Our cat will not stay inside. Why not?

"jjg" wrote
cshenk wrote:

It depends on circumstances and you won't get total agreement here from
all. Some feel it is cruel to keep a cat indoors all the time, others
feel
it is cruel to let them out due to the dangers of getting run over etc.

Yes, I see that. And I am both old enough to be familiar with differring
visions, and experienced enough to be familiar with the ways they are
being
expressed on the 'Net. And I do not expect the definitive answer... I just
want to keep "my" cat alive AND happy.

Then do not worry what others 'think'. I see you post from the NL.
Netherlands I take it? I'd mostly be worried about cold but I know it's
well into spring there and birds are nesting.

And I am quite sure that he will be EXTREMELY unhappy if I keep him
forcibly
indoors.

Then, you shouldnt. Each cat has it's own nature. People who try to
pretend 'one size fits all' with cats, are often either with their *first*
cat, or have not a varied livingspace so havent seen how it can apply. A
little bit ago there was a thread here on a lady on a farm with a cat and
some got really upset that the cat was able to be near the chickens. They
lacked the experience of living on a farm and didnt know this is a normal
thing.

If your area is ok, meaning no major roads etc real close (unlike me)
then
you should let the nature of your own cat be your guide.

Well, we have a not-too-quiet road nearby. I have seen him "challenging" a
car, that stopped. I am pretty sure that he knows all cars in the
neighborhood, and knows which ones will stop and which ones won't. Well,
he
may be wrong one day, and so may I. That's life, isn't it?

True.

Some simply do not stray far.
Had a renter neighbor near us who's older cat (15 or so?)
wouldnt leave the fenced back yard so there was no reason to not let her
out

Well, you are a real cat lover, that's clear. So you know that they are
all
different. Mine goes (or went, I'm not sure if he still does) quite a

I've had quite a few cats over the past 26 years. As only 3 came to me as
kittens (2 lived with me til they died of old age, one was delivered to a
new home when I had to move to Hawaii and couldnt take him), I got most in
middle life or past it a bit. Kitties who are set in their ways do not
suprise me at all.

Vamp, he was outdoor. He didnt want to be indoor unless it was snowing. I
built him a little heated home on my doorstep. He would gracefully come
inside for a few hours a day but only if i left the front door open the
whole time.

Bobby (one of the 3 kittens, the one who was gifted to a farm when I moved)
was a mix but decided his 'terratory' was the apartment complex. He would
not leave the complex and would come when called. Indoor at night, shared
Vamp's box sometimes. He'd take the outer edge and Vamp the middle curled
on his belly. (Bobby was a fortuitious name as he turned out to be 1/2
american bobcat when he got past kittenhood and we could tell what he was).

Face and Roscoe were the other 2 babies, and lived with us til old age took
them. Indoor totally and never tried to go outside except the screened
porch.

Thom and Babe were rescues with a horridly bad 'all 4 feet' declaw job,
added to Roscoe and Face (fully naturally clawed). Babe was 'only cat' and
wasnt happy with other cats in same home so found her an 'only cat' home.
Thom, we found a home for as we moved to Japan. He hadnt been happy as an
'only cat' once Face and Roscoe died. If we could have kept him, we'd have
needed to add another cat fast.

There have been others, being a resuce sort of person but these are the main
ones.

Cats just like people all have their own natures. A happy cat, is one who's
'slave mommie' listens and works with them.

distance, at least just about as far as the areas of neighbour cats reach
(I live in a rural area, so that is quite far... you're just surprised how
far these cats walk). At least you most likely know that a cat goes as far

Sure! Bobby went to a farm north of San Antonio TX. I lived in San Antonio
then.
Big spread, got cat cards for Xmas til he died about age 16. The local area
has a prized 'mouser' called a 'bobby-cat'. I never had Bobby fixed g.
Wife had dog allergies and husband loved big dogs so Bobby fit in well.

as he wants, not as far as you would like him to go. And then we are back
at my original question: I want to keep him happy, as long as possible.
That simply doesn't include locking him up. If I know that he has to go to
the vet tomorrow morning, yes. Cats, of course, are just like us when we
have to go to the dentist. But I want to keep him alive in dignity. And if
it is his time, to die in dignity.

Which is fine with me and the right way to look at it. Most who can't see
it from the same viewpoint, come from a background without enough variation
to understand you. Please be kind though to those who's environment is
different and cant responsibly allow a cat outside. My current situation
for example doesnt lead to that due to large roads at 55MPH (um, 80KPH?)
within less than .5km of me and hemmed in by others at 45mph (65kph?). My
actual front yard is rated for 25mph (seem to recall this is 30 kph?) but
folks speed down it at times.

As you can see here, my current location doesnt lead to outdoor kitties but
my background shows I understand well this concept. We live, we die. If we
are lucky, we have fun along the route.

cybercat wrote:
"Lynne" wrote in message
m...
Matthew wrote:

You are always welcome weirdo or not ;-)
Aw, shucks, ya sweet talker--thanks. It is well known that I am a weirdo,
but some of the ones this group attracts actually make me look normal
(whatever that means!).

I'm glad to see you and Cyber still fighting the good fight. I remember
just wanting to smash heads after a while...

Really. Maffew and I do find as long as we don't try to smash one another's
heads.

Oh, I remember being there, too! Still, this group needs both of you
IMO. You've definitely got more fortitude than I.

Though if I had a little time on my hands, I'd definitely visit more often.

jjg wrote:


Well, I think you are just the same nonperson/troll. So: ploink again.

WTF is Ploink???

Is that a gay plonk?

BTW, give you cat to someone who cares about it's welfare instead of
spouting that free and happy nonsense.

-mhd

jjg:

and to what purpose?

You are wasting your time. The internet animal culture dictates that
allowing an animal outside for any reason = abuse.

A friend of the family picked up two stray abused puppies on the side of
the road, they were nearly starved to death. For whatever reason she
brought them to my house where my family and I nursed them back to health,
fed them, washed them, played with them. Then I started asking around on
the internet about options for getting them fixed cheaply before finding
homes for them. At some point I mentioned that the dogs were living
outside, in my fenced back yard, and suddenly I became the anti-christ. I
was told point blank that the puppies were better off dead than with
someone like me, terrible things were wished upon me and they said I
shouldn't be allowed within proximity of any animal ever again -- and they
truly believe this. No one even bothered to ask if my yard was fenced, or
if they had shelter, or what climate I lived in, it never came up. The
dogs were outside and I was the abuser. This wasn't just one crackpot, it
was a whole forum. So don't waste your time trying to reason because
internet animal lovers have a different value system.

"jjg" wrote in message
...
cybercat wrote:


"jjg" wrote

Does he want to be outside when the Great Mother Cat calls him home

Right. The Great Mother Cadillac is more like it. Keep your old, ill cat
inside where he is safe. You are the caretaker. You have the large
forebrain. (Theoritically, anyway.) You have the opposable thumbs.

Use the tools given you to keep your cat safe.

And, again, you sound more like a dog-owner (this is not intended to be an
insult). He may be ill, but he still catches mice. He still defends his
own
territory. And I tend to think that cats have their own view on life, and
I
think we, humans, have to be careful about interfering. Yes, we have the
larger forebrain, and we should use it too. But even our large forebrains
will not prevent us, or our beloved, from dying. And occasionally we find
that we have stretched a miserable life by artificial means, and we might
be wondering if our large forebrain pointed us the right direction.
And I am not really concerned about keeping my cat safe-- he is still
quite
capable of defending himself against all dangers for which Nature equipped
him. I am just wondering about the dangers he might not be aware of.

I might lock him up, yes, and to what purpose? If he knows he is going to
die (G*d forbid), who am I to determine in which way? Even if I can lock
doors, thanks to my opposable thumbs? I am not planning to be his jailer.
I
want him to live his own life, and if it ends, it ends.

Well, and of course I am talking about "my" cat, but every cat owner knows
he is his own cat, not mine. And all I want to know is whether I am acting
right.

Let your conscience be your guide.

"Mac Cool" wrote in message
...
jjg:

and to what purpose?

You are wasting your time. The internet animal culture dictates that
allowing an animal outside for any reason = abuse.


So I guess it is fair game to ask you why you allowed your cat to get
so fat he died of heart disease, right?

Mac Cool wrote:

jjg:

and to what purpose?

You are wasting your time. The internet animal culture dictates that
allowing an animal outside for any reason = abuse.

Interesting. I didn't know this background.

This wasn't just one crackpot, it
was a whole forum. So don't waste your time trying to reason because
internet animal lovers have a different value system.

Well, I have some Net-experience, and I tend to ignore this kind of
reaction. And "my" cat certainly does not give a d***

Some people are just paranoid. They make their kids wear body amour,
don’t allow them to skate, bike, etc. because the kids might get
hurt. They lock themselves and their pets up in their home.

My opinion on why cats go out is some cats just need more room to
play. There are times when my pussy just sleeps indoors but she needs
to climb trees, go up to the roof, and see other people and animals.
No matter how expensive a cat tree, it’s no substitute for read trees
that sway in the wind with shaking leaves. I’m sure some cat is quite
happy being a couch potato and watch TV. If that’s what one wants one
might as well get a toy stuffed cat.

cybercat:

So I guess it is fair game to ask you why you allowed your cat to get
so fat he died of heart disease, right?

Because it wasn't my job to force an arbitrary way of life upon him; Tommy
was my companion not my slave. I provided shelter, a safe environment and
nourishing food. Tommy chose the rest.

Cats die - all of them, every single one; as will we. Dying is sad but it
is not evil. My cat had a good life and he was happy. I am happy that he
had that opportunity.

"Mac Cool" wrote in message
...
cybercat:

So I guess it is fair game to ask you why you allowed your cat to get
so fat he died of heart disease, right?

Because it wasn't my job to force an arbitrary way of life upon him; Tommy
was my companion not my slave. I provided shelter, a safe environment and
nourishing food. Tommy chose the rest.

Cats die - all of them, every single one; as will we. Dying is sad but it
is not evil. My cat had a good life and he was happy. I am happy that he
had that opportunity.

Well, as long as you are happy, that's all that matters. Obviously.