Outdoor Cat

I understand that your mother doesn't want fleas in the house; neither would I. If you put Advantage or Frontline on our cat, he won't have fleas. My four cats are all indoor only. I wouldn't let them outside for all the money in the world. Cats, despite what you are saying, are not wild animals like cheetahs and lions; they are domesticated pets. There are dangers in the woods. I live in the woods, too. We have foxes, snakes, wild turkeys and other things. Cats can get hit by cars; they can be tormented by humans; they can be shot. People around here shoot animals in the woods. They can ingest bad things like antifreeze. You can let your cat be outside as you wish; it's your decision. But don't delude yourself about the safety. My cats are family; I want them close to me, purring in my lap. I never understood a pet being kept outside. It might as well not have a family at all.

Keep in mind, there are people who have cats that live in big cities and it is against the law to let them run. Not all cat owners are responsible enough to make sure that their cats are vaccinated against Rabies and other diseases. We would love to let our cats run, but have to weigh the pros and cons. My husband made them a wire enclosure so they can be outside and be safe at the same time. Works great!

Cats are domesticated, they are no longer wild animals. Cats don't know that antifreeze isn't safe or that they shouldn't sleep under cars. Aside from the safety of the cats, what about the safety of wildlife? Outdoor cats can have bad effects on wild bird populations.

how many people have cheetah and lion for a house pet anyway?

True...cats are not stupid. Some cat owners are though. cdrxo

You seemed to have made up your mind already. I don't think cats are STUPID!!! I just prefer my cats stay INDOORS. I've had both indoor & outdoor & for my own peace of mind I prefer indoors. God put us here naked but I don't think he meant for us to stay naked. But I do think it is your decision what you want to do. I hope your cat enjoys being outside.

If you don't really like your cat so much, it's a great idea to make it an outdoor cat. If you don't mind that it can get poisoned, parasites, diseases from other animals, or lost, hit by a car, attacked by another animal, or crawls into the engine of a car, sure, it's a great idea. It's life span will only be 3-4 years if you're lucky. But, if that's ok for you, go for it.

I agree with you lanlan that cats are not stupid and the natural place for them is outdoors, but after reading a lot of the other responses here, it's not often safe for them to be outdoors, or even be able to go outdoors. e.g. in high rise apartment blocks in cities. I had 2 cats, both male, both desexed, from the same litter and I kept them locked up at night so they couldn't run amok killing birds and getting in fights. One night when I couldn't find one of them and left him outside, I came out at 0630 to go to work and he was laying in the yard, stiff as a board... he'd been shot through the chest with one of those ball-bearings from a slingshot. I think the only time they can be really safe outdoors is if they live in a rural area, with plenty of room to roam and lots of mice/introduced species to catch. Both of my cats were/are great mousers and when the old house over the back of me which hadn't been lived in for a while was being renovated, I think they single handedly rid the place of mice. Cats are the perfect predator... claws, teeth, stealth, night vision, agility, speed and patience... if left outdoors to their own devices they can not only be a danger to native animals, but also to themselves.

If you live on a busy street or your neighbors kids are spawns of the devil, your cats belong inside. If you live in the country or a relatively safe place then the cats can go outside. Your cat just hasn't had a reason to cross the street yet. It doesn't mean it won't.

God intended Lions, Cheetahs, Tigers, Wolves, Bears, and other wildlife to live outdoors but He did NOT intend for Cats and Dogs to live in the wild. And that's why I pray that your cat will never get run over by a speeding car, or, God forbid, killed by some person who hates cats and/or wants to make money by selling your cat to a research facility. That is why ALL veterinarians tell you to keep cats and dogs inside. Cats are NOT meant to be in nature because cats die very young when they are in nature (strays don't live beyond 1 years old) but they can live to 21 years when kept indoors.

Well, I'm glad you've decided for everyone. I shall lower my cats out of the apartment window immediately.

ok.... my sister had a lovely big cat.. he got out and he was killed she so regrets it.. i have cat, she is a persian cat.. i love her like i would a child.. would you want a child going off anywhere??? no ofcourse not... my cat is not wild or tramp, she is beautiful loving cat, one time she gets out the front, i go looking for her and suddenly she comes running in scared and sniffling as though she was crying.. next door neighbours nasty cat must of attacked her.. i let her out the back as it is totally enclosed and persians can not jump high.. its save for her from people that could steal her, from infections, flees from other animals and from cars.. but i MUST have window open at all times for her otherwise she worries.. she knows if she gets scareed or in danger she can come runnoing into her safe home Bacially my pedigree cat i love IS indoor cat and she is happy as gets much attention and she knows she is safe here

yes, cats are very intelligent but i think its much safer and healthier to keep my cat indoors becuse there are many things out side that can be dangerous for a pet, out side like fleas and ticks and other animals you could expose your pet to rabies and more he might get stolen or get run over iv seen a lot of animals get hurt in the street my biggest fear is letting my cat out side, and he never comes home, even though cats are smart they do have lapses in judgement and dont always know the right thing to do i just think its better to keep them inside and just have a screed in porch where he can enjoy part of the outdoors and have lots of windows and toys and things to keep him entertained and happy.

Personally, I prefer for my cat to be kept indoors. I had a kitty a few years back that was hit by a car and killed and I was devastated. My cat Apollo is like my child and I would never forgive myself if I let her outside and something happened to her. She's an intelligent cat but there are no other cats for her to learn from here. There are many outdoor dangers to cats, by the way, not just cars. There are other animals and also people. I know for a fact that some kids in the neighborhood where my family lives have abducted people's pet cats and harmed or killed them. Some cats prefer to be indoors, anyway.

They should be outside, yes. We though have indoor cats and some of them we would not want to go outside. Acidents do happen and vehicles and other animals could get them. I know first hand how smart cats are though. My kitty that was raised in the house after her mother was run over never got to be outside much. Then one year we started putting her on a lease/harness so we could go out eat some grass and go back in with out any trouble. Then one day she accidently got out. She was gone for 3 days and we live near corn fields. If you get into those it can be very easy to loose your way or meet up with another animal. On that 3rd day she waltzed back up to the front door without even a speck of dirt on her. We also have many outside cats. That get fed and fed good. They usully stick around but sometime a racoon or a possum get infights with them and it hurts or sometimes kills the cats. If you live in town though the best place I think would be inside for a cat. As for the comparision to a cheetah or a lion inside. Two things. Yes, have you ever heard of a zoo? Also they are much bigger and a car would be much more likely to stop for one of them and a racoon would be no match for a lion so that's why they would be ok outside.

How many Cheetahs and Lions do you have living in your neighborhood? You are very young, by reading this commentary it is obvious that you lack wisdom and you maturity, you are a teenager. You asked a question of this group according to what you say in this post. Now you are throwing the wisdom, experience and research of the respondents in their faces. So be it. More people have still tried to convince your from their EXPERIENCE, that you are wrong. This may be a DEADLY mistake for you. As a pet owner you have a RESPONSIBILITY for another life. A cat or pet is not a 'throw away', at least that is not WHAT GOD INTENDED. You are responsible to vet and neuter the cat despite what you decide about indoors vs outdoors. You have been told the perils of the outdoors. I would be willing to bet that if your cat is taken ill, or is hurt you will not spring for the vet bills. I hope you do not come back to this board whining when your cat is picked up by a hawk and it's neck is broken (the cat is not smart enough to sense the impending hawk dropping down to pick it up). Your cat will not be smart enough to avoid children or adults that torture animals for the he!! of it. I could go on but you do not care. I have met adults like you, no sense of responsibilty and a sense that you know more than anyone else. You should be required to take a test before you can have a pet. Why did you ask if you did not want to know the truth from people that knew the facts? Maybe you did it to earn more money from myLot, maybe taht is why you are posting this one. If you do not like the tone of this message it is because people like me, and others that post the response that says "keep the cat inside" are tired of hearing about cats and dogs that are abused, it is so easy to keep the cat in and give it love. Love is so easy to give and it is so often withheld. Your choice is to withhold love and care of a cat or give it. A cat can be so loving and fun. So sad...you could have learnd the easy way.

My parents have an indoor/outdoor cat, and she is 11 years old now. She doesn't have any front claws, and has still managed to survive this long. My parents moved 2 years ago, about 5 miles away from their old place. The first time their cat went outside at the new place she disappeared. We didn't think we would ever see her again. A week later neighbors from the old place called us and said they saw our cat roaming around the neighborhood. We went over to look, but couldn't find her. Three weeks later she showed up back at the new house. It's pretty amazing because the area between the new house and old is very very busy, yet somehow she made it there and back. She now stays nearby at the new house and is doing well. I agree, cats are very smart. My cat however is an indoor cat, but she loves coming out on the deck with me.

You will also be crying to the bank when you have to take your cat to the vet because it was injured in a fight with another cat or dog. Your cat could get a some type of contagious cat disease from catting around as cats do when they are left to roam. Let's talk about how big those tires are on a vehicle and how small your cat is: When some cruel person is determined they will squash your cat the first chance they get. What about poison bait people put out for rodents and what if your cat gets into the bait or eats a rodent that has eaten the poison. There are so many dangerous obstacles out in the world that even a smart cat can get ensnared. Good luck with your outdoor cat. I've lost too many to go that route again.

I believed that when you decide to own a pet, along with the fun and joy that comes with them, also comes the responsability of taking the best care possible. I would not try to change your mind, I do respect your opinion! Though, I will suggest you to read on the subject from the experts, who have the stadistics, to back up their opinions; petplace.com. The outdoor cat's life expectancy is about 6-7 years old. The indoor cat's life expectancy is about 15-17 years old. Numbers don't lie!!! GOOD LUCK with your choice. P.S. I have been a proud owner of an indoor cat who reached her 21 years old, Past away last Feb 14,(MY BABY) and another who still fills my life with joy, now 15 years old, also indoors but with controled access to her patio.

I have 2 cats, and I prefer to keep my cats indoor. I live in an apartment, close to a very busy highway. There are also a lot of big dogs in my complex, and even though most dogs stay on their leashes, it doesn't always work out that way. One of the dogs could easily hurt a cat. I think for cats that live in an urban population, keeping them indoor is the safest alternative.