Mosi is so spoiled she has her own bathroom! LoL
Posted on 11/22/2013 5:45:02 PM PST by Perdogg
It's a question all cat owners must ask themselves; "Should I let my cats outside?" The opinions and feelings of cat lovers are varied. Lets take a closer look.
I have been on both sides of this topic. I grew up in a small city, and our cats always went outside.
They were careful about crossing the street, and mostly stayed in the yard. They all lived full lives as well.
Now, as the owner of two great Maine Coon cats, we keep them indoors. Our breeder specified it, and I agreed. You may wonder why I see things in a different light.
Most veterinarians and experts agree that cats do not need to go outside. In fact, the benefits of keeping them in far outweigh the risks of letting them out.
If your cat or kitten came from a breeder, you probably were required to agree to a few terms. Spaying or neutering of your cat, no declawing, and keeping your new pet as an indoor cat.
Did you wonder why that is? Nowadays, as pet owners are becoming more conscious and aware, more and more people are doing their best to make responsible choices for their pets.
The old belief is that we need to let our cats outside in order for them to be healthy, happy and fulfilled. After all, they really want to go out! But just like children, animals don't necessarily know what's best for themselves.
Life Span:
The life expectancy for outdoor cats is roughly 4-5 years. For indoor cats, 12-15 years is average with many healthy cats living to be about 20 years old!
Simply by keeping your cat inside the house, you protect him from a variety of dangers. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that these things probably won't happen.
But this is exactly why the life span of an outdoor cat is so short. Here are some risks involved in letting cats outside: Being hit by a car Death or injury by dog attacks Being attacked by wild animals Parasites: fleas, ticks, worms etc. (Lyme disease in cats is a real danger. Tapeworms come from fleas. And heartworms are transmitted by mosquitoes.) Getting lost or picked up by Animal Control Being stolen and used for sadistic purposes Being stolen and used as laboratory animals Being poisoned either accidentally or intentionally Roaming into neighbors yards, causing irritation Death or injury caused by cat fights Picking up infectious diseases from other cats, such as: Feline Distemper, which is highly contagious and deadly Upper Respiratory Infections (URI) There are multiple varieties FELV: Feline Leukemia, the most common killer of pet cats. An infected cat will spread it before any symptoms are shown FIV, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus FIP, Feline Infectious Peritonitis, which is always fatal. Cats who contract it are usually euthanized
Although we all know there are lots of risks for letting cats outside, seeing it listed out like this puts it in a pretty strong light.
If you find that your cat is obsessed with escaping (it's a bit like living in a house with children in the center of an amusement park) there is one popular solution. Outdoor cat enclosures are gaining popularity among indoor cat owners. They provide cats with the outdoor time they crave, in a safe way.
Of course, the choice is completely up to each owner. But new cat owners of any breed, may be wondering, "Should cats go outdoors?" or "Do I need to let my cats outside for their overall health or happiness?" The short answer is no. Experts agree that indoor cats can live happy, fulfilling lives, right in the house.
Mosi is so spoiled she has her own bathroom! LoL
Cats have the cognitive ability to consider the consequences and make informed choices of a toddler. Get a friendly enclosed area made specifically for kitty or let them explore the natural world every day on a harnesses and leash that they cannot get out of. It is not only owners but the animals that suffer real damage when they are hit by cars, snatched to be sold to experimental labs, harmed or abused by mean sick people, attacked by dogs or wolves, coyotes, etc.
No...never let a cat outside.
We live in a rural area in coastal Maine. I would never let my kitties outdoors here. We have aggressive predators out here - foxes, fishers, weasels, etc. The other night we had a very large pack of coyotes chasing prey, and they were only about 50 yards behind our house. Awful chilling sounds they made, especially when they brought down their kill just beyond our yard. There is also rabies to contend with and large feral cat populations with very BIG feral male cats just looking for trouble. My kitties stay indoors where they get lots of love and a chance to grow old.
Mrs. NHD
LOL!
A few years ago we had our grownup cat, a young cat (4 months) and a puppy. We have an above ground pool with several shrubs surrounding it.
The three of them discovered a mouse and it was a comedy of errors with the two cats and puppy trying to catch the mouse. No one got it and I think the older cat was very embarrassed by the whole thing.
It was very fun to watch.
If it gets killed, just get a new one
But Maine Coons are Landraces. It is kind of ironic they have the hardware but cannot operate in the outdoors.
1 cat out doors cat; 2 cats indoors. I’ve had two out door cats, they had lots of friends in the neighborhood, birds to chase etc. good quality of life. I now have two 1 year old indoor cats, they play all day long with each other...I know cause they knock stuff down all over the house.
I have a number of cats that come and go as they please.
The front door is always open when we are here, and the screen door has a 8x6 inch swinging catty door. It also has a latch, rarely used, that will let them out, but not in.
We now put all of them out before we shut the door and go to bed.
One female is expecting at any moment, Those from her previous litter are pretty much grown, but they are taking hits from her nipples.
Cats are natural born killers. All my cats have been outdoor cats. Sometimes they don’t come back. My current cat is the most effective killing machine you can imagine. He brings in animals that are almost as big as he is and he guts them on the stair landing.
He’s pushing 15 years old. I’m waiting for him to drag a coyote through the cat door. When he was a kitten he used to torment our next door neighbor’s pit bull. Sometimes he lays on the stairs at night and tries to make me fall down the stairs. He usually moves if I step on him.
He has outlived every cat on our block, including all the declawed indoor sissies that have died of boredom.
That's not been my experience at all. We've been a four cat household for a long time, and except for one 2 year old who had FIP, they've all lived to 15-18 years or so and died of natural causes.
When they run free, there is always the possibility that they could be hit by a car, bitten by a rabid animal, eat something poisonous, or become the victim of a sick person. After what I went through with the two that ran free, I decided that my next set of cats would never go out. I had less health issues with them, but one died at the age of 10 with cancer, and the other who was 11 had to be put down because of a digestive problem.
We’ve had several cats. Some prefer to stay inside, others are obesessed with hunting. For the latter, life is riskier but perhaps more enjoyable.
Oy. INDOORS, they have caught the occasional mouse. One morning, I realized what is worse than finding a dead mouse in the living room.....HALF a dead mouse. gross. Treaded very lightly for a few days fearing stepping on the OTHER half. :)
Could you get us pictures? I believe you, I am just interested in seeing what type of animals he brings in.
What do you all feed your cat(s)?
Enjoyable to live with the constant possibility of pain and turmoil, being stolen, shot, poisoned, or tortured to death, nearly inevitably dying slowly due to humanity’s mistakes ??
well...that could be said about anybody these days.
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