Should cats be kept indoor at night?

**carole** · 06-02-2003, 04:58 PM

You raise some important issues payitforward, and your points are valid, however we dont really know the whole story, so i think we should wait until coolbabe replies,. heres hoping...............
You and i raise our kitties very similar i think, and ours are not 100 percent outdoor cats, so the situation is different, but we have to give her a chance to explain, is my main point before we start casting stones.

**Uabassoon** · 06-02-2003, 05:03 PM

I've read many posts by CoolBabe22 and when asked questions as to if her cats will be fixed she never replies. But she reads the questions because everything else that is asked is always answered. Coolbabe has made it obvious in many threads that getting her cats fixed isn't really a priority to her.

**carole** · 06-02-2003, 05:07 PM

Ok well i have not read her threads before, but i was just wanting to give her a chance to explain herself, because so many people are just too judgemental and ready to pounce if you know what i mean.
Well perhaps its not worth the bother then, its up to her if she replies or not, i have pmessaged her, so we shall c.

**PayItForward** · 06-02-2003, 05:10 PM

but we have to give her a chance to explain, is my main point before we start casting stones.

I totally agree. But I have also made the mistake of previously replying to this persons posts before.

Like Uabassoon mentioned, I have also asked about if these cats are to be altered & if they have shelter. None of my comments merit an answer.

All I hope for is that maybe a few of these cats, may someday end up with an owner who truly cares about them. Poor Kitties

PS.Bless you Carole, you are always so open minded.

**KRISTEN14** · 06-02-2003, 06:49 PM

Yes, My cat lives mostly in the grarge. She has a little hole that my brother punched in that she can go out if she wants.

**Fox-Gal** · 06-02-2003, 07:32 PM

Wanted to make it clear that this law came about because Florida Wildlife feels that cats are responable for the killing of Florida wildlife, snakes, birds, rats etc.. Because there are so many people that don't get their cats fixed, there is a over population of cats in our state. They feel that putting them down will cut back on both the killing of wildlife and the population growth.

I don't want to judge others as I was misjudged, BUT if this woman hasn't gotten her cats fixs, she needs to rethink her ways.
All my cats have been fixed and now because of some misguided people I and other will suffer.

There is a group here in Florida that has been catching, fixing and releasing these free roaming cats to help with the growth problem. They can also help people get their cat fixed at a low or no cost. If money is the reason that she hasn't taking care of this problem, I sure she can find some help through a organization like this.

Although I dislike Florida's thinking I didn't want any of you to think it was because of cats digging, pooping or roaming. It because of unneutered cats breeding and the killing of wildlife. I just think Florida has gone a little to far with this law, If a cat is roaming free and has a collar, they have to know it's a loved ones and taking it in to be destroyed is just dumb. Yes population does need to be helped, but as we all know you can tell the difference between a pet and a wild cat. Can't the state??

I just hopping that it doesn't go through and some compromise can be made. Make all cats wear a bell like mine do.....or make it so all cats brought in to a vets office have to be neutered.....something better then killing them.

The world is lacking common sense!!!!!!!

Ok done venting

lol

**carole** · 06-02-2003, 07:40 PM

Gosh i think this law sucks, i do hope its not passed, i understand completely what u are saying. fingers crossed it does not go through. There were certain rumours in parts of nz for doing something similar because cats were killing the wild life, but it never came to fruition thank goodness.

**Lando** · 06-02-2003, 11:14 PM

I agree with what Carole has been saying. Its true people are being way too judgemental. I mean what is pettalk all about? Its about talking about our pets and sharing opinions. I think even if we don't exactly agree with them we need to be respectful towards their opinions. I am not afraid to say that tonight my cats are all outside tonight, they chose that and I am not going to try to shut them in against their will. They both have shelter and are comfortable. I think that both ways are good ideas it just depends on the owners prefence. Coolbabe please don't be offended. We all make mistakes. Please post if you are able to.

**PayItForward** · 06-03-2003, 05:53 AM

I thought Cloey would be inside with her kittens ? (not that I know anything about kittens)

So I take it you have had Cloey spayed before you let her outside ?

**Cataholic** · 06-03-2003, 11:42 AM

I like to say something when people accuse others of being judgmental. First, that is judgmental in itself. Second, and in my opinion, more important, there isn't anything wrong with being judgmental. I am not obligated to refrain from judging someone, and most of us make judgments all day long. If I didn't make judgments, I would probably not be employed, associate with people that break the law, and wear sweats to work everyday. It is because of judgments I don't do these things (well, sometimes I do wear sweats to work, on the weekends.)

You can't post on this board for more than a month and not be aware of trouble makers. I don't know if this person is or is not one of them. If she (or he?) isn't, that will become known. If she/he is, then, maybe by calling her out, she will dissapear quicker.

As to someone that leaves their cats out 100% of the time, I do make a jugment- I think it is wrong, irresponsible, and not a trait of someone that has their pets best welfare at heart. Does that mean that person should be shot on first sight? No. But, maybe with some of the other postings on here, that person could reevaluate her position.....maybe not, but, that doesn't preclude me from judging her.

I stick by my 'judgmental' reply to Coolbabe22. And, if Moosmom wants to judge Fox-Gal, Moosmom has that right. It might be different from your opinion...but, when you call one person judgmental, you get painted with the same brush....

Pops- I appreciate your opinion, mine is different. And, I know we have enough history to acknowledge we don't always agree, but, we disagree agreeably, right?

Fox-gal- thanks for the info on the Florida law. I see the difference in what I was thinking, and what you have now told us. I guess I just feel anything that keeps kitties inside more, or more kitties inside more, is 'good'. Course, if I had my way, I would require all cats/dogs to be born altered, and the hoomans had to pay to have the kittens/puppies up front! Same with hooman kids....he he he...

**jonza** · 06-03-2003, 01:53 PM

OK … everybody knows exactly where they stand on this issue, so what would you do in this situation:

You fall in love with a feral cat in the backyard of your housing block, and entice him slowly up into your home over a period of several years. (He is over a year old when you start doing this). The backyard is not a nice place to be for cats, there are lots of dogs and aggressive humans, and there are foxes in the park etc.
He becomes an apparently domesticated cat over a period of time, but of course isn’t completely. His real roots are in the yard that he grew up in. He will normally be quite happy and content with his lot, but occasionally will become extremely frustrated, and want to return to his childhood home (which he can study from the kitchen window). He will scratch and miaw and gallop around and become very frustrated indeed.
If you let him out (he only wants to go out in the late evenings), you know that he will probably go walk-about, and not appear again until at the earliest the next morning. You don’t want to expose your cat to unnecessary (and very real) dangers, but you are obviously causing him anguish by forcing him to stay in. So there is no “right thing to do”. If you let him out, you expose him to danger. If you keep him in, you make him sad and unnaturally frustrated. There is no single “right” answer to these questions, one just has to try and find a reasonable and intelligent balance. What’s right for one may not be right for another.

I think the most important thing of all is to keep ones respect for and awe of the cat, surely one of nature's most beautiful and harmonious creations.

Isn’t that why we have them?

john

**littlewhitekitty** · 06-03-2003, 10:06 PM

Hi- I was a veterinary technician for 11 years, so I thought I'd put my point of view out here. I saw many, many cats hit by cars come into my clinic (probably thousands) and sadly most of them died. Cats that stay indoors simply don't get hit by cars, get attacked by dogs, coyotes, racoons, other cats, or evil people. the best way to keep your cat healthy and alive for a long time is to keep it inside, day and night. There are those people that think it is cruel or unnatural to keep a cat inside, but what is natural about having to put your beloved pet to sleep while it is still a kitten because it was chasing a butterfly across the street? And what is so cruel about keeping a pet indoors where it is safe from predators, and harsh weather and cars? My cats never have abscesses from fighting, catch diseases from other cats, nor do they get hit by cars. My friend's cat has beeen trapped and taken to the pound by a neighbor, has had many abscess from fights, and was nearly killed when she crawled into another neighbors car with an open window and he tried to let shoo her out in a parking lot. (luckliy for her, she hid under the seat until he returned home and then escaped!) Other cats of hers were eaten by coyotes or killed by cars. Besides the wild dangers and cars, there ARE evil people out there, and if your cat is outside, it is vulnerable. I can tell you horrific stories of people setting kittens on fire, drowning them, shooting them with all kinds of guns and arrows, poisonings. (all true, I have seen them!) All of this and more can be avoided by simply keeping cats inside. I am sorry to say that it is ignorant as well as irresponsible to let cats outside. This is not even going into the aspect of all the wildlife they kill. (My friend's cat kills about a bird a day in the summer, one time an endangered species.) If all of this still seems "cruel" or "unnatural"- then go ahead and let your cats outside..You will keep the local veterinarians in business. Just don't cry too much when your cat disappears.-KH

**Tonya** · 06-04-2003, 12:31 AM

I love my cats more then anything, so of course I want them to be safe. But on the same line, even I face dangers if I go outside. I might get hit by a car or struck by lightening. That doesn't mean I am going to live a life cooped up inside. I tried to keep my cats indoors. For two years they were content with that. They didn't have a desire to go outside, so I didn't put them out there. But one day one of them followed my dog outside. He found out how cool it was, and now both of the cats are hooked. I don't want to take that freedom from them. I'd feel bad making him stare out the window all day when he wants to go out. I'd rather give them a short happy life then a long boring one. On the same line, I live in a low traffic area and there aren't any wild animals around here. I might have a different attitude if I lived where animals lurked at night, or cars flew by. My only worry is cat fights. My cats haven't gotten in a single cat fight during the day. I bring them in at night.

**Cataholic** · 06-04-2003, 11:13 AM

Littlewhitekitty,
Welcome to PT, and thank you for your post. You add alot of hands on experience.

As to the dangers humans face everyday when they go outside...I think that ***might***be a little bit of a different situation. Most of us, if given the choice, wouldn't put ourselves in danger. That same sort of 'choice' just doesnt get translated to an animal. Animals don't have to work, groceryshop, go to school in the same sense that we do....