Letting Bengal Outside?

[mjscats]

My cat Indy is a known predator, and has killed pet lizards, snakes, fish, etc. I have been her lawyer for a while, but my family is upset that they cannot have small animals in the house. I have tried to halter train her, but she is sensitive with anything touching her stomach, back, etc. Indy's "killer instincts" are the only problem we have ever truly had with her. I recently moved, and I have been debating whether to let her roam.

• I live in a rural area on 200+ acres, so roaming will not be an issue. We do have some neighbors though.
• We live on a gravel road, although we are a little over 2/3 of a mile from a "highway", but it also doesn't have a ton of traffic.
• Indy has a breakaway collar that also contains a micro tracker that we can find if we cannot locate her (she is microchipped).
• Indy is going to the vet on Friday for her yearly shots, so she would be up to date.
• I do have two other kittens who are supposed to be "barn cats", although they cannot hunt. We were taking care of gray kittens awhile back, and Indy enjoyed their company.
• The kittens are also going to spayed and vaccinated soon.
• We do have wildlife around, but I would be trying to bring her in at night to prevent danger.

Honestly, my main concern is other encounters with feral cats. I have seen a gray tabby that was interacting with the kittens, but I hav no idea how Indy would respond. This is a major risk versus reward situation for me. I am worried that she will always want to be outside, and have a tendency to visit other farms and adopt a new family. Any and all advice appreciated, thank you

 

[danteshuman]

Have you tried those harness vests? I'm not going to say don't let your cat out. I will say bring her inside at night. Is it possible to create a smaller enclosed yard that your cat can't get in & out of from? My guys love bird watching in the backyard every afternoon. You know the dangers of where you live better than I do.

 

[susanm9006]

Plain and simple, outdoor cats much shorter lives than indoor only cats. Predators, cars, other cats and miscellaneous hazard can take them, so if it were my cat I would keep Indy indoors.

 

[ArtNJ]

I think cars are the major issue in most places, but given your area, perhaps you need to consider coyotes (or larger predators) as the major risk. I gather a fox will sometimes get a cat, but it is not common and your cat seems very athletic so I'd focus on coyotes. Other big issue is if you have a lot of ticks in your area. The medications and drops do not work perfectly, and I actually got lyme disease from (almost certainly) a tick my cat brought in. I don't think the other issues you mention really compare as risks, but there is no question your cat will kill a lot of small wildlife. Even my chubby older cat does that. There is also no question that your cat will want to go in and out as often as you allow. We have a glass back door, and begging for in and out is a thing. By comparison, other cats are a pretty modest risk -- your cat may get scratched up, but more serious injuries are rare. I don't think cats that are well bonded get lost that often either, and if yours is collared and chipped, that seems like a pretty modest risk as well.

 

[Draco]

How about building an outdoor enclosure for your cat? Make it nice and big so he can run and jump around in. It'll keep him safe from the harms of the outdoor world, as well as keeping other critters safe from his hunting nature.

 

[abyeb]

Indoors is the safest place for cats. Outdoor cats can get into fights with other cats (or dogs, wolves, foxes, coyotes, bobcats), be hit by cars, contract diseases including FIV (a big concern if there's outdoor cats in your area!), and even be poisoned or shot at. I think Draco had a great idea about building a "catio"!

Edit: I forgot to add, indoor cats have a life expectancy of 15-20 years, free roaming cats only have a life expectancy of four years.

 

[kittens mom]

Out all night is bad but many predators are dawn and dusk hunters. Coyotes are on duty 24/7 and will take advantage of any situation. Your cats extreme prey drive may take her much farther away than a domestic breed.
My dear friend lost her wild child recently after finally letting him roam most likely to coyotes. He was seasoned to the outdoors but even that didn't save him in the end.

 

[abyeb]

Coyotes are especially dangerous for cats:
Coyotes Everywhere

 

[Draco]

Bengals are very active cats, they require a lot of exercise. If no to outdoor enclosure and you want to keep her indoors, I suggest finding ways to enrich her life indoors. Pump up playtime.. let her run with toys and treat after (Treat would mimic prey she's caught after a hunt).

all small animals will have to be in a separate room, out of the cat's line of view.

There's also wheels for cats (like a hamster wheel) that may be great for exercise too.

 

[haleyds]

I say build a catio. I've read that they are really beneficial to bengals, because although they are more wild than the average housecat, they are still domesticated and are at risk of being harmed by predators and ticks and all sorts of things.
The average lifespan of an indoor cat is 15-20 years while an outdoor cats is around 4...so the best option is safe and controlled outside time