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Seems to be strong opinions on this one… .
Before I brought my kittens home, I wasn’t sure if I would keep them inside or let them out. They were born outdoors and lived with other cats until they were about 8 weeks old. All of them seem to be getting along just fine.
I already have a cat door in my house that was used by the previous homeowner. My decision was not based on putting a hole in the wall or anything dramatic like that.
Little Lucas outdoors
It’s one thing to see cute little kittens running around outdoors with other cats when it is not your responsibility.
When I brought them home and their safety and well-being was on me, it was a different story.
3 things I looked at:
1. Checked with friends and family.
I actually wrote a list of family and friends who had cats and everyone kept their cats indoors, except one. (There’s always an exception, right?)
2. Asked the vet.
During the first visit, I asked the Vet assistant and the Vet. Both strongly suggested that I keep them indoors. The Vet told me that the average life span for an outdoor cat is 3 years. Indoor cats – 17 – 20 years.
3. Online research.
I checked around. There is a debate, for sure.
I found quite a few reasons to keep them indoors…
- They could be run over by a car. My house is on a corner & we get our share of traffic.
- They could be poisoned. I don’t use poisons in my yard, because I worry about the neighbors’ pets. Obviously, a lot of people don’t care.
- They can get into fights with other cats causing injuries or death. Definitely more visits to the Vet.
- They can catch diseases from other cats: FIP,FIV,FeLV,URIs
- They can pick up parasites: fleas, ticks, ringworm
- Some people hate cats. This is hard for me to understand, but they are out there.
- They can be hurt or killed by dogs or predators. We have coyotes in our town.
- Outdoor cats kill birds. I’ve even seen mockingbirds attack cats in my front yard. They are really aggressive birds.
- They might run away or get lost. You hear stories about pets finding their way home, but there is no guarantee that will happen.
- Neighbors might complain about litter or damage
The only reasons I found to let them outdoors were….
- They are animals and naturally want to be outdoors.
- They have more fun. There is a lot more they can discover.
Bottom line – Of course, this is a personal decision. Every situation is different. And every cat is unique.
I did my research and decided to keep them inside. Since we have two cats, they entertain each other. They are healthy, clean and safe. I save a lot of worry and money by staying away from the Vet’s office.
I have to mention that I still look at ways to let them out if they would be protected. One neighbor built a screened in area next to their home. I would consider something like that. But, until then…they are staying inside.
Neighbor’s screened in cat run
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