my cat lives outside is this ok??

Question

my 2 year old cat has for the last 6 months refused to come in and spends all his time outside, he seems happy enough but is this ok for him??

thanks for all your answers, can i just say that yes he is neutered, his jabs are up to date and he has his own bed in a shelter in the garden!!!he is more than happy for me to sit outside and make a fuss of him he just doesnt like being kept in.

Answer 1

He's perfectly fine outside as long as he has his claws and is neutered. If he's not neutered make sure you have it done ASAP so he won't be contributing to increasing the stray cat population. Cats that live outside do tend to have a shorter lifespan than indoor cats, but my friends cat was completely an outdoor cat from the time she was a kitten and lived to be 21 years old. Make sure he's kept up to date on his vaccines and gets regular check ups. Make sure you do make him come inside when it's really cold or hot out, he may not like that but it's for his own good.

Answer 2

all animals are natural outside I had a cat that was an outside cat for the first 2 years then she got hurt and was restricted to a carrier for several months and now she is an inside/outside cat its so great no more litter boxes she come home during rain or bad weather other than that she sleeps on the top of the shed so she can keep an eye on any rodents scurrying about or birds cats like to hunt. I say she is fine but always keep the door open for her she is just enjoying her freedom. I think once she realizes that you will not keep her in she will come in more often. Be patient its hard to train a cat they train you.

Answer 3

Persian cats are no longer meant to be outdoors cats for many motives - grooming a longhair cat that is going outdoors is a nightmare. The coat must be combed on a daily basis. Its superb if the cat is in an enclosure the place they can't ask your self off and get harm, killed or stolen. in the experience that your cat is going off your sources, then its no longer ok.

Answer 4

No, I would say it is not OK. Not only is your cat at risk of being killed by traffic or a fight with another animal but I would ask yourself why does your cat not want to come into your house.... what has changed in the last 6 months?
Yes I know that a lot of cats go out but I have never heard of one that never comes in. You have to decide if you want a pet or a wild animal that you simply supply food to.

Answer 5

Besides all the modern dangers like highways, cars,etc...your cat should be fine. He's just answering the call of nature and taking the young female felines for their midnight strolls to ensure his bloodline stays strong honey! He's probably coming home to eat, get some lovins, and then he's gone again huh? If you try to keep him inside now he'll be miserable because he knows what's out there for him. Just beware...the phrase "curiosity killed the cat" is said for a reason. Cats just love to stick their nosed where they don't belong.

Answer 6

ok soz to be the 42nd answerer (you're probably not even reading this anyway...) but I think that it's fine for cats to be outside during the day + stuff but they should always have a warm, safe place to sleep during the cold night. personally, i really don't think cats should live outside unless they have a run because it's not very safe at night for a wandering cat.
but i guess if the cat definitely prefers being outside to inside, then its not too bad

Answer 7

I hope your cat hasn't been declawed, if it has then there could be a problem with your cat being an outdoor cat. Without front claws your cat can't defend itself from other animals if it's being attacked. It can't climb trees to get away from another animal trying to attack it. Outdoor cats are more likely to being killed then an indoor cat. People think that a cat can survive outside when they really can't. by them being low to the ground when they dart out into the street cars can't see them usually until it's to late. Outdoor cats become wild and will kill anything to survive, including mice and birds. They will attract other cats to come around your house which will produce a strong cat urine smell around your house because they will compete for the territory around your house by spraying. Soon you will have both male and female cats around your house creating kittens that will take up around your house as well. The best thing is to try and get your cat to come back in even if you have to get it neutered. Your cat may not want to come inside because it's looking for other cats to mate with but if you take away the urge to mate you can get your cat to come inside. I wish you luck with your cat.

Answer 8

No,bring him in at night and only let him out during the day-there are too many nutty drunk drivers at night.

Having said this I can't always do it-my cat and her brother from 2 doors up regularly go wandering together.Both are neutered but they just like wandering.

Answer 9

Cats enjoy a walk on the wild side.

As long as his innoculations are up to date, I don't see a problem, although I like to have my cats inside on Halloween and Bonfire Night.

Answer 10

the fact that it doesn't want to come inside means something is wrong inside. Kindly check what is wrong inside, put it into the right place and see what will happen. it might oneday get missing if it continues to stay outside and i hope that won't make you feel any better.
having your best friend outside the classroom won't be that interesting. if any of your cousins or siblings decided to stay outside, how would you feel?