Any Ideas On How To Keep Outdoor Cats Safe?

Other than building a kennel to keep them in there is no way to assure a cat's safety.

Wow, that's a tough one because it's almost impossible to restrict a cat's movements once it's outside. Is there any way that you can make friends with these kids so they don't do something so mean again or talk to their parents? In this case the key to keeping your outside cats safe would be to remove the dangers, which are these kids.

It is a very sad story and I am sorry for your loss...our pets are our fur-babies and their passing is painful. I am not sure what to add to this because we have 5 cats and they have all been fixed and are strictly indoor pets. We have 1 dog and he is a pampered, mostly indoor pooch...except for the time he is in our fenced in yard or we walk him. The only thing I can think of is to create a enclosure for them. Maybe some animal rights association or the humane society would be willing to provide some funding to assist you being that you are a loving, caring cat person. I applaud your efforts and hope you find a solution and do let us know how you make out. Raia

My cat was always an out doors cat. I never really had to worry about anything because I lived in a quite neighbourhood and my cat knew enough to stay away from moving cars. A couple of kids did try to chase him once but he ended up biting one of them and running after the rest. The parents got mad after that but I still think they deserved it. I hope the rest of your cats stay safe and you enjoy their company for a long time.

Unfortunately, cats are great climbers. It's in their nature to hunt, and so they are great at jumping, running, climbing, and a fence won't necessarily keep them in. First, in reference to the children who chased your poor cat into the road, you should have charges brought against them. Whether you call their parents, or the police, make it known that if you see these children on your property again, whether innocent or not, you will call the police and have them notified of this behavior. First, no one should be on your property without your permission, and second, they have no right to be terrorizing your animals. I would have held them accountable for the vet bills. I know it doesn't bring your kitty back, but it's the principle of the thing. What they did was wrong! That being said, I think it's important to know that it is hard to know for sure whether your cats will be safe when they're outside. They usually do know better than to run out into the road, but at times things can distract them, so there's always that risk you're taking. Short of building a screened in area for them, with a roof, it's hard to really come up with something miraculous that will keep them safe. It's great to be able to let the cats outside, and it's great exercise. Unfortunately, that exercise means climbing that fence you've placed in your yard. Maybe you can line the insides of the fence with a type of material that will make it hard for them to climb up, but that will mean you can't see out, probably. See if you can talk to someone in the city you live to put up a sign in the neighborhood stating that there are pets in the home, and to please look carefully when driving in the area. My dog was hit by a car after her leash broke, and my mother had to put her down, so I know all too well the pains of having to do something like that. Unfortunately, you may have to start bringing the kitties inside from time to time, or build a smaller fenced in area where you can go outside and watch them. I have a screened in porch that I allow my cats to go out into and they love it. It's not outdoors, but at least I know they're safe. I hope someone has some great advice for you, and if not, please try calling your vet. I'm sure they deal with these things all the time and can probably give you some free advice on how you could train the cats to stay within the property lines. Best of luck to you!!