Ugghhh Agravated!

[painted_ponies]

Originally posted by MrSnappy:

Cats can be CATS indoors as well. Mine's been a cat for 15 years indoors and has not changed into a monkey or a seatbelt or jug of whiskey by not being allowed outside to fend for himself.

Same here. If I let my cats outside, they'd be carried off by bobcat, dog or coyote - or maybe even one of those great big honkin' owls (I've had one show inordinate interest in my Lhasa Apso :eek: )

 

My youngest, Clawdia, has never to my knowledge placed her feet on the earth. She was born in one of the stalls at my former boarding stable, and then I took her home with me. She's all cat, though. And one heck of a mouser. :cool:

[Farm Girl]

Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. I do believe there are situatons where cats are better off inside. But I think if it means death by some un known cause that could happen by the cat going outside or dying in a shelter I would definitly take my chances outside.

[Bill Fosher]

Damn. If I thought that cats could be turned into jugs of whiskey by being kept indoors, I would have dozens of them, and they would never even set foot on the porch!

[Dixie_Girl]

My Sammy lived to the ripe ol age of 19 and until moving to the country 2yr ago, he spent his time in and out. BUT, he was snipped at 5mos, was too lazy to roam far, and wasn't EVER going to chance missing a meal. I suppose that people, in general, feel much different about cats than they do dogs when it comes to being allowed outside unsupervised. I suppose it is because it has only been recent that cats, in general, have become more of a pet than a pest controller. I can see a rancher chuckle when told his barn cats needed to be locked inside or under close watch if outside. And I can see pet cat owners shudder in horror to ever think of letting Fuffy outside alone, if at all. So, it is a debate that will continue for some time.

 

Are you wondering why Sammy went outside up to when we moved to the country? Too much wilderness. It scared the heck out of him to be outside!

 

Bill, it is pink elephants that turn into whiskey. No, wait, I think I got that backwards..................... :cool:

[Tammy525]

Linda you are too funny!!

 

As to indoor/outdoor cats, each situation has to be weighed on its own merits. We have had good luck with our current situation as there have been no cat attacks, no predators, no incidents with moving vehicles. We have been in this situation for two years.

 

The environment must be weighed when making the risk/benefit decision, as well as each individual cat. There are cats that do just fine being inside always. Even former outdoor only cats can be just fine indoors always. Then there are cats, born inside, kept inside as kittens, who are completely miserable if they can't go outside. Every situation is different.

[KrisK]

Both our cats live indoors, except for the occasional 'escape' by Rex who was born feral and loves to get outside to eat grass. That being said, most of the farms around here have 'barn' cats that live outside. I doubt that those cats will live as long as my inside cats. However, if given the option of letting a cat be a 'barn cat' or putting it down at the shelter, I would also opt for the barn cat. JMHO,

[karrie]

Molly was to be just an inside but she had other ideas. She now goes out but comes in with bad weather and dark or just to get her food. Mo on the other hand is strictly inside. Unlike with Molly the kids help to keep him in, where as with Molly I believe even the man in the moon worked with her to let her out.