People have kids with allergies but they are willing to give those animals a lot of love outside. There are different issues, but it's not one way or the highway. Try to ask someone who gives their outdoor animals tons of love and I promise you they would have them inside if something wasn't stopping them. Close-minded people need not respond.
2007-08-26 13:49:54 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Cats
Most people that CLAIM to be animal lovers feel that the animals are in danger and not being properly cared for and loved if they are outside. Granted, it is better for them to be inside. It truly is safer and they don't have to deal with weather problems, other animals and rotten people that abuse animals. Sometimes though people just can't have them in the house. I suppose if you provide shelter for them and it is warm in the winter, if you do your best to keep them safe, and if you give them attention, then this is not a bad environment. God knows some animals don't get even this sort of chance. You can't listen to what everyone says so pay no attention to them. If you are doing all you can and you are doing your best for the animals then who cares what others think.
2007-08-26 15:26:23 · answer #1 · answered by catsaver001 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think a lot depends on where you live, and what the dangers are for the animals outside. For over 20 years, I had outdoor animals, and they were fine. Then I moved to an area where there are dogs that kill cats, so they had to become indoor cats from that point. (They still have access to a large, enclosed part of the garden though, so I suppose they are not strictly indoors). Here in South Africa, we do not have all the wild animals you have, so it is much more common for people to have their animals free roaming, in fact, it is the norm here, and mostly only the breeders of pedigrees that have an enclosure for the cats and dogs. While my animals were free roaming, they had access to the house, and got as much love as they do now, and I am sure they were very happy being able to roam, but they certainly seem very happy now as well. Some people just prefer not to enclose the animals, and I certainly do not think they love them any less than those who do, they simply have different opinions on what is best for themselves, and for the animal. Even if we do not agree with them, we should at least respect their decision, and not point fingers.
2007-08-27 10:09:12 · answer #2 · answered by sparrow 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not closed minded about it.. on a farm in the middle of nowhere it's fine.. I only have a problem because I've seen too many outdoor cats get hit by cars, get picked up as strays.. (and the owners don't necessarily notice until it's too late).. I even lived in an area with SO many loved "outdoor cats".. many of them unspayed/neutered, that the neighborhood had to pay to get their cats licensed.. Two blocks from one of the houses where I lived someones beloved cat was shot with an arrow because it was on a neighbors property.. Cars, Infections, wild animals (My aunt's cat was torn apart by racoons one year), traps set for other animals, random people who want to see what it's like to torture an animal.. (Happens all the time now.. remember the pics of the pitt bull stolen from a fenced in yard, tied to a tree and set on fire?.. )
These are the reasons it is frowned upon.. Not to mention the petty annoyance that some people have to other peoples animals leaving gifts on their property.. It's just not safe anymore.. love can't protect them from a speeding car...
2007-08-26 21:07:21 · answer #3 · answered by kaijawitch 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I noticed that everyone talks about cats. I agree, cats should not roam unsupervised outside, even in the 'country'. But what about outdoor dogs? I live in a rural area and many people have outdoor dogs, some are hunting dogs, some, well who knows. I don't believe in keeping a dog on a chain for its whole life. But in my situation, my landlord won't allow indoor dogs (we're not really supposed to have the cats indoors either!). So...
I have 3 indoor cats and (gasp) 3 outdoor dogs. My dogs each have a 10 ft x 10 ft kennel. My hubby and I put a roof on it out of PVC pipe and tarps to keep the rain/snow off of them and give them shade. They each have a doghouse with a door flap and in the winter they each get a warm Snugglesafe disc (microwave the hard plastic disc and it stays warm all night--another great invention!) in their doghouse to curl up with. If it gets too cold they come inside for the night, same if it gets too hot. They have deep straw bedding in their house and in their pen.
They get Iams dry dog food and fresh water twice a day or more often if needed. Their water bowls are ice-free (greatest invention ever--in the winter, we just plug them in, and don't have to worry about frozen water!).
In the summer they get ice cubes or a big block of ice once or twice a day. They each have toys (treat ball, Kong, Nylabone) and get treats along with their meals.
They get out every day to run, play, and be trained. We take them for walks and car rides to the store, park, etc.
They see the vet for a yearly checkup at least once a year, get flea/tick preventative monthly and heartworm preventative monthly. They get brushed and nail trims, ear cleaning etc. once a week or as needed, and get a bath once a month.
I dare anyone to say these pups are not part of my family. True, they don't get to lounge on the sofa very often, but I work 10-hour days 4 days a week with an hour drive, so I'm gone from the house for 12 to 13 hours a day.
I don't have to worry about the dogs, they can potty whenever they need to. They're not tearing up the house because they are enjoying the fresh air and watching the birds, cows, neighbors, etc., playing with their toys and having a grand time.
I think they've got a great life!
2007-08-26 22:04:17 · answer #4 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends what u mean by outside.If you mean a cat pen then i don't see that as a problem ,but you can sponsor a cat/dog in a shelter instead of having them living outside which is what i would do if i was unable to have an animal live in the house.In fact ,i have 3 cats that live in the house but have free run of the outdoors and i sponsor a cat that had a bad life when she was with her owner but is now in a shelter for £5 a month.
2007-08-26 21:01:40 · answer #5 · answered by Miss Karen Roe 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Our area has enough heavily traveled roads that the average lifespan of an outdoor cat is about one year.
We also have coyotes, who eat cats. Raccoons who have attacked cats. And ALL the outdoor strays are deathly afraid of dogs, which they wouldn't be without good reason.
Well loved or not, the lifespan of an outdoor cat won't be 15-20 years like an indoor cat. It's also very hard to deal with the fact you may need to scrape your dead pet up off the road in front of your house, which two of my co-workers have had to do last year.
2007-08-26 23:18:19 · answer #6 · answered by Elaine M 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, it's because animals can easily get harmed or killed outside. You can love them all you want but they will roam around and get hit by a car, attacked by another animal or harmed by a cruel human. They are safe from all of that inside your home. If your children have allergies to animals, a pet should not have been adopted by your family. Perhaps a different family could have provided that animal a loving, safe, indoor environment.
2007-08-26 21:00:39 · answer #7 · answered by Grace 3 · 5⤊ 0⤋
I grew up in Colorado. There are wayyyy too many predators for cats. Lions, foxes, coyotes, even raccoons...cats disappear without a trace. There are also too many cars in an urban or suburban area, cats die all of the time from cars...
Sure, you can love your cat if it's outside. But it seems selfish to leave your cat outside. "I want a cat, but I can't do want I need to do to keep it safe, but I'm going to have it anyway."
It's funny that you ask why people are so closed minded about having animals outside, then bar close minded people from responding...
2007-08-26 21:55:07 · answer #8 · answered by . 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have a problem with cats being outside because there are mean things outside that can hurt a cat or there are people that don't want cats in their yards leaving little packages on their lawn. My cat is a inside cat because there are good reasons why I have her inside. These are the kinds of things that can get a cat in my area and people have been told to Supervise their pets outside even in their own yard.
Coyotes - Found in peoples back yards and also dens that they have made with other Coyotes in them.
Mountain Lions - Seen on top of peoples houses
Bears - Seen in Peoples back yards
oppossums- Carry Rabies Seen in yards
Skunks- Carry Rabies Seen in Yards
Raccoons - Carry Rabies Seen in Yards
Cars - People that don't care whos pet is crossing the street
People - Other people abuse other peoples Pets.
2007-08-26 21:21:05 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It has NOTHING to do with how much love you give your animal! It's about the animals that live outdoors are exposed to so much danger: cars, wild animals, dogs, poisons, parasites, disease, etc. etc. Also, domesticated cats kill millions of migratory songbirds each year (just in the US alone). They are upsetting the ecosystem and causing many of these birds populations to decline and become endangered. Indoor cats live longer, and are healthier, and are not threats to the environment.
2007-08-27 01:23:18 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋