Do you allow your cats outside?

[k9krazee]

Yes

Jasper does go outside, with free roam We tried sooo hard to keep him indoors but when he wanted out he would find a way out, with 5 dogs and 6 people going in and out all day it was REALLY hard to keep a cat in that desperately wanted out. The kittens Motchka and Batman are NOT allowed to go outside but I know its only a matter of time Motchka has been increasingly interested in the outdoors and has occasionally tried to sneak out, as of now Batman has no interest. I really wish Jasper wouldn't go outside...I am so scared he will meet the same fate as my Lucky girl did

[G535]

Only if he's with me and has his collar and leash on, he likes to walk outside but he prefers to stay inside.

It's just not safe for cats to run loose any more, too many cat hating vermin out there.

[Medusa]

My cats are all feral rescues. Letting them outdoors would be disastrous, esp. the younguns who haven't been w/me all that long. Besides, too much out there to worry about. Every once in a while, Puddy will make a dash outside. (Of course, who else.) But all in all, my fur posse likes it indoors.

Blessings,
Mary

[Jessika]

NO. There are way too many dangers in the area that I live that I would never think of letting my cat outdoors unsupervised! There are too many cruel teenagers (and kids) that would torture the poor thing, too many teens who speed through the neighborhood... ugh. Mine will all stay indoors where I can keep an eye on them at all times! And that way I know they won't get into a fight with any wild animals or risk being run over!

[kb2yjx]

I agree with the majority, all of our 8 cats are strictly indoors. However, Ralph enjoys going out in the snow on the harness and leash. I have taken some of the others out on the harness and leash, they either just sit there, looking at me as if I have lost my mind OR they run back to the door dragging me. In Hunterdon County, there is a rabies problem. We have foxes, skunks, raccoons, ground hogs, other assorted wildlife, and the occassional BEAR that comes into the neighbourhood. I have bird feeders up and the cats really enjoy WATCHING the birds, not killing them. Indoors is definitely the only way to go. No fleas, ticks, no feline aids or leukemia from fighting(the last two).

[bleupurrs]

Outside? What is that? My two girls, Zoe and Phoebe have never been outside and have no interest in going out. They each have a window seat and enjoy looking at the birds, rabbits and other critters that invade the neighborhood. Outside, heavens no!!

[animal_rescue]

Yes, Lily was a stray, we can't keep her in! She'll sit at the door and cry and cry. It's very sad since she was hit by a car when we found her, but the neighborhood is a pretty quiet place. It's a private street so the only people that really come down it is the people that live here. Yes, two of my cats died outdoors, one was an accident the neighbor hit Max, he came right over and told us, but sadly Max had passed away almost immediatly after he got hit. The other one, Poppy, well we don't know what happened, but he was found in the woods almost a week after he had been missing...
Colin used to go outside but doesn't like it anymore so he's an indoor only kitty. Binx goes outside sometimes but not usually and Zaynah doesn't go out at all(Good News Zaynah found a home, she's leaving in 3 weeks for it!).

[luvofallhorses]

Well, I live with my parents and they go outside. It's their house, their rules..I guess. I always talk to them about it and it goes through one ear out the other.. my parents say they want outside and they let them out...however I try not to let them out. We live by a busy street and it scares me what could happen to them. they do not stay outside very long, though..but it still scares me.

would that be considered free roam?

[Alysser]

I don't have a cat. But IF I did I would NEVER even think of letting him/her out. Neither would my parents. To manu teenagers and cars. Fleas,ticks,rabbits,raccoons,dogs,ect.

[Grace]

The boys - yes.
The girls - no.

Two of the boys were strays who adopted us, and they would make life a living he!! if we tried keeping them in all the time. That is not an excuse, it's a fact of life.

We live at the end of a private, dead-end, dirt road. I could sit in the middle of the road all day and never have to move for a car - traffic is no problem.

I couldn't answer your poll because there was no response that fit our situation.

[Glacier]

We have an enclosed kitty area--fenced up to roof height, blocked off so the dogs can't even see it. They are allowed out in it during the warmer months pretty much at will. During the winter if it's nice out, I'll open the access window for them, but they don't have much interest in going out in the snow for long.

[Uabassoon]

My cats are indoor only.

[K & L]

Only in our outdoor cat run,

[Killer Kitten]

Mine don't even get free run of the house. I have a cat room with scrubbable walls and laminated floors, and the only furniture is cat furniture, which I change out when they skank it up. A carpenter built out the closet with ramps leading up to lounging shelves and two hanging 'baskets' for them to nap in. I replaced the door with a screen door so they can talk to us and don't feel isolated. In the summer the securely screened windows give them all the outdoors they need.

It's amazing how happy and secure they feel in there, it's truly their place. And I don't have to get nuts every time my husband leaves a door standing open. All of my cats are handicapped, they wouldn't stand a chance outside and I'd even be worried if they had access to the whole house. One of the blind ones would probably fall into the sump pump or something else horrible. They stay in their cat room, where they're happy and safe.

[CathyBogart]

Cupcake coes and goes as she wishes. If I get a cat of my own, it will be indoor only.