're open and meows in... (drives my gang nuts), and does general nosy cat things. Where I less understanding, and didn't like Gizmo, the neighbors would have a problem.
He's such a trusting sweet cat that he is very lucky that there is no one bad around.

My childhood cats where indoor/outdoor and only two ever made it to 10 years old. Cars, dogs, and just never coming home was usually what happened - and we lived at the edge of town with good neighbors and wheat fields nearby.

 

[violet]

Carlman, please read this. It comes from a veterinarian

Indoors or Outdoors?
http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.ph...oorsoroutdoors

 

[sharky]

Originally Posted by strange_wings

I'm more middle ground. You don't let dogs run loose (or at least I hope no one on here does) so why should you allow your cat to do so? Keep your pets contained in a proper fence/enclosure or on a leash if you wish them to be outside.

Same here... Actually I will be able to rescue some kitties because I have a cat proof enclosure..

Till my younger four came into my life 17-24 months ago all my cats were indoor / outdoor with varying degrees of training and enclosing ... All lived to mid teens so I for one know that done right indoor/ outdoors live as long as indoor only ( of course 3 surgeries on indoor only vs NONE for indoor /outdoor makes me wonder about who truly is safer at times( no surgeries outside spay/ neuter

 

[yayi]

Unlike the majority, I would never keep my cats indoors. To me an indoor cat is comparable to a piece of furniture - it entertains you (like TV), it needs maintenance, it's there to comfort you (like a soft pillow)...

But they are not furniture or part of the house decor.
My cats go outside whenever they wish. By their own choosing, their territory covers only the backyard,the house and the front garden. They're fixed and been trained to come when called. To me, it is enough and they are happy - they have their independence, they can enjoy doing stuff that is natural of cats.

If I listen to every single danger there is out there, I'll probably lock myself in too.

 

[ebrillblaiddes]

According to my indoor cats, I'm the one that's furniture.

 

[missymotus]

Originally Posted by stephanietx

This is true, as strange_wings said. I don't have a problem with cats in adequate outdoor enclosures, but do with them roaming everywhere.

agree, I don't mind cats enclosed or harnessed but not free roaming. I think it's responsible to keep them contained and not bothering neighbours, wild life etc.

 

[white cat lover]

I have indoor cats & I have outdoor cats. All are S/N & vetted - regardless of "house cats" or "barn cats". The barn cats range in age from 18 years old (Squishy) & 16 years old (Fafeena) to the 4 -5 y/o Bob brothers. In 5 or 6 years now, I've lost one farm cat - died walking across the lawn one day, possibly a heart attack?

But - I also live in the country on a farm. Barn cats are a 'fact of life' so to speak. Most of the barn cats were born & raised here. If I lived in a city of any size - they'd be indoors only for safety. And many of my kitties are "special" due to health issues, so they must be indoors only.

I even went so far as to build an outdoor enclosure for some of the farm cats for their own safety.

 

[blueyedgirl5946]

I have outdoor cats only. The are not roaming cats. They lived within a fenced in area. They can't get out. Other animals can't get in. The live outside because my husband developed an allergy. It is not by choice. I feel they are safer than free roaming cats, but not as safe as indoor cats.

 

[kwren]

our kitties are indoor kitties.

when i was living with my parents we had indoor/outdoor cats, we lost one of our cats, my baby and her last litter of kittens, (a vaccinated cat) to feline leukemia and another got hit by a car, in spite of the fact that we lived in the middle of nowhere and our street got very little traffic. our neighbors cat got hit and killed as well.

now i live in the city. no way would i let my cats roam free, not with the amount of cars we get down our street - or the amount of strays loudly making more baby cats and pooping in our alleyway. even though our boys are fixed.

there's a big difference between living in fear of every single danger and taking reasonable precautions to keep your family members out of harms way. i'm not going to let my four year old run loose outdoors unsupervised either!

lol my indoor cats are like furniture? that's a new one. they are certainly not here for my comfort, i am wise enough to know darn well that i am here for theirs and do their bidding happily.

 

[arlyn]

I watch the feral cats here in the park (approx 15 of them), there are kittens twice a year every year.
Last year out of 4 litters of 3-4 kittens each, only one survived to reach adulthood.
None of the adult cats (according to the man who feeds them) are over 3 years old, he says they just vanish, likely due to coyotes, great horned owls, or rattlesnakes.

Dangers aside, I do not think any domestic animal should roam (barn cats in the country are an exception), they pose dangers to humans in the form of disease and they are a nuisance.
I do not want cat poop in my flower beds, cat poop (spreading ringworm) where kids play, or the destruction that cats cause.
Many homeowners out here have had insulation, boat and car covers and boat upholstry ruined by cats.
Not to mention the dessimation they are causing to a lot of native bird and animal species.

Domestic animals were created by humans, it is up to the humans that choose to keep them to be responsible for them, not just their care, but being responsible for the damage and trouble they cause as well.

 

[mrblanche]

Originally Posted by Carlman

I haven't thought about it much before, but they have valid points. I wanted to hear from some experts before I decide though. Any thoughts, or valid arguments otherwise?

Thanks for the input,

Carl

In the U.S., the average life span of an outdoor cat is about 6 months. The average life span of an indoor cat is about 16 years. Do you really need to know anything else?

 

[violet]

In the U.S., the average life span of an outdoor cat is about 6 months. The average life span of an indoor cat is about 16 years. Do you really need to know anything else?

My experience. Many, many years ago our first cat was a tiny kitten when one day his mom who belonged to our best friends, didn't return home from her usual daily little outing in the afternoon. (The kittens were still nursing.) Several friends and neighbors got together and searched for her for a long time but nobody ever found out what had happened to her. Sheba, a beautiful cat and a great mom to her kittens was one year old.

After her disappearance (when our new kitten was already living with us) I dreaded the day when he would be big enough to be allowed to go outside.......When I took him for his first exam and kitten shots the vet asked me if I knew cats don't have to go outside to have happy, healthy lives. I didn't. So he talked to me about it, educated me. God bless this vet, I will be grateful for his advice as long as I live. Thanks to him our kitten became an indoor cat and lived to be 19.