Cat rescue centres

[rykitten]

I have to ask this question: Is keeping your cat indoors best for the animal or best for you?

Do you think it natural for a cat to never venture outdoors? To never chase a moth or climb a tree?

IMO it's not natural and unfair to the cat. When you keep your cat locked inside, who are you really looking out for? Is it because you couldn't bear the thought of something happening to it that you keep it inside?

I moved into a complex that allowed indoor animals only. My cats were miserable. They cried and pawed at the door, became restless and easily aggitated and didn't come to me for affection. It was a sad sight.

I'd rather give my babies an enjoyable and fulfilling life, even if they don't live long enough to develop arthritis and cancer.

 

[Inchworm]

I think indoor vs outdoor is less a difference of UK or USA practice and more of an urban or rural one.

IMHO, any animal would love to roam free. Unfortunately this is not always possible. My cats have been "in the housecats," because even though when I look out my window I see lovely woods, I know that there is a busy street in the other direction. I wouldn't take the chance with my cat's life.

Cats can adjust the size of their territories to match the space available and be quite happy. Many cats live their entire lives in hi-rise apartment buildings and do very well.

But, cats in rural areas can enjoy their lives roaming and prowling at will. That's a nice life too.

When it comes to lifestyles for our animals, they like us, give something to get something. Who really knows what's right from their point of view?


________

Mods note: I have been watching this thread and I see that there are two distinctly different approaches to the issue being taken. IMHO, both have some validity.

Please mind your manners while participating here. This means no flaming, trolling, bad language, inappropriate pictures, etc. It also means treating other members with respect no matter how much you disagree with them.

I'm not inclined to close this thread while there is a reasonable discussion going on, but I will send out warning PMs.

 

[Ruby Shark]

I have to ask this question: Is keeping your cat indoors best for the animal or best for you?

Hi Ry,

For me personally..the cat. Obviously I would be upset beyond words if something happened as well... but I go back to the issue that my cats have never been outdoors so they don't know the difference.

In terms of keeping an animal indoors...the same could be said for all animals in general (that it's unfair to keep them inside)....as all species enjoyed an outdoor life at one point.

 

[SailfinGirl]

I've got one point to make as I am with plecoperson and jac.

My mum believes that female cat should be able to express there mothering behavious,

What you never have you never miss.

Ie If your cat never has the chance to have kittens she won't miss it.

 

[Paul_MTS]

What you never have you never miss.

what an original point

So if you had surgery at a young age so you can't have babies when your older you won't be thinking what would of been like to have babies, rather than having babies finding out what it's all about then having surgery!!

don't say it's different for humans because it isn't really, the complexity of it all is greater but the basic thoughts and feelings are the same.

thankyou rykitten I think inchworm is right aswell you can't really compare the indoor/outdoor issues between the UK and USA as it's so different, Uk it could gte hit by a car, USA, it could be hit by a car, shot by a fat kid eating burgers, get eaten by a predactor etc etc, the risk in the UK is minimal compared to USA's.

and jacblades I might not be saying exactly WHY, because I can't explain the issues I belive in that well yet, although I know where my believes lay.

 

[csr mel]

domesticated animals are way different than species of the wild. most domestic animals today could not survive in the wild if you were to drop it off in the woods and let it fend for its self. through many years of selective breeding most domestic animals have lost any sence of their wild traits.

consider street cats living in a city. most of them couldnt catch their own food if their live depended on it. instead they rely on humans for food, in the form of dumpsters and rubbish bins where people discard food.

my dog actually prefers indoors! its nice and shady indoors, the air conditioning keeps it nice and comfortable. my dog only wants to go outside when she needs to crap. otherwise, she never wants to go outside. i am considering a large cat litter box for her so she doesnt need to ever go outside. i hate it outside too. it is way too hot so i dont blame her for not wanting to go outside and lay in the dirt when there is a nice clean couch in the living room for her to be on.

 

[plecoperson]

What you never have you never miss.

what an original point

So if you had surgery at a young age so you can't have babies when your older you won't be thinking what would of been like to have babies, rather than having babies finding out what it's all about then having surgery!!

don't say it's different for humans because it isn't really, the complexity of it all is greater but the basic thoughts and feelings are the same.

thankyou rykitten I think inchworm is right aswell you can't really compare the indoor/outdoor issues between the UK and USA as it's so different, Uk it could gte hit by a car, USA, it could be hit by a car, shot by a fat kid eating burgers, get eaten by a predactor etc etc, the risk in the UK is minimal compared to USA's.

so now you think that a cat has the same complexity of feelings and emotions as a human being? Can cats rationalise the same way humans can? oh, please! dont make me laugh!

Its just a cat! do you think that cat wil look at another cat that has babies and say, "oh, i really really really want babies now that Missy has kittens." I do not think so.

To compare it to a young woman who has had a hysterectomy is incredibly offensive. IMO, anyway. Particularly

"So if you had surgery at a young age so you can't have babies when your older you won't be thinking what would of been like to have babies, rather than having babies finding out what it's all about then having surgery!!"

What if this hypothetical young lady had a very serious reason for being unable to have children - would you explain to her that she needs to "find out what its all about, then have surgery?"

A cat does not have the same thought processes and emotions as a human being. anyone can disagree with me about that but I thinks its abhorrent that a spayed cat has just been compared to a human woman who cannot have children.

"I think inchworm is right aswell you can't really compare the indoor/outdoor issues between the UK and USA as it's so different"

Inchworm said that its not UK/USA but rural and urban. I agree with your points, Inchworm. However, I do not agree with this point: (in which paul goes on to compare UK/USA bearing in mind the point he made above.)

"Uk it could gte hit by a car, USA, it could be hit by a car, shot by a fat kid eating burgers, get eaten by a predactor etc etc, the risk in the UK is minimal compared to USA's."

The risks are exactly the same wherever you live. Cars are not less of a risk because they are in a different country. Predators too. a dog will not refrain from chasing a cat becuase its British and not American.

as to your allusion of a "fat kids eating a burger and shooting a cat" have you not heard about the time when three or four British ten year olds broke into Dudley Zoo and killed some wallabies, including a four week old? animal cruelty is not restriced to one continent.

To me, your comments outlining the difference between america and the UK border on the offensive - but not nearly so much as your comparison of human/cat spays.

I apologise if this post includes personal mud slinging. Im not aware that it does, but of course everyone forms opinions and others may see it that way. I apologise if you do. I am also aware that I may have slightly over-reacted during the part about hysterectymies but I know people who have had them. Its not a pleasant experience for a human to go through and the mental suffering is not on the same level as a housepet.

 

[Paul_MTS]

Well obviously cats don't haver the same "brain power" as we do but whos to say they don't have deep emotions, they miss things the same as we do if you go on holiday you can tell they'ved missed you when you get back, or for example I have 2 budgies the female died and the male was without a partner for a week or so and he bit everyone, because he missed his partner.

The point is that attack on the zoo was a 1 off and probable won't happen again, where as over the pond you have plenty of nut cases to choose from.

I don't know why I bothered posting in here again really.

We have introduced our cat to the outside this morning let her roam around a bit although she's pretty scared of all the different noises at the moment and only made it about 2 metres away from the back door.

 

[plecoperson]

no, I dont know why you bothered posting back here again. if cruelty to animals does not exist in the UK, why so many animal rescue centres? One could consider it cruelty to buy a cat and allow it to get pregnant and allow it to get run over on the main road.

"they miss things the same as we do if you go on holiday you can tell they'ved missed you when you get back"
have you ever considered that they are not excited because they missed you but becuase it is a change to their routine? i.e, you feed the cat in the kitchen regularly but then you feed it in the hallway, it shows anxious behaviour. the same with the bird - do you really think your budgie missed his mate because of her personality, or perhaps becuase it was a change to his routine. I definitely do not think that budgies and hamsters and similar can grieve - for that is what you are saying. That the budgie was grieveing for its mate.

"We have introduced our cat to the outside this morning let her roam around a bit although she's pretty scared of all the different noises at the moment and only made it about 2 metres away from the back door."

i really am not surprised. I would be scared if I were that young and I could hear the main road lurking around the corner.

 

[rykitten]

Paul, before you know it she'll be crying to get out!

I remember the first day I let Zion out, he raced around with his tail all fluffed up like he was possessed. He climbed about 8 trees and went to the bathroom several times.

 

[The-Wolf]

I'm sorry everyone I hate to see where this thread is going so I've asked the mods to close it. *

It is no longer a deabte but a personal mud slinging contest
for shame on all

Edit * and I know others have as well

PLEASE LET THIS DROP!

Close it

 

[Paul_MTS]

Yeh she loved the bit of the garden she did explore though she ran into the bushes and played with the cains my mum had just cut down. she also decidedto go toilet outside, I think she did it just to get another treat!!

Mum decided to bring here in she started scaling the 7ft fences on one side only being her first time out, she's knackered tonight though, been asleep since aorund 7-30.

 

[Opcn]

How come everyone cares so much about an invasive species like cats but not about native birds? Grr it angers me so much. And if your roaming cat can't tell a field from a road mabey it doesn't deserve to live. Yall should be ashamed of yourselves for harrasing paulVB so. A car on a small road is just as likely to kill a cat as a car on a larger road and chances are that the cat would be more interested in the field and pond than a pice of asphault.

 

[Paul_MTS]

Thankyou opcn. My point exactly, a indoor cat won't enjoy itself as much as an outdoor cat.

The stealing of native birds and there eggs for show and collection purposes is disgusting, there's no way large birds can live a happy life in cages unless they get released to fly like trained birds.

A cat living on a small road is probable more likely to get knocked over once it reaches the main road, but a cat living on the main road will be more aware of it.

Our house has acres upon acres of fields passed our back garden and we have seena male cat on our side of the road which means she wouldn't have any reason to cross over.

She went out for her 2nd time yesterday and ventured a bit further although she still isn't walking on the grass much she investigated the whole width of the house though on the back path and by the ponds.

 

[Inchworm]

...a indoor cat won't enjoy itself as much as an outdoor cat.

Hi paul_v_biker

I think it's all relative.

While an indoor cat won't get to enjoy prowling about, it will also not know the fear that outside cats must feel. They will be less frightened by other cats, since these cats cannot "invade" their territories. They will also be spared the ordeal of being mauled by other inhabitants of the wild, such as raccoons.

And, at a year and a half, my cat Pandora has never seen a flea or a tick. That alone has to be a good reason to keep a pet indoors, IMHO.