Advice needed

"Gandalf" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 08 Jun 2004 15:39:19 GMT, "Mary" wrote:


"H. Barker" wrote in message
...

On Tue, 8 Jun 2004, Mary wrote:


Well it's hard because my wife really wants her to get used to going
out,
and I don't. I'm in a no-win situation, really.

Your wife is wrong because your cat could easily be
hit on the busy road and killed. It is simple. The cat is the only one
who
is really in the no-win situation.


The other problem is how do we have the door open in the summer without
her getting out? It may seem obvious to some people, but not I.

Why must you open the door? Is it for ventilation? I know they may not be
in
vogue, but surely screened doors do exist in the UK, right?

Sorry for trying your patience



It just seems to me that the UK's knee-jerk "cats MUST be outside" is
just
as bad as the US's knee-jerk "cat's CANNOT be outside (even when in a
relatively safe, low-traffic area. And I don't understand why your wife
would wish to endanger an animal she loves. Or doesn't she?


I'll stick with simple science. Outside, depending on location, there
a round worms, flat worms, hook worms, fleas, ticks, chiggers, ear
mites, lung flukes, liver flukes, FeLuk, FIV, FIP, more viruses and
infectious bacteria than I can possibly remember, mange, automobiles,
dogs, other aggressive cats, people who hate cats, etc., etc., etc.

The simple fact is, indoor cats live longer; some vets say as much as
twice as long. And isn't a long, healthy life just about the best thing
you can do or you cat?

Yes, many cats *love* to be outdoors. And if you have a safe, secure
area, free of other animals with possibly disease causing organisms,
(as much as possible; like a well fenced yard) supervised outdoor time
is relatively safe.

But you have said your area *isn't* safe, you cat has gotten over the
fence, and seems *happier* (or at least more friendly, which would
indicate to me she feels happy) when she's kept indoors. While she may
be very curious about the great OUT, it sounds to me like it scares her
a great deal.

This seems like a no-brainer to me. Keep her in. Get screens for enough
windows to provide the ventilation you need.

Likely, the money you save on vet bills will cover the cost of several
screens, and even a screen door, many times over. One injury, or
infected wound could easily wind up costing more than some window
screens. Vet bills can get very expensive, very quickly.

I volunteered in a vet clinic for a long time. In my regular job I was
trained in small animal surgery, (mice, mostly) so working on cats was
easy for me. Even kittens seemed big to me.

I can't tell you how many injured cats came through the clinic in a
month. Or how many times a month I treated cats for various parasites,
abcesses and other infections. It was common for bills to be $200 and up
for injury treatment. And this was quite awhile ago.

I am fortunate in that while my cat was allowed outdoors in a fenced
back yard for the three years before I adopted her, she displays no
interest in going outside now. I live right in the city, on a 41 by 140
foot lot. The street, which is only 25 feet from the front door, isn't
too busy, but there is regular traffic.

But she's happy, and healthy; and she's never been sick a day since I
got her. And she's begging for some attention right now, which I'm going
to go give her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Life without cats would be only marginally worth living."
-TC, and the unmercifully, relentlessly, sweet calico kitty, Kenzie.

How you behave towards cats here below determines your status in Heaven.
- Robert Heinlein

Life is very difficult. Once you understand that, life becomes easier.
-Buddha




Love your sig, and totally agree with your comments. I think you
meant to reply to H. Barker? In any case, nice post.

On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 05:09:26 GMT, (Gandalf) dijo:

I volunteered in a vet clinic for a long time. In my regular job I was
trained in small animal surgery, (mice, mostly) so working on cats was
easy for me. Even kittens seemed big to me.

Cat-Boy has been working on his DVM. So far he has operated only on
mice and birds.

I'm not sure he's going to make a good vet, though. Up till now his
survival rate has been zero.

--
Bogus e-mail address, but I read this newsgroup regularly, so reply here.