inside or out??

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Originally posted by tikeyas_mom
I dont agree the have shorter lives if kept outdoors and in :).. my cat is 11 years old and has been an outside cat his whole life. :)..

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it has nothing to do with opinion. it is just fact.

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I don't know why you think its a fact when there are statistics everywhere backing up that indoor only cats live longer.

Its no one's opinion that indoor only cats have longer lifespans, there have been studies to prove it true. Of course there will be exceptions to the rule, there always is. As Staci said, you are lucky that your cat is one of the exceptions.

(Whoops, sorry Veegan, I just said the same thing you already did. I'm tired and didn't read all the posts before i posted :o )

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Originally posted by veegan

Causes of rural cat mortality (Illinois, Warner 1985) were: Vehicles 37%
Disease 24
Humans 11
Dogs 10
Winter Storms 6
Machinery 4
Farm Chemicals 4
Livestock 1
"Old Age" 1

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All of those except old age could have been prevented :( I know accidents do happen, but simply keeping cats indoors would have prevented most all of those things.

Definately indoor ONLY!

This is because mainly of the reasons that Jen gave but also because the wildlife of Australia are being decimated by irresponsible cat (and dog) owners.

Bastet also has a full set of claws - declawing - except for severe cases of trauma to the feet - is banned in Australia - It is considered highly inhumane. I wonder if humans would like their first knuckle removed then have to walk on them....

She also goes outside only on a leash and only with me.

My parents' last 2 indoor/outdoor cats show the extremes that can be found. The last cat they owned, Hamlet, lived to be 14 so being both inside AND out did him no harm. And except for the occasional dead bird or baby bunny, HE did no harm.
BUT!!!
Ernie actually killed the neighbor's PET pigeons before we realized that het was leaving the yard. AND he dissappeared with no trace after only 3 years. We do not even know what fate befell him.:(

WOW!! I see from the comments that there will never be a consensus of opinion here!! That is as it should be, but I vote for "indoor" only and my three TUX beauties seem to be very happy with that state of affairs.

It is true that the average outdoor cat lives an average of 2 years. As for indoor kitties, well, with all the advances in veterinary medicine and nourishment, they can live for 20 years or more. It seems like a "no brainer" to me, but I know that many people feel that a cat is not a "real cat" or living a "real cat's" life, if it does not feel the grass under its little padded feet. Those people are definitely entitled to their opinion, but I remain steadfast to my viewpoint which is strictly indoor.

Just my humble opinion from
Deborah in Montreal, proud owner of Prima (almost 16 years), Picasso, (6 years) and Piano (one year) :):rolleyes:

Growing up, my cats were always indoor/outdoor (whenever they pleased) but then again, we were always in suburbs or in the country. They lived to ripe old ages of 18, 16 and 13 (she's still alive). But once I moved out and got my own 2 cats, they are and always will be indoor kitties. They were born to be outdoor cats (born in a barn, lived there until 6-8 weeks old) but I have lived in an apartment and being on the 4th floor, going outside other than the balcony was not an option. Now that I have moved and am in a house, I don't let them out still because they've grown up not knowing the dangers outside, plus we don't really have a yard with 2 busy streets near and big dogs loose, I wouldn't dream of letting them out now.
I think its mostly personal preference and neither one of them are 'creul'... just like some people can't live in the confines of the city, some cats can't live strictly indoors (and vice versa).
I do think it's unsafe to raise a kitten indoors then later let them out, especially if it trusts everyone and other animals.
JMO
- Carole

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Originally posted by tikeyas_mom
it has nothing to do with opinion. it is just fact.

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wrong again.
As Aly and Veegan stated you and the others who have outdoor kitties are just lucky. My neighbors just lost a 12 year old indoor/outdoor cat to pneumonia. They were lucky but they lost 2 dogs to antifreeze under the age of 5.
The fact of the matter is as Veegan stated indoor cats live longer. I am not saying b/c your cat is outdoor or indoor/outdoor that you love them less, so don't go accusing me of that either.
My 12 year old cousin, has a dozen or so outdoor kitties and she loves them with all her little heart and if one of the kittens dies she holds it so it dies in her arms.
Whatever works for you. You aren't going to be able to acclimate him indoors now, and you certainly aren't going to take anyone's advice, which is par for the course.
This is apparently almost as hot of a topic as declawing, and people feel very very strongly about that, so please Don't start that topic just to start it.

thats a very interesting article you posted, we could go on and on about this debate.
It just is not practical here in nz, and is not done, thats my point, again its a personal decision and some people here also do choose the indoor option but its not common.
There are of course dangers, i agree and nz has them too, but we certainly donot have a lot of the ones jen mentioned.
I really find the statistics that indoor live a lot longer garbage, as i said i grew up on a farm and our cats lived to ripe old ages, and even the ones in town also, however its not always the case.
I am sorry if you differ with my opinion, but i cannot bear the thought of my cats never enjoying the beautiful days here in nz, amongst the trees in my garden, chasing butterflies etc, by the way i do keep my cats in at night, and i think that is where the real danger lies.
No one however has addressed my real concern if they are indoor and there is a fire how do they get out?
I know u will probably say the risk of that happening is far less than something outdoors and u are probably right, but it can and does happen.:)

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Originally posted by carole
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No one however has addressed my real concern if they are indoor and there is a fire how do they get out?

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Do you have a cat door that the cats can go in and out by themselves?
If yes) I hope they can find it in a fire
if no) then the problem STILL exists.

I worry about this, but I can't run my life thinking EVERYDAY that this is going to be the day they die in a fire. Fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds or small mammals that are kept as pets in cages and dogs and cats who do not have their own doors are also at risk.

I am glad that NZ is so safe, But we here in the USA just cannot understand what we have never seen.
And the statistics that show the life span differences will, of course, not apply to each and every cat who ever lived.

Just for the record, I do not get angry at those who choioe to let their cats outside (oh yea, until I see a dead cat on the road) I just feel sad for them.

My cats are and always will be ... INDOOR ONLY.
I totally agree with Jen's reasons..

I want my cats to live long, healthy, happy lives, and I feel the only way I can do this, is to keep them inside, and If I ever DO get the room to let them out, that would ONLY be considered with them on a leash and me RIGHT there watching where they sniff...

people are cruel, and I will do what I can to prevent their cruelty from coming to my babies.

There are too many more dangers outside to warrant me letting my babies go out there. They will just have to be happy with a screen window / screened in porch.

I used to live in the country and we had a barn, with barn cats that came with it... I don't think any but ONE was seen around more than 2 yrs max.. and the one that was seen, was because she got used to us, and we took her inside, where she happily adjusted to life as an indoor baby!

but its just my opinions on the matter.

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Originally posted by carole
No one however has addressed my real concern if they are indoor and there is a fire how do they get out?
I know u will probably say the risk of that happening is far less than something outdoors and u are probably right, but it can and does happen.:)

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It is something that CAN happen, but it could happen to yours when they are inside at night, just as much as it could happen to an indoor all the time kitty. So the risk still applies, for basically everyone with pets who are ever inside at some point without their own door.

I don't hate people who let their animals in and out, and I wish I could say I felt safe here to let my babies see butterflies.. one day they will, but it will be on a leash with mommy right by them.
I wish the US was as safe as you say NZ is, but unfortunately, it isn't. So we, as kitty meowmies, have to go by what we know our area is like and how safe it is for our babies.

I do , however, get sad and a little mad, just like Jen, when i see a cat dead on the side of the road, and I think "that cat could be alive if they were inside".

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Originally posted by batgirl1980
I do , however, get sad and a little mad, just like Jen, when i see a cat dead on the side of the road, and I think "that cat could be alive if they were inside".

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Me too. I hate to see dead cats.. or dead anything on the road :( :( :(

Mine are all indoor kitties--I rescued them from outside. I live on a busy street corner and it's just not safe out there.

Besides, if I had a cat door I'd end up with about 20 more cats living inside! I'm always finding my cats conversing through a closed window with a stray or feral. It's seldom the same kitty twice--there are so many homeless cats around, which breaks my heart. Angel (who never met a cat he didn't like) would invite every one of them in to play!

INDOOR ONLY! I love them too much to risk losing them to anything!

If I had a cat, it would most DEFINITELY be indoor only, for obviously all the reasons you all stated, however, I don't know if outdoor cats living just 2 years is true. My cousin's cat in England was an indoor/outdoor cat. She live a long, happy, and healthy life of 18 years, when she eventually got severe cancer and was put to sleep. Another one of my cousins in England has an indoor/outdoor cat who is currently 12 years old and has never had anything happen to her in the outdoors. I know that there are many dangers outside, but even my neighbors' cats are indoor/outdoor, and those that are in their teens are still alive and healthy. I have never once seen a dead cat on the road. That would be awful. The main reason I would keep my cat inside if I had one is because of fear of "evil" humans and kittynapping. I would never trust the outside world with my pet, but I know people do, and their cats survive.