Indoor vs. Outdoor

(Don’t allow your cat to vote)

GENERAL RULE:         The issue of keeping your cat in or allowing your cat to go outdoors is not one quickly debated.  But all evidence, aside from the cat’s instinct, points strongly in support of “IN.”  (Sorry, cats, get used to it.)

 There really isn’t much of a case for letting your pet kitten or cat out of doors.  The risks of outdoor life include, but are not limited to the following:

•  Death or injury by motor vehicle (you see this nearly every day).
• Infectious disease (including FIV, leukemia, infectious peritonitis, rabies and others.)
• Predator attacks (Dogs, coyotes, hawks, other cats and other creatures, e.g., bad children and nasty neighbors).
• Inclement weather (winter often brings death to many cats and kittens).
• Reduced life expectancy from an average of 14 to 4 years.

There was a time when farms and some other businesses depended on the service cats to curb the rodent population, but there are now alternatives to control infestations.  Many kittens and cats “dropped off” near farms become fair game for hawks and owls (a terrible fate for the unassuming and unwanted pet).  Then there is the added argument that keeping your pet indoors will lower the death count in the wonderful world of songbirds.  It is better to watch your cat “chatter” as it watches the birds through the picture window.

SUMMARY:        The decision to keep your kitten or cat indoors is yours to make.  If you decide to allow your pet outdoors, provide a well fenced in area for them to roam.  Better yet, stay with your pet and allow the outdoor activity for only a short period of time, keeping them on a leash.  In some homes, owners provide a pet entrance for their cats to come and go but also provide a fenced area or screened in porch for their cats as a measure of security.

In spite of million of years of “roaming” behavior by cats, it’s now time to make your pet’s life a decade longer and happier from inside the home.  It’s a “life sentence” that in the long run they won’t regret.

Revised 12/24/08

jep