cats-outside or inside

[caspix]

hi! sorry i didn't know where to put this topic, so if this is wrong place moderator's can put it where it belong.

do you let your cats go outside? what you think: should cats go outside if they have big yard and backyard?
on forums about pets in my country many people are against that cats go outside. but in my town, many people are against that cats go inside.
i let my cats be inside and go outside whenever they want. but i'm not sure what is wrong and what is correct.

what you think about all that?

 

[missymotus]

I do not let my cats outside unless I'm walking them on harness/leash, and have plans to build an enclosure when I move house.

I don't feel it's right to have your cats walking the neighbourhood using other peoples gardens as litterboxes, killing wildlife etc.

Add on the danger of getting run over, fighting with other cats, being abused by non cat lovers and it's simply just not safe to let them out.

There are many people over here that do let their cats out to roam, though it's becomming more common to keep them in or have enclosures.

 

[goldenkitty45]

Most in the USA are pro indoors only. My first cat was indoor/outdoor. But all the rest were 100% indoor cats. Most purebred breeders have in the contract that the kitten/cat is to be indoors only.

Unless you are supervising the cat outside by either leash/harness or some kind of cat enclosures its not as safe out there as it might have been 30 yrs ago.

There are too many cruel people (adults and kids) that will kill or torture cats if unsupervised/roaming. Also people put out poisons or traps. Then you have dogs that could attack and kill or seriously hurt your cat. Not to mention fleas, ticks, other parasites they can pick up or coming in contact with stray cats and fighting or getting FELV/FIP - both have no cure.

Its safer inside or under supervision outside.

 

[amberthe bobcat]

It is much safer for your cat, to keep them inside. They can be exposed to disease, parasites, large predators and worse yet, cruel people outside. If you would like your cats to enjoy the outdoors, you can always buy/build a small safe outdoor enclosure for them. Most of my cats are kept inside, except for my exotics, who enjoy the indoors plus a large secure enclosure. Actually, the exotics are safe outdoors, but the enclosure is to keep them secure on my property. If you do let your cats run free outdoors, please make sure they are up to date on their vaccinations as well as any flea, tick and parasite control

 

[emily-jane]

Both my cats go inside & out.
However in australia it is very common for our cats to be inside and out.

I am very cautious however as i have lost 2 cats to the road and a dog to a tick.

My cat HRH does not leave the backyard, as she gets older she doesn't like to explore, she gets plenty of excercise with catnip and chasing my other cat.

My other cat is terrified of anything his size or bigger, however there have been occasions when i've seen him cross the road, or seen him on the other side of the road where i have had to go and catch him.

I like to keep my cats inside when i am not home, and i always have them inside at night. I start work at 6.30am so if they want to go out when the sun comes up and there aren't very many cars on the road they do, and my mum lets them in when she gets up for work. Then i get home around 4pm and they will go out till dark if they want.

I think it's generally up to you, if you keep a cat as an inside cat then you always have to watch and make sure they don't get out, it's hard as sometimes they can get out and then you are worried sick for them, i've seen this with friends cats.

When i moved houses i generally let my oldest cat Hrh out straight away to explore as she has moved houses with us about 6 times and as long as we are around she never minded, but my other cats would stay inside for a week or so, so they knew they weren't going back to our other home.

It's really up to you and what you think is best for your cat.

 

[rockyzeus]

i would never let my cats outside there is to much that can happen to them and a indoor only cat lives a lot longer good luck with what ever descision you make

 

[caspix]

well, when i see my cats outside, how they are happy...i can't take them and put in house. but they have very safe yard and i don't let them go to street. they sometimes go to backyard, but they are mostly home (specialy kittens and Lucky). Panda sometimes go out on a little bit longer time but she always come home. she also brought many mouses to her kittens and to Lucky.
about dogs...i have dog and he and cats are in good relation. and i saw onetimes before few years how is one neighbours dog was afraid of my cat. that was very funny

 

[graciecat]

Every cat I've ever had the pleasure to share my life with has been indoor only.
No cars to hit them, no other cats or dogs to attack them, no people to poison them, no rodets or birds for them to chase, eat and perhaps catch something from, and they don't dig up the neighbors gardens for a litter box.

Gracie and Lizzie were never outside, I rescued Annabelle out of the middle of a busy road...no cars were stopping, the either went out around her or blew their horns for her to move...she was terrifed.
Elliott was a stray from the neighborhood, he showed up as a 2 month old kitten the summer before we bought our new home here.
In November I couldn't stand it any longer, it just didn't seem fair to me that he'd never had a real home.
So we brought him in, he was 18 months old.
He screamed for about the first 10 minutes and that was it.
He has no interest in going outside now, he runs a mile from an open door.

I know that in some countries it's very common to allow cats outside, if it's common where you live just make sure they aren't left out alone.
I know you love your babies and you wouldn't ever want something bad to happen to them.
Like I said, if you must let them outside go out with them or maybe even build them an enclosure so they can go outside without the fear of them getting hurt or killed.

 

[mooficat]

I let all my four cats go outside and have done for many years. They are all vacinated and have flea & tick treatment as recommended. There are no predators and there are no laws about letting cats roam. All my neighbours are pet friendly.

It is not necessarily true that an outside cat does not live as long as an inside cat - in fact two of my cats that are both over 13 yrs and have enjoyed the outside for all of their lives

Indoor cats can get bored and prone to behavioural problems, but if you entertain your cat with toys and playtime then there is no reason for these problems.

Obviously if I lived in an apartment block or in a busy city then I would not let my cats out, but you know in those cases I probably wouldnt have cats anyway. I prefer to let mine enjoy the outside life.

 

[paulena]

I have two that are outside/inside and one that's strictly indoors only. The two outside were born underneath my house and the mother went off and left them when they were approx. 4 weeks old. It took me forever to ever get them on the inside, but they will not stay. They go out in the morning and come inside at night and that's just the way they like it. I tried to keep them inside, but it didn't work out, they weren't happy! So, I let them out in the morning and they stay around here, and they do not wonder very far, they are always within hollowering distance. Plus, we have a 12' wooden fence around our pation area.

As far as the lil girl that stays inside all the time, she was raised in the house and that is all that she knows. Plus, the people before me had her 4/pawed declawed!!

She has to stay inside. So, I think that it depends on the individual cat itself. If it were possible to keep the two outside/inside all the time, I would!!

 

[salemwitchchild]

No if I let my cat outside he'd get himself killed by either traffic or dogs or stupid kids. I'd rather keep them where I know their safe.

 

[urbantigers]

My cats are indoor only due to the fact that I live in an apartment and near a busy road. But it depends a lot on where you live and what the specific dangers are as to whether they should be allowed to go outside. Certainly there are lots of pleasures for cats outside, and indoor cats can get bored and develop behavioural problems if they aren't given enough stimulation. It will always be a compromise between total freedom and total safety. I don't think it's safe enough outside for my cats, and there are other potential problems (such as them fouling neighbours' gardens, getting into fights with other cats etc) that make me want to keep them indoors, but all any of us can do is weigh up the pros and cons of both lifestyles and do what we think is best for our cats. I think an ideal compromise is an outdoor enclosure or cat proofed garden as that allows some safe outdoor access. When I move from where I live now into a house I will aim for that.

 

[jugen]

All 5 of mine are indoor only. They have numerous windows to look out and tons of toys to play with. Not to mention each year they get a new cat tower so my cats are by no means hurting for the outdoors, and I know they aren't going to be hurt by mean people, other animals, cars, etc. I know everyday where my cats are and they are happy and healthy. It's a bond that we both seem to enjoy very much.
Isis and Luna were ferals and now they have no interest in going outside. They are content to watch the world from the windows.
Personally I would never let my cats outside, either on a leash or just to roam. I tried a leash /harness with Twig once and he got very spooked, twisted out of it, tore up my hand and arm and ran off, thankfully inside, but I didn't know it at the time. I was frantic and my friend went to get my husband to tell him what happened and there was Twig, panting and upset, but inside. Never again did I attempt to take him outside. My arms and he (I'm sure) are thanking me to this day.

 

[greenvillegal]

If you live in a high traffic area I would definitely keep them indoors. I live in an apartment complex, and with all of the animal cruelty I've seen on the news lately, I am terrified of my guys getting out. But, when I move into a house, I am going to have a fenced in backyard with a cat fence so that they can play in the backyard without going over the fence. A screened in porch would be good too, because then they can experience the fresh air too.

 

[katz4life]

We built our cats an 8' high fence in the backyard so they can go outside but we know where they are at all times. We do a head count every 15-20 minutes just to be sure.

We would never let our cats wander the neighborhood. We couldn't sleep at night not knowing where our cats are or if they are safe. We just can't let them out to fend for themselves - no way! We would feel so guilty if we let our cats out & something happened to them.

Cats need to go outside just like we do. Guess it depends on your situation if & how you let them out.