This was my family when I was a kid. We never had a cat for more than 2-5 years because there were coyotes and pumas out there. Except for one cat who lived to old age. I think we had a dozen cats during my childhood. I remember thinking they were happier with their freedom, even though it meant their lives were short.
I know better now. I still think cats are happier when they can go outside, but it’s not worth the risk to their lives and also the lives of the local smaller wildlife.
We let our cats in the garden supervised if they want but they’re indoor cats otherwise.
One will go out for a short time and come back in if we go in, and the other one has absolutely no interest in going out and would rather cosey up on my pillow.
They’re both elderly but have been that way since they were kittens/rescued.
We got them harnesses so we could take them out and see stuff but they weren’t all that into it.
We have puzzle games and plenty of toys for them. The oldest loves a puzzle and can out maneuver our dog at them, but the younger one has a single braincell and is as dumb as a box of rocks. She’s happy just to sit to your lap and get pets.
I remember thinking they were happier with their freedom, even though it meant their lives were short.
I know better now.
You can be trapped in the most luxurious palace, with your every want attended to, but you cannot leave.
Or, you can be free to go where you please, still have your wants attended to, but there is a chance you will die young and the last hour of your life will be spent in terror and excruciating pain.
Which do you choose?
Honestly a bit of a tough question. I’m not sure, myself.
Interesting concept but cats don’t have the sapience to understand the risk involved with being outside. You could say the same thing about children, but because adults know better we don’t let them do whatever they please.
I think the risk can be weighed and mitigated. Coyotes mainly come out at night, and you can keep a cat indoors at night. If every new cat gets promptly snapped up anyway, maybe it’s just not a safe enough area.
Honest question, how do you keep a cat indoors at night? We used to call them, but sometimes they wouldn’t show up. That meant you might see them the next day, or never again. One little poofy grey cat we had disappeared for a week before turning up soaking wet and meowing frantically. Cats are quick and can make pretty good distance from your house, so when you’re calling them in for the night, they could be literally anywhere. They also like to hunt at sunset, so might just ignore you on purpose.
That’s my experience anyways. I think some of the other comments here are right, that a limited outdoor space that they could enjoy but not escape from would be ideal. I don’t have a yard so my cats are indoor only. I did try to leash-train the smarter one but she was not having it.
edit: we would clang their food dishes and shake the food bags. Calling them in for the night was also feeding time. My experience was that despite this they wouldn’t show up sometimes.
Mine started life as an indoor cat, but after we put in a dog door for the pups there was no chance. She figured it out by watching them and lets herself out for the occasional prowl (around 4-6 hours a day, she usually goes no farther than the neighbors yard). She doesn’t stay out overnight though, she’d rather sleep inside with her dog.
It breaks my heart with how many irresponsible pet owners there are. There’s no good reason to let your cat outside. People who can’t accept that shouldn’t have cats.
Not all places in the world have coyotes. Some places are safe for cats. I don’t have cats, but there are several out-doors cats where I live that seems to be doing just fine.
Until they get hit by a car. Or wander into the wrong yard and get killed by a dog. I see more dead cats on the side of the freeway/highway than any other animal by far.
This was my family when I was a kid. We never had a cat for more than 2-5 years because there were coyotes and pumas out there. Except for one cat who lived to old age. I think we had a dozen cats during my childhood. I remember thinking they were happier with their freedom, even though it meant their lives were short.
I know better now. I still think cats are happier when they can go outside, but it’s not worth the risk to their lives and also the lives of the local smaller wildlife.
We let our cats in the garden supervised if they want but they’re indoor cats otherwise. One will go out for a short time and come back in if we go in, and the other one has absolutely no interest in going out and would rather cosey up on my pillow.
They’re both elderly but have been that way since they were kittens/rescued.
We got them harnesses so we could take them out and see stuff but they weren’t all that into it.
We have puzzle games and plenty of toys for them. The oldest loves a puzzle and can out maneuver our dog at them, but the younger one has a single braincell and is as dumb as a box of rocks. She’s happy just to sit to your lap and get pets.
You can be trapped in the most luxurious palace, with your every want attended to, but you cannot leave.
Or, you can be free to go where you please, still have your wants attended to, but there is a chance you will die young and the last hour of your life will be spent in terror and excruciating pain.
Which do you choose?
Honestly a bit of a tough question. I’m not sure, myself.
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Interesting concept but cats don’t have the sapience to understand the risk involved with being outside. You could say the same thing about children, but because adults know better we don’t let them do whatever they please.
I think the risk can be weighed and mitigated. Coyotes mainly come out at night, and you can keep a cat indoors at night. If every new cat gets promptly snapped up anyway, maybe it’s just not a safe enough area.
Honest question, how do you keep a cat indoors at night? We used to call them, but sometimes they wouldn’t show up. That meant you might see them the next day, or never again. One little poofy grey cat we had disappeared for a week before turning up soaking wet and meowing frantically. Cats are quick and can make pretty good distance from your house, so when you’re calling them in for the night, they could be literally anywhere. They also like to hunt at sunset, so might just ignore you on purpose.
That’s my experience anyways. I think some of the other comments here are right, that a limited outdoor space that they could enjoy but not escape from would be ideal. I don’t have a yard so my cats are indoor only. I did try to leash-train the smarter one but she was not having it.
edit: we would clang their food dishes and shake the food bags. Calling them in for the night was also feeding time. My experience was that despite this they wouldn’t show up sometimes.
You feed them at the same time every day before sunset, and then don’t let them out after that. Most cats will not want to miss dinner.
Only a cat goes missing for a week then shows up soaking wet and meowing frantically.
You just close the doors and windows after they come in for dinner, before they eat their dinner.
What the fuck is wrong with people
Mine started life as an indoor cat, but after we put in a dog door for the pups there was no chance. She figured it out by watching them and lets herself out for the occasional prowl (around 4-6 hours a day, she usually goes no farther than the neighbors yard). She doesn’t stay out overnight though, she’d rather sleep inside with her dog.
They make dog doors that only open if the animal has a fob on their collar. Would let the dogs out but keep the cat in.
Honestly that’s really shitty dude. You should figure out how to keep the cat indoors
It breaks my heart with how many irresponsible pet owners there are. There’s no good reason to let your cat outside. People who can’t accept that shouldn’t have cats.
Not all places in the world have coyotes. Some places are safe for cats. I don’t have cats, but there are several out-doors cats where I live that seems to be doing just fine.
Until they get hit by a car. Or wander into the wrong yard and get killed by a dog. I see more dead cats on the side of the freeway/highway than any other animal by far.