Indoor or outdoor cats???

[raelgrin]

Hey,
Lets have a little debate about the pro's and con's of Indoor and Outdoor cats...
Discuss...
Rach :) xx

[jackthehat]

Batten down the hatches.............

[snags]

Indoor... outdoor... they're all vermin :-)

[237SJ]

The idea of indoor cats seems to have come from the USA. I was watching a progamme there a while ago and when the presenter asked about letting her cat roam the so-called cat expert was quite shocked as she seemed to think cats should always be indoor animals. My old neighbour had two cats in his flat and they didn`t seem to come to any harm by it, but cats are outdoor animals. They are descended from the african wild cats who are roaming animals.

[yizzy]

Ive got two rescue cats and they are house cats, we have tried to get them to go out as we have a garden ,but they are very nervous, although they are fine in the house exact opposite actually. With all the new cat litters (i recommend the crystals) the cat box is not a problem., and the best of all is no dead mice lying around the place yuch

[NazNomad]

Argument FOR indoor cats:

How about if I come into your garden, kill something you get pleasure from and before I leave, drop a sh1t in your flowerbed?

[DTCwordfan]

Argument FOR outdoor cats:

How about if I come into your bedroom, kill something you get pleasure from and before I leave, drop a sh1t in your king-sized bed?

[NazNomad]

makes no sense.

[DTCwordfan]

my mother likes mice yet her indoor cat loves to kill them and is not amiss to leaving bits of half chewed bodies aroiund the house or having a crap in the coprner of a room........yuk

[NazNomad]

Maybe she should adopt the ''smashing said cat with a shovel'' technique ... it's worked for me a few times ...

She swings a mean shovel, i still have the bruises, LOL

[DTCwordfan]

i agree in many ways....

you mean to say you could have your mother for assault and battery........have to think about that re my own mater.

[NazNomad]

I WAS talking about your Ma, :-)))

[annie0000]

We had my BIL over from the states for a visit last month - he was surprised we have a cat flap and she comes and goes - they have two cats and they don't let them out for fear or rabies, foxes and cyotes.

I think cats can live indoors if that's all they have ever known - I prefer a cat to be out and about, climbing trees, eating birds and sh!ting in the woods then sleeping it off on the couch whilst dreaming of tommorows prey.

[DTCwordfan]

makes no sense - time to turn in

[woofgang]

I do think that the issue in the US about rabies makes a difference. We lived in New Jersey, its 20 years ago now. Dogs had to be vaccinated against Rabies and have a medallion on their collar to prove it, you took your vacc cert from the vet to the local police station as I recall to get the medallion which was year dated. Dog were not allowed off lead ANYWHERE off your own property and it was acceptable, even socially responsible to humanely trap wandering cats and take them to the vet to be humanely PTS. In those circs, the only way to keep a cat is as a house cat perhaps with a secure outdoor run, it would have to be very secure because bats, woodchucks, skunks and raccoons can also carry rabies.

[seadogg]

My terrier thinks. the more outdoor cats, the more fun chasing 'em

[Davethedog]

We had one of each (now both sadly departed) We had a small black female who always had the opportunity to go out but apart from the odd foray always stayed in the house.

We also had a big brute of a male tabby, we were convinced he was being fed elsewhere as well because he just seemed to accumulate weight by the day. He spent most of the day dossing and then went out at night and sometimes for days

They both seemed to be happy with thier life styles.

[raelgrin]

I just can not decide what to do...
I live in a 3 storey town house on my own and I work odd shifts so I cant decide if it would be mean of me not to let them out... My fear is that they will bring me live presents not long after I go out and I wont be back to 'deal' with them for sometimes 14 hours!!!

[Cardonaldthistle]

Pros:

Outdoor cats - get more stimulation and are able to explore their hunting instincts.
Indoor cats - may live longer due to limited threats and have clean fur :-)

I have always had outdoor cats and they seem happy...

[annie0000]

my outdoor cat has never brought a "present" into the house - she has left one or two bits of dead things out the back. She has a cat flap so has free access.