If you have cats, do you let them run free outside?

[hopein08]

I had two cats when I was little and they were never, ever allowed outside. Now I switched to dogs. But I was thinking about cats because there are at least 5 cats (if not more) belonging to my neighbors which are constantly hanging out in my backyard because one neighbor (who keeps his cat inside) feeds about 100 little brown birds and abot 50 pigeons a day in his yard.

I think such evil thoughts about the cats sometimes.

One neighbor told me every other day during the summer how his one cat was not allowed out because he didn't want her to get pregnant again. On the days that he didn't tell me that, he had to hunt down the cat that wasn't allowed out when it slipped out. It is fixed now and it runs free. My evil thoughts can probably be explained by the fact that I can't have any sort of garden or grassless spots in my yard or it turns into the neighborhood litter box. And that is in addition to finding poor, unfortunate birds in my yard when they really just came to eat.

The biggest problem is that my beagle puppy (and the full grown beagle I had last year) can't be distracted from piles of cat droppings. And I'd prefer that she didn't spending the winter munching birdsicles. It is digusting and I hate that I'm starting to hate cats when I really should be hating the neighbors!!!

Sorry for the rant, but I had to chase the same cat out of my yard four times today.

So, what do you all think about having cats and keeping them in or letting them out?

And, does anybody have any suggestions for keeping my yard from becoming a litter box?

[Shakespeare]

1. Cat owners should ask their vet one question.

What is the difference in lifespan for an indoor cat vs. a cat allowed to range outdoors?

The answer, I would hope, will make you keep your cat inside.

[Xipe Totec]

6. Well, we don't have cats of our own

we have rent-a-cats, more or less (4 of them). The cats in the neighborhood, which our neighbors let roam free, end up in our house almost every day.

One of them did get hit by a car a several years ago. Knocked unconscious for over an hour. We thought he was dead, but he woke up and made it. He's been real squirrelly ever since though.

But we love him dearly. :loveya:

[petronius]

18. That looks like a seriously boring book

It better have a centerfold, at least... ;)

[Fredda Weinberg]

10. It's quality, not quantity n/t

[Shakespeare]

12. You're joking, right?

:eyes:

[Fredda Weinberg]

14. It's my personal philosophy and as far as I'm concerned

the beasties know what's best for them. They stay in or go out, depending on where we've lived.

[Shakespeare]

16. Oh boy.

Well, I don't assume my cats have the intellectual capacity to consider all the variables from traffic to stray dogs to disease to sadistic cat-haters (and growing up, our cat was nearly killed by some sadistic fuck, so it does happen).

Mine stay in, and at 10 and 12 respectively, have been robustly healthy and happy all their lives.

[Fredda Weinberg]

20. I brought Charles Atlas home as a kitten in June 1989

and has never even suffered sniffles. He also shows more sense than most humans, so yes, I trust his instincts. He's roamed at will in California, Florida and NYC and has his own way of demonstrating appreciation. I've made sure he's led a comfortable life - and giving him liberty has been an important component.

So let's just agree to disagree ... agreeably.

[hopein08]

27. Sorry Shakespeare and Fredda!!! Didn't mean to start an argument!

I think you both have very good points.

[dpbrown]

49. Cats are psychotic innocent animal killers when let loose to roam

They should be kept inside, kept on a leash, or shot as vermin if running loose and killing the birds which are natural to the area.

[deadparrot]

58. Mine's an outdoor car, and has been so for over a decade.

She's 12 now.

Meanwhile, our neighbors have gone through four indoor cats in the same amount of time. :shrug:

[REP]

2. Indoor Only - Too Many Assholes With Free-Range Dogs

[trof]

3. I did, and I did.

They were indoor-outdoor cats.
I doubt the cat population is making a dent in the bird population.
All of our cats died more-or-less 'natural' deaths.
Old age or disease.

[skygazer]

4. My cat goes out

But we have no close neighbors or roads here - we're in the woods on a large piece of property and he comes in at night. I wouldn't let him out if we lived in an actual neighborhood - too many dangers and I wouldn't want him using other people's yards for a litter box.

As for preventing that, I don't really know. But I would like to say I adore Beagles! They're so darn cute! :loveya:

[devilgrrl]

5. My cat hangs outside a few hours a day.

We have a courtyard. He'll got outside, pee, then come back in. He doesn't wander. :shrug:

[flamingyouth]

7. One of our four cats goes out for a couple of hours a day

He was an outdoor cat before moving in with us, and while we've tried to make him indoor-only, he's so unhappy if he can't go out a little. He just cries and cries. He doesn't go far, just our yard and the next door neighbor's house. The rest of them never go out at all.

I had a semi-feral cat growing up who lived to be 19 and she hardly ever came inside. And I've had indoor-only cats who've lived to be 10 or 11. So you never can tell. :shrug:

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

8. Cats bury their feces. If it's a pile on the ground, then it's not a cat.

[hopein08]

22. Yes, but my problem is that my dog digs it up and eats it, so buried or not...

the cats are the problem.

[Beausoir]

67. Not necessarily. Some cats don't bury. eom.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

9. When I was a kid, we had yard cats.

We lived out in the country, and they were there for pest control. If I had a cat now, which I can't because Skip is allergic, I would never let them roam free, even if we didn't live downtown.
Duckie

[AZBlue]

11. "I think such evil thoughts about the cats sometimes."

I'm a bit disturbed by the post, this line in particular.

[hopein08]

29. Don't be disturbed

It was just a frustrated rant, nothing more. I would never dream of doing anything "evil"!!! I've calmed down already.

It was just a rant!:shrug:

[libnnc]

13. Not anymore

I had a cat for 14 years. She was indoor/outdoor. One night she went out and never came back. I haven't seen her since. Now I have a new kitten and she's NEVER going outside. I can't go through the pain of losing another kitty like that.

[Generator]

19. That's my worst nightmare

I had two cats before I had kids, and they were both indoor only. Our current cat adopted us. Truly. I had no intention of adopting a cat. But one day last summer he bounded into the backyard and came up to us and sat down. He was skinny but robust. We fed him. He would come inside the house and act like he lived there. It was hard to get him out. So we kept feeding him through the summer and then towards the end of September he had a huge lump that was an infection. It ended up being a bite from some other animal. It burst and he was bleeding. So we took him to the vet, and the first surgery didn't close the wound. He got another surgery and was indoors for a couple weeks. But he is a cat that will bounce off the walls if he doesn't go out some of the day. We've had him fixed and he's had all his shots. He's a giant ball of fur now.

We do make sure to get him in every day at dark-he stayed away one night only since last year. He's very ballsy-we named him Mr. Balls. (The Democratic attack cat!)

[GoddessOfGuinness]

15. Nope.

Nor would they want to go. Outdoors freaks them out.

[elocs]

17. Owners are responsible for their pets, cats or dogs or other.

The assumption is that humans are smarter and more responsible than their pets. Given their own devices pets left to run free will procreate, get hit by cars, be killed by people and other animals, and will, themselves, kill other animals. If you are a pet owner, and let your pet roam free, YOU are responsible for all of those things because if you let your pet roam free there is no way you can stop those things. If you allow your pet to do what is natural, they will so what is natural. This is a no-brainer.

[femmocrat]

21. We have an outdoor cat.

He's 17 and has never been sick. He is neutered and gets his annual shots. We put him in the garage on bitter cold nights, but he lives outdoors. He has two little "cat houses" next to the house for shelter. We live out in the country, but he still stays right around the house, sleeping under the shrubbery and catching mice in the cornfield. He's a good old cat.

[graywarrior]

23. No. And he never lets me forget it.

[CatholicEdHead]

24. Girlfriend's cats do not like to go outside

One will go out under no circumstances and the other will go out but very timdly and only if tied up.

[Haole Girl]

25. No, I don't let my cats run free outside.

They are supervised if they go out...as silly as that may sound.

I just had too many cats (more than you could ever imagine) run over by cars when I was growing up. Cats, in my opinion, just don't get the "cars are dangerous" thing.

[ikojo]

26. No...didn't you know cats will kill the songbirds?

There was a huge thread about that either late last year or early this year....wooo it got heated.

[Omphaloskepsis]

28. We have three.. They all spend most of thier time outside..

We have a cat door, they can come in if they want to.

[ThomCat]

30. Indoor only!

I would never have an in/outdoor cat again, especially now that I live in a city.

[Scout]

31. I think such evil thoughts about the cat owners sometimes.

Cat OWNERS are supposed to keep their cats under their control or supervision, just as I do with my dogs.

Unfortunately, most of the cat owners that I know refuse to do this. They'd have a fit of course if I let my dogs run loose to shit in their yard, torment their cats, and otherwise be a nuisance.

I don't have a problem with the cats themselves, they don't know any better. I do however have a problem with the rude, inconsiderate and selfish owners who care not about their neighbors.

Next time I my next door neighbor's cat in my yard, he's going to be found a new home with people who will love him and watch out for him.

I've already tried the nice polite approach, hand-delivering him back to their door and reminding them politely that where we live, all pets must be kept on a leash and/or in your own yard. I guess they just don't give a shit.

[hopein08]

43. Well said, Scout, thank you!

If I hadn't made my OP during a rant, I hope I would have described it as good as you.

[Phillycat]

32. I live in Philadelphia.

It would be an extremely bad idea to let my cat outside.

[Kerrytravelers]

33. Indoors only!

Sniffles was born in a home and given to me. He's never been an outside cat. Once, he got out and was found a few minutes later hiding inside the wound up hose of our neighbor, shaking with fear. Now, when the door opens, he runs as far from the door as possible- he's petrified of outdoors.

Pitter-pat was found on the street, less than two pounds, covered in fleas, bugs, mud and with worms. Now that he is in a home where he is fed regularly and lavished with attention, he has no interest in outside. When we do carry him out to get some fresh air, just standing in the open doorway, he clings to your with all four paws and buries his head in my hair, just like a frightened child.

Quite frankly, I've heard too many horror stories about things happening to animals. If I ever lost my babies, I'd never recover.

Here are my spoiled babies.

Pitter-pat sleeping upside down.


Sniffles getting comfy in Mr. kt's arms.

[ScreamingMeemie]

39. Merlin lives indoors...He is afraid of the big bad outside...

Once he stepped out, turned around and raced back in. Funny how different cats can be. His brother, Sweetie, was always dying to get out.

[amitten]

34. Yes. They are animals. I value quality of life over quantity...

If they don't live quite as long as outdoor cats, I consider that the natural scheme of things. It's not natural to try to "preserve" an animal. I won't lock them indoors for safety anymore than I would lock myself inside for safety...it's totally abnormal for any living creature to NEVER venture outdoors. Besides, plenty of indoor cats die horrible deaths from weird diseases related to their sedentary lives. Just because they live a few years longer doesn't always mean they've been healthy or happy. :eyes:

And yeah, don't bother lecturing me because I've heard it before! :hi:

[Dora]

37. I have an indoor/outdoor cat that turned 17 this year.

I love my geezer. He's been a good cat to me all these years.

[One_Life_To_Give]

35. Coyotes and Fishercats

Too high a probability of becoming a Coyote or Fishercat lunch.

[EFerrari]

36. Never. Mom had two and I have seven. She let hers out.

She now has zero and I still have seven.

And, you might want to try one of those sprays to keep the cats out. There are simpler solutions (cinnomon? baking soda? lol) but I don't know them.

[hopein08]

42. I looked into the sprays some but...

it seems like the only ones I can find also keep dogs out. And I definitely don't want my dog to be confused about whether or not she can go into her own yard. I have a rather small backyard with a gate right up against my garage so I'm worried that the sprays would make my dog not want to leave the yard on her leash. I did complain to my neighbor (the main culprit of the cats) that his cats were using my garage as a scratching post and making it look crappy and he promised to get some spray but of course he never did. But I suppose I shouldn't except much from him, he does have signs up for Santorum & Swann.

But I'm definitely going to google the simpler solutions that you mentioned.

[Orsino]

38. Indoor only. Not because I love cats...

...I do it for the bears:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/06/060613-cat-bear.html

[hedgehog]

40. When we were in the city, we didn't have any pets

Now that we have 60 acres, we have three indoor/outdoor cats and two dogs that have free access to an outdoor pen.

[youthere]

41. I'm not a cat owner per say..

But we live in the country and have had several cats "adopt" us over the years and they all stay outside. We cut a pet door in the back of one of our garage, and have a couple bales of straw in there. We also put out some food for them every other day (we want them hunting as many mice and vermin as they can) and keep out fresh water for them. We've never named any of our "guests". SOme of them will let us approach and pet them, others won't. The standing rule is that if they hang around for more than one week we trap them and get them to the vet for shots, worming and nuetering. We never name them (they are all called "kitty"). We've had as many as 10 around before. Right now there is just one "kitty" who's been around since last May.

[jobycom]

44. I let mine roam on my third floor balcony. She thinks it's outside.

[huskerlaw]

45. Absolutely not

I have two cats and the only times they've ever been outside they were in a carrier on the way to the vet.

I can even leave the sliding door open to the balcony and they'll walk right up to it, stick their noses outside, and then walk away (back to the indoors).

But then again, I live in Los Angeles. They wouldn't have anywhere to roam even if I let them.

I grew up on a farm and our cats were indoor/outdoor...but we had enough land that I think they pretty well kept away from the neighbors.

[MissMillie]

46. no

indoor only

too many dangers outside for cats:

other cats w/ diseases
predatory animals
cars

[Name removed]

47. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[rene moon]

54. What a disgusting post

:puke:

[mike_c]

56. people who kill my cats should expect their lives to be utter hell...

...from that point forward. They are my family and my best friends. Fuck you sideways for even suggesting that anyone kill them.

[dpbrown]

57. Wild birds are endangered, cats aren't. Keep your cat out of my yard and you won't have a problem

If your "best friend" is a random slaughtering destroyer of wildlife it has no redeeming properties.

If it's not, then "Awwwwww...pretty kitty."

[BarenakedLady]

48. Mine are indoors

They lived their first couple of months on the streets before they were rescued. Apparently that was enough for them. They are now 11 years old.

[Oeditpus Rex]

50. Lucy has her own door

Of course, she frequently wants me to let her out the front door. :eyes:

She'll go into the yards on either side of ours, but no further. (Both neighbors are nice people.) She won't go into the street.

She occasionally kills mice, rats and birds. That's nature. It's not my role to interfere with it.

Outside, she runs and plays and gets exercise. She's happy.

[borlis]

51. I NEVER let my cats outside. EVER.

Are you friendly with your neighbors? If you are, then maybe you could try talking to them about it. Does your dog allow the cats to come in your yard? I have 2 cats and 1 dog and they all get along. But my neighbors old cat used to roam around here, and as soon as she realized we had a dog, she didn't come back. I don't think my dog would let her in our yard anyway IMHO.

[Digit]

52. Nope, indoor only and not declawed

I just chose not to.

[deadparrot]

53. When we adopted Princess, she was an indoor cat.

However, it soon became apparent that she really wanted to go outside, so we let her, watching her closely. Now, almost eleven years later, she still loves going outside (and does so several times throughout the day), still catches mice/birds/rabbits (albeit less than she used to). We had one minor scare a couple years ago when she jumped into our neighbor's yard and somehow got locked into their basement (we couldn't find her for two days), but other than that, she's defied every stereotype of an outdoor cat. She loves to taunt the dogs in our neighborhood. She'll go sit on the roof of one of our cars and just glower at the dogs shut up in the yard across the street.

[mike_c]

55. my cats are indoor/outdoor-- I have a window mounted pet door...

...and they are MUCH happier than my indoor only cats have been in the past. They all stay close to home, mostly in the yard, rarely get into fights with other cats or with the wildlife (I have skunks under the house and raccoons in one of the sheds), and get lots of great exercise and fresh air. I have five cats and I have never noticed any feces outdoors-- they are quite good at hiding their feces, that is their instinct. I only occasionally get a "gift," usually a bird or small rodent, but that's very infrequent since my cats are well fed, like maybe twice or three times a year at most. I have had indoor/outdoor cats for decades. I did lose one cat to a traffic accident about fifteen years ago, but he was a very young rescue and had not yet settled down into yard life. None of my adult cats have ever roamed (all are fixed, of course-- NEVER let an intact cat out of the house!).

Anyway, I've done it both ways and I can tell you unequivically that indoor/outdoor cats are much happier than cats kept exclusively indoors. Wouldn't you be? Cats are no different. My cats live full lives-- the last one that died was 15+. He patrolled the perimeter of the backyard on the morning that he died.

[cobalt1999]

59. My daughters cats is indoor/outdoor.

We live in a very quiet spot next to a large wooded area, so no danger from cars. However, there have been numerous incidents where coyotes and other wildlife have caught and eaten cats in the neighborhood.

Now, I'm not a cat person. Never have been, never will be. So far, almost every outdoor cat in this area has met it's match by something. Each time I jokingly say, "Jeez, why never ours? Maybe we should pour some BBQ sauce on the cat". This never fails to get a rise out of all the females in the household.

While I won't care about the cat, I do worry about her as I don't want any trauma to impact my girl, so the cat is becoming more and more an indoor cat. I just have to grit my teeth and pretend.

[Lisa0825]

60. Indoors only.

They are domesticated house cats, not tigers. They don't need to be outdoors, and it is much safer and healthier for them, not to mention for the birds.

[SoCalDem]

61. NEVER.. I like my cats disease-free, unscarred, and alive...n/t

[bluethruandthru]

62. Inside Only!

I have four cats and they never go outside. They don't even try to. Too many wild animals, cars, disease, fleas, ticks, kids with pellet guns, etc. They are all very happy and healthy. When I was growing up we had lots of cats...but they were almost always outside. None of them lived more than a few years.

It really drives me crazy that my stupid neighbors got a kitten...immediately had it declawed and put it outside!!! The poor thing is full grown now but there are lots of wild animals here and I'm so afraid he'll be lunch for one of them.

[eShirl]

63. Indoor cat, per signed contract required by shelter before adoption.

But in spring, summer and fall, all our windowsills are his personal observation posts. We pad them with compressed foam rubber sheets topped with his own, folded towels. We discontinued use of air conditioning when we adopted him, specifically because he loves his open windows so.

[Marrah_G]

64. Mine comes and goes as he wishes

Jack was a feral cat rescued by a group in Rhode Island and it took 6 months for him to become used to people( months just to come out of hiding when people were in the building). Now he is the biggest love ever and even runs to greet me when he hears my car (he thinks he is a dog). He loves to hunt in the woods but comes in and out whenever he wants food, love, sleep and warmth. He is also fixed so he isn't making babies anywhere.

I have considered keeping him inside after he was attacked by something (maybe a coyote, cant think of anything else quick enough) but he would be absolutely miserable. I would rather him live a shorter happy life then a long miserable one staring out at the woods he loves. Fortunately I live in just the right place for him to be able to roam without being a pest to anyone.

I know most cats are better off inside, just not this special guy. Maybe when he is older he will want to stay in more.

[BensMom]

65. Today I do not like cats

I have an irresponsible neighbor that is a terrible pet owner. She just lets her cats outside - and now she may be up to six or more cats - every time I turn around, there is another cat. They all resemble each other so I have lost count.

Her cats crouch near my birdbath - in fact it maybe the only place they can get a drink. She chooses to feed them on a very random schedule. The cats drive my dog nuts - they pooh in my garden - they chase away my birds. I do not like them in my yard.

I have tried the tricks - nothing really works. My time - my money!

The big bummer was last summer I had grasshoppers in my garden - the cats blew any hope away for integrated pest management. I think my bird population was down just because of the cats.

So the cats just have a crappy owner - she used to work with the repub governor. Same woman that drags her garbage to my dumpster after dark.


Bad Cat owner - Another reason to vote Democrat!

[benEzra]

66. No, not in our current neighborhood (suburbs)...

My sister and I both had free-running cats as children (they were fixed), and we lost 1 of them to cars and 2 more never came home, even though we lived on a quiet side street with 3 acres of woods behind the house.

Now that I have kids of my own (and live in a more populated suburb, with car traffic and some free-running dogs), I don't want to put them through that. Our cat (Maine Coon mix, Bangor shelter rescue) is an inside-only cat, and happy to be. She's not declawed, though--I generally object to declawing cats, so we put up with the occasional furniture scratching.