I had a discussion (a.k.a., argument) with my aunt the other evening about our cats and basically, she told me I was being cruel for not letting Niko outside. She claims that in order for her cats to lead a full life, they need to hunt, stalk, and play in the grass.. experience nature. She's owned cats for many years and all of them have been indoor/outdoor; she basically made me feel as though I was doing him a terrible injustice. Niko is my first and only, and just the thought of letting him fend for himself out in the 'wild' (okay, so I'm in a metropolitan area, it's still wild to him) makes me a little queasy.
I don't /want/ to let him out of the house- I don't want him to catch an illness, get into a fight, get lost, hurt, hit by a car, stolen, etc. Hell, I think if I ever did let him out, I'd be worried sick and waiting at the door until he came back. While part of me agrees that he would have a great time, full of enrichment and experiences, the rest of me refuses to even give it consideration.
I've tried the leash thing, but he wants nothing to do with putting on a harness/collar, so I stopped trying. Is she right, am I denying him a feline rite of passage and being an over-protective momma? Am I depriving him of experiences he should be having to have a fulfilling life?
I don't /want/ to let him out of the house- I don't want him to catch an illness, get into a fight, get lost, hurt, hit by a car, stolen, etc. Hell, I think if I ever did let him out, I'd be worried sick and waiting at the door until he came back. While part of me agrees that he would have a great time, full of enrichment and experiences, the rest of me refuses to even give it consideration.
I've tried the leash thing, but he wants nothing to do with putting on a harness/collar, so I stopped trying. Is she right, am I denying him a feline rite of passage and being an over-protective momma? Am I depriving him of experiences he should be having to have a fulfilling life?