I've taken precautions--they spend a lot of time on a deck that can't be reached from the ground where their beds, shelter and food is. They love the outdoors, particularly in warm weather, and discourage vermin and snakes.
Felt a little guilty until I read about the shocking number of cats recently euthenized at my local shelter--mine are shelter rescues--and am content that they have a pretty good cat life, after all. Food, shelter, family, medical care...and if they don't wander too far from home (and the family dog who looks after them and pretends he doesn't), they'll be safe.
I know exactly what you mean. I live outside of the city limits in a wooded area on a dead end street. We are surrounded by woods & not much traffic. I used to let my cats outside - but one day my neighbor complained that one of my cats was hanging from her bird feeder!
I would love to let mine out - taking care of them is really a full-time job (in addition to the other REAL full-time job I have). But my husband helps me with them & I love taking care of all of my pets. I haven’t gotten mine declawed either, because I hope to be able to let them out someday when I move further out in the country. I’ve been wanting to screen and put a roof over my deck so that I can let them out there, but I just don’t have the money to do that right now.
I read somewhere that the average cat’s lifespan is 2 years. My oldest cat is 17 & I have another one that is 16. My youngest is now 3 - so they have all beat the odds. Having a home, where they can be fed and sheltered and given love - that’s a great life for a cat.
People that like animals have a kind heart :)
And this year I hired a handyman to build a kitty exercise pen that they can go safely out into from our screened in patio. They spend hours and hours climbing on the shelving, feeling the wind in their fur, watching the birds, rolling in the grass yet they are safe as safe can be. I love it! And so do they! It was just a very simple 10X10 box all screened in with a door on it and 1/2 sandbox, 1/2 grassy area. Well worth the $300. I paid for the labor and I think the materials were another $200. I bought the materials last year before I broke my hip and would have built it myself but for the stupid hip. I still have yet to paint it but 112 degrees outside is just not conducive to This Old House activity! In the fall I'll paint it and carpet the shelves. I'll add a kitty tree too to it. they just love it.
I don’t want to be a busy body but three things:
1) Never de-claw your cat as they don’t just remove the claw, they remove a digit.
1a) Supposedly they now have a human way to remove the claws and only the claws. Never de-claw an outside cat for oviouls reasons.
2) Please, if at all possible, keep all your cats indoors. They live longer, they don’t get diseases and they seem to be more affectionate.
3) Spay or neuter your cats. They breed worse than rabbits it seems and then contribute to the ever growing feral colonies.
Good luck with your kitties. I love em and try to place as many ferals as possible working with our local volunteer agencies.
Thank you for getting you precious kitties from a shelter. You just saved some cat’s life or two or three.