FAQ of the Day: Isn't it cruel to keep cats indoors?
Thursday June 28, 2007
A reader from the U.K. protests:
I was extremely concerned to see that you listed outdoor roaming as a new owner's mistake. Here in the UK we consider it cruel to keep a cat indoors, especially if it is kept alone, without another cat. Indeed, the Cats' Protection League will generally not rehome to flats or houses without gardens.
Perhaps in America the situation is different to in the UK. I would like to see a caveat added to your article, as I would never consider keeping a cat enclosed permanently.
Read my Reply
I was extremely concerned to see that you listed outdoor roaming as a new owner's mistake. Here in the UK we consider it cruel to keep a cat indoors, especially if it is kept alone, without another cat. Indeed, the Cats' Protection League will generally not rehome to flats or houses without gardens.
Perhaps in America the situation is different to in the UK. I would like to see a caveat added to your article, as I would never consider keeping a cat enclosed permanently.
Read my Reply
Comments
I can think of several reasons to keep my cats indoors. The 2 that come to mind immediately is that it would be horrible to drive down my street and see one of my kitties dead on the side of the road; also, I couldn’t sleep at night because I would be so worried about them. Thanks Franny for all of your valuable information.
I used to let my wonderful 8 yr old cat outdoors. He never strayed farther then the neighbors and was always greeting everyone when they got home. I made sure to call him in every evening before it got too dark. One night he didn’t show up when I called. I called him for hours and got no sleep that night. The next morning my dog and husband found him. He was brutaly killed by a wild animal (coyote, fisher?) just on the other side of our fence.
Several months later we adopted 2 kittens. They NEVER go outside and seem quite okay with it. I miss Max dearly and feel especially bad about the way he died. Domestic cats don’t need to go outside.
From what I’ve heard from several sources (vets included) the lifespan of a cat goes up a great deal if it’s an indoor cat. My cat does want to go out on occasion just to see what’s out there…so I occasionally put on his harness (he doesn’t enjoy the harness itself, but he knows that’s the way he gets to go outside) and take him on a little jaunt. He’s pretty okay with that.
People who never leave the house probably live longer to. The quality of life is better for cats who go outdoors. Unless there is a busy road nearby. Read Call of the Wild…
We have found the best of both worlds. Our cat stays inside unless he’s on a leash and we are only a few feet away. It didn’t take him long to become used to the harness and leash. In fact, he knows where we keep the leash and he’ll go try to open the drawer where we keep it.
He really enjoys being outside, but I would never be comfortable leaving him alone outside. He really has become part of the family and our house would be much emptier without his meows and love.
When I was in high school, I had two cats who we allowed outside after they were about 6 months old. Both were brutally killed by the dog next door. That is one of the reason’s out of many I’d never let my current two loves out of the house. I have a huge sliding door, which I draw the blinds up and allow them to see outside. They have never known anything other than my apartment, and they are happy and healthy. I bring them to work with me now and then, and they have fun. I buy them toys and rotate them, and do what I can to make their day interesting. Knowing they will live longer and healthier lives by keeping them indoors makes me happy. There’s no reason a cat should be allowed to roam outdoors. Recently one of my friends was driving to work, she saw a cat on the side of the road, but it didn’t have a collar, she thought it looked like her cat. when she approached it, she realized it was hers, it had been killed by wild dogs that live in the tree filled lot near her neighborhood. I wouldn’t wish that to happen to my worst enemy.
Hi, I don’t think a cat should only be indoors or only outdoors. They need a little of both. Firstly, they crave outdoors. Secondly, they love the indoors too. They need shelter from storms also the same as us. Don’t let the cat out unless she’ll trust you period.
I agree with those who keep thier cats indoors all the time. Cats who stay indoors have a better quality of life. They are not subjected to fighting for their turf which I think is cruel. Plus they are not subjected to so many dieseases that come from other animals outside. My 2 cats love to bird watch from my bathroom and kitchen windows. Thye are very happy and content.
To Mordicai!
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There is no proof that humans who don’t go outside live longer. That is a false statement.
There IS PLENTY OF PROOF that indoor only cats live longer…and have a BETTER quality of life.
If you can monitor the litterbox and food, you can get your cat to the vet when you see blood in the urine or if the cat vomits blood, or is off their food or constipated by a blockage from eating something it shouldn’t have eaten.
Outdoor cats are exposed to poisoned mice, other toxins and predators of the human and animal variety…to say nothing of traffic.
Cats are not gifted with a sense of reason..which only humans possess. They can’t weigh the dangers of crossing a road, or taking a nap in the wheel well or on the engine of a car.
I used to have indoor outdoor cats, until a coyote killed my 6 year old beloved cat. It still bothers me to think of the sheer terror and the pain he felt as he died being torn apart by wild animals.
I have 5 cats whose feet have not touched soil, and they live a happy, healthy, active and interactive life with us. A very full life filled with love! A very safe life! They love their windows with birdfeeders outside to offer live entertainment. They don’t have to feel the stress of having to fight for their survival on a daily basis.
Letting cats go outdoors is just plain irresponsible in my opinion.
Our local shelter has statistics that show that an indoor cat will live 55% longer. They do NOT like to place cats with people who will not keep the cats as indoor only.
It’s cruel to expose a cat to the dangers and stresses of the outdoors.
It’s our responsibility to protect them and give them the best life they can have. Being able to chase a bird or poisoned mouse, and having fleas and intestinal parasites, and getting into fights with other cats or having to run to avoid being torn apart by dogs does not constitute a good quality of life.
My cats have always been happy with the screened porch for their daily outings. In fact, only one has ever shown an interest in being in the yard and that was so he could eat grass. As long as I keep a pot of cat grass on the porch he’s completely satisfied. Aside from the dangers already mentioned, I’m concerned with people who think cats are harmful to birds and other wildlife, as well as their gardens. Some people will shoot, or poison a cat they deem to be a nusiance. I wouldn’t be able to share my life with a cat if I had to constantly worry about his/her safety. That said, I do believe things are different in the UK. I felt safe walking to my hotel alone at 11 pm after a concert in London, I would never consider doing that where I live in Florida.
I had an outdoor cat (only because he got out when a kitten and we couldn’t keep him in after that). He always came when I called him. The one day he didn’t come when I called I found him in the garden with his head ripped open. He survived. Everyone one in the neighborhood knew him. I was always afraid of him being out until he came to be left in. He was gone for a solid week. During the week he was gone I crawled around the neighborhood looking under bushes, figuring he was hit and lying hurt somewhere. He came back a week later and still I couldn’t keep him in. Also, people around here kidnap outdoor cats and use them as bait for bit bull fights. I have 2 indoor cats now and I have peace of mind that my girls are safe. I caution everyone who comes in the house to do work that my girls have never been out and they need to use caution when coming in and going out. Thanks for a great column.
There are 2 things in the States that may not be in the UK
1)Wicked, wicked lads who delight in torturing cats
2)Careless and heartless drivers who run over animals
No question, the American culture is quite violent and cats are often victims.
We have two cats currently, that stay indoors. Each morning they beg to go into the attached garage. What fun they have sniffing, searching and climbing on the cars. Breakfast is ready when they come in!
I have had many cats over the years, and the ony 2 that were ever allowed out both died when they were less than 2 years old. One was run over in my driveway by a neighbor, and the other one ended up with some sort of poisoning from something he ate while out. Not only do they hurt themselves, but other wildlife-beautiful songbirds especially as well.They are called housecats for a reason!!
A cats lifespan when allowed to roam outdoors is very short. There are many dangers including traffic, dogs, as well as many diseases that can be avoided when keeping a cat 100% indoors. I have found cats readily adapt to being indoors and are very happy and content but most importantly are still living. Life-span for cats that I have owned that were allowed to roam was a very short 3 year average. Those that were kept indoors lived a long healthy, happy life. I do not believe it to be cruel to keep a cat indoors! It saves their lives.
In the 40 odd years that I’ve had cats, all of them have had the freedom to explore all day & come in when they want to.They get locked up at night.Only 1 of my cats was ever killed by a car.And none by dogs or wild animals.Yes, it does happen, but I believe a street-wise cat becomes a safer cat.I choose not to socialise them to too many humans either, so they’ll rather run from a stranger.In my country, some people eat cats, hence not socialising them too much, & during robberies etc, thieves have been known to catch housebound cats & set them on fire, throw them over balconies or slit their throats, often forcing you to watch.I would rather know that my cats have the savvy to look after themselves outside, than know that denying them that lesson subjected them to a horrifing death by human maliciousness & cruelty.As for the odd critter that comes in, it is always brought to me first so that they can show off their prowess.If possible I will rescue it, & if necessary, rehabilitate it & set it free. My current 3 fur-babies are extremely strong, healthy & in excellent condition. They love the outdoors, but will tell me when it’s their bedtime. Being outdoors hasn’t hurt them, in fact, it may have saved their lives when my place was broken in to.
I agree that it is not necessary for cats to go outdoors to live a full life. I have two apartment cats and we are all as happy as can be. In fact, I was reading an article last week, I believe in the Wall Street Journal, that there is a decline in bird populations in UK and this is attributed to outdoor cats killing and/or scaring off birds from nesting in areas with outdoor cats.
Cats are extremely predatory animals and when left on their own kill plenty of small animals. They are hunters at heart and despite a full dish of food at home will kill mice, certainly, but also birds, rabbits, snakes, etc. There are larger environmental issues to consider when letting cats roam outside unsupervised.
I can only agree with all those who have already stated that keeping cat’s inside is NOT being cruel – but rather, being kind and caring. I have had 4 “indoor” cats and none of them have ever missed going outside. The first two lived to be 17 years old and the two that I have now are 15 going on 16 years old. I see too many dead cats by the side of the road and too many cats being poisoned by irate neighbors who don’t want them leaving “gifts” in their gardens. I would never let my cats roam outside alone. When they go out – it is on a leash.
I have three very wonderful cats that are strickley in-door cats. We live on a busy street and due to the fact that they have always lived in-doors, I feel they lack the survival traits needed, if they would be thrown into outside environment. Being in-doors, my cats are less likely to pick up diseases and fleas, ticks and the like. They love looking out the window, but given the opportunity, have no interest in leaving or “escaping.” Our middle kitty has escaped once or twice, but runs through the yard a few times and claws at the door. I do not feel that I am being abusive keeping them in-doors. I am prolonging their lives and keeping them safe.
People seem to be at extremes of this debate. But the truth is, both sides are right. My two cats roam outside during the day (we have a cat door) but are kept inside at night. They rarely leave the yard. They are both 6 years old and we’ve never had an incident. We live in a quiet suburban neighborhood where traffic is rare and slow. We have neighborhood dogs but they have shown no interest in our cats and, in any event, are kept leashed at all times. In our situation, it’s safe for our cats to be outside. If I lived on a busier street or in a neighborhood with tormenting kids or cruel burglars (as referenced in the comments above), I’d keep them in! I think their quality of life is much better because they go outside — but in a safe, and appropriate way.
Blissfull- The point is -would you rather live to be 20-30 and enjoy life or live to be 80 and never leave the house. By the way, my outside cat lived to be 21. Can any of your indoors match it?
truly i believe a cat is made to be outside and enjoy live and i think also their brain is more active with all those impressions from outside.
my cat is 17 and in very good shape for her age.
I live in Australia with my 2 cats, and in the few months that we did let one of our cats outdoors, she managed to catch so much wildlife, even with bell, collar etc. I would love to be able to keep my 2 outside and let them roam, but the risks to them, and our native wildlife is too great. They are happy, well adjusted cats who are quite content to sit on the balcony and look down to the street, across to the beach and sleep in the sun with the sea breeze.
How I would choose to live has nothing to do with this. WE ARE HUMANS! We have the ability to reason and scheme and negotiate for our survival. Cats do not…or they would be supporting us as their pets and having this discussion about us!
By the way, I AM homebound due to a mistake made by a surgeon, and I have a very rich quality of life. I don’t find it necessary to ‘party’ to have a good time. I’ve adapted to my situation, and explored my abilities, and spend a good deal of time learning philosophy, psychology and what REALLY matters in life….things I did NOT learn when I was not forced to be with myself and always had the escape of being able to ‘go out’.
Of the dozen outdoor cats I had, the oldest died at 6, the youngest at under 1.
My first indoor cat lived to be 18, and only BECAUSE she was an indoor cat. If she HAD gone out, she would have died from her bladder crystals byt the age of 2. Having her indoors, I saw the blood in her urine and got her to the vet in time to have surgery to save her life.
There are just too many reasons to keep a cat indoors and not let it out. I’ve listed them in the forum.
I’m not going to argue with you about it. The statistics speak for the fact that cats should be kept indoors.
The ‘quality of life’ argument is a matter of opinion. I don’t think having fleas and parasites and being chased by angry dogs or people would be nearly as much fun as it is having a sunny window for a peaceful nap, a couple of loving humans and a lot of toys…and 4 other cats (we have 5 that all get along) to play with and cuddle…and the feeling of trust and safety and no need for fear.
The quality of your life is what you make it.
The quality of your child’s life is what you instill in him/her to make of it.
The quality of your pet’s life depends on you… who adopted them in order to care for them and love them. They are DOMESTICATED…and they cannot manage without us. They are not meant to run wild in a city. They need us to make decisions for their wellbeing and take care of them and protect them from man-made dangers or local natural dangers.
I take my responsibilities seriously and I love my cats enough to do what is best for their well being.
They have never been outside…they don’t know what it is and don’t have any interest in going out. They are very content with their lives.
I grew up with only outside cats and I remember how sad I was to come home from school and find out that one of them had been killed by one thing or another. So I told my self when I had cats of my own they would not be able to roam outside with out close supervision. I have 2 cats and adopted to strays from outside and one of them had been badly beaten up by a another cat and reg alot of medical treatment, so I will never let me cats out with out me or my husband.
I have had Munschkin for 3 years now. He grew up outside and inside, He’s got his special window that is always open and he come and goes as he pleases. If it rain he Meaws at me as if he’s asking why I’m not stopping the rain because he wants to play outside, He never stray further than a couple of houses away, I also think it is cruel to keep cats indoors!! but maybe things are different in South Africa.
I live in a very busy neighborhood but there is a large outdoor area where the cats can go safely.However I have lost one cat to traffic nonetheless.I won’t keep a cat locked up if it really wants to go out though.My current puss came from the SPCA, which had picked her up in a parking lot with a litter of kittens.That experience seems to have shown her more than she wanted to know about outside,as she now will not venture one paw outside the house but will sir in the doorway safely out of harms way.She’s very happy being inside and could go out if she wanted to but she’s had enough, it would seem.I’m very happy that she chooses to stay inside with me.
I think naturally animals need fresh air just like we do. Jules has the opportunity to go out and sunbathe, but he’s been trained to stay close to home. If I don’t see him, I go look for him. But he’s so pampered he knows not to go too far because then he won’t have the A/C, the treats and the special plush beds.
Indoor cats, statistically, live longer, healthier, happier lives. Indoor cats won’t be hit by a car, tortured by neighboring animals or people, won’t be exposed to the diseases that other outside cats are carrying, won’t freeze during the winter or suffer the heat of the summer, and will not kill local wildlife. If your cat wants to go outside, put him on a leash and take him outside. When I was a kid, we had an outside cat who was constantly begging to come inside. I currently have an indoor cat and two indoor kittens who have NO interest in going outside whatsoever, and I can rest easy at night knowing my cats will be there in the morning, healthy and happy as ever.
Did ever anybody talked to an indoor cat if she is really happy? Special when the claws are removed? They need impressions from the outside to be real cats i think. If we go out of the house and drive a car we can get killed in an accident too. I don’t stay home for that reason anybody else?
By getting a cat, whether it be by adoption, or as a stray, you take on a responsibility to that animal. It is then YOUR job to make sure that it stays healthy and ALIVE. It is reckless and careless to let a cat outside without a leash or close supervision. No one is talking about declawing a cat either- that is a completely different topic of discussion, which I am 100% against. Do I stay inside because I can be hit by a car? No, here’s why- as a human being, we are born with the ability to reason and make decisions. Cats aren’t. When a cat crosses the street, it can’t think to itself, gee, is this safe? It doesn’t have that ability, THAT is why more cats are killed by being struck by cars than people, crossing the street, bieng struck by cars, in the same fashion. How happy would you be fighting for survival, flea-infested, diseased and constantly being aware of predators, or being tortured and abused by human beings or other animals? Have you ever seen an indoor cat? My kittens literally climb all over me, rubbing their heads against my face, purring constantly- I think that means they’re HAPPY! And how can anyone say, well, I have only hade ‘one’ cat killed by living outside…that one cat still DIED. To be frank, I think it is abuse to let your cat roam freely outside. If you are that concerned with your cats needing to be outside, then you should put in the effort of getting a leash or harness and taking them outside yourself, or going out and CLOSELY supervising them, rather than walking over, opening the door and going back about your business. WOuld you do that with a toddler? I seriously hope not. If you don’t want to put in the effort to properly take care of your cat(s) then you don’t deserve to have them.
Jessica – Yes you should be cautious with an outside cat, try to get them in at night etc, but they are animals who love the outside world. All I need to see is my cat running all over the yard climbing tree,s as happy as a lark. Excercise never hurt a human or a cat.
Well…I can see both sides. I think it is ‘fun’ and ‘natural’ for cats to be outside, as animals…but if that is the case, don’t be too surprised if they also have not-so-pleasant ‘natural’ experiences, such as picking up diseases, fighting, proudly bringing home prey gifts, and getting eaten by ‘natural’ predators. That is the morally-neutral reality for all animals out in the wild.
Indoors…yes they do live longer but you really have to be responsible to see that they get exercised and mentally stimulated and especially not put on weight. I like the idea of excursions on a leash. Again at the other extreme we sometimes forget that they are supposed to be animals, not baby dolls.
But they are DOMESTICATED animals. It all boils down to responsibility. If you provide your cat with proper nutrition, toys, and plays sessions, they will get just as much exercise as they would outside.
Everybody has to decide what they want to do as a cat owner.
But don’ t forget they can’ t talk…in real words to you. I know my cat is a healthy not overweight happy 17 y old cat who is inside over night has no fleas and ticks got her shots every year and an exam. So i will say we take good care of her.
I love to see her during the day eating grass, sunbathing ect. She is always around the house somewhere and is scared of cars and hardly touchable from other people.(you should see her at the vet she is like a real tiger even with 17) (By the way WE are killing the cats becaus WE drive the cars)
I know she loves her live outside and when it is raining she asks me too can you shutt off the rain please? If the spring is coming you should see her joy to go outside again…….i know she would be depressed only sitting in the house. Should really someting happend one day……we always can say she had a very good long CAT live in a loving home.
This is a touchy topic. I have strong feelings about keeping my own cats inside, mainly because I have friends and coworkers who have lost their beloved cats by:
Ingestion of antifreeze
Eating a poisoned mouse
Cat got infected with FIV
Hit and killed by a car
And the worst story – couple had indoor/outdoor kitty. Let him out in the afternoon but he didn’t return in the evening as usual. Both husband and wife looked until it was dark, but kitty did not come home. The next morning the husband went out found the poor cat *impaled* on the neighbor’s picket fence. The police never found the person/s responsible.
I understand that cats probably enjoy outdoor jaunts, but I love my cats too much to endanger them to cruel humans, rushing traffic, hunting animals. If purring means happy cats, then mine are plenty content to curl up with me on the sofa every night!
Another thing that I didn’t realize until last year is that a huge percentage of outdoor cats have feline lukemia, which is very easily spread to other cats. I finally had to put my Tom-Tom to sleep last month after this horrible disease reached a point that he could no longer live a happy life. If I had never let him out, he would never have contracted it, and the most loving cat I have ever known would still be with me. While my intentions were good, letting him go outside turned out to be no act of kindness.
In my opinion, I think it is best to let the cat go indoors and outdoors, depending on what neighborhood you live in. I have several cats and live in the country where they can roam and hunt for themselves. I agree that they are more protected inside and safe, but they are animals. They should get to roam and exercise freely. It makes them more independent and less whiny, but still friendly and grateful when you play with them.
Cats should be allowed outdoors and indoors, depending on the neighborhood, and if you are so deeply and extremly attached to you cat that you won’t let it leave your sight. I live in the county, and my cats like to roam outside and some even hunt ( we feed them also of course) I think it is good for them. It makes them strounger, and even though some don’t live as long, they are very happy and free, but still friendly and grateful for attention.
My cats are indoor only cats. However I have 2 (front and back) enclosed porches with lots of windows, and sliding doors with screens and also ceiling fans. My cats love to be out there and watch the birds chipmunks, and other things that go on outside. I always know where they are, and I would never have it any other way. My cats have the BEST of both worlds.
I have two cats which were born in the wild. We took them in as feral little balls of fur. As we had recently lost a beloved cat to being hit by a car, we kept these two as strictly indoor kitties. One has always been perfectly content to be an indoor girl, she seems to be afraid of everything outdoors, especially birds. Her brother on the other hand was miserable being indoors. He started spraying in the house even though he was neutered at 3 months. We tried kitty tranquilizers which had no effect. He has gone through several screen windows and doors and had clawed a door threshold in an attempt to open a wooden door. He is now an indoor/outdoor kitty, and is very happy. I worry about him when he is out as he is exposed to additional dangers, but it would appear that he really made his own choice in the matter.
Ihave 3 cats, all strays, and have owned cats all my life. I have safety locks on my windows, they come and go when they please, and to confine a free wheeling animal, who by nature is curious, adventurous and all their other traits is cruel. Of course you worry when they don’t come home on time, but to confine one for life is bloody barbaric
Ian New Zealand….check out the dictionary definition of barbaric.
Seeing a cat who has lost an ear and half of its face to a coyote attack, or seeing a cat lying dead run over by a car, or tortured by cruel humans, or dying after eating a poisoned mouse….now THAT’S BARBARIC.
Kids are adventurous and curious too, but you strive to protect them from harm.
By letting a cat outside…you are not striving to protect them.
I had a cat for 5 years. I lived in the city for 2 of those. I used to let her out with a harness while in the city, and she used to love going to the park and climbing the trees. Then I moved to the country and my roomate had a kid which made it impossible for me to watch the comings and goings of my cat. My cat eventually went out and became street wise. Then I finally moved to a small village in an apartment very near the road. She had gotten used to the road. She wasn’t scared anymore. On april 29th exactly 2 years ago as me, my friend and her husband watched in horror a speeding car hit her fatally. The car never stopped. My Baby’s eye looked like a golf ball and she was bleeding from the mouth and shaking like a leaf; needless to say she died instantly in my arms. I still suffer nightmares. I have another cat now. I live in a suburb of the city and he doesnt go out anywhere without a carrier, not even on a leash. He’s very happy looking out the windows since I live in a sub-basement and I own 2 budgies and they are quite friendly with him too. He is healthy and the nightmares have finally stopped.
A lot of people on here talk about their cats as though they are human children. They are not . They are cats and need to be outside.
Seven years I bought two Devons… who were supposed to be indoor cats. The only problem was they used to sit in the window all day looking outside, with such heart rending looks and wails that i could no longer bear to keep them in.
When they were two years old I let them out for the first time and you would think they had gone to cat heaven. They were ecstatic with joy and I could no longer bear to coop them up. One is now a first class ratter…the other tends to hang around home unless it is sunny when he will take himself off round the neighbourhood. I live near the countryside so the traffic problem is not too bad. Yes, it would be tragic if anything happened to them…. but we dont condem our kids to a life indoors in case something happens. Why do it to a cat?
If you live near traffic and want a pet, get a dog or a budgie or a hamster…Anything but an animal whose instincts are to roam free.
Cats should not be allowed to be outside. My cats are very happy indoors. That is all they have ever known.
janine,
i really like your comment and your decision even after 2 years to give them the freedom to go outside if they want to. True you can’t let a cat runnning around in “new york city” as an example but i agree with you those people should choose another not roaming free animal like a cat.
Hello, this is cats we are talking about here, not ‘fur babies’ they are wild animals we humans have chosen to domesticate and call them our ‘pets’! They are entitled to a life of their choosing. In the UK we do not have coyotes or packs of roaming dogs. It is prudent to keep them safely indoors at night. Only select a cat/kitten that has never previously been outside if you have to keep it in because you live in an area where the children are semi-feral!
Jay Wrote:
“…we humans have chosen to domesticate…”
BINGO! Those are the operative words, Jay. When we *chose* to domesticate them we took on the *responsibility* for their care. You may not have coyotes or packs of roaming dogs in your neighborhood, but would you have us believe you are also completely free of “semi-feral children,” cruel adult cat-haters, or speeding cars?
IMO, it is irresponsible to let them “choose” an outdoor life, to roam at will. I would no more do that than I would allow a toddler to play unattended in the front yard, especially when there are more responsible options.
You may call them “just cats” if you choose, however, my cats are my furkids, and my valued family members. And as such, they are my responsibility.
Franny
Where did I use the phrase ‘just cats’? They are proud independent creatures; you should not imagine they they think as a human, they think as a feline and they are most certainly not ‘fur babies’. They deserve more respect than many so called ‘owners’ give them. There are rapists and murderers everywhere; it does not stop us from going outside or allowing our children to leave home when they are of age. There has to be a line drawn between taking responsible care and living our lives. We have no right to impose our irrational fears on a feline.
Jay…You say “We have no right to impose our irrational fears on a feline.”
Where do you get the idea that our fears our irrational in the first place?
There’s nothing irrational about a cat being hit by car, or a cat coming home with an ear missing and half his face hanging off because he met up with some coyotes, or a cat being killed, as my friend saw, by a plain, harmless little mockingbird who swooped down to the sidewalk as the cat walked by and held on and pecked it to death for being near the tree where she had her nest.
There’s nothing irrational about loving our cats as fur babies!
LOVE IS LOVE!
Those of us who have lost our beloved 4-legged friends to the great outdoors are not being ‘irrational’ and our concerns are quite appropriate.
WE ARE THE ONES WITH THE SENSE OF REASON AND ABSTRACT INTELLIGENCE….not cats!!!
It IS our DUTY to impose our fears on them in order to protect them….just as it’s our DUTY to protect our children from molestors, traffic, drugs, gangs made up of feral children, and from toxins, parasites, diseases from contact with the ferals, and from the elements.
You say cats are “proud independent creatures”…obviously you have never really taken the time to get to know and love a cat…or a cat perhaps has never loved you. You clearly have not had a ‘bonding experience’ with a cat.
Cats are indeed proud, but they are not independent! They need the love and support of their colony….even in the wild!
When we choose to adopt a cat, we become their colony. We also become their careGIVER and accept the responsibility to give them a high quality of life!
Letting a cat live outdoors is in itself neglectful. How can you know if the cat is sick and passing blood in its urine, or if it vomits blood and needs medical attention immediately? If you don’t know, and you can’t get the proper care for your cat, then you’re neglecting it.
Neglect is abuse.
We have 5 so-called ‘fur-babies’ and that’s what they want to be. They love the attention, care and affection we give them, and they return it a thousand times over every day of the year. It is a rich and rewarding experience for those of us who have chosen to LOVE and PROTECT our cats. They show their gratitude, devotion and unconditional love in ways that teach us…the INTELLIGENT ones….a huge lesson!!
I hope that you get to experience it some day.
Sorry, Jay. I should have put the quote before “cats,” not before the “Just.” Meow Culpa for that goof.
Yes, I agree that cats are proud and don’t think as humans do. The fact is however, that though they have independent natures, they are dependent on us as a result of our domesticating them.
As for your analogy of our human children vs rapists and murderers: Because our children understand when we teach them, hopefully by the time they are of age, they will learn things like “don’t accept rides from strangers,” “Look both ways before crossing streets,” and the myriad of other lessons we teach in *human* language. Cats, on the other hand, simply cannot be taught to fend for themselves in the outdoors as they don’t “think as a human.” PLEASE do not speak to me of “irrational fears.” I once was of the same mindset as you – it was standard fare in the 50s and subsequent decades to let cats roam freely. I have seen my husband scrape the remains of several of our cats up off the pavement after they were hit by cars; we have spent thousands of dollars in veterinary care for abscessed wounds from fights with other free-roaming cats. I lost my best feline friend ever to FIV – the direct result of allowing him the freedom to “enjoy the great outdoors” by fighting with an infected cat. A close friend found her beloved cat torn to shreds in her own front yard, victimized by a large vicious neighborhood dog that was also allowed to roam free. My fears are very rational, born of sad experience. I simply don’t understand why you seem to be so resistant to the alternatives, which allow cats to enjoy fresh air and sunshine, with a minimum of risks. In closing I’ll simply say again that you can call them “cats” and I’ll call them whatever I choose. It isn’t necessary to ridicule my or anyone else’s semantics.
Franny
whenever this topic comes up, i always have just one thing to say. we are talking about housecats. read that carefully: HOUSEcats. how much clearer does that need to be?
i am sure our cat loves us since 17 years very much and we love her. Even so she is also outside she never “left” us for a “better” home.
She has a lot self confidence and years ago when we still lived in germany, today we are living in ct usa, and she was younger she was a good hunter…and i say that because animal in the wild always are “killing” for food. A bird kills a bug a blue jay even eats other bird baby…..but the nature is that way. When cats are “killing” birds, those are mostly sick or injured.
In germany were no coyotes when she grewed up, but we had a lot of cats around and our lots are more smaller then here usally, so she had to “fight” for her space outside. That made her taff, intelligent and experienced. If cats make a mistake they learn, it happens only once. In her whole live until today she was bitten only once in this country 5 years ago but it was a minor bite and we took right away care of it. That means we watch her closely when she comes back in. And when you have a cat for so long, so you know right away when something should be wrong…….
I still think a cat belongs also outside and not on a leash like a dog. My cat would laugh me in the face if i would try that one, like are you kidding me?
Right we ARE caregiver for them and bliss i am sure your cats love you,and they can be fur babies, but may they would love you even more if they had the possibility to go outside and come home after an exiting adventure and realax on your lap in their safe home. Who knows?
Anyway everybody has their own opinon what is right or wrong, so this is somehow a hot dicussion but interesting.
May my english writing is sometimes terrible, but i came over in this country 7 years ago.
Aah, dear blissful, you assume so much! I have spent most of my adult life full-time and later part-time and voluntary, rescuing and re-homing cats as a founder trustee of a dedicated cat rescue in Liverpool, England. This arose not just from my love of cats, but my respect and understanding of their inner needs. I have socialised literally hundreds of kittens as their only chance of a life is as pets for people and that doesn’t happen if you cannot truly bond with them. I am not happy forcing young felines to be pets, my respect for them is greater than that; you cannot have true love without respect. As I said earlier, we do not have the predators you in the USA have. Of course their available freedom is dependent on the quality of the area you live in and of course there are risks, but they are not toys (or fur babies)and these risks have to be assessed to allow them still to be cats and express their natural instincts and behaviour.
We’ll obviously never see eye to eye across the water over this issue.
We live in a small town in the desert, where my husband saw a mountain lion go into the neighbor’s yard when he took the garbage out to the pail one day at dusk. Coyotes noisily feasting on living animals is a nightly event and they eat the strays around here, so there are none.
Rattlesnakes, owls and scorpions also kill a large number of creatures and outdoor pets here.
I do and always WILL continue to call my cats ‘furbabies’ because they are all still young, raised from tiny rescued kittens. You can call your cats anything you want, but don’t tell us not to refer to our cats as whatever we choose. It’s not your place to do so.
We love our cats deeply and have communication with them on many levels. They’re not just cats. They’re family members and they are treated with the same respect and concern for their welfare that we show to humans both in our family and not.
Our cats are cats, and no matter what we call them, they will be cats! They are not toys…which are inanimate playthings. These cats are intelligent, interactive little individuals with very different personalities and endearing qualities and quirks.
They get to express their instincts and natural behaviours with interactive play, and amusements that we share with them….while still being safely indoors.
Outdoor cats cannot be monitored for their health. You cannot learn to read their health conditions, moods or expressions the way you can with a cat that lives indoors with you and shares the same space.
Your responses all seem to prove that you’re missing the point that many of us are trying to make. The ‘cats’ that we’re all referring to here are the
‘DOMESTICATED’ variety that people have as pets. NOT the cheetahs, lions and tigers that MUST live free and not in captivity…in their native habitat.
We have chosen to accept responsibility for the cats we have adopted, and share our homes and hearts with them, and protect them from danger….much like most people do with their children.
I’ve had outdoor cats, and they’ve all had short lives because they were killed before they could enjoy a long rewarding life filled with love and companionship. I shall NEVER sacrifice a cat to the outdoors again.
Domesticated animals need our nurturing, and by letting them outdoors, they get neglected. In my opinion, neglect is just another form of abuse.
It’s a pity that you can’t…and apparently won’t even TRY to see that.
I shan’t bother to read any more of your ramblings; you read things that aren’t said. Who said anything about cats living outside? I keep re-iterating it is a safer environment here and we in the UK believe cats should have access to the outside environment. AGAIN, we do not have your predators, how many times should I say that? If you want to see a lion here, you’d have to go to a zoo! Your repeated accusations of lack of love, care and understanding show you assume too much and what you don’t know, you make up. There is life outside the USA you know, and its very different to your way of life.
Yes…I DO know there is life outside of the US…especially due to the fact that I’m not a citizen here….just a legal resident, born and raised in another country where a good portion of the population also happens to feel the same way as I feel about protecting our cats…. and I’m happily married to a citizen who shares my love of our cats and has never known me to ‘make things up’.
looks like we still not done yet….
Jay would you keep your cats in, if you were living in bliss enviroment?
bliss where you lived before? Most people i know in germany they let their cats out really and no declawing!!!
I never lived in a big city always in quite neighborhood. The same is here in ct and my cat is “old” experienced and clever so i have trust in her not get cought from a coyote.
Sorry for your cat losses bliss and may i am lucky to have this SPECIAL cat who survived 10 yeras in germany and already 7 over here and is of course a loved family member.
just let your cat choose whether he/she wants to be outside or inside. i no when its a kitten you need to protect it because it can’t defend itself. just like humans. but once it reaches that age where it can protect it self just let it do wut he wants to do
I believe it depends how much of a bond you have with your cat(s). I live alone and even when I haven’t seen my cat for a couple hours I panic and go searching for her in the house. I feel guilty that she can’t go running around outside but I am home with her 90% of the time. I see strays/outdoor cats in the yard and they look dirty and beat up. I could never let my precious baby outside by herself and not be worried sick. I specifically found a house with a screened porch and that is her outdoors area where she is safe.
P.S. Before I got her, my cat had been abandoned and lived outside for over a year — having someone care for her and show her affection seems to mean so much more to her than going outside.
In the America we have large animals called coyotes, even in suburbia. We live nine miles from the center of one of the largest cities in the United States. You would think coyotes would not be close to a crowded human center, but you would be wrong. A pair of coyotes walked “casually” down the long drive between our family homes two years ago.
Fortunately, all our cats are “indoor cats”. They DO have a “cat door” which allows them to reach an enclosed area outside surrounded by “chicken wire”, with four sides and the top, too. The “chicken wire” is secured at the bottom by a layer of small stones that cover the wire to a depth of 2-3 inches. With stumps and shelves to sit, climb and sharpen their claws on, not one cat tries to leave the house with the humans when the opportunity arises. The cats love to watch the birds, squirrels, chipmunks, etc. outside or inside, and the average age of our cats has risen considerably since they started being “inside cats”, especially if they can sleep on your shoulders, in your lap, or in the center of your bed!
I am an indoor cat who goes out only on with my harness on, and is great, I get to adventure outside while my owner does her stuff…I got my first harness while in transit from Nova Scotia(where I was born) to Ontario, and think that is how cats are to go out and to be safe. I don’t know any other way, and I know my owner loves me, and would worry if I ever got lose!
I am a very happy and healthy, 5 year old, and that’s the way, I want it, and so does my owner….
i think that u are rude.
people don’t want there cats outside because if the run away.
people grow attached to there pets and don’t want to lose them like me. i think if the owner doesn’t wont there cat outside then dnt.
i found my cat 3 years ago..he was a stray cat..when i found him he was less than a year of age and was hungry, dirty and a bit skinny.. so at first i gave him so dried food i still got from my pervious cat who has recently died naturally at 17 years old.. after that everytime he was hungry, he came to our house for food.. the nxt time we knew, after he feels tired walking around the neighbourhood, he wud come back to our house at around 12 midnite or 1am..
then my family start to love him..from feeling sorry for him, we started to love him..and we were so worried for his wellbeing when he was outside cos there were lots of cars in the neighbourhood.. so, we started to bought him a cage for a start so at nite he cud sleep in his cage..during the day, we let him in the house..
the after a year there, we moved to our new house in other area and brought him along..we bought a big cage who is supposed to be for a big dog..hehehe and we put some levels in his cage, then we bought some nice cats tent and put it in his cage with a nice carpet in it..and he likes his cage so much..sometimes he doesnt even want to go out from the cage when we wanted to let him in the house..
so, it seems like cats doesn need us to give him all the things he need..food, clean water, shelter, love.. and i dont think its best to keep them stray outside cos its dangerous for them..
i dont want to let my cat out of the house no matter what people might think..i will do anything for my cat’s sake.. and i think my cat dont mind it either..
Do cats attack or eat squirrals ? In my whole life I have never seen a cat bring home a squirral and neither have any of my friends.
i think cats should go outside. sure – the crazy cat people will whine and cry but in the end – he is my cat and it is my risk. i think cats are much happier being able to go outside, and i will continue to allow my cats to go outside. these web pages after web pages created droning on and on and preaching about why should should keep your cat indoors are written by crusaders and crazy cat ladies who make it thier lifes mission to save every animal.
let the cat live, if it dies in 5 years then THAT IS LIFE. we all die – but i will not keep a cat cooped up inside becuase pet freaks can;t deal with it