Indoor cat..quality of life?
I recently lost my guy to the coyotes. I live adjacent to a
forested area where they are active, so I am thinking my next best friend should be confined to quarters I have been reading the many compelling arguments in favour of keeping a cat inside---the safety angle, longevity cf to the free-rangers, etc. I know there is much one can do to make indoor living tolerable to a cat, such as cat tree, cat grass munchies, toys, etc. But I am still wondering what the consensus here might be to just how pleasurable life really is for an indoor cat, Or am I just anthropomorphizing human traits onto a cat, and they really don't need as much stimuli in a day as we do, especially when they sleep 15-plus hours out of every 24? :) What about the second-cat-to-keep-the -first-one-company option? Thanks for your input. Blair Thompson North Vancouver, B.C. |
in article , blair thompson at
wrote on 9/2/04 6:53 PM: I recently lost my guy to the coyotes. I live adjacent to a forested area where they are active, so I am thinking my next best friend should be confined to quarters I have been reading the many compelling arguments in favour of keeping a cat inside---the safety angle, longevity cf to the free-rangers, etc. I know there is much one can do to make indoor living tolerable to a cat, such as cat tree, cat grass munchies, toys, etc. But I am still wondering what the consensus here might be to just how pleasurable life really is for an indoor cat, Or am I just anthropomorphizing human traits onto a cat, and they really don't need as much stimuli in a day as we do, especially when they sleep 15-plus hours out of every 24? :) What about the second-cat-to-keep-the -first-one-company option? Thanks for your input. Blair Thompson North Vancouver, B.C. Well, I DEFINITELY recommend two. I think they can be quite happy if they can look out windows. If you own your own place, I would definitely also build an enclosure or if you have a porch screen it in. That is the best of all worlds. |
in article , blair thompson at
wrote on 9/2/04 6:53 PM: I recently lost my guy to the coyotes. I live adjacent to a forested area where they are active, so I am thinking my next best friend should be confined to quarters I have been reading the many compelling arguments in favour of keeping a cat inside---the safety angle, longevity cf to the free-rangers, etc. I know there is much one can do to make indoor living tolerable to a cat, such as cat tree, cat grass munchies, toys, etc. But I am still wondering what the consensus here might be to just how pleasurable life really is for an indoor cat, Or am I just anthropomorphizing human traits onto a cat, and they really don't need as much stimuli in a day as we do, especially when they sleep 15-plus hours out of every 24? :) What about the second-cat-to-keep-the -first-one-company option? Thanks for your input. Blair Thompson North Vancouver, B.C. Well, I DEFINITELY recommend two. I think they can be quite happy if they can look out windows. If you own your own place, I would definitely also build an enclosure or if you have a porch screen it in. That is the best of all worlds. |
But I am still wondering what the consensus here might be to
just how pleasurable life really is for an indoor cat, Or am I just anthropomorphizing human traits onto a cat, and they really don't need as much stimuli in a day as we do, especially when they sleep 15-plus hours out of every 24? :) What about the second-cat-to-keep-the -first-one-company option? Thanks for your input. Oh, sure it can be a great life for a cat. It's easier when you raise them as kittens indoors--although I have a former street cat/stray who refuses to even sniff the outdoors. . Most important, I think, is having at least a pair of cats. Secondary, but still important, is additional stimuli like you mentioned; toys, cat trees. Harness training I hear can be very successful if you choose to let your cat have supervised time outdoors. I think an enclosure is an excellent compromise, too. Sherry |
But I am still wondering what the consensus here might be to
just how pleasurable life really is for an indoor cat, Or am I just anthropomorphizing human traits onto a cat, and they really don't need as much stimuli in a day as we do, especially when they sleep 15-plus hours out of every 24? :) What about the second-cat-to-keep-the -first-one-company option? Thanks for your input. Oh, sure it can be a great life for a cat. It's easier when you raise them as kittens indoors--although I have a former street cat/stray who refuses to even sniff the outdoors. . Most important, I think, is having at least a pair of cats. Secondary, but still important, is additional stimuli like you mentioned; toys, cat trees. Harness training I hear can be very successful if you choose to let your cat have supervised time outdoors. I think an enclosure is an excellent compromise, too. Sherry |
But I am still wondering what the consensus here might be to
just how pleasurable life really is for an indoor cat, Or am I just anthropomorphizing human traits onto a cat, and they really don't need as much stimuli in a day as we do, especially when they sleep 15-plus hours out of every 24? :) What about the second-cat-to-keep-the -first-one-company option? Thanks for your input. Oh, sure it can be a great life for a cat. It's easier when you raise them as kittens indoors--although I have a former street cat/stray who refuses to even sniff the outdoors. . Most important, I think, is having at least a pair of cats. Secondary, but still important, is additional stimuli like you mentioned; toys, cat trees. Harness training I hear can be very successful if you choose to let your cat have supervised time outdoors. I think an enclosure is an excellent compromise, too. Sherry |
"blair thompson" wrote in message ... I recently lost my guy to the coyotes. I live adjacent to a forested area where they are active, so I am thinking my next best friend should be confined to quarters I have been reading the many compelling arguments in favour of keeping a cat inside---the safety angle, longevity cf to the free-rangers, etc. I know there is much one can do to make indoor living tolerable to a cat, such as cat tree, cat grass munchies, toys, etc. But I am still wondering what the consensus here might be to just how pleasurable life really is for an indoor cat, Or am I just anthropomorphizing human traits onto a cat, and they really don't need as much stimuli in a day as we do, especially when they sleep 15-plus hours out of every 24? :) What about the second-cat-to-keep-the -first-one-company option? Thanks for your input. Blair Thompson North Vancouver, B.C. My cats are indoor-only cats; has been that way since the 1970's. In my case, because of traffic. Sorry to tohear of your cat's demise, due to the local coyotes. That would also lead me to trethink the inside-outside issue, in your case. I'm lucky in that this house has a floor-to-ceiling screened porch, which the cats can access whenever I open the door that leads to it. In the summer, that's daily, but they also go out for short amounts of time in the winter. My apt. where I first lived did not have that amenity, but still, there are always windowsills which cats always enjoy, for safe viewing of the great outdoors. Cats still get their exercise - whether playing w/ toys - things to bat around, empty boxes - esp. if they have some tissue paper in them!, running up & down the stairs, whatever... Cathy |
"blair thompson" wrote in message ... I recently lost my guy to the coyotes. I live adjacent to a forested area where they are active, so I am thinking my next best friend should be confined to quarters I have been reading the many compelling arguments in favour of keeping a cat inside---the safety angle, longevity cf to the free-rangers, etc. I know there is much one can do to make indoor living tolerable to a cat, such as cat tree, cat grass munchies, toys, etc. But I am still wondering what the consensus here might be to just how pleasurable life really is for an indoor cat, Or am I just anthropomorphizing human traits onto a cat, and they really don't need as much stimuli in a day as we do, especially when they sleep 15-plus hours out of every 24? :) What about the second-cat-to-keep-the -first-one-company option? Thanks for your input. Blair Thompson North Vancouver, B.C. My cats are indoor-only cats; has been that way since the 1970's. In my case, because of traffic. Sorry to tohear of your cat's demise, due to the local coyotes. That would also lead me to trethink the inside-outside issue, in your case. I'm lucky in that this house has a floor-to-ceiling screened porch, which the cats can access whenever I open the door that leads to it. In the summer, that's daily, but they also go out for short amounts of time in the winter. My apt. where I first lived did not have that amenity, but still, there are always windowsills which cats always enjoy, for safe viewing of the great outdoors. Cats still get their exercise - whether playing w/ toys - things to bat around, empty boxes - esp. if they have some tissue paper in them!, running up & down the stairs, whatever... Cathy |
"blair thompson" wrote in message ... I recently lost my guy to the coyotes. I live adjacent to a forested area where they are active, so I am thinking my next best friend should be confined to quarters I have been reading the many compelling arguments in favour of keeping a cat inside---the safety angle, longevity cf to the free-rangers, etc. I know there is much one can do to make indoor living tolerable to a cat, such as cat tree, cat grass munchies, toys, etc. But I am still wondering what the consensus here might be to just how pleasurable life really is for an indoor cat, Or am I just anthropomorphizing human traits onto a cat, and they really don't need as much stimuli in a day as we do, especially when they sleep 15-plus hours out of every 24? :) What about the second-cat-to-keep-the -first-one-company option? Thanks for your input. Blair Thompson North Vancouver, B.C. My cats are indoor-only cats; has been that way since the 1970's. In my case, because of traffic. Sorry to tohear of your cat's demise, due to the local coyotes. That would also lead me to trethink the inside-outside issue, in your case. I'm lucky in that this house has a floor-to-ceiling screened porch, which the cats can access whenever I open the door that leads to it. In the summer, that's daily, but they also go out for short amounts of time in the winter. My apt. where I first lived did not have that amenity, but still, there are always windowsills which cats always enjoy, for safe viewing of the great outdoors. Cats still get their exercise - whether playing w/ toys - things to bat around, empty boxes - esp. if they have some tissue paper in them!, running up & down the stairs, whatever... Cathy |
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