What are the benifits to keeping a cat inside and never letting him outside, or letting him come and go?

Answer 1

The average lifespan of an indoor cat in the U.S. is getting close to 20 years, while an outdoor cat (even part-time outdoors) has an average lifespan of 3 years.

The list of bad stuff outside cats deal with: unwanted pregnancies, fleas, infected puncture wounds from cat fights, ear mites, roundworms, hookworms, flatworms, distemper, feline aids, feline leukemia, rabies, dog attacks, frostbite, ingesting poison/eating poisoned rats or mice, abuse by people, and being hit by cars. Oh, and the "crazy cat lady" down the street might not realize that your cat actually already has a home....and he'll disappear! Also, animal bunchers take cats/dogs on the loose outside, and sell them to labs for testing. There have been stories on the news about dogs being taken right out of their owner's yards, so a cat would be easy pickin's!

Most communities now have "leash laws" that apply to cats, too. Your cat must be in your control at all times it is off of your property. If it's raiding the neighbor's yard when the birds come to feed, kitty could be scooped up and taken to the pound - or worse. (Crazy people have been known to use pellet guns, starter fluid/matches, and bricks on cats, justifying their actions by the fact that the cat was trespassing.)

Even if your cat stays in your yard, if you aren't with it, it may not be safe. I witnessed a neighbors cat, happily sunning itself on the front porch of it's house. Next thing you know, an unleashed dog went nuts on it, breaking it's spine and leaving it paralyzed and dying. The poor cat's elderly owner was heartbroken, and what's worse, had to pay money (that he couldn't afford) to put the cat down. And the dog just kept on going through the neighborhood, looking for something to get into. Animal Control finally got him, several hours later, but it was too late for the cat. Probably for the dog, too. If it's owners weren't responsible enough to keep him fenced in, or on a leash, I doubt they'd bail him out and pay the fines.

Inside, a cat can be abused, but those are the crazies out there, not the average good pet owner. Most housecats suffer from losing the best spot on the couch when their owners come home, running out of catnip, or treats, or not getting the tablescraps they want! Perhaps that same old toy might be getting a little boring. Maybe getting jealous of a new baby or other pet counts, too. It still sounds like a much better life, doesn't it?

Answer 2

I think keeping a cat inside is the best for the cat. There are diseases they can catch if they go outside. Cars to run over them and kill them. Other animals could eat them. They could eat or drink something that is poisiness like antifreeze (antifreeze has a sweet taste but is highly toxic.) Other people can be mean and torture the poor animal. So many other things can happen.

The only thing good about putting a cat outside is the sence of adventure, which can be made up by providing lots of stimulating activites

Answer 3

I used to think that cats should have their freedom because they are not like dogs and could not harm anyone. But the way people are now I know that is no longer an option.
Neighbors are the worst about running over cats on the loose and trapping them to dump them somewhere else or take them to the AC where they will be killed.
Even though they are harmless there are people that don't like them and would love to torture and abuse them. And if you live in the country you will have coyotes that would be glad to have them for a snack.
If you love your kitty do not let it outside.

Answer 4

The benefits are enormous! You will have a healthy, happy cat who will live a long life. There are way too many dangers, diseases, poisonous plants, etc., just to name a few out there for a cat to get into. If you love your cat--you WILL keep him/her indoors and provide several different windows so the cat can see outside---this is something they NEED---they NEED to be able to see what's going on, as their hearing is so acute, they want to know where that noise is coming from.

Answer 5

The cat will stay safe. It is a dangerous world out there for a cat. The cat could get ran over, catch disease, get attacked by another cat or dog. Keep your cat in the house.

Answer 6

Keeping a cat inside is beneficial, since kitty will not have to worry about:
evil cruel people
speeding cars
aggressive animals
catching disease
getting lost
getting picked up by animal control and euthanized
I have 4 indoor only cats, and they are happy and healthy... i work at the pound, and the outside cats live shorter lives, come in tortured, or dying of horrible illness, contracted from other strays, or rabies from a bite. Please, please, let your kitties admire the birds from the window, and keep them inside if you love them.
*If you choose to let yours out, please neuter them. It helps keep them safe, prevents many more unwanted babies from being born, only to be euthanized for overpopulation or catch a horrendous disease. Did you know feral ( wild ) cats lives approx 3-4 years, while housecats live up to 16-20 average? those statistics speak for themselves.

Answer 7

They are WAY less likely to catch a disease, can't catch fleas (unless you have an animal that does come and go), can't get hit by a car in the house, live longer and are much healthier.

Better inside and fat than outside and flat!

Answer 8

there isnt any cats are better outside a lot and inside once in a while to control the mice

Answer 9

They live longer on average, they dont get hit by cars, they dont get into fights with other animals, they wont contract a disease from another animal, they are alot less likely to get parasites.

Answer 10

pros to keeping a cat inside

-won't get ran over
-no cat fights
-no diseases-FIV, Feline Leukemia, FIP etc
-no expensive trips to the vet