Patches LOVES being outside!
Do you own a cat or a number of cats? I was reading on a forum I belong to yesterday. They were having quite a heated discussion about my favorite little critters. I mean, some of the members were downright angry that the others were not agreeing with their opinions. It was a bit comical to me. I could picture one member with his face all red with sweat dripping, because he could not make the others change their mind! I wonder how he would feel if he was not allowed to go outside his whole life?
Hobo lives to be outside!
"What was the discussion about?"
Callie is an inside cat by her choice!
About something as simple as whether cats should be allowed to go outside. If you allowed them to go outside, then according to some of the members, you did not care about your cat. And it would not survive very long outside. Now I know a thing or two about cats. I have had one every year of my life since I was ten years old. Some years, I had a number of them. Once when I was a teen, I had twelve!
Nutmeg liked going in and out on her own!
RIP 05/12/89 - 07/27/06
When I lived in the suburbs, I had two cats, Peanut and Popcorn. They were indoor cats. I didn't feel comfortable with letting them outside there. We weren't too far from a heavily traveled four lane highway. So it was best for them. When I moved there, a cat came with the house, Sissy. She was used to being outside. She wouldn't sleep in the house, and didn't seem to care for my other two cats. So she slept in the garage on my husband's work bench. Even being an outdoor cat, she lived to be 22 years old. So it didn't affect her being an outside cat in a populated area.
Callie, doing what she does best!
My cats are all over ten years of age now. They can come and go as they like. Always have. Believe me they do that! Patches sleeps most of the day upstairs, then goes out in the afternoon. If it is really nice out, she may go out in the morning for awhile, then come back for her nap. Nobody can say that they shouldn't be allowed outside because every living thing needs the oxygen that comes from the fresh air. The sunshine! Running and rolling in the grass! They love the freshly mowed grass. Maybe indoor cats are safe from bad things happening to them, but bad things happen inside houses too. My friend lost her pets when her house caught fire and she was at work. So you can't keep anyone safe from everything no matter what you do. Cats included.
Patches on her favorite spot, the railing of the deck!
There is no right answer for this question. It depends on where you live and your cats. One of our cats, Callie was born in the same barn our horses were. She is very used to horses and not afraid of them in the least. But she prefers to be in the house. I will put her outside when it is nice because I believe it is better for their health to be outside in the fresh air. She will get outside and run. I think it is good for her. Sometimes she curls up in a chair and sleeps in the sun.
Hobo loves to watch me work in the kitchen!
Hobo came to us hurt with a hole in her head after being thrown off the little bridge near our house. She is a petite little cat and has no teeth. My best hunter though! She would just die of a broken heart if she could not be outside. Even in the cold winter, she is outside. Follows my husband all over the place. None of our cats wander. Maybe because they are female? Maybe because I had them spade so they would not want to attract the male cats to our house? And end up with an endless supply of kittens? Maybe because our closest neighbor is half a mile away and our cats don't leave our immediate area. We are in and out all day long, so we interact with them constantly all day long. Like I said...........there is no right answer!
Copyright © 2011 Kathleen G. Lupole
All Photographs Copyright © 2011 Kathleen G. Lupole
Updated 2018
All Photographs Copyright © 2011 Kathleen G. Lupole
Updated 2018
9 comments:
We have 4 cats right now ranging from 6 to 15 and all of them go in and out as they please. I understannd trying to keep them safe but really they like going out and hunting and basking in the sun and all things kitty...that's what they do. It is in their nature and without that I think they get depressed.
I saw the post that I think you are referring to a few days ago and avoided it like the plague! Knew it would be a no-win situation trying to explain either side!
Anyhow, our family got our first cats when I was a Freshman in HS, and I've had them ever since! When we lived in the 'burbs they didn't go outside as we were concerned about the traffic (and they didn't really seem to want to go out anyhow).
The two suburb cats came with us to the country & they stayed indoor cats. Then we adopted a few others, found a few strays and they are either indoor or indoor/outdoor cats depending on their personalities. We do, however, bring the indoor/outdoor cats inside at night.
I wish though, that we did have an outdoor barn cat that would keep the rodent population in check in the goat / chicken barns!
Nothing wrong with letting the cats outside.
We had 2 cats dumped here....one had kittens and were keeping 2 of them. After they are fully vaccinated & spayed, they'll be allowed to go where they please. The current cats here aren't "pets" their dumped cats we've fixed up & fed in the barn so they stick around, but none are tame enough to be indoor pets...We are looking forward to having a house cat again!
Our last house cat Nicky was lost in our house fire in 2007.....Nicky was adopted from the ASPCA & was declawed so he couldn't go outside ever.... Our cat prior to that was & indoor/outdoor cat who lived to 12.
So, for us, since we live out in the country, our soon to be weaned kittens will be indoor/outdoor & if we ever leave for an extended period, I'm leaving a window open slightly just in case they need to escape....
-Crystal
http://noodlevilleadventures.blogspot.com
I have two spayed barn cats. They are very happy and affectionate. I used to have indoor/outdoor cats but these girls don't like to come inside, it makes then nervous. The almost never leave the barn.
We have two cats who go in and out as they please. I loved seeing the sweet pictures of your cats :)
For me, Mizz Zoe is first of all a cat and only second a pet. She does as cats do. She watches and hunts, she rolls int he dirt and take water from a little puddle, she enjoys the sun and smells the flowers.
The moment she enters the house she completely changes into a pet. Seeking cuddles and attention. A full bowl and time to socialize before falling asleep on my side. This transformation which happens every time crossing the threshold is fascinating and one reason why I love and admire cats-pets!
I've had cats in the past and they were both indoor/outdoor.
My dog is also indoor/outdoor. She needs her exercise and playtime.
Each person needs to do what is convenient for them.
Have a great weekend.
Right! You have to do what is right for your cats, for your circumstance and your neighborhood. I am lucky not to have the neighbors to worry about!
We found a feral cat who was about six-months old 17 years ago. First thing we did was get her spayed. She was quite wild and refused to stay in the house; in fact if we tried to keep her in, she was downright vicious. This is Minnesota, and it didn't matter if it was the cold of winter or not. She determined to be outside except for brief naps and feeding time. So we had an easy truce, and after about three years of this, she started letting me stroke her shiny grey fur once in a while. Eventually, she became my good friend, and has given me the privledge of allowing me to feed her for the last 17 years. She has slowed down over the last few years, and now spends winters inside, sleeping near a window where she can look out and wait for spring. The minute we have breaks in the weather, she is back outside. She spends her days basking in the sun on the deck. I would never have thought about keeping this magnificent warrior cooped up inside. She has determined her own course, and I think I can speak for her that she had the right to do so; she has shown this by her actions. I expect her to be with me for several more years and treasure every day. (P.S. She has been to the vet twice; once for spay and once for immunizations. She was so deathly ill from the shots that I thought she might not survive.)
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