inside or out??

[tikeyas_mom]

Is your cat an inside cat or out? My Fuzzy cat is a outside cat. He loves showing his wild side, bringing home dead birds and mice is another story though ..

I'd like to see how many cats are outside compared to inside.

[aly]

My baby is indoor ONLY.

[tikeyas_mom]

Why?

[aly]

To keep her safe from cars, dogs, other cats, getting lost and disease. So that she can live a longer, healthier, happier life.

[krazyaboutkatz]

My 3 are also indoor only.

[Nomilynn]

My three are indoor ONLY, unless they are wearing a leash and I'm outside with them. It just isn't safe enough to let cats roam outside.

[Kirsten]

Luna is also kept indoors. I've seen to many lose their lives in the streets... Too many dangers out there.

Kirsten

Inside ONLY!!! I've lost to many cats as a kid to the traffic, and I don't want to loose any more !My house is large enough for playing!!

[carole]

as i found out there is quite a debate on whether u should keep your cats indoors or both, as i mentioned here in nz its almost unheard of keeping cats indoors only except for show cats and breeders, in fact alot of people would consider it cruel to do so, however i know those who do keep them indoors may consider it cruel to let them out.
It is certainly quite different in our country to the big u.s. of A.
I can personally see benefits to both points of view, but yes my cats will be in and out, it has been a hard decision fo me to make with my new cat lexie, and i hope i dont live to regret it, but it is almost impractical to do otherwise in aoetearoa.
Its a personal thing, and at least inside they are away from many dangers, but i do worry about the danger of fire if kept inside permanently.
Anyhow i dont believe either of us are wrong to keep them indoors only or in and out, u must do what u want and think is right for your pet, we all love them dearly and do what we think is for the best cheers carole

[PayItForward]

Both mine are inside/outside cats. (Well Milly will be when she has finished her shots)

Originally posted by Carole...as i mentioned here in nz its almost unheard of keeping cats indoors only except for show cats and breeders, in fact alot of people would consider it cruel to do so, however i know those who do keep them indoors may consider it cruel to let them out.

It's also an English thing too. Although the more I think about it, the safer inside cats must be. If George stays outside for hours (which he is doing with the nice weather) I do worry about him. But George doesn't go far just to the front or back garden, wherever the sun is, Milly will probually go further a field and could cross a road or two. (That's worrying)

George really enjoys the garden and Milly is acting like a POW as she can't leave the house for two more weeks (Not finished her shots yet) Milly runs to any open door and headbutts the cat flap trying to get outside. George was also very unhappy when we first adopted him and he had to stay inside for several weeks. But they were both strays used to being outside when we adopted them.

I don't think our inside/outside cats would be happy being indoors all the time.

Though if you kept them inside from being kittens, I bet they would be just as happy being indoors. (and taking outdoor walks on leases)

[Soledad]

Good points Carole and PayItFoward! I'm in NZ now, and it is nearly unheard of to keep your cat indoors. It's seen as cruel and taking cats away from their natural habitat.

Having come from the States, I was alarmed that there were so many cats outside without collars. I thought they were strays, but Sam assured me that was simply the way things were done here. I even had a cat that followed me around university, which was excellent. I called her Buttercup and she often walked me to my religious studies classes. Since I lived across the street from uni, she spent a couple of nights and days with Sam and me.

But now that Sam and I are moving back to the States, I will be making Boo an indoor only. We will have to see how leashing goes, as Boo is generally snippy and bitey with all things dangly. But I will not let him outside in the States because it is not a cat-loving country like NZ. I don't trust the number of crazy people that find torturing animals (especially cats) humourous and I know that because of the way US cities are developed, there is more harm traffic-wise.

I can see both sides of the argument, but I think in an ideal world, cats would thrive in an indoor/outdoor environment and be allowed to do so without the constant threat of being killed by crazies or cars. It's ideal for the cats in that they have adequate stimulation and exercise. The cats in the States are HUGE compared to the cats here.

[jenluckenbach]

INDOOR ONLY
why?

cars
bad people
wildlife with rabies
strays with FIP, FeLV, FIV and other transmittable diseases
pesticides on peoples lawns
antifreeze and other automotive products
tick, fleas and other parasites with the possibility of even more disease
dogs
extremes in temperature
skunks
pollution (could get into poisons in people's garbage)
getting injured and not being able to make it home

need I go on?

[Barbara]

One day I read a statistics that said cats in Germany that go out have an average lifespan of 2 years.

I live in a suburban neighborhood and most of our neighbors have outdoor cats. We have seen so many that died by a car accident or just vanished. There was even an article in the newspaper (in a very serious one) that black cats vanish and are stolen by satanists

So F+T are indoor only. They have a balcony with a net around and in summer when we have lots of flowers there I'll post some pictures of them on the balcony

[neko1]

Indoor only- always have been and always will be

[Anakins mom]

12 year old Naomi is allowed loose in the garden with me.
Ember & Mystery are allowed out in a harness on a flexi-leash.
Indy will be introduced to the harness and flexi this coming summer and Asia will have to wait until she is big enough for a harness.

No one is allowed out unattended. Coyotes, hawks, owls, fox and fishercats are a huge threat in my area.