Outdoor cat, all the time

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a ridiculous idea. If the cat lives outside all the time, it's not a "pet," it's a feral animal. Outside cats fight and spread disease to other cats such as FIV and feline leukemia. It's also utterly environmentally irresponsible in that cats are non-native introduced predators and are helping take down populations of native species, including songbirds, chipmunks, etc. I personally have two indoor-only cats and love them, but I think people who let their cats outside are irresponsible jerks.

+1

[Anonymous]

Cats lived outside even in the cities for a long time, but they're hard on songbirds. My barn cats sleep with the cows, and don't have to work for birds cause they're eating mice and rabbits.

And rabbits are food, not pets!

[Anonymous]

As mentioned several times already, a farm is not the same as the burbs. There are many more people and cars here. Do not do this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a child in suburban Nashville I had a cat who wound up staying outdoors/in the garage all the time because my mom and sister were allergic. (He lived to the age of 18, but that's neither here nor there.) My point is, having a cat who lives outside all the time is not really "having a cat." Your DC presumably wants a cat it can cuddle with and play with. Your DC won't really be able to do that unless he/she spends a lot of time sitting outside.

Actually on the farm, they were outside all the time. They did cuddle with the cats outside. The cats weren't overly into human attention, they eventually picked up and walked away. They did not come running when we came out either.

OMG, I am responding to the OP, who does not live on a farm. Why do you keep talking about the farm?

[Anonymous]

Outdoor-only cats (aka "ferals" not "pets") are also likely to have fleas and worms. And aren't going to be around people enough necessarily to want to be picked up and petted.

OP, I think you should get fish. You don't sound like you're ready for a mammal.

[Anonymous]

OP, do you not like cats? Just trying to do something half ass so your dc has a pet? Why don't you want cats in the house at all? I understand if it's allergies, but then don't get cats. The city isn't the same as living on farms.

[Anonymous]

The other problem is neighbors -- lots of people detest cats and do not like them roaming. People will even poison them.

I think if you try to do this in a neighborhood, people will either pick the cat up and take it to a rescue group or they will adopt it themselves as they will think it is a stray.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The other problem is neighbors -- lots of people detest cats and do not like them roaming. People will even poison them.

I think if you try to do this in a neighborhood, people will either pick the cat up and take it to a rescue group or they will adopt it themselves as they will think it is a stray.

Yep. If I knew you were my irresponsible neighbor with an outside-only cat that comes into my yard, hunts the birds I feed, shits in my garden beds, and stresses the hell out of my indoor-only cats, I would feel perfectly justified in humanely trapping the cat and taking it to a shelter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Outdoor-only cats (aka "ferals" not "pets") are also likely to have fleas and worms. And aren't going to be around people enough necessarily to want to be picked up and petted.

OP, I think you should get fish. You don't sound like you're ready for a mammal.

No, don't tell OP to get fish. She will put the fish tank outside too!

[Anonymous]

Guess I'm the only person here who has a contrary viewpoint. Our first cat - and the only one still living - has been an indoor/outdoor cat most of his life. He's almost 20. I finally put him outside when I couldn't handle the spraying anymore (he's spayed). He was always let in during hot and cold weather, and he has a nice warm cat house on the deck. Now that he's old, he spends almost all of his time inside. But he used to love being out. He got into a few standoffs with neighboring cats, but nothing serious happened. We also have foxes in the nearby woods - again, nothing happened.

One of our other cats was always trying to get out, but we wouldn't let her - she just didn't have the same survival instinct. She became obese and lethargic, and developed diabetes. Finally, in what we knew would be the last month of her life, we let her outside - supervised. I'd never seen her so happy, despite debilitating illness.

This will undoubtedly sound really weird, but I liken the indoor/outdoor argument to old folks who have to be put in assisted living and nursing homes. We do it to protect them, but they are miserable. We do this to make them safe in what both we and they know are their final years - and to assuage our guilt. Personally, I'd rather go on my own terms than be forced to live a diminished existence. I feel the same way about cats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Guess I'm the only person here who has a contrary viewpoint. Our first cat - and the only one still living - has been an indoor/outdoor cat most of his life. He's almost 20. I finally put him outside when I couldn't handle the spraying anymore (he's spayed). He was always let in during hot and cold weather, and he has a nice warm cat house on the deck. Now that he's old, he spends almost all of his time inside. But he used to love being out. He got into a few standoffs with neighboring cats, but nothing serious happened. We also have foxes in the nearby woods - again, nothing happened.

One of our other cats was always trying to get out, but we wouldn't let her - she just didn't have the same survival instinct. She became obese and lethargic, and developed diabetes. Finally, in what we knew would be the last month of her life, we let her outside - supervised. I'd never seen her so happy, despite debilitating illness.

This will undoubtedly sound really weird, but I liken the indoor/outdoor argument to old folks who have to be put in assisted living and nursing homes. We do it to protect them, but they are miserable. We do this to make them safe in what both we and they know are their final years - and to assuage our guilt. Personally, I'd rather go on my own terms than be forced to live a diminished existence. I feel the same way about cats.

Indoor/outdoor is fine. This lady wants outdoor only in the burbs. Probably too fastidious to change a litter box.

[Anonymous]

The cats will be ok but outdoor cats do not make good pets and you will hear ALL about it from the neighbors

[Anonymous]

Op we inherited a cat (& it's kittens ) when we moved into our home. It lived outdoors. We found homes for the kittens but no one wanted to grown up cat. So we kept it outdoors. She pooped in the house. Then neighbors got their own outdoor cats who were territorial so my cat moved up the street when a friendly neighbor started feeding her. But the neighbor complained to all who would listen that I abandoned the cat to him. DONT FEED HER!! Them the save the little birdie people came over to let me know what they had read in Wapo. My duty to save the birds. My point is that you can't control what the cat does. But others will think you should. Not the relationship I want with the neighbors. So I would not willingly get into this situation.

[Anonymous]

^^ the cat has a great life. She is 11 years old

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Guess I'm the only person here who has a contrary viewpoint. Our first cat - and the only one still living - has been an indoor/outdoor cat most of his life. He's almost 20. I finally put him outside when I couldn't handle the spraying anymore (he's spayed). He was always let in during hot and cold weather, and he has a nice warm cat house on the deck. Now that he's old, he spends almost all of his time inside. But he used to love being out. He got into a few standoffs with neighboring cats, but nothing serious happened. We also have foxes in the nearby woods - again, nothing happened.

THAT'S NOT WHAT THE BIRDS SAY

One of our other cats was always trying to get out, but we wouldn't let her - she just didn't have the same survival instinct. She became obese and lethargic, and developed diabetes. Finally, in what we knew would be the last month of her life, we let her outside - supervised. I'd never seen her so happy, despite debilitating illness.

This will undoubtedly sound really weird, but I liken the indoor/outdoor argument to old folks who have to be put in assisted living and nursing homes. We do it to protect them, but they are miserable. We do this to make them safe in what both we and they know are their final years - and to assuage our guilt. Personally, I'd rather go on my own terms than be forced to live a diminished existence. I feel the same way about cats.