'going outside' dilemma

[magichop]

Does anyone have any good advice about letting an inside cat out? My 3yr old male (neutered at 5 mos) has been an inside apartment cat all his life. Starting a few weeks ago, he has been more and more vocal about going outside. So I trotted down to PetSmart and bought him a harness and leash.

In 2 short weeks I have created a monster! He is definitely out of control and now meows incessantly to go outside. So much so that he even darted out the front door this morning!

Is it too late to stop our daily explorations on the leash? Should I just let him roam free and cross my fingers that he won't get hurt or lost. Will his urges dissipate over time if I stop taking him out? I am at a loss!

His sister from the same litter hasn't changed her behavior at all.

P.S. We live on the second floor, so he has free access to the balcony through the installed pet door in the sliding glass. I'm afraid if I don't take him out, one day he will jump off the balcony!

 

[melissa]

My kitties are all inside cats except one, my 2 year old male Onyx. He was always and outdoor/indoor cat and got very depressed when we tried to keep him in. My other cats are all kittens and they will be inside only. I can tell you that Onyx routinely gets into fights with other cats in the area, even though he was neutered over a year ago. He often comes home with wounds that require vet care, and he seems to develop an ear mite problem from time to time (which means expensive ear drops for all of my cats as they get mites from contact with each other). Besides that he crosses the street in front of my house all the time and I'm terrified he'll get hit by a car. I can't say what is right for you or your kitty, but I can say that outdoor cats have a more dangerous life than inside ones. Good luck

 

[hell603]

Found this on another side but I think this will help you make a decision.

I personally believe that; " Deciding to keep your cats indoors can be a difficult choice, but it is one of the best choices you can make for your cats."
Indoor Cat Facts
+++++++++++++++++
Indoor Cats Live Longer, Live Better

Your cat may tell you the great outdoors is lot of fun - grass to roll in, trees to climb. However, cats, like children, depend on us to recognize
danger and protect them from harm.

In addition to grass and fresh air, the outdoors poses many risks to your pets. Lethal risks that can be completely avoided:

TRAFFIC: To listen to some people, a pet's "getting hit by a car" is just part of pet ownership. Your pet is not likely to agree....

POISON: Cat's don't usually resist the temptation of checking out neighbors' yards, the hoods of their cars, and their flower beds. Although it is illegal and inhumane, some people put out a poisonous substance to get rid of those pawprints on a car. Poison also may be put out for other animals, and pets are accidentally poisoned, such as by eating poisoned mice.

CRUELTY: Unfortunate, but true, there are more than enough people in this world who are intentionally cruel to animals.

INJURIES: If your pet goes outside, it risks injurious or deadly fights with other animals, and also exposure to those animal's diseases. Bite
wounds often abcess, resulting in a serious injury for your pet, and a veterinary bill for you.

DISEASE: Even if your pet is vaccinated, it runs the risk of serious diseases: * Leukemia - The vaccine for feline leukemia, although valuable, provides about 80% - 85% protection, leaving your pet still at some risk of contacting leukemia, a deadly disease transmitted basically by saliva, from another cat. * FIV - Feline Immunodeficiency Virus - FIV is a disease that compromises the immune system of the cat. There is no vaccine for FIV, and there is no cure. FIV is generally transmitted between cats by biting. A blood test determines if the cat is FIV positive. Scientific evidence indicates FIV is not communicable to humans. A number of stray cats are FIV positive, and your cat runs a significant risk of FIV contact with these outdoor cats. For more information regarding FIV, contact your veterinarian.

No cat, no neighborhood, is immune from these dangers. Give your cat a long, safe, healthy life - indoors!

Make Life Inside Fun -- Toys, playtime with you, a window to look out of, scratching posts, and a few twigs of catnip from time to time more than compensate for the risks your cat faces outdoors.
This article is from the Community Animal Welfare Society.

Hope it helps!


Helen

 

[debra myers]

Mine all stay inside - too dangerous out there for them. We have fun 'indoor' activities.

 

[jacquiefaith]

Yes, indoors is always the best choice for your babies!!! We used to let our cat out on our deck (on the 2nd floor) He always looked over the railings, but never attempted to jump. Same as being at the top of the stairs which looks down over the living room. He would never jump. However, I can say that on the deck one time, he got overwhelmed by a chipmunk and could not stop himself from falling over!! Pretty scary, but he was fine. Always watch them outside. He will eventually get used to the fact that he is not allowed to wander, if you are consitent with them. All of our friends could not believe how Norty could go on the deck and not wander away. Truth is, he was afrraid to wander!! He would cry and cry at the screen door constantly though to go out. Tough toenails, I'd tell him! You will go out when Mommy has time to watch you, cry all you want!!!

-Jacquie

 

[magichop]

Thank you for all the advice. It does make a lot of sense. I feel very guilty though when he meows. I'll try the catnip grass and other things for him to explore indoors.

 

[melissa]

Good choice