The age old debate about letting your cat out

di and bob

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I truly think it depends on the cat too, I had one, my beloved Casper, who we truly tried to make an indoor cat after my beloved Chrissy was killed outside. We tried for almost a year, he became more and more desperate, clawing windows and doors, and really just being totally miserable. Making everyone around him miserable too. We finally gave up, and watching him race across the yard and jumping in pure joy made you smile. But knowing the history of the road near us gave me a sick feeling in my stomach every time I let him out. He crossed that road for over ten years. He was road wise. And we found him lying in it one summer afternoon......
We have thirteen graves on our property. Mostly strays that people have dumped and who show up here for food and comfort, and local strays who reproduced before I could get them spayed. Two were ripped open by an unknown predator. Each time I walk by their graves my heart cries for them. IT IS JUST NOT WORTH IT, to let them roam. Start them out inside and keep them there. For those of you who have not experienced finding cat after cat dead, you are either extremely lucky or extremely naive. My remaining three cats are strictly indoors now. One was just diagnosed with leukemia, most likely all three have it. Once again, probably from their outside time. It is truly lifesaving now to keep them in, away from diseases and viruses from which a simple cold could kill them now. PLEASE, learn from our experiences and keep them safe inside, like a toddler, they don't understand the dangers of being out, but YOU should!
 

mizzely

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I'm a "keep them in" cat person. The only exception is if you have an outdoor enclosure or if you take them on a leash. And it's not just for their safety against predators, bad people and cars, it's also simply being a good neighbor.
My indoor cats get upset when another cat encroaches on their territory. I don't like finding my flower beds being used as litter boxes. I hate when cats pee and spray around my yard, and yes even neutered/spayed cats will mark. So why would I be hypocritical and allow my cats to torment another persons indoor cat or crap in my neighbors flowerbeds or pee near their windows and doors?
They have leash laws for dogs, the domesticated canine. Why not leash laws for cats, the DOMESTICATED feline.
Obviously cats from feral colonies and strays will roam, but if you have a cat, keep it IN, unless like I mentioned, you are able to keep it contained to YOUR property ONLY, and safe from all the bad.

Absolutely spot on. My neighbor has a cat that comes and poops in my yard and kids' sandbox, and sprays on my porch, and scratches the posts ( I rent!). Drives my indoor cats (and me!) crazy.

For me, everyone I've seen personally in real life with indoor/outdoor cats has had issues with losing them (both dead and just never knowing what happened), illnesses, fights, vet bills, etc that I haven't had to deal with with indoor only cats. Maybe I'm being selfish but I don't have the extra money to to throw at preventable health issues. Not to mention the impact of cats on wild bird populations. It doesn't matter if you're in the country or city, both have their own safety considerations.

Are there exceptions? I'm sure. But simply "my cat wanted to go outside so I let him" is not a good enough reason for me!
 

Maria Bayote

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After finding a familiar stray cat one morning just last week in the middle of the road, half of its brain scattered on the ground (not intending to be gross please, or scare cat owners), my resolve to keep my cats indoors got more intensified. I had seen that same cat crossed that road several times before, alert of incoming cars, so I suspected that the driver might have ran the cat over intentionally. Too many people and cars passed by and not one stopped to remove the dead kitty from the road. So my husband picked it up, wrapped it in an old blanket, then buried at the side of the compound.

So when my Bourbon went MIA again last night, I thought of that dead cat and panicked again, only to find her appear behind me while I was bending over looking for her under the coffee table. One day I swear I am going to have a heart attack with my constant panicking.
 

Kat0121

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After finding a familiar stray cat one morning just last week in the middle of the road, half of its brain scattered on the ground (not intending to be gross please, or scare cat owners), my resolve to keep my cats indoors got more intensified. I had seen that same cat crossed that road several times before, alert of incoming cars, so I suspected that the driver might have ran the cat over intentionally. Too many people and cars passed by and not one stopped to remove the dead kitty from the road. So my husband picked it up, wrapped it in an old blanket, then buried at the side of the compound.

So when my Bourbon went MIA again last night, I thought of that dead cat and panicked again, only to find her appear behind me while I was bending over looking for her under the coffee table. One day I swear I am going to have a heart attack with my constant panicking.
A cat got hit in the road behind our house about 12 years ago. DH saw it happen in the middle of the night when he was out back having a cig. I got up about an hour later and he told me. As soon as it got light out, I moved the poor thing to the grassy area. The body was still intact thankfully. No collar or anything. We buried the poor little one under the pine tree in the backyard. DH had a small vial of holy water from when he was a kid and I used some to bless the ground for my little lost one. I am still sad about it and this is a part of the reason why the girls will NEVER go out unsupervised. Just the thought of them being out there in the dark alone is almost enough to give me a full blown panic attack.
 

SpecterOhPossum

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I don't agree with outdoor cats. Sure, if it's a feral you simply care for, I get it.. But cats shouldn't be outdoors. When you take into account what they do to our ecosystem, the dangers, etc, is having more room and freedom worth that price? No. I like catios and harness walks, that's as close as I can come to being in favor of outdoor cats.

As jackson galaxy says on this topic, "I'm selfish, I wan't my cat to be healthy, to live as long as possible."

No amount of freedom or cat mojo is worth the chance of my cat losing her life early. My girl was born outdoors, and is a certified door dasher - and IS more bored inside.
Am I gonna make the stupid decision to let her out unsupervised? No. Am I convinced a small fuzzy animal that has such a short lifespan in the wild can make great judgement? No.
Leash walks exist for a reason. You take your dog out at the very least twice a day, do the same for your cat. Being outdoors is great for mental stimulation, physical stimulation, and all sorts of things; using a harness and leash takes the danger out of it and allows your cat to enjoy itself naturally. Evolution made us smarter than them for a reason. Let's not go backwards.
 
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kittenmittens84

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Personally when I lived in a dense city my cat didn’t go outside and didn’t seem particularly keen to. Cars are just too dangerous and prevalent in the city for me to think about letting a cat out near them.

Now I’m in a more suburban area and have a screened patio, and I think it’s the best of both worlds. I reinforced the bottom third of the screen with some wire mesh, and my kitten loves to go out there in the mornings while I drink my coffee. I’m on the ground floor so he can watch the lizards and squirrels and neighborhood dogs easily, it’s very cute. The stimulation seems to really help him be calmer during the day. He wriggled out of all 4 harnesses I tried but seems to really love watching outside things, so I’m glad there’s a way he can get that safely.

I do think it’s a little bit of a different conversation if you’re talking about a cat that originally lived outside that you coaxed inside, and you’re in a rural area. In general yes we understand objective danger better than cats do, but some former strays and ferals really seem to chafe under the stress of being cooped up all day and if you have land they can reasonably safely (no coyotes!!) venture out onto it feels cruel not to.
 

Texaskitty

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I'm for keeping them inside myself. A long time ago we had a kitty (given to us by a friend), who was an inside/outside cat. One time she disappeared for about a week. Finally came back and she was super skinny, like she hadn't eaten anything the whole time, you could see her backbone. We think she was trapped somewhere, maybe got accidentally locked in someone's shed or garage and came home when she got free.We didn't let her out after that.
 

CatLover49

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My boy Snowball is a total indoor cat...Yrs back when I lived out in country..I had outdoor cats n one indoor cat...In the future when my boy Snowball crosses the bridge...And if I get another cat..it will be totally indoors..I live in City..but in the country u got predators that harm a cat..in the city..its traffic harm..So I guess u can say NOW im an indoor cat person..even if I lived in the country now...:thumbsup:
 

kittyluv387

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Very good discussion topic! For me, I think people should make a pretty good effort to turn kitties into indoor ones. Sometimes yes depending on the situation it's better to allow them to go outside but most cats should stay inside in my opinion. Of course this doesn't apply to any extra stray or feral cats in your care that you don't really have the space for inside. I already have 3 inside so I know any outdoor cats I care for would have to stay outside.
 

maggie101

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My 3 cats I rescued from outside. They have never wanted to be outside. Maybe because my apartment is catified and they have room to run,jump,chase and play hide and seek. My friends cat got run over by a car. Inside she accidentally dropped a TV on her old dog. Another friend lost her cat outside then found it a few days later killed by dogs.
 

Sidewinder

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This topic again... my cats have to run free regardless of risk, though I take what steps I can to minimize that risk. Not the new youngster, she's happy here in the house for now, but the others all go out during daylight hours. They can come back in if they want, I always rig the cat door for that purpose, but I don't think they could handle being cooped up indoors all the time, it just wouldn't be fair, ya know? My home is on a dead-end street on a hill, so there's no traffic, the only real danger is from coyotes... but then again I'm on a hill in town, not on the outskirts where coyotes normally dwell. I've seen coyotes on my street, but those sightings have been rare, the adaptable desert dogs have to infiltrate my neighborhood via a small wash which runs behind some houses to the north, and they usually only do that around midnight when human activity really dies down, aye? Yes, then my neighborhood can be dangerous, but I bring my cats in every evening before dark, just to keep 'em safe, and I don't let 'em out again until after dawn, and I always check the property before letting 'em out. I don't want 'em to be picked off, but I also don't want to deprive 'em of the obvious joy they experience outdoors, whether they're chasing each other in my fenced yard or exploring beyond the fence, 10-4? 🌎
 
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MissClouseau

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I'm late but, I think there is no right answer that applies all. Circumstances differ. And cats' personality.

Personally I don't believe in having full control on any living creature's entire life. They also only live once, should have the right to experience what they want and about major life decisions I leave the choice to the cat (or the dog) and going outside is one of them. But I live in an area without any wild animals for example. If I lived somewhere that has like coyotes around, I would either take the cat out for a walk on a leash or make a catio. Like there would be a compromise.

What I dislike is judging other people's decision or tell them what to do without knowing the full picture to make a pros-cons calculation. Even my cat's vets for instance wouldn't ask me to keep my Hima indoors. They also know she gets super stressed indoor-only. (We tried for a week when she was recovering from an illness.)

I also dislike there is so much misinformation around about cats hunting. Statistics usually are about wild cats. Your typical tabby, at least in Turkey, can't even hunt birds. They usually don't even attempt unless like a small bird falls down from their nest or something. Same with disease statistics. Not everything is the same amount of common everywhere that it would be dangerous everywhere. e.g. IF a cat is aggressive, yes they are more likely to get in a fight and catch FIV. If the cat is mellow, unlikely. Rabies doesn't exist in some regions. FeLV is too rare in some places but not that rare in some others etc
 

Dacatchair

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I agree with the people pointing out circumstances and the needs of individual cats, communities and ecosystems differ a lot and the best case scenario in one situation may be the opposite in another.

I live on a sparsely populated rural island which used to have predators like wolves, but these were wiped out and now we have a flourishing population of non indigenous rats, house mice and rabbits. The small well controlled population of free roaming spayed and neutered well cared for and loved family cats are generally appreciated for keeping them in check. As far as I can tell, after talking to neighbours and local vets, the local cats here are no more in danger of dying in an accident, than the humans.

But because all the local cats are spayed and neutered there is very few kittens and after looking for a kitten for years I ended up getting a kitten from a breeder, and then there is a lot of pressure to keep the cat indoors. So I have done everything recommended, with lots of play time, leash training and lots of enclosed outdoor areas, and while this may work well and be sensible for people in areas where a lot of cats run into serious problems outdoors, or for people who mostly live indoors themselves, in my experience, it really doesn't work well for people living a rural lifestyle that requires a lot of outdoor chores. My property is my living room and of course my cats want to be out with me. One of them is much more adamant about this than the other (I ended up with 2 because indoor cats need a buddy) But if I take the one out with me on a leash that paces his enclosures all day wanting out, the one that is usually happy starts to howl like his heart is breaking being left behind. Doing yard work over a large area with a cat on a leash is difficult. Doing yard work over a large area with 2 cats on a leash is impossible. Cats are not dogs. Most dogs are pack animals, they are wired to follow the lead of the alpha animal and can be trained to stay with their human in their own yard without a leash. And fencing a yard to contain a dog is much easier than containing cats. Anyways, I am still trying and am now hoping to put a cat proof fence around my main yard, which seems to be the only place my cat that wants out wants to be. But I am also thinking the pressure I have felt to keep my cats contained is probably inappropriate, and as a senior with limited resources who loves my cats, I wish people would realize not all places are real dangerous for outdoor cats, and what is best for cats in their area or situation, may not be what is best for cats in another.

And in my situation, where the dangers are mostly hypothetical, I find it really distressing to keep a cat in against it's will. Cats evolved to be free roaming and up until the 1950's almost all cats were free to come and go as they pleased. Genetically they are virtually identical to their wild ancestors. In other words, I think cats are more wild than domesticated, and many wild animals have friendly interdependent relationships with other animals. Just because that animal cats found a niche with are human doesn't mean they are no longer wild. And most people agree that wild animals live their best lives in the environment they evolved in, even though this means they often live considerably shorter lives than they would in captivity and will probably die a horrible death. (most wild animals do)

I am not sure why cats should be seen differently, especially if they are the sort of cat that wants out and trying to provide them with a safer enriched indoor existence is not working...
 

Maria Bayote

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To contain a cat or not -- indeed is quite a sensitive topic. I am glad that people here are discussing this issue with maturity and open minds.

As you know I have other thread about this neighbor of mine who declares her love for her cats that used to be indoors and suddenly just locked them out because she explained her cats are "much happier" outside, which I doubt. Two of those cats just went missing, and the last one also was gone for days and when it returned, he was skin and bones, with fresh wound on his face. Still this neighbor owner, despite losing 2 of the cats and the last one in a bad condition, still has not made up her mind to just keep her last remaining cat indoors.

I believe as humans we took in the responsibility of caring for these cats (and dogs) when we first domesticated them, not only for their health but also for their welfare. As mentioned here there are many reasons why we should consider keeping them indoors, aside from the usual dangers of cars, predators and human cruelty. There is also the danger of them getting into fights with other cats, or us as owners getting into fights with our neighbors whose garden have been trampled over by our cat/s, or pooped on their flower pots. There is also the matter of us not being able to really monitor their bowels as they poop someplace else, plus cats who have free reign of the outdoors can easily get infected by diseases from other infected cats. Then there is also the weather. Here in Doha it gets really really hot during the summer, that even human workers are not permitted to work at specified timings of the day, or in wintry countries where weather conditions can change rapidly, which cats can quickly die from hypothermia. Owners who have invested in cat trees, interactive toys, catio, etc can encourage their cats to enjoy the indoors without risking for the cat to be lost or stolen, plus all the other factors mentioned above.

Anyway, I also agree that we should not force others to do otherwise. Even as human parents we each have our own ways to discipline our children. We just have to live with our decisions at the end of the day. What we all agree upon is that we want the best for our cats, and we want them to have the best life they possibly can have while they are still with us. :)
 

KittyFriday

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I grew up in the country with farm cats. They don't live long. Yes, nice that they can be outdoors but horrific things can happen - predators and people with guns, for example. We once had to free a cat that had presumably been running from something and gotten his side caught in barbed wire. Thankfully it was close to our house and we heard him crying, but he'd probably been there for several hours at least; his wound was infected and there were maggots in it. We got him to the vet and fixed up, but can you imagine if he'd been further away?

My cat now is a former barn cat that my parents had. He was outdoors for 10 years. He's indoor only because I don't have a run or secure yard he can be in. After a week, he was fine with being indoors and he doesn't seem to mind it one bit. Of course, he has lots to do inside and I'm sure he appreciates the heat and A/C! I can't imagine what would happen to him if I let him roam in town, because obviously cars and humans are an even bigger problem here.

I'm all for letting cats out on leash or if you have a secure yard for them to be in. But honestly? Letting them just roam isn't safe. And IMO, it's not kind to your neighbors either - there are people out there who truly do not want cats on their property and they shouldn't have to deal with that.
 

pearl99

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I am a total indoor only person now. But I see both sides.
Waffles, who I adopted as a stray from a shelter and who was probably semi-feral, has no interest, 0%, in going outside. I guess life must have been really rough outdoors before. Mooshoo shows some interest in outdoors so in the spring I'll start leash and harness training her. Gracie is 12 years old and sleeps most of the time so she's content as indoor.

I don't want them catching birds- I attract birds in my yard. I think that cats are a problem for the bird population, many of which are declining. It's mostly due to habitat loss, and partly feral cats, but I don't want to contribute to it with my pet kitties.
I have lost cats that were indoor/outdoor, and I don't want that to happen any more. I live in a suburb of Denver, and we now have coyotes, fox, hawks in the neighborhood.
I also don't want my cats to be spraying, pooping, digging in neighbors yards and have neighbors take revenge somehow (not that they would, but you never know.)
I get that a feral that someone is caring for may not be work as an indoor only, and nothing can be done about that. A least the kitty is getting care and food. That's just the reality. And in the country, without neighbors nearby it can be a different story than in town. And barn cats serve a purpose. The Dumb Friends League here has a "working cat" program for cats that are not suitable as pets and people who need a "working cat" outdoors. They are spayed/neutered, and the adopters have to sign that they will provide food, water, shelter/warmth, and vet care to them.
I don't look down on people for what they decide (unless cats are turned out and ignored), the reality is the reality.
But I like to see people being educated on what can happen if cats are outdoors and the case for indoor only,
 
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Crafty_Camper123

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I'm in agreeance that it totally depends on the cat and situation. I have grown up with cats my entire life. Some were indoor only, some outdoor only, and some indoor/outdoor. If a cat is happy to stay inside, then that is clearly what's best for them. No sense in letting them out if they have no desire for it. They are safer indoors anyways. My cat was found living in a feral cat colony at my husband's job. It was obvious she was dumped, and not a feral, but since we brought her home she's been difficult to keep inside. I guess she got a taste for the outdoors living on her own for a few months. When I try to keep her in, she darts out of the door or screams at me every time I'm by the door. She is also more destructive in the house, and scratches stuff she shouldn't. She hangs mostly around the back yard or wanders in the park behind us. She wears a collar with a name tag and my phone number. That way if she is in any trouble, or is causing someone else trouble maybe someone will call me. I usually let her out during daylight hours and she stays in overnight. It's not totally without risk though. Most everyone in the neighborhood has dogs. Luckily many seem to be dogs who have cats though. But, she did get hurt last spring. My best guess is she stepped on a beer bottle some dumb kids left behind in the park, and lacerated the back of her hind foot. For her 12 weeks of healing time she was "grounded" from outside. She was not a happy cat.
 

moxiewild

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Sorry, I’m not going to be one of those “It’s a personal choice” types.

Of course there are exceptions and extenuating circumstances. But if you’re coming out with an attitude like “cats need freedom/to free roam” then your fundamental understand is wrong.

Cats are an adaptive species. They need adequate space, physical activity, mental stimulation, territory, and environmental enrichment. These needs can be appropriately met via cat trees, condos, shelves, window seats/perches, plenty of bedding and litterboxes, windows they can see out (especially if there is a bird or other small animal feeder in view), toys, tunnels, different kinds of scratchers, intense interactive play with their humans, treat puzzles, ball circuit tracks and towers, leashes walks, catios, enclosures, cat proofing a fence, clicker training, music (harp, classical, Music for Cats), playmates, and even cat TV.

There are a ton of ways to keep a cat happy and engaged while inside. If all of those options have been exhausted and still wont work, well, at least you’ve done your due diligence. (And this means trying for well over a week to keep your cat inside - of course they will be stressed at first, but the vast majority will forget “what outside is” after 2-4 weeks).

I agree profoundly with what someone else said - people play tug of war, throw balls/toys, and wrastle with their dogs, they take them for walks, to dog parks, for play dates, etc. - but most people won’t or don’t put anywhere near the same effort into a cat.

They want them to be passive pets, and this is where the whole “if you’re too busy for a dog, get a cat” perception has really failed cats. Cats have just as many needs as dogs. They’re just less in your face about their needs being unmet, and don’t necessarily need your active participation in fulfilling all of those needs, all the time - they need you to buy and put together/install the trees, shelves, enclosures, etc, but after that, they can seek them out on their own. That’s what makes them slightly easier and more independent than dogs, but it still requires that initial effort and being combined with other daily activities that do require your active participation, like interactive play and leashed walks.

And even when you play, it may take a while and a lot of toys to see what each individual kitty responds to. You also need to know how to play - cat owners are notorious for just swinging wands around, which is often fine for kittens, but requires more strategy and thoughtfulness when trying to entice young, and especially older, cats. You need to know how to properly act like prey and how to set up an environment to allow your cat to properly stalk.

This is the same with rats. Most people think you just stick ‘em in a cage with a wheel and some toys. In reality, they need at least an hour a day to roam a larger area, like a bedroom, bathroom, or play room, and they need at minimum one hour a day to actively socialize with their human(s), and preferably a few hours.

Whenever you keep any animal inside, it is going to take effort to keep it happy. People mostly only seem to understand that where dogs, and largely horses (even though horses aren’t inside-inside), are concerned.

For anyone who says they don’t see wildlife, know that situations where larger wildlife is not present are exceedingly rare. I work in wildlife. The vast majority of people tell us they don’t have wildlife around. Put out a bowl of food and a camera for a few nights, and you’ll see how wrong you very likely are.

It’s wildlife’s job to go unseen. And they are absolutely regularly present during the day, especially coyotes.

I just had a woman insist up and down to me that they only had owls in the immediate area. She’s lived there for over 30 years, has never seen a single animal larger than a squirrel (other than some cats and dogs, mostly pets). This is a pretty urban area.

I set out a camera at her place for a week because we were trying to track down a small kitten.

Every single night, multiple raccoons, opossums, and skunks showed up, as did a specific cat, and random cats she’d never seen before (and let’s not forget that other cats - even if they’re neutered or pets - are still capable and commonly responsible for killing and maiming other cats). A different dog showed up two separate nights. On four nights, a fox or two came around. On one night, a few coyotes. She had no idea.

And this isn’t uncommon and I’ve seen this a ton of times for many years - but when we set cameras out on our property, even I was shocked at just how much wildlife we have!

And they’re around during the day too, they just stay just out of sight of humans - in the same areas that cats tend to roam out to very often. And they’re present in all areas - doesn’t matter if it’s urban, suburban, or rural.

The threat over cars is much more variable in regards to dangers outside.

And I agree with another person that if you have neighbors, it’s just the polite thing to do. Many people hate cats due to experience with a nuisance pet cat of their neighbors.

And yes, wildlife predation statistics are extremely problematic and misleading - but to deny cats contribute to declining populations is naive. They do, just not nearly to the extent it’s made out to be, especially relative to the damage humans have caused to these species.

But if keeping your cat indoors can help protect those species a little bit while the cat is no worse for wear over it? Then do it.

Because another reason, especially if you know your cat hunts, would be to limit their exposure to parasites, which they often get from their prey.

But beyond that, outside in general exposes them to all sorts of nasty things.

If you’ve really done all you possibly can and waited an appropriate amount of time for your cat to adjust to indoor-only living and kitty is still miserable then again - at least you tried, and did all you possibly could to make them happy living indoors. We can’t win them all.

But the truth is, most people haven’t done everything, or put near the amount of effort they would for a dog to keep it safe and entertained. Because even when they try, they often still hold the misguided belief that cats are deprived indoors, they need “freedom”, and all other sort of bull:censored: excuses.

No, it’s just more convenient for you to let your cat entertain him/herself, and use the bathroom outside half the time.

I really hope someday our attitude about cat care will reach the level of dog care (and beyond, for both cats and dogs).
 

moxiewild

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By the way, as far as keeping animals happy inside, I want you to keep in mind my background of working in wildlife -

I am a rehabilitor, but I work at a rescue and sanctuary. We don’t just keep native wildlife, but also dogs, cats (including feral enclosures), other companion animals, livestock animals, and exotics (apes, big cats, etc). Basically anything that isn’t marine.

A primary part of my job for many years, and something that is still part of my job, is coming up with ways to keep these very wild animals happy in captivity, especially in ways that keep human interaction to the bare minimum. I’ve had to do a lot of research and speak to a lot of experts and vets over the years for this endeavor.

And if we can do it for a lion, we can do it for a damn domestic cat.
 
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