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Old December 28th 05, 09:10 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.health+behav
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Default inside/outside cats.

On Mon, 26 Dec 2005 13:40:14 GMT, wrote:

No trying to troll or wind anyone up.
My 'opinion' is, everyone/thing needs a bit of company/interaction with
their own species, to be stimulated and healthy. In Uk there are cat
communities not consisting purely of feral cats, house cats that meet up at
night to play and do cat stuff, my male seems to hold court in the yard at
least once a week, they will be over the road one night, all over next doors
shed the other, they seem to meet, to socialise, sniff the cat nip, chase
the queens (mine's both neutered) The male will come home smelly and tired
then sleep all day.

....

I live in New York City and have fenced my small backyard so that the
boys can have some outdoor fun, but can't stroll off the property.
There is just too much traffic on the streets. Nipsy is a wuss and
comes running inside every few minutes, having heard a noise. Espy
will stay out until dark when I have to go and get him. This is
assuming that I'm home; they never go out unless I'm there. I've also
hooked up a camera that broadcasts to the TV in the computer room so
that I can keep an eye on them as I work.

It's winter now so I can't leave the door open, and that means that
Nipsy has to bang on the door so that I can let him in. When he was a
baby he was attacked by something and almost killed, which likely
explains why he is so scared of the outside. A friend of mine got him
fixed up and made me take him after Nico (the wonder cat) died.

I understand why folks in cities can't let their cats out. Most live
in apartments which makes it impossible. Others can't fence in the
whole property. And a cat outside in this traffic is quickly roadkill.
Not that there aren't quite a few cats around, but they likely don't
live too long. I know one woman who feeds ten on a regular basis.

Folks in other newsgroups might laugh, but one of the reasons that I
bought this house was because I lived in an apartment with no southern
(sun) exposure. I wanted my cats to at least have a spot that got some
sun. The mortgage wasn't much more than my rent and now is
considerably less than what people are paying in rent. And the house
has likely tripled in value. I owe my boys big time.