Do your cats go out and about?
If so dont you worry one day that they may never come home?
Our cats allways used to go out, but when we got our present cat, our 2 year old Ragdoll cross Clementine, we vowed she would be a hosue cat, we lost too many cats to various outside dangers.
People say it is natural for them to get fresh air, and hunt and climb etc. well the back garden ius more then sufficient for this, this is the furthest our cat will go, ney is allowed to go. She has no care for the outside world, she is used to the home comforts.
And people may say well cats have allways been allowed out, well until not so long ago people used to allow dogs to wander, that stopped so why not our cats?
Does thsi mean that we do not love our cats as much as our dogs?
It is a cold fact of nature that one in three allowed free roaming, will die a premature death related to the wilds of the world.
I may sound cold and harsh, but i am being frank, over the years we have lost cats to road accidents, stray dogs, people, traps, poisoning, shooting and some just never came home.
I am speaking from a cold hand of experience, so what are your views on allowing cats to roam?
Posted:
Fri Jun 17, 2005 7:51 pm
pollaton Cat Expert
Joined: May 10, 2005 Posts: 2256 Age: 33 No.Of Pets: 1 Pet Types: saint bernard
well all my cats were rescues, some of them being quite feral, so i always let mine go out. i have lost several due to road accidents, and ozzy lost one of his legs due to playing with traffic (not that it changed him) he was still a lunatic.
Posted:
Fri Jun 17, 2005 8:37 pm
biteable Bird Expert
Joined: May 10, 2005 Posts: 173 Age: 30 No.Of Pets: 10+ Pet Types: cats parrots fish n 2 kids lol
I have 5 cats 3 of which stay in permanently(my persians) for fear of them getting stolen as its not the best of areas which we live in,they do go outside in the garden tho for a wander under supervision.My 2 older cats are more outdoor cats than onside cats and come in when they want.To keep them in permanently would realy upset them and freak them out.Even in the middle of winter simba the male prefers to be out sleeping in my shed on top of the hay than inside(its not the women hes after either as hes been done)Dont get me wrong id love him in permanently but feel it would be cruel to him although being an outdoor cat does have its disadvantages which simba found out this week when another male attacked himfor no reason and bit a big hole in his side also we have had cats knocked over and poisoned around here.Where on the positive side cats should be free to climb trees which has to be more exciting than a scratching post
Posted:
Fri Jun 17, 2005 11:25 pm
pollaton Cat Expert
Joined: May 10, 2005 Posts: 2256 Age: 33 No.Of Pets: 1 Pet Types: saint bernard
one of my cats sally she was 1 when i brought her in from the alley near my work and she would just disappear for days on end. she used to worry me sick, but she always came back. i know she didn't have another home cos she was way to timid. plus she would have gained weight if someone else was feeding her. so if i'd have kept her in she would have gone crazy.