Advice needed

On Tue, 8 Jun 2004 16:49:10 +0100, "H. Barker"
wrote:


On Tue, 8 Jun 2004, Mary wrote:

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 agree totally, but my wife really does only have the cats best interests
at heart, and I guess us Brits are just "cats must be outside" as you say.
Personally I honestly believe that they should be indoors or outdoors with
supervision, but it's a tough call.

I would like to hear from more Brits on their opinions, simply to know
what they think, but everyone's info has been really great.

I dare say I'll be flustered again tomorrow after another night of her
going out. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

And I'll definitely look into screens, cheers.

H



I live in the UK and I class my cat as an indoor kitty.

I have a cat flap, she can go out if she wants, she chooses to spend
95% of her time indoors. Sometimes she sits with just her nose out of
the flap, sometimes she ventures all the way out but never for very
long, usually 10 or 15 mins. Now the weather is a bit nicer, she
seems more interested in going out and chasing bugs in the back garden
at night. I live pretty near the city centre but in a very quiet
residential area with very little traffic and my block has an enclosed
back garden. I am happy to let her go out if she wishes but would
never force her out or lock her out!

A friend of mine lives in a house and, when she is at home, lets her
cat out into her enclosed back garden and leaves the back door open.
Obviously not in bad weather but then her cat is happy to stay in when
it's wet and windy. ) This works for her cat who doesn't seem
bothered to venture far. She can roll in the grass, sun herself and
chase bugs...the cat, not my friend )

I have another friend who lives right on the edge of town, her garden
backs onto fields and her 4 cats come and go as they please through
her cat flap.

Two girls I work with have happy healthy cats who spend their whole
lives indoors because they live in city centre flats with no realistic
means of letting them out safely.

I know lots of people in the UK will say to you ' oh, I couldn't have
a cat if I couldn't let it out' and 'it's cruel to keep a cat in'
excuse my language here but quite frankly, they are talking out of
their arses!!!! ;o)

It's up to *you* to decide what is the best for *your* cat depending
on *your* circumstances. Try introducing the cat flap. If it's a
lockable one, you can control her coming and goings and it may be a
happy medium between out and in.

Good luck with what ever you decide!

Lindsey

I have to wonder how many here have a false sense of security by saying that
their neighborhood gets very little traffic? All it takes is one car or
possibly a bad human to end a cat's life. The best thing you can do is keep
your cats indoors where they will be safer. Or if you simply must have your
cat go outdoors then do so under CLOSE supervision. Also, a leash and
harness is an even better idea than that because you'll know they'll be safe
outdoors.

--
Panther TEK: Staying On Top Of All Your Computer Needs!
www.members.cox.net/catprotector/panthertek

Cat Galaxy: All Cats, All The Time!
www.catgalaxymedia.com

"Ellie Pea" wrote in message
...

I live in the UK and I class my cat as an indoor kitty.

I have a cat flap, she can go out if she wants, she chooses to spend
95% of her time indoors. Sometimes she sits with just her nose out of
the flap, sometimes she ventures all the way out but never for very
long, usually 10 or 15 mins. Now the weather is a bit nicer, she
seems more interested in going out and chasing bugs in the back garden
at night. I live pretty near the city centre but in a very quiet
residential area with very little traffic and my block has an enclosed
back garden. I am happy to let her go out if she wishes but would
never force her out or lock her out!

A friend of mine lives in a house and, when she is at home, lets her
cat out into her enclosed back garden and leaves the back door open.
Obviously not in bad weather but then her cat is happy to stay in when
it's wet and windy. ) This works for her cat who doesn't seem
bothered to venture far. She can roll in the grass, sun herself and
chase bugs...the cat, not my friend )

I have another friend who lives right on the edge of town, her garden
backs onto fields and her 4 cats come and go as they please through
her cat flap.

Two girls I work with have happy healthy cats who spend their whole
lives indoors because they live in city centre flats with no realistic
means of letting them out safely.

I know lots of people in the UK will say to you ' oh, I couldn't have
a cat if I couldn't let it out' and 'it's cruel to keep a cat in'
excuse my language here but quite frankly, they are talking out of
their arses!!!! ;o)

It's up to *you* to decide what is the best for *your* cat depending
on *your* circumstances. Try introducing the cat flap. If it's a
lockable one, you can control her coming and goings and it may be a
happy medium between out and in.

Good luck with what ever you decide!

Lindsey

I have to wonder how many here have a false sense of security by saying that
their neighborhood gets very little traffic? All it takes is one car or
possibly a bad human to end a cat's life. The best thing you can do is keep
your cats indoors where they will be safer. Or if you simply must have your
cat go outdoors then do so under CLOSE supervision. Also, a leash and
harness is an even better idea than that because you'll know they'll be safe
outdoors.

--
Panther TEK: Staying On Top Of All Your Computer Needs!
www.members.cox.net/catprotector/panthertek

Cat Galaxy: All Cats, All The Time!
www.catgalaxymedia.com

"Ellie Pea" wrote in message
...

I live in the UK and I class my cat as an indoor kitty.

I have a cat flap, she can go out if she wants, she chooses to spend
95% of her time indoors. Sometimes she sits with just her nose out of
the flap, sometimes she ventures all the way out but never for very
long, usually 10 or 15 mins. Now the weather is a bit nicer, she
seems more interested in going out and chasing bugs in the back garden
at night. I live pretty near the city centre but in a very quiet
residential area with very little traffic and my block has an enclosed
back garden. I am happy to let her go out if she wishes but would
never force her out or lock her out!

A friend of mine lives in a house and, when she is at home, lets her
cat out into her enclosed back garden and leaves the back door open.
Obviously not in bad weather but then her cat is happy to stay in when
it's wet and windy. ) This works for her cat who doesn't seem
bothered to venture far. She can roll in the grass, sun herself and
chase bugs...the cat, not my friend )

I have another friend who lives right on the edge of town, her garden
backs onto fields and her 4 cats come and go as they please through
her cat flap.

Two girls I work with have happy healthy cats who spend their whole
lives indoors because they live in city centre flats with no realistic
means of letting them out safely.

I know lots of people in the UK will say to you ' oh, I couldn't have
a cat if I couldn't let it out' and 'it's cruel to keep a cat in'
excuse my language here but quite frankly, they are talking out of
their arses!!!! ;o)

It's up to *you* to decide what is the best for *your* cat depending
on *your* circumstances. Try introducing the cat flap. If it's a
lockable one, you can control her coming and goings and it may be a
happy medium between out and in.

Good luck with what ever you decide!

Lindsey

Then the wife needs to be educated. I agree that the cat is an unwitting
pawn in a human struggle for power. The cat's best interest needs to be the
primary here.

--
Panther TEK: Staying On Top Of All Your Computer Needs!
www.members.cox.net/catprotector/panthertek

Cat Galaxy: All Cats, All The Time!
www.catgalaxymedia.com

"Annie Wxill" wrote in message
...

Although we may have our own biases, depending on which side of the pond
we
reside, I think the real issue here is that *it is not the cat* who wants
to
go out; it is the wife who wants the cat to go out and the husband who
says
he does not want the cat to go out because he worries about it. I hope
this
is not becoming a power struggle between the two humans, each professing
to
be looking out for the cat's best interests, but really using the cat as a
pawn in order to win.
If that is the case, I suggest that you two settle what is really behind
this and stop putting the cat in the middle.
As for the cat, if she does not want to go out of her own accord, let her
stay inside. If she wants to go out, ease your own mind and make sure she
is safe by going with her. If you and your wife can agree to let the cat
decide whether she goes in or out, you can agree to take turns keeping an
eye on her. That way you each get your way and the cat gets her way, too.
And, when the weather is nice, you can just leave the door open, as long
as
you both agree to keep track of the whereabouts of the cat.
Annie

Then the wife needs to be educated. I agree that the cat is an unwitting
pawn in a human struggle for power. The cat's best interest needs to be the
primary here.

--
Panther TEK: Staying On Top Of All Your Computer Needs!
www.members.cox.net/catprotector/panthertek

Cat Galaxy: All Cats, All The Time!
www.catgalaxymedia.com

"Annie Wxill" wrote in message
...

Although we may have our own biases, depending on which side of the pond
we
reside, I think the real issue here is that *it is not the cat* who wants
to
go out; it is the wife who wants the cat to go out and the husband who
says
he does not want the cat to go out because he worries about it. I hope
this
is not becoming a power struggle between the two humans, each professing
to
be looking out for the cat's best interests, but really using the cat as a
pawn in order to win.
If that is the case, I suggest that you two settle what is really behind
this and stop putting the cat in the middle.
As for the cat, if she does not want to go out of her own accord, let her
stay inside. If she wants to go out, ease your own mind and make sure she
is safe by going with her. If you and your wife can agree to let the cat
decide whether she goes in or out, you can agree to take turns keeping an
eye on her. That way you each get your way and the cat gets her way, too.
And, when the weather is nice, you can just leave the door open, as long
as
you both agree to keep track of the whereabouts of the cat.
Annie

If you have a wall completely surrounding your property, you might
consider cat-proofing that. There is an excellent product called "Cat
Fence-In" that would at least give you some ideas.

Sharon Talbert
Friends of Campus Cats

If you have a wall completely surrounding your property, you might
consider cat-proofing that. There is an excellent product called "Cat
Fence-In" that would at least give you some ideas.

Sharon Talbert
Friends of Campus Cats

Ellie Pea wrote:

I live in the UK and I class my cat as an indoor kitty.

I have a cat flap, she can go out if she wants, she chooses to spend
95% of her time indoors. Sometimes she sits with just her nose out of
the flap, sometimes she ventures all the way out but never for very
long, usually 10 or 15 mins. Now the weather is a bit nicer, she
seems more interested in going out and chasing bugs in the back garden
at night. I live pretty near the city centre but in a very quiet
residential area with very little traffic and my block has an enclosed
back garden. I am happy to let her go out if she wishes but would
never force her out or lock her out!

A friend of mine lives in a house and, when she is at home, lets her
cat out into her enclosed back garden and leaves the back door open.
Obviously not in bad weather but then her cat is happy to stay in when
it's wet and windy. ) This works for her cat who doesn't seem
bothered to venture far. She can roll in the grass, sun herself and
chase bugs...the cat, not my friend )

I have another friend who lives right on the edge of town, her garden
backs onto fields and her 4 cats come and go as they please through
her cat flap.

Two girls I work with have happy healthy cats who spend their whole
lives indoors because they live in city centre flats with no realistic
means of letting them out safely.

I know lots of people in the UK will say to you ' oh, I couldn't have
a cat if I couldn't let it out' and 'it's cruel to keep a cat in'
excuse my language here but quite frankly, they are talking out of
their arses!!!! ;o)

It's up to *you* to decide what is the best for *your* cat depending
on *your* circumstances. Try introducing the cat flap. If it's a
lockable one, you can control her coming and goings and it may be a
happy medium between out and in.

Good luck with what ever you decide!

A very sensible reply. The OP is right to consider the U.S. bias towards
keeping cats indoors---in this post, although you (Lindsey) classify your cat
as indoor cat because she spends most of her time indoors, most people in the
U.S. would label her an indoor/outdoor cat because she can go outside if she
desires. And some would warn you they don't think that is safe--but you are
right, it's up to the OP to decide what is safe. As evidenced in this thread,
some in the U.S. over-imagine the risks to U.K. cats that set foot outdoors.

I myself advocate providing safe outdoor access when possible; in some parts of
the U.S. that may mean leash and harness, cat proof fencing or enclosure, but I
think those options are less common in the U.K. The OP mentioned "outdoors with
supervision," an option often overlooked in the U.S. as well, but that's also a
possibility. Our cats go out in our backyard but only while we are there with
them.

There are a variety of options that range between keeping a cat confined
indoors 24/7 and letting the cat roam the countryside at will.

Ellie Pea wrote:

I live in the UK and I class my cat as an indoor kitty.

I have a cat flap, she can go out if she wants, she chooses to spend
95% of her time indoors. Sometimes she sits with just her nose out of
the flap, sometimes she ventures all the way out but never for very
long, usually 10 or 15 mins. Now the weather is a bit nicer, she
seems more interested in going out and chasing bugs in the back garden
at night. I live pretty near the city centre but in a very quiet
residential area with very little traffic and my block has an enclosed
back garden. I am happy to let her go out if she wishes but would
never force her out or lock her out!

A friend of mine lives in a house and, when she is at home, lets her
cat out into her enclosed back garden and leaves the back door open.
Obviously not in bad weather but then her cat is happy to stay in when
it's wet and windy. ) This works for her cat who doesn't seem
bothered to venture far. She can roll in the grass, sun herself and
chase bugs...the cat, not my friend )

I have another friend who lives right on the edge of town, her garden
backs onto fields and her 4 cats come and go as they please through
her cat flap.

Two girls I work with have happy healthy cats who spend their whole
lives indoors because they live in city centre flats with no realistic
means of letting them out safely.

I know lots of people in the UK will say to you ' oh, I couldn't have
a cat if I couldn't let it out' and 'it's cruel to keep a cat in'
excuse my language here but quite frankly, they are talking out of
their arses!!!! ;o)

It's up to *you* to decide what is the best for *your* cat depending
on *your* circumstances. Try introducing the cat flap. If it's a
lockable one, you can control her coming and goings and it may be a
happy medium between out and in.

Good luck with what ever you decide!

A very sensible reply. The OP is right to consider the U.S. bias towards
keeping cats indoors---in this post, although you (Lindsey) classify your cat
as indoor cat because she spends most of her time indoors, most people in the
U.S. would label her an indoor/outdoor cat because she can go outside if she
desires. And some would warn you they don't think that is safe--but you are
right, it's up to the OP to decide what is safe. As evidenced in this thread,
some in the U.S. over-imagine the risks to U.K. cats that set foot outdoors.

I myself advocate providing safe outdoor access when possible; in some parts of
the U.S. that may mean leash and harness, cat proof fencing or enclosure, but I
think those options are less common in the U.K. The OP mentioned "outdoors with
supervision," an option often overlooked in the U.S. as well, but that's also a
possibility. Our cats go out in our backyard but only while we are there with
them.

There are a variety of options that range between keeping a cat confined
indoors 24/7 and letting the cat roam the countryside at will.

In the fine newsgroup "rec.pets.cats.health+behav",
itty (Sherry ) artfully composed this message
within on 08
Jun 2004:

What's really interesting is, we took in a starving stray a few
months ago. She won't even stick her nose outside. She knows the
outside life isn't what it's cracked up to be and wants no part
of it.


That has been Bonnie, too. Up until now. Now she sits by the upstairs
door that goes out to the deck and howls the biggest meow I've heard
from her since she came to me. I know she doesn't want to go out,
because she will have no parts of the outdoor enclosure except for a
few minutes of sitting in the open flap when I prop it open, and
maybe taking a step or two out, and only if Shamrock is out there.
I'm not sure what her vocalizing is about lately but I wonder if
sometimes people confuse this type of behavior with thinking the cat
wants *out*?

--
Cheryl