Editor's Blog4 mins ago
Cats Indoors
6 Answers
Do you want to know about cats and why you should keep them indoors? This is not for everyone to argue about, I want to get out some good info for those who are thinking Indoor or Out?
http://www.ddfl.org/behavior/inout-cats.pdf
Cats need to be outside to mate or eat, that's it, if you feed your cat they don't need to kill or hunt for fun, if they are fixed they don't need a mate. We don't let our children decide to go play out on the roads, or do we TEACH them to not talk to strangers or stay away from the road? Cats don't have the powers of reason or logical thought so quit comparing apples and oranges (cats and humans). Cats are closer to their wild ancestors, but so are dogs. They, dogs, can revert back to their wild self, ever see a bunch of dogs running around loose? like at a park? but since they can do damage (attack us) they aren't allowed, but what about a pack of chihuahua"s, why can't they run loose, they won't do any more damage than a cat. You can make your cat happy inside by giving them an enriched environment. Cats and dogs can get along, and some cats are not predatory they can get along with other things like birds and rats, if they are socialized, yes, shock, socialize a cat. Since cats and dogs have different body language they need to learn it, and it's best at a young age. Okay now try to remain civil if your going to post on my thread, any one who would like can do so, this is a very HOT topic it seems, it mostly is an individual opinion, that you'll have to decide, but if you let your cat out I don't guess you'll be posting anything on here that is about, "he's been stolen, someone's feeding him, he got in fight, got hit by car, or some....got him he's not home yet, my cat's fine but my neighbors cat is..." because your decision was to let him out, are you ready to deal with that? 1st round..ding..ding..LOL
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I have experience of having both indoor and outdoor cats. As a child I had a cat who lived his life free to roam - he never got lost or stolen, he was never injured, he was never "adopted" by anyone else and he lived to the ripe old age of 18, dying peacefully in his sleep by the fire.
My current cat does not go outside. The reason for this is very specific (he's a rescue cat and for some reason unknown to me is terrified of the outdoors). When I first got him I tried to encourage him to go out into the garden and he let out a series of fearful miaows, started shaking and then ran and hid under the bed. The second time I tried I carried him in my arms around the garden to try and show him he was safe but he was shaking so much I haven't tried it again. He is perfectly happy and content living a life indoors, playing with his toy mice, using his scratching post, watching the birds through the safety of a window(!) and sleeping on me.
To be totally honest I am glad that he doesn't want to go out as I now live in London and although the roads round me aren't hugely busy there is some traffic. There are also a lot of other cats in the neighborhood and a fair few urban foxes as well. If he really wanted to go out I would let him but I would worry. There wasn't this level of concern with the old cat because we lived at the time in a small village in the country where there was little traffic and lots of wide open space for him to roam.
cont.
What we all have to realise instead of arguing about this issue is that every situation is different, everyone has their own individual views and cultures differ too. Here in the UK it is much more socially acceptable to let your cat wander, in the US it is much less so. It�s simply a cultural difference of opinion. Some cats would go crazy if shut indoors all the time, others are perfectly content. Some areas are perfectly safe for cats to roam, others aren�t. Every case is different.
I believe drgnrdr is American but perhaps he can confirm that.
Since you asked Camille79 I have been doing some google searching for articles on this topic from UK sources and so far (with the exception of a few personal stories relating to it) have found just one
http://www.catworld.co.uk/articlecatworld.asp?artid=126&cat=Ask%20the%20experts&pre=0
Not sure if that link will work but go to www.catworld.co.uk and click on "Ask the experts" - its about the second one down. The article advocates keeping them indoors although conceded that this would not be fair for a cat who had been used to going out.
From my own experience, I am aware that most "experts" here advocate at least a partially outdoor life. When I got my current mog from Battersea he was the only one who they stated did not need access to a garden (because of his fear of the outdoors). All the others would only be rehomed to people who (a) had a garden and (b) had or installed a catflap.
Personnally I don't think either method is right or wrong, it depends entirely on the individual cat and the situation. I suppose ideally a cat should be allowed out but only into a safe, enclosed garden, free from traffic and other animals, but I realise that is often not possible.
Who really knows! I guess until cats learn to talk and tell us themselves what they prefer we can only do what we think best for own feline friend.
Thank you for your post annavc, and yes camille79 I live in the US, I know others who live here also, they visit this website so I posted for everyone, not just directed at the persons in the UK. I too had cats growing up, and at one point spent time in a Vet's office, this is where I saw the most horrendous atrocities inflicted on cats/dogs.There use to be the same feelings from some here that cats HAD to go outside, just like some still believe the only way to train a dog is choke/check chain, but research just in the last 10 years has pushed allot more over to Pos. Reinforce. training. And just like some who still believe that you can only train with aversives there are still those who think cats need to be outside to "happy". I know about 20 different rescue org's that only home cats if you promise to keep them in. And since our Humane Society's and Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, gets over run with millions of cats every year, they usually advocate Indoor also. Now this is I believe up to the individual and if you want the cat to be outside then okay by me, what gets me is those that come to me and ask and cry (figuratively) on my shoulder about them getting lost or hit, and others that ask how to get rid of or stop the neighbors cat from spraying/damaging their property. Now I have a couple of friends who live out in the farming/boondocks and they keep their cats out to control mice and such from their barns, most of these cats came to them from being "dumped" out in the farm area, and some became Feral, so they won't train them to be indoors, they trap them spay/neuter (if needed) and release them, (that is now a hot topic also), they don't become emotionally attached to them. If you live out in the rural area, your cat will be more than likely to avoid the hazards of community life.
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