Does your cat stay inside or outside?

Is your cat an inside or outside cat? I think it is safer to have inside cats, but mine is an outside. If I had a choice, he'd stay inside, but my Mom won't let him. (Mainly because she doesn't want a litter box in her house :rolleyes http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif I don't think he'd like staying inside all the time too much either. It has been an issue for a long time whether to keep them inside or outside, and I vote inside. Even Vets reccomend keeping them inside, they say it is the safest thing to do. There are a lot of reasons why it is safer to keep them inside too; here they are: 1. To protect them from bad weather, 2. To keep them safe from dogs, or any other animals, 3. And to keep them (unfortunetly) safe from people that dis-like cats. I'll post a short article I've written in here soon. It is on inside and outside cats. I write an on-line newsletter called The Pet Planet On-line. I send it through e-mail.
Thanks,
-Meow101

Should I Keep My Cat Inside, Or Outside?

This is a very important issue, and most people argue about if you should keep your cat inside, or outside. Most Vets recommend keeping them inside, they are much safer from other cats and animals, cars, and unfortunately, people who don’t like cats. I also recommend keeping them inside, they live longer, they’re healthier, they’ll be warmer, and have nicer places to hide, as most cats like to hide, it makes them feel secure. Boogie, my cat, is naturally an outside cat, but he loves coming inside. If it was my choice, I’d keep him in, but he doesn’t like staying in all the time, and my mom doesn’t like having an inside cat. It is your choice, whether to keep your cat inside, or outside, but it is safest for them inside.
_____________________________________________

There was my (short) article on whether to keep your cat inside or outside. There is not much I haven't already said, but I just thought it would be helpful.
-Meow101

My cat stays inside because she had two wounds in her neck and her lower body from another cat last winter. She also got lost for three days in the winter and we worried about her a lot. I think it is better for cats to be indoor cats, especially since I was bitten by a "wild" cat on my paper route. So I think it's cooler to keep your cat inside. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/cool.gif

I also, think it is better to keep them inside. Thank you for telling your opinion! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/cool.gif
-Meow101

We keep our cats inside, but they do go outside on a leash. To us, outside pets have too many hazards to dodge, especially in our area.

We prefer to have long term relationships with our pets. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif We would rather have a pet put to sleep after a long, healthy, peaceful life, rather than having that decision left up to the next car or truck. http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/frown.gif http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/frown.gif

------------------
Recently adopted by 3 cats: Jackson, Rosie, Fluffy; a dog: Eli; some fish, and my fiancee: Lynn (Vi Co Bi)

We have had a very long discussion on this before. I am in total agreement with you that inside is the best place. But I am lucky, and hope to remain so. Mine come in and out as they wish, but are inside much more often than outside. Neither of them would make very good indoor only pets. But if I started them as kittens, I would definitely work to have them be indoor only. Mine stay right around my yard and we live in a neighborhood with low traffic and no stray dogs, so I feel much better, allowing them to go outdoors.

I really don't understand your reasoning, Fuzzy317. Why would you have your cat put to sleep? Isn't that a bit cruel? If your going to let your cat go,(which I don't agree anyone should), then just let it have the best chance to survive. you know? he didn't really ask to be your pet in the first place. at least give him the courtesy of fending for himself and having a life. Find him a home atleast. That is the first thing you should do anyway. I don't mean to be rude, at all by this message. Let me know what you think. putting him to sleep seems all to convenient to me. just because you can't live with yourself thinking that you let him go. don't put them to sleep. they are survivors. feast or famine. again, i don't think you should let them go but i think it's better than putting them to sleep. If the cat is very ill, that's a different story.

to get back to original topic: i think they're better off indoors and maybe take them out on a leash if they allow it. also, if you have your own home and it's in a nice neighborhood then it should be alright to let them come in and out as they please.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Ben E Gas:
I really don't understand your reasoning, Fuzzy317. Why would you have your cat put to sleep?

---

I guess my post was not specific enough. I was talking about MAYBE putting to sleep, AFTER a long life, and ONLY if they were suffering enough to make living a larger burden on them.

I want my current pets to be in my life forever, but I realize that pets, as well as humans, have a set time for "living", which I think is much more than simply being "alive".

------------------
Recently adopted by 3 cats: Jackson, Rosie, Fluffy; a dog: Eli; some fish, and my fiancee: Lynn (Vi Co Bi)

I think I may have just misunderstood you, fuzzy317. sorry.

My cat is an indoor cat but he goes outside to go to the bathroom. He has never used a litter box in his life he perfers to go outside. He sits at the door and meows to go out then when he has done his bussiness he paws the door to come in. He also goes for walks in the field with myself and my two hounds everyday.

The only thing I think you should do is NEVER let your cat outside if it has been declawed. He can't protect himself or climb to safty.

Okay, Ben, now that you and Fuzzy are friends again, please tell me that I am misunderstanding you. Are you saying that if a person cannot, for whatever reason, keep their pet any longer, dumping them is preferable to euthanizing them?

I know I wasn't asked, but I feel compelled to respond. OK, I really hope you are refering to situations where the cat is in incredible pain and is dying when you are talking about euthanizing/dumping. Because as far as I'm concerned, that is the only circumstance when it is OK to euthanize an animal. Unfortunately that isn't the case, but I don't think it is Ok to dump OR euthanize a cat because you "can't keep them for wheatever reason." There had better be a pretty damn good reason. I personally do not put cats on a level any lower than that of humans when it comes to this sort of thing. If you can't care for your kid, is it an option to throw them on the side of the road or you know, just kill them? Legally, absolutely not! I don't think either is acceptable for a cat either-- legally it is, but ethically NO WAY!

------------------
Personal servant for Pesto
http://www.angelfire.com/80s/pestoswitzer/main.html
http://www.angelfire.com/pq/coolcatclub/main.html

Okay,
I REALLY don't understand any of this. Please explain this to me. Please do not fight- I don't know why everyone is fighting anyway. I'm sorry if I opened up a topic that starts fights.
-Meow101

No one's fighting-- it just isn't always easy to tell what someone means by reading typed words, smiles and all. Don't worry about it.

------------------
Personal servant for Pesto
http://www.angelfire.com/80s/pestoswitzer/main.html
http://www.angelfire.com/pq/coolcatclub/main.html

Boogie is more comfertable inside. Right now he is curled up on the computer desk sleeping.[img] http://wsphotofews.excite.com/016/ff/Au/gW/qg28152.jpg[/img]
-Meow101
Boogie's Mom, And Webmaster
-------------------------------------------------- http://www.angelfire.com/al3/coolcatband/main.html.
--------------------------------------------------- http://pets.burnerkitty.com/1871/
---------------------------------------------

Oops!!
http://wsphotofews.excite.com/016/ff/Au/gW/qg28152.jpg

-Boogie's Webmaster and Mom
http://www.angelfire.com/al3/coolcatband/main.html.
& http://pets.burnerkitty.com/1871/

http://home.t-online.de/home/0554132997-0002/cat3.jpg

I'm keeping my Luna indoors because I think there are too many dangers out there.
I used to have a bit of a bad conscience because of this because people keep telling me that a cat has a much better life outside. Well, a part of me was never quiet sure because of all these hazards waiting for a cat outside the house. And when I saw a poor kitty dying on the road in January after it got hit by a car I was more than thankful about the fact that this could never happen to my Luna!

Kirsten

------------------
www.lunas-little-world.de.vu
www.cats-in-the-net.de.vu
www.pet-cemetery.de.vu

Luna is adorable! I looked at her page, (Luna's Little World) it's great! How old is she? It is much safer I think to keep your cat inside. Too many dangers outside. Please visit my pages.
Thanks.
-Meow101 http://www.angelfire.com/al3/coolcat...iebonkers.html http://www.angelfire.com/al3/coolcatband/main.html. http://community.webshots.com/user/mary121_ http://pets.burnerkitty.com/1871

NOTE: Please e-mail me if pictures do not appear on pages. E-mail me at: [email protected] __or__ [email protected]

Thanks, Meow101! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif Luna is a "big girl" meanwhile, her 1st birthday will be on April 22! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

BTW, I've tried the links in your signature but can't see the pics (except in "Burnerkitty" which I think is a cool site! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif)

Kirsten

------------------
http://home.t-online.de/home/0554132997/kitty1.gif
www.lunas-little-world.de.vu
www.cats-in-the-net.de.vu
www.pet-cemetery.de.vu

Hi Kirsten! It has been a while since we've heard from you. Your Luna is beautiful. Hope you'll be around more often to share pictures with us.
Logan

Kirsten:
Everyone else has said they can't see the pictures, and so I think I'm going to start over on the pages. Oh, would the pictures show up in the webshots album?
Thanks!! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif
-Meow101
BTW-- Here is the Webshots album! http://community.webshots.com/user/mary121_

Hi Meow101, yes, the photos are showing up in the photo album! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

Hi Logan! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif I'll try to come here as often as my schedule allows, but most of the time I'm busy with my own pages... http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif
Thanks for the compliments on Luna, she will like that! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

Kirsten



------------------
http://home.t-online.de/home/0554132997/kitty1.gif
www.lunas-little-world.de.vu
www.cats-in-the-net.de.vu
www.pet-cemetery.de.vu

Kirsten, Luna is absolutely precious!!! Give her lots of kitty hugs and kisses from all of us! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/biggrin.gif

Quote:

---

Originally posted by 4 feline house:
Okay, Ben, now that you and Fuzzy are friends again, please tell me that I am misunderstanding you. Are you saying that if a person cannot, for whatever reason, keep their pet any longer, dumping them is preferable to euthanizing them?

---

What my fiance was trying to say (albeit not very well) was we'd rather they die of old age after a very long life rather than buick-enduced trauma.

Fuzzy and I have a history of adopting older cats (our were 7, 1 and 9 when they came to live with us) that were older cats in need of a new home rather than adopting kittens. I've never euthanized a pet because I just didn't have time for it any more, nor do I dump them. For life means FOR LIFE, and we're hoping to have it last 20-30 years (okay - hopelessly optimistic).

I did have a case where an elderly cat (18+ years) had been with the same owner all its life and was unable to adjust after the death of its owner. Even though the cat eventually had to be put to sleep, we sort of thought that the cat died of a broken heart.

I thought that Fuzzy stated it real simple- They would like their cats to live a long life. BUT IF a cat dies he would rather it had been put to sleep (due to illness,old-age) than to have been run over by a car out in the street.

Vi-it was not Fuzzy that I was questioning, it was Ben. I noticed he has not answered. It sounded to me like he was saying that if a person finds themselves unable to care for their pet, they should just turn it loose to fend for itself. I hope either I misunderstood him or that he has been educated since visiting these boards.

I think you have all misunderstood Ben. If you read his post carfully he says that if you were chosing between putting it to sleep or letting it go that letting it go would be better BUT he would not do that, "find him a home at least" is what he said.

I hate to see people fighting over things and it looks like this is a misunderstanding of words. Its hard to know what people are thinking and feeling when you are reading text so please re-read Bens post carefully and I think you will understand that he would never let a cat go. He seems like a great person so please don't turn him away from the board by fighting.

I sure hope no one thought I was "fighting", or that I was trying to turn Ben from the board. Quite the opposite, Ben has posted some delightful messages here, and clearly is crazy about Zezu. I was trying to invite him to repost here, not to chastize him or run him off, but to educate him, if indeed I was misreading him. And I did reread his post, over and over, before and after you invited me to, and I still interpret it as him saying it's okay, as a last resort, to turn your pet loose. But I'm willing o put it to rest, because I'm sure if he were going to respond, he would have by now, and I'm sure he's come back to this topic even if he hasn't reposted, so if he's open to another point of view, he has already been exposed to mine.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by wolflady:
Kirsten, Luna is absolutely precious!!! Give her lots of kitty hugs and kisses from all of us! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/biggrin.gif

---

Thanks, wolflady! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif Many kisses and kitty hugs back from Luna to all of you! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif

Kirsten



------------------
http://home.t-online.de/home/0554132997/kitty1.gif
www.lunas-little-world.de.vu
www.cats-in-the-net.de.vu
www.pet-cemetery.de.vu

Luna IS precious! She looks so small, and sweet! Meows from Boogis (Boogie) to her!
-Mary

Luna IS precious! She looks so small, and sweet! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/wink.gif Meows from Boogis (Boogie) to her! http://PetoftheDay.com/talk/smile.gif
-Mary