indoor cats

[OrkyBetta]

As for allowing a declawed cat outdoors...why on earth would you? It has NO means of protecting itself against predators such as another cat or dog.
Unless you are with your declawed cat 100% of the time it is outdoors then you aren't being a responsible owner.

I wouldn't say that, personally. I'm sure you weren't meaning to offend me, so I won't take it that way. But I must say that, i can't speak for the area you live in, but the area I live in is pretty decent. If someone has an animal that they know is bad around other animals (like my dog, for instance) they will not let it out of their yard un-supervised. People are the same about supervising their kids around here, and there are only four houses out of eleven on my street with children. As I said,my street is a dead end, and literally no one drive in it unless they live there.

So considering these circumstances, I can't speak for everyone, but I can't readily think of what my cats need to defend themselves from? asde from wild animals, which I have never seen out in the daytime...

 

[Bloo]

I do understand people who let cats out that would not use the litter box and that would spray (if they are neutered) if they are strickly indoors. But I don't understand with people who have never tried to teach their cats to use the litter boxes or not to be spraying.

usually only out door male cats pray when brought it. When we were looking for out new kiten we went to see some at the vets offices and they all said that only males that live outside then brought in will spray after being neutered. Males that live inside will not.

and btw, you cant neuter a female, you spay it. And I have never herd of a female spraying before.

Well I'm afraid I have to say you are wrong there. As a veterinary nurse with years of experience working in numerous practices with many vets (don't get me started) I actually know a few facts first hand. And as a cat owner for the past 30 odd years I know a fair bit about feline behaviour too.

Anyway, what I have said is correct. Males and females (neutered or spayed) can spray. I had a female cat (spayed) that actually came into the house to spray (as well as outdoors). And just read a few posts up - my male indoor neutered sprayed as well. Whether indoors or out or whichever way you like. That why I said: "most people live under the misconception that it's only un-neutered toms that spray".

 

[BlueIce]

As for allowing a declawed cat outdoors...why on earth would you? It has NO means of protecting itself against predators such as another cat or dog.
Unless you are with your declawed cat 100% of the time it is outdoors then you aren't being a responsible owner.

I wouldn't say that, personally. I'm sure you weren't meaning to offend me, so I won't take it that way. But I must say that, i can't speak for the area you live in, but the area I live in is pretty decent. If someone has an animal that they know is bad around other animals (like my dog, for instance) they will not let it out of their yard un-supervised. People are the same about supervising their kids around here, and there are only four houses out of eleven on my street with children. As I said,my street is a dead end, and literally no one drive in it unless they live there.

So considering these circumstances, I can't speak for everyone, but I can't readily think of what my cats need to defend themselves from? asde from wild animals, which I have never seen out in the daytime...

Again,first let me say I am not intending to come across as rude or nasty...
but unless you live in a bubble ,how can you say there are no dangers?
Have you not once seen a stray dog or cat in your neighborhood? Have you never heard of a wild animal with rabies being out during the day? A speeding car?
etc etc etc...
Cats wander,it comes naturally...so perhaps your neighborhood is like living in a bubble,but what if your cat decides to step outside the bubble?

In the end it's your choice....just don't be naive in your decision making...(and no,I am not saying YOU personally are...)

 

[Bloo]

BlueIce, just as a sidenote - do remember that cats are individuals and not all are the same. We once had a female that would absulutely not go beyond the boundaries (walls) of our garden. We had no predators and hardly any other cats roaming our neighbourhood and certainly none dared enter our garden as we had big dogs.

You might have an opinion, but unless you know exact & true circumstances you cannot judge.

 

[OrkyBetta]

Well, if I kept them inside, how could I say they wouldn't get hurt in there? They are so destructive when inside too long, they'd be a lot more likely to hurt themselves then, IMO. Don't worry, you aren't coming across as rude. This was the point of this thread, remember? Anything can happen, and about the strays, I can honestly say, in my entire time of living here, I have seen one stray cat and one stray dog. The cat wasn't neutered, went wandering for females, and tore through my neighbor's screen window, and chased their unspayed breeding female (who was an indoor cat) around the house, she got outside, and wasn't seen for over a month. Hence, how anything can happen no matter how careful you are. And the stray dog wasn't actually a stray, a little kid who was walking it got scared and dropped the leash, leaving the dog to just roam.

 

[MegTheFish]

So you are saying that if my cats are declawed I should keep them inside? Well, my cats are declawed, it wasn't my choice though. I don't really get it, what are the dangers of a cat being declawed that is let outisde? My cats can still climb trees (to escape from enemies). They can still defend themselves, they have back feet that have become very powerful and they still have their claws there. Its like you know how a blind person can't see, but his other senses are very good because of this disability? I'm not going to say anying else because I'll end up getting hurt because everybody will get mad at me for letting my cats out and I'll just get kicked off the site because thats how things work.

 

[Bloo]

Meg, in general cats cannot climb trees (especially in flight) when declawed. Cat's cannot lash out and actually cause any harm to an attacker (cat or dog) when declawed. Cat's aren't donkey's and won't kick out with their hind legs to defend themselves - and if they do land on their backs and kick with their hind legs, they are pretty much toast int he eyes of a big predator as it's just exposed it's belly and throat.
So in general....... declawed cats have an immense disadvantage outside.

However, as in Orky's case - her cats seem to cope fine and there are no predators and her cats do not seem to roam. Still not perfect, but I agree that keeping them indoors could potentially cause them to be more stressed and destructive.

 

[OrkyBetta]

Thanks, bloozoo. Meg, I feel your pain about not wanting to get your cats declawed. It stinks to have the cats in your house, but have little control over them.

 

[wrs]

I think that ifat least 5 vet nurses said this there is something to that point.

They did say that all cats will spra if they get stressed by a new arrival, and that you should have 1 litter box per cat, per floor. All my cats use the same box, and its on one floor, I cant have 9 litter boxes in my house, it would smell terribly.