I agree!
My garden is not 100% escape proof but my cats seem to be content and have no interest in "escaping". Besides, after what happened to my Smokey I am now more determined never to force a cat to be indoors.
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Do cats really need to go outdoors?
- Thread starter emilymaywilcha
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My garden is not 100% escape proof but my cats seem to be content and have no interest in "escaping". Besides, after what happened to my Smokey I am now more determined never to force a cat to be indoors.
IDK about that. Yes, ferals almost always do NOT adjust to confinement, as I know personally. But cats who are NOT feral should be indoors-only, and any "behavioral issues" can and should be dealt with patiently, kindly, lovingly and responsibly. There's a plethora of good information here and elsewhere on how to deal with various "behavioral issues" and any person whose cat(s) would willingly stay indoors but who does not care for them responsibly and lovingly should invest in some plush animals, gadgets, or other inanimate objects instead, IMHO.
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- #164
"More than doubles their living space" makes me think you have a small house. I grew up in a two-story house with a finished basement, so a St. Bernard would have had enough indoor space there. (The people before my family had two German shephards.)
Like I said, cats don't need a lot of living space. Patricia spends most of the time in my bedroom, so she would do well in a studio apartment if I needed to rent one. The only reason I would need a lot of space for cats is if I want to have a lot of them and they don't all like each other.
I think an escape-proof yard is a great idea for cats who absolutely can't tolerate the indoor lifestyle Patricia prefers, but just for more space, it makes no sense at all.
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I would love to have an outdoor area for my guys-I know most of my neighbors would be fine but I would worry it would upset someone as houses are so close.
Double living space could also mean there are roomates or no cats allowed areas(I have 2 rooms that are set for my bad allergy days and for husband to have some peace in doing his hobbies
Double living space could also mean there are roomates or no cats allowed areas(I have 2 rooms that are set for my bad allergy days and for husband to have some peace in doing his hobbies
There isn't anything like running and jumping outside. The trees...the dirt..the bugs and birds. The fresh air. Yes there is a big difference. If you can let them out, they are happest. If and that is a BIG if, they are safe from dogs, wild beasts and people who like locking up nice little kitties.
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Not at all what was said, simply literally doubles the space by having an enclosed yard
My own house isn't small, but the yard is 2-3 times the space so my cats area then is double or tripled. Has no bearing on house size at all.
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- #168
Bugs and birds are two reasons I don't want my cats outside. Fresh air does not require going outside because I can open windows and put a cat perch in front of one. They might not be attacked by people and dogs, but a cat who does not like them will hear them and not be happy.
And because they can't get out of my back garden they are safe from all those things. And from traffic, which is the biggest danger to cats in a lot of the UK.
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Emily-If the bird is stupid enough to land in your yard and not get away chances are it was going to get killed soon enough by life in general. Bugs-I let my inside cats play with them when one gets in(minus the bad ones) The look on their faces as they try to hunt is priceless.
If you are seriously going to have a rescue I would look into options for an outside area you can deal with as I really feel it gives the cats alot more stimulus. The added space is great. Also there are cats who will tear down window screens so you may want to invest in the pet safe mesh or something if you decide to leave windows open. I got a few areas for my guys and some I trust and others will sit there and dig the screens.
If you are seriously going to have a rescue I would look into options for an outside area you can deal with as I really feel it gives the cats alot more stimulus. The added space is great. Also there are cats who will tear down window screens so you may want to invest in the pet safe mesh or something if you decide to leave windows open. I got a few areas for my guys and some I trust and others will sit there and dig the screens.
Although mine are 100 % indoors, they get taken out into the front garden during nice weather and are happy to wander around smelling for a while. They are quite easy to train on a leash if you are afraid of them running away!
One of mine, SHADOW, rescued from a shelter when he was 2, used to be allowed out until he got hit by a car and cost 1000,s in vet bills. He adjusted well to being indoors, although he used to try and run out when someone came in or out the door! Now he is 14 he has forgotten about running away when he is allowed out!!!
You are not doing them any harm as our current domestic cat breeds have evolved from the wild cats they once were thousands of years ago and they are much more inclined to be happy indoors.
One of mine, SHADOW, rescued from a shelter when he was 2, used to be allowed out until he got hit by a car and cost 1000,s in vet bills. He adjusted well to being indoors, although he used to try and run out when someone came in or out the door! Now he is 14 he has forgotten about running away when he is allowed out!!!
You are not doing them any harm as our current domestic cat breeds have evolved from the wild cats they once were thousands of years ago and they are much more inclined to be happy indoors.
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The other day I was at Target It was not quite dusk yet and witnessed a very robust coyote trotting through the parking lot. Dangling from its mouth was a cat, this Target is in a residential neighborhood. Some years ago I was driving along and a large beautiful cat darted right in front of me, ran right over him he never had a chance. I could not find his owner, and the thought of just leaving his broken body on the side of the road seemed so wrong, I wrapped his body up in my sweatshirt took him home & buried him. My cat is inside only, she would love to have access to the outside world but I cannot provide a safe compound in the yard, so my home is decorated in cat trees,window perches, carpeted wall shelves & cubbies, toys are strewn about in every room, it's the best that I can do.
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- #173
Feral cats will be allowed to use a cat-safe yard (CSY). Cats with a history of being allowed to go outside will be trained to stay inside and not be destructive or meow at the door if necessary.
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Oh my, how would one go about training a cat to not be " destructive "
Training an adult cat is pretty hard - a lot of us reckon the cats train us.
Also, why not allow cats used to going out access to the cat-safe yard? Ferals can get on well with pet cats.
Also, why not allow cats used to going out access to the cat-safe yard? Ferals can get on well with pet cats.
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Difficult maybe, but not impossible. While it's true that cats train us to do things the way they want them done, adult cats are trainable. It takes patience, consistency and love and time. But what else do we have with them but time? Just because it may take work and time to train a cat to use the cat tree rather than the couch to scratch, doesn't mean it's not worth the effort.
Indoor cats need mental and physcial stimulation daily, from their human. Instead of looking at it as a chore, try viewing it as part of the joy the living with a cat brings. Playing with the cats is FUN. It brings laughter which is very good for humans. It is relaxing to us and to the cats, and helps form deep rewarding bonds with the cat, helps develop the cat's personality, and also develops the cat's imagination, so s/he will be more equipped to entertain her or himself at other times.
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- #177
Amen to that! I will never understand why people think cats need to go outside just to have fun because there are many toys, condos, towers, scratching posts, window perches, and cat food dispensers to choose from and other items for training cats to stop destructive behavior. If the cat goes outside alone, it is not with its guardian, so keeping it in strengthens the human/animal bond if you teach it to love staying inside.
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So is this a sanctuary where they come to stay with you for life or a rescue where you adopt out. I don't see them taming up all that well if allowed to have free run of a yard.
If it is safe enough for ferals why can't the regualr cats be allowed in the yard too?
If it is safe enough for ferals why can't the regualr cats be allowed in the yard too?
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- #179
Sanctuary for ferals who cannot be adopted, but the strays who already are friendly with humans will be adopted out.
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so why cant the non ferals have acess to the yard?
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