Discussion Topic: Indoors Or Out?

[pica_nuttalli]

I am in animal rescue, have been for 15 years. I've seen enough to prove to me that cat's should be indoors. We are adopting them as pets, we are not adopting them as wild animals. Every cat or dog has a certain degree of prey drive but they are a domesticated animal. Just as I would never open the door and just let my dog roam, so I would never open the door and let my cat roam. There is no difference.

I have 3 cats from the neighborhood that stalk the activity at my birdfeeders. You have no idea how bad I want to find out who owns them and read them the riot act. Or put buckshot in their asses (both the human and the cat). They destroy the wildlife and my garden. And there's not a single thing I can do about it, legally. That sucks entirely.

If they had owners who cared, I wouldn't have this problem.

two words: pellet gun. just pump it *very slightly* and aim for the rear flank. you may want to test it with a bag of flour or something first to make sure you won't break the skin.

 

[K.J.]

Though before I had a different opinion, but after having a cat with a wound above their eye & a broken tooth in one week, I would say indoor is the only way to go. Still unfortunately for my cats, it's physically impossible to let them stay inside.

 

[Lynda B]

Why is it physically impossible to let them stay inside?

pica, we have a pellet gun, but I've actually killed the squirrels with it.... don't know if I pump it too tight or my aim is just too good....

 

[l.michelle]

why not take the cat out on a leash then?

 

[K.J.]

Why is it physically impossible to let them stay inside?

pica, we have a pellet gun, but I've actually killed the squirrels with it.... don't know if I pump it too tight or my aim is just too good....

Because, our house is tiny and she can get out one way or another. But it doesn't matter, she chipped the very tip of her canine tooth not close to the gum and if it requires an expensive surgery, evidentially, we have to put her down. For a tooth.

 

[Lynda B]

Why not have them remove the tooth? That would be a lost less cost-intensive and the cat can live easily without that tooth.

 

[K.J.]

That's an option, but I always heard it was an inconvenient and painful method. How much would it cost, anyway?

 

[Morquinn]

why not take the cat out on a leash then?

We actually have a cat leash law here, its never enforced though, I dont think people take it seriously..

 

[Lynda B]

That's an option, but I always heard it was an inconvenient and painful method. How much would it cost, anyway?

I have no idea what the cost would be.... they have to anesthesize the cat to do any type of dental work, so there's that expense. I would just hate to see a cat euthanized because of a broken tooth, if there are no other health issues.

What do you mean inconvenient and painful? Have you ever had a tooth extracted? It's painful for a couple of days, but that's about it. How did the cat break the tooth?

 

[K.J.]

Well, as of now my mom just found she's screwed over because she miscalculated some expenses and now I doubt we can even afford the vet visit. But I dunno. No, I haven't but from the site I read it said it did. I don't know how she broke it, she went to the vet last Wednesday and I gave her a good look yesterday and it was broken.

 

[Lynda B]

Maybe your Mom can work out a deal with the vet, like a payment plan. I know that vet visits can get to be expensive. She could also ask the vet what the cat's options are. Usually, if a vet knows that there are finance issues, they will refer you to another clinic that might be able to do the procedure for less.

It's very hard sometimes, but when we take animals into our home, we are promising them that we will do our very best to take care of them so they can live to a ripe old age and still be in as good health as possible. We can't give up on them just because they're hurt or sick. Because I've been rescuing animals for so long, I always make sure we have an emergency fund for them, in case something unexpected happens.

 

[Lynda B]

I'll give you some links you can show to your Mom. They'll help her understand what options she might have.

http/www.dogbeachdentistry.com/brokentth.html

http/www.dentalvet.com/patients/endodont...endodontics.htm

http/www.thepetcenter.com/gen/dental.html

 

[xxBarneyxx]

I am in animal rescue, have been for 15 years. I've seen enough to prove to me that cat's should be indoors. We are adopting them as pets, we are not adopting them as wild animals. Every cat or dog has a certain degree of prey drive but they are a domesticated animal. Just as I would never open the door and just let my dog roam, so I would never open the door and let my cat roam. There is no difference.

I have 3 cats from the neighborhood that stalk the activity at my birdfeeders. You have no idea how bad I want to find out who owns them and read them the riot act. Or put buckshot in their asses (both the human and the cat). They destroy the wildlife and my garden. And there's not a single thing I can do about it, legally. That sucks entirely.

If they had owners who cared, I wouldn't have this problem.

two words: pellet gun. just pump it *very slightly* and aim for the rear flank. you may want to test it with a bag of flour or something first to make sure you won't break the skin.

You would hurt an animal for doing what comes natrually?

I have had cats since I was a kid and they have always been allowed out to roam as they will. In all that time (at least 20 years) I have only had 1 cat that went missing (which I think was actually stolen as it was a VERY pretty cat) and while I was really gutted about that I still let my cats outside. Cats can roam over very large areas and to me supressing that is not fair on the cats (thats how I feel not saying thats how it actually is). If you have a garden you can get "cat netting" that fits at an angle on top of your fence/wall and stops the cat from being able to get out of the garden, that way they can go outside but wont be able to go further then your garden.

If I lived in a busy area with lots of traffic I would think about keeping them inside (though more likely I would opt not to keep them at all). I do make sure all my cats have a bell (with a easy snap off collar) and an ID tag. There is a difference between letting a dog run loose and a cat. A dog is much more likely to do people harm (I have strong opinions about keeping dogs as well as most people do not train them properly or give them enough exercise, thats a different matter though ).

Anyway just my 2 cents. I'm sure cats aren't overly unhappy if they are kept inside (mine stay inside for the majority of the day anyway and almost all the time during the winter) I just like to give mine the option to go for a walk if they want to

 

[Lynda B]

I have a cat. I keep my cat inside. My cat does not go in my garden. I have two dogs. I keep my dogs supervised when outside. My dogs don't go in my garden. I am responsible for not only the health and well-being of my animals, but their safety. I am also responsible for being sure they don't trespass on another person's property. I don't allow my dogs to pee and poop in my neighbor's garden, I don't see why their cat should be allowed to use my garden as a litterbox as well as killing wild animals I try to entice to my garden and trampling plants it's taken me 5 years to grow. It is my property. I don't want other dogs and cats in it. I want other people to treat their own animals as I treat mine. I want other people to respect my property as I respect theirs.

Do you truly believe I am asking for a lot?

I can't kill a cat. But I will trap it and bring it to the local shelter. If the owner wants it, he can go pay the fine and get it.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

I have a cat. I keep my cat inside. My cat does not go in my garden. I have two dogs. I keep my dogs supervised when outside. My dogs don't go in my garden. I am responsible for not only the health and well-being of my animals, but their safety. I am also responsible for being sure they don't trespass on another person's property. I don't allow my dogs to pee and poop in my neighbor's garden, I don't see why their cat should be allowed to use my garden as a litterbox as well as killing wild animals I try to entice to my garden and trampling plants it's taken me 5 years to grow. It is my property. I don't want other dogs and cats in it. I want other people to treat their own animals as I treat mine. I want other people to respect my property as I respect theirs.

Do you truly believe I am asking for a lot?

I can't kill a cat. But I will trap it and bring it to the local shelter. If the owner wants it, he can go pay the fine and get it.

I can completely appreciate that. I dont view any other persons cat as any different to the squirrels, birds, foxes, hedgehogs, frogs and any number of other animals that come into my garden though so it doesnt bother me, just another animal passing through.