I never owned a cat before. or should I say he owns me! can I let him outside?? should I stay outside with him.when I let my dog out to go potty he wants to go too but I live in an apt
2007-09-28 16:03:36 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Cats
Keeping your cat indoors will keep him safe. Cats don't need to go outside.
2007-09-28 16:06:56 · answer #1 · answered by Pam and Corey 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Is your cat neutered? Because male cats reach sexual maturity at under a year old, and that is when they want to go outside searching for love -- and they get themselves into a lot of trouble. If your male cat is not neutered yet, you should get him to the vet or to a spay-neuter clinic. He won't want to go outside quite so much after surgery.
Free-roaming cats have a life expectancy of four years. Indoors-only cats have a life expectancy of fifteen years. Free-roaming cats pick up worms, ear mites, fleas, ringworm, eye infections, upper respiratory infections and get wounded pretty regularly, and so their veterinary bills are much, much higher. They are also always at risk of abuse from strangers, getting hit by a car or hurt or killed by a predator.
If you have a nice window in your apartment that looks out on activity -- a tree with birds; a busy thoroughfare, a sidewalk -- get one of those window seats from the pet supply store. They attach to the window sill, and usually mount without screws or nails. Be sure the window has a good screen in it, and put the window seat there. Your cat will sit in that window by the hour watching everything. He will know everything that happens every day outside that window, and what is normal. (So he will know what is not normal as well. My cat used to sit in the window and growl when he saw something that didn't look right to him -- a stranger in the yard, for instance.) He will sniff the breeze, and hunt birds in his imagination and if the sun comes in that window, he will sunbathe. But he will never get sick and he will never get hurt.
Please don't let him go outside.
2007-09-28 16:41:17 · answer #2 · answered by Mercy 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I wouldnt let the cat outside. Its much safer for him to stay inside, not only for reasons like getting hit by a car, running away or getting attacked by another cat or dog, but also, they are much more susceptible to diseases and illnesses.
If you REALLY want to take your cat outside, you can buy a special cat harness and leash to keep him near you. But i wouldnt recommend it. The cat could get spooked and try to take off running and could get tangled up in it or freak out when it tries to run away but cant go anywhere.
2007-09-28 16:10:55 · answer #3 · answered by sugar_piggie_18 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is your cat neutered? That alone will help keep him from roaming, but it won't protect him from other animals that might want to fight with him. There are lots of stray cats out there and some of them carry diseases that they can give your cat if they get in to a brawl. Make sure your cat is vaccinated and wearing tags and supervise him when he goes outside until he knows your yard.
2007-09-28 16:32:41 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't let him out alone for the first couple of times you let him out. Make sure he's not prone to wandering off to where he's not supposed to go. And also make sure that there are no "predators" that live near you like big dogs that could potentially harm the cat.
2007-09-28 16:07:53 · answer #5 · answered by miss buzy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Keep him inside. Even if he is vaccinated...there are diseases he can get if he fights with other infected cats. Cats get hit by cars all the time as well. Cats can be perfectly happy indoors. Make sure he has toys and things to climb.
2007-09-29 01:12:59 · answer #6 · answered by KathyS 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have 2 cats that r inside cats they rnt very smart and rnt alowed out so we compramise they go in huge cages on the grass and stay out there for a fue hours or just buy a cat harness!
2007-09-28 18:56:04 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If he learns that he HAS to be in a harness and on leash, then he'll be ok with going out that way.
You're responsible for his safety, so unless you can be there with him at all times (do NOT tie them out) or can't have a cat kennel out there for him, then he needs to stay indoors.
2007-09-29 10:25:38 · answer #8 · answered by Elaine M 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
YOU CAN TRY TO KEEP KITTY IN BUT I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO DO IT NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRIED. AND ALL MINE HAVE BEEN FIXED SO THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT AS SOME MIGHT SAY. YOUR CAT WILL FIND A WAY TO GET OUT IF THAT IS WHAT IT WANTS . I HAVE AND I AM SAD TO SAY LOST SEVERAL CATS TO CARS. BUT I TRIED TO KEEP THEM IN THEY WERE JUST SET IN WANTING TO GO OUT. I WISH YOU LUCK I HOPE MAYBE YOU HAVE BETTER LUCK THAN I DO AND NEVER HAVE TO GO THRU WHAT I HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH CATZ RULE AND DOGS DRUEL LOL :)
2007-09-28 16:13:10 · answer #9 · answered by wkdwchofwest 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I wouldn't let him out. It is too dangerous considering there are cars and other people might think he is a stray and keep him.
2007-09-28 16:06:03 · answer #10 · answered by Madison 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋