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Dae
#7 • 82186 views
Posted: 2011-02-26 09:34:55
#6748
Outdoor cats
I thought this might be an interesting one for Alacrity, as I assume most of us are animal lovers. What do you guys think about cats being allowed to roam free outside?
For me, personally, I am very much against it. I believe that cat owners should install cat runs if they wish to let their cats outside.
I am a wildlife carer and here in Australia cats are a serious threat to our natives. Almost every bird I've had come in due to cat attack has died shortly thereafter, and that's not even touching on those that die prolonged and painful deaths in the bush. All cats hunt, it is natural for them to do so. People who don't believe their cats are hunting are fooling themselves.
Furthermore, it is much safer for a cat to be kept indoors or in an enclosed outdoor area like a cat run. How many cats are run over by cars, abused by humans or attacked by other cats and dogs every year? How many unwanted litters of kittens are born to roaming cats?
Note that I do not hate cats. They are just doing what comes naturally to them. I blame the owners as it is their responsibility to manage their animals. (Also, I am not limiting this to just cats. I believe dogs should be kept confined too. However most dogs are kept in secure backyards and thus present no problem.)
Thoughts?
Replies
jive
#31937 • 2011-03-11 08:05:42
#31937
If they are not altered, they should not be outside and allowed to procreate willy nilly. Period. There are too many cats that wind up dead in shelters, on roads, and in the mouths of coyotes.<br><br>No cat is "too big" to be eaten by a predator (at least not here in the US). Especially since there are stray dogs almost everywhere that would kill a cat in a heartbeat.
Okay, try putting yourself in my place. I have a horse. He has grain kept in the barn. Hay. Leather tack that would be ruined if chewed. I also have 4 cats. They have food, water, and are loved at all times. They have no tags, are not "fixed" and almost never come in the house. Oh, and 3 of the 4 were BORN outside. We live right near a county road, and they have never been hit by a car. A few months ago one of my cats went missing, but he was far to huge and fat and lazy to have been eaten, I figure he's in someone's house eating the day away.<br /> <br /> Anyways, the point is, my cats keep the mice down very nicely. 3 of the 4 never leave our property of 2 1/2 acres. The one that does, sleeps here every night except for when he gets trapped in a garage/shed/container of some sort and comes when called. They HATE being indoors, more than swimming. My one most "feral" cat, if you could call him that, would break through glass to get back outside. Last time we brought him in, he had an accident, a puddle on the floor, because he was so scared. Keep in mind that most "barn cats" keep poison out of the area because the cats keep the mice down.
Steaks
#31764 • 2011-03-05 06:59:51
#31764
Dae, I do believe cats here have to be tagged.<br><br>Fyrella, I put my cat on a harness + leash when we go to the vets and it doesn't stop him from straining and pulling for the doorway lol<br /> <br />
Dae
#31745 • 2011-03-05 04:16:19
#31745
Thumbs up for trying Fyrella!<br /> <br /> My neighbour's cat killed a lizard in my front yard yesterday, I need to find a way of discouraging it. I don't mind cats being kept only in their owner's yards, but when they wander outside it's an issue. <br /> <br /> I'm considering loading a water pistol with green food dye and spraying it whenever I see it. Not harmful to the cat and maybe they'll get the hint.<br /> <br /> ETA: Also, by law here, pet cats must be identified by a microchip. Is it optional in America?
Oh, right. Forgot about that. :x<br /> <br /> I just mean letting your cat outdoors with no means of ID'ing them is not a good idea at all. <br /> <br /> I think when we get our cats, I'll talk to my mom about getting their ears tatooed because that way people can see at a glance that our kitties are pets, not just random strays.<br /> <br /> I talked to her about keeping them indoors and she says we can try to keep them more indoors than we did our other cats, but she's against not letting them out at all. (I knew she would be.) :P<br /> <br /> One of the cats will be more 'my' cat, and with that one I'll probably leash train it and walk it sometimes. (Not to mention that getting cats used to a leash is super useful for vet visits and the like.) <br /> <br /> I like this debate. It's a debate, sure, but nobody is trying to rip anybody else's face off. xD
Steaks
#31693 • 2011-03-04 17:29:05
#31693
Lol @ the people who are saying cats don't walk on leashes. I have two indoor cats and I've walked one of my cats down to the icecream store before.<br>That probably makes me a weird, creepy loser but he[my cat] likes it so idc.<br><br>EDIT: I don't walk the other cat because he obsesses over smelling every single blade of grass for other cats.
Fyr, actually, collars on outdoor cats can be a death sentence. If your cat is a climber or tries to dart under a fence, collars can get caught, and the "break away" ones don't always perform as advertised.<br /> <br /> I would suggest microchipping if outdoor cats are an absolute necessity...but again, I don't think they ever really are.
Ashton ❄
#31623 • 2011-03-04 01:58:44
#31623
One point I will make is that letting cats outside without tags is especially irresponsible. Wildlife issues aside, letting your cats outside without a tag/collar on is just about the worst thing you can do as far as cat ownership is concerned.<br /> <br /> You want to let your cat outside? I'm not going to stop you because frankly it's none of my business.<br /> <br /> But please, for the love of your pet, give it a collar with an ID tag. You can even home make it with one of those plastic key tag things. <br /> <br /> If you're not going to bother ID tagging your cat, DO NOT let it outside - it's just asking to be stolen or poisoned. Also, if it gets hit by a car, you're about 10 times less likely to find out about it, because if the cat has no ID tag, the person who hit your cat is not going to go through 1000 houses trying to figure out who's cat he's killed.<br /> <br /> Hate to put it that way, but it's true. :/
jive
#31611 • 2011-03-03 20:53:40
#31611
<i>So it is highly possible to have cats that don't harm the wildlife to much.</i><br /> <br /> Yes, it is, but why even take the chance? There's dangerous things outside for the cat, and you can't see what's happening if the cat is roaming outside of your supervision. There's too many things that could very easily and very quickly go wrong...for wildlife and for your cat.
WildOracle
#31609 • 2011-03-03 20:35:36
#31609
Nitrous my cat is almost like that:P She only ever caught on mole so far. We watch her and she usually stays inside during the day. We've watched her and she is way to scared of <u>everything</u> to hunt right. So she just sleeps all day.<br /> <br /> Though the cats my aunt had hunted all the time. Yet they never brought back a single bird (they bring back everything) rabbits, bats, mice, maybe a snake.... never went after my aunts fish, Didn't touch birds either.<br /> <br /> So it is highly possible to have cats that don't harm the wildlife to much.
