If people who claim that they love their cats keep them locked up?

Question

in a house 24 x 7, are they just ignorant of what it takes to have a mentally healthy cat?

If they ever installed a Kitty Cat door, and lo, their cats go outside and hang out, well does that not prove they are not being kind to their cat and are instead selfish and mean?

I mean thats a few million years of polished evolution that has created a sophisticated predator, and somehow some people would transpose their human feelings upon an animal? And then mistakingly call it love to deprive their pet cat of what it most desires, thats love?

Thanks Dan, I can appreciate your answer.

Susan: Am through.

Lydia: My cat, from kitten into her Eighties managed to live indoor/outdoor her entire life without these horrors you speak of. Her brother Homeboy, on the other hand, use to fight raccoons, thats a baaad cat, and he disappeared.

Answer 1

i agree. my kitten jumps up on the window sill and stares at the trees in amazement. when i let him outside for the first time, he ran over to the driveway a rolled around with glee, then chased acorns. my brother's cat, who is not allowed outside, watched sadly from inside the house. some cats like ones who are FIV+ or have other medical problems do have to stay inside. but i agree that cats have a natural instinct to be outside - stalking, exploring, basking in the sun, checking out the world, playing with bugs, getting fresh air.
it is a dangerous world also for animal in the outdoors. sure, cats get hit by cars, or lost. but that is no reason to confine them to house arrest. most cats can take care of themselves and won't drift far from your house because they know where the food is. it's sort of like the irrational thought "i don't want my child to get hurt, so i am keeping him indoors all the time." you can't predict what will happen, but you can trust that cats are intelligent, and i would say about 85-95% of the time indoor/outdoor cats survive just fine.

Answer 2

In many areas of the country, it isn't safe for a cat to be outside. Think of how small the cat is and how big the world is: cars, dogs, coyotes and all the health issues they can get outside like ringworm, tapeworm, roundworms, fleas, ticks, and then there are the diseases that spread from cat to cat similar to AIDS in humans. If you love your cat, why risk it. Today's cat isn't meant to be a predator. If there are a lot of cats there is very little to eat. Don't set yourself up as a cat psychologist to justify your own behavior or apply human attributes to a cat. Cats sleep most of the time and what safe place would they use if they were outside? Install a cat flap so they can come and go and so can other critters and other cats that can come in and spray your house. Cats will even bring in what they've caught like mice and rabbits, dead and bleeding that they will bring up on your bed to show you or present as a gift.

My cats wouldn't go outside if you left the door open. It's just too big. They're smart and they know when they've got it good: enough food, warm place to sleep, humans to supply their every need, and petting, lots of petting. On average, an in-house all the time cat lives 5 years longer than an outside cat.

Frankly, I couldn't afford the vet bills if my cat went outside.

Answer 3

I have had indoor/outdoor cats all my life but my youngest cat ( 3 years old) was out about a year ago and when he came home he had NO leg, none at all (we think someone had a trap set)... took $1000 to fix him up... The reason to keep your cats INDOOR is to keep them safe from outside harms like cars and even people that may want to hurt them. Not everyone likes cats or are humane.

Answer 4

There are a lot of reasons to keep an indoor cat. Mine is indoor only because he is FeLuk positive and to let him out would endanger other cats. He has toys, plays, sits in the window and leads a good life. Some cats are happy being indoor cats.

As for outdoor cats, if people live in a reasonably safe area and want to let their cat out that can be a very good thing. Yes, it is an increased risk to the cat, but the quality of life is for many cats, enhanced.

The bottom line is that it is up to the cat and the cat owner. There is no one right answer.

Answer 5

In those millions of years of evolution that went into purrfecting the feline, did the car exist? I think not. Oh and a cat's personality is nature and nuture; if a cat is raised in doors and not out in the wild, it would not be wild savvy. Hence your cat fighting with the racoon. Case in point.

Answer 6

Pet cats should be kept indoors - once out they can get in fights and hurt, catch diseases, get hit by cars, etc.
We have a Ragdoll cat, who has NO concept of fear. If she were to be walking on the street and a car were coming near her, she would lie down and roll over - not run away.
I would rather have an ALIVE cat, thanks so much.

Answer 7

I have 4 male cats and I let them go out as they please. Even if I wanted to keep them locked up they wouldn't let me lol. They meow when they want out and scratch on the door when they want in. I live in the country so it's safe for them outside. They know where they live but they don't feel trapped. They are free like they should be but they get love and food whenever they want it too.

Answer 8

Raymond you've made your point. How many more of these messages are you going to post? ENOUGH.

Answer 9

Keep deluding yourself.