My mom wants our cats to be allowed to go outside, how do i convince her not to?

Question

I have heard practically EVERYWHERE that you should keep your cat indoor at all times. Our 2 kittens stay inside for almost all of the time, but my mom is introducing them to the outside world so they can get used to it. She supervises them while they are outside, and our street isnt busy at all, but i still dont want them to get too used to going outside. WHenever I tell her that cats should be kept inside she says something like, "oh, well they need to experience the fresh air," or "they need to be free!" They arent strictly outdoor cats, but i still dont want them to be able to go outside and in whenever they please, it worries me! She just doesnt get that it isnt safe to let a cat do that! Who do you agree with in this situation, my mom or me?

ps they are 4 months old, both are fixed, and they are NOT declawed.

is it ok for cats to be able to go outside? by the way whenever they go outside now they are supervised because they are kittens, but later they will get to do watever

Answer 1

Tell her that they can get fleas and track them in the house. It really is ok to go outside.

Answer 2

Letting a kitten go outside is like letting a toddler go outside and run loose unsupervised. Fresh air can be experienced safely in a screened window. A cat outside is exposed to many diseases and dangers, parasites internal and external, a multitude of diseases and infections, poisons, aggressive dogs and other aggressive cats, people who like to torment cats or worse, getting hit by a car, just to mention a few. And if your mom ever was in a veterinary emergency clinic when someone brings in a cat who is very ill, and says the cat came home ill and the vet is faced with a critically ill cat that clearly has been poisoned, with no knowledge of what poison the cat has been exposed to (which also means not knowing what treatment to use) while that cat is trying to die on the examining table, will appreciate all the reasons to never let a cat run loose outside.
There are large cages that you can get for cats, that could be set up outside as a safe way for a cat to be outdoors.

Answer 3

Well, cats do get run over by cars, unfortunately. Even if you live on a quiet street. And who says that they won't venture further away - say all the way to a real busy street.

Cats that spend time outside will eat a lot of stuff that you don't have any control over. They will also kill mice, birds, etc and then eat them This is all natural. The problem is only that they can contract a condition called toxoplasmosis. This is generally not dangerous for a human. HOWEVER, if anyone in your family is thinking of becoming pregnant or is already pregnant, then toxoplasmosis can lead to serious fetal deformities.

Later comment:
Really, toxoplasmosis is a real threat. This is nothing to joke about. Most outside cats have toxoplasmosis.

Answer 4

My cat is 10 years old and has had free range to go outside for 9 years. He's gotten trapped in a storage room, mangled in fights, spent a freezing night on the roof, and once didn't come back for four days. He is happy, healthy, strong, and well adjusted. He's a great tree climber and a so-so hunter. If he only lived 2 years he'd have still had a better life than any indoor cat. Longevity is a human value not a cat value...appreciate the animal on its own terms and you will both be well rewarded. If you want something to sit on a window sill, get a plant.

Answer 5

I agree with you. I would never let my cats outside unsupervised. They are exposed to too many dangers, such as getting lost, stolen or poisoned, getting into fights with other animals, and becoming targets for the dangers of traffic. Tell your mom that outdoor cats have a much shorter lifespan, and if she wants to keep them around for a long, long time, they are better off indoors. They will live longer and happier lives in the safety and comfort of the home. Cats can get plenty of fresh air from an open window. They don't need to go prowling around in the great out of doors. You can take them out for short periods while you're with them, providing they are not the kind to take off running. Fences won't keep them safe as they can climb, so watch them while you're out with them, and get them back inside after a reasonable period of time. But for the most part, keep them inside.

Answer 6

I have two cats, one is strictly "indoor" - and one comes and goes as she pleases.

I have found that the one who comes and goes seems to PREFER being indoors... and the one who is an indoor cat will only go as far as the doormat, then he turns tail and runs back inside.

I think your mom will be singing a VERY different tune when your house gets infested with fleas and ticks over the summer - WHAT A PAIN IN THE BUTT!

The cats will make their own decision, ultimately...

Answer 7

Outside cats live an average of 2 years. Indoor cats live for an average of 16 years. Outdoor cats are more exposed to fleas, mosquitos--which carry heartworm (my 15 year old cat just died of that), feline lukemia and other diseases. Cats should not go outdoors. Period. One more thing I forgot.....if a stray dog should wander into the yard, would your mom be able to defend the kittens from it?

Answer 8

it is perfectly fine to have cats outside-you are just being a little over protected of the whole situation-yeah there are a lot more dangers out side for them but what kind of life is it for them to be cooped up in a house all of the time- when they are outside that get a little freedom and fresh air as well as have more fun- i totally agree with your mother on this one and they aren't even declawed so that is a plus for the out side protection!! just relax a little!!

Answer 9

Well done cat dude. I agree with you.
A lot of people answering this question are way too selfish. I have 2 cats (both since 6 week old kittens) who are now 9 and 10 years old. They have the freedom to come and go from our house as they please.
I believe that when you keep a pet, you should give the pet the freedom to choose to live WITH you; not FOR you.
Cats aren't ornaments. If you can't bear to imagine something awful happening to your pet cat when it wants to go out; please...don't make it stay indoors for 16 years against it's will; get a cuddly toy instead.
Part of loving a pet is giving it the freedom of choice.
You could love me and keep me locked in your house with you for 16 years but it doesn't mean I'll love you back. If you let me go out for a stroll and I choose to come back, well that kind of suggests something!
I think that as long as your cats are vaccinated, they should be allowed to go out if they want to. Fit a cat flap so they can choose when to come and go as they please.
And I know this sounds awful, but as a long time keeper of cats, if you lose a cat to the roads etc. you need to console yourself with the fact that you gave him love and freedom to live his life the way he chose to; not the way you chose for him.
Good luck with your Mom and with your 2 kittens.
:)

Answer 10

no matter what your mom thinks you are so right. their are birds like hawks and vaulters that will eat cats. also if you live in a place like me, i live in the foot hills, then they are bob cats, foxes, lots of cars, and coyotes. every week i see cat missing signs and as i reed them they all say that they were out door cats, and i know how they must feel, because they know that they were eaten or taken some were by a fox or bird. good luck convincing your mom, it can be tough!

Answer 11

Of course it's OK, they were meant to be inside. There is only one cat breed NOT meant to be outdoors.
It's silly to not let them out. Of course one wants them to be safe indoors, but there is no guarantee that either is safe either. That's like keeping a child indoors or a dog for that matter, just 'for safety'.
Pet owners should educate themselves more on the natural habitat of animals, and worry less about trying to change what they are.
You don't live on a busy road, so why not let them be cats as they are meant to be? Cats are smarter than most owners, but if you don't let it outdoors, the moment it does get out, as it was meant to be able to do, it won't know how to act - if you loet it out it will learn. Cats, I agree with a porevious poster, are not ornaments, and are not given half enough credit.
They are not a toy but an independant animal, you have to respect that.
They are not declawed, so there's even less of a risk there. Let them out, they'll be able to be as nature intended them to be, and happilly come back to you.
I live on a busy road, and let my cat out - that's not irresponsible, cause she learnt to look after herself. Doesn't mean I don't love her less than anyone else. She loves me more for it, and stays close to home when she is out. She's a cat, I let her be one.
Keep hamsters indoors by all means, fish, etc, but let a natural cat be as intended. Don't underestimate the cat's intelligence as so many do, that's just sad, and robs her of a full life, which she can have as much as any indoor cat. You simply cannot wrap her or him in cottonwool, unless you are willing to do the same thing to yourself, or a dog for that matter.