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#53
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On Thu, 02 Sep 2004 16:53:54 -0700, blair thompson
wrote: 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. This is just one person's opinion, of course, but I think well-cared-for indoor cats can be quite happy. I have eight of them, and very few problems. You need window space, plenty of toys (interactive toys are important, too), cat posts/trees (I even have a log that they love to scratch on). You need to interact regularly with your cats. And yes, two (or more) is much more helpful than just one (for the cat, that is). Giving occasional cat grass can help as well. So I would say indoor cats can have a high quality of life, and it is certainly better than having one's life cut short by wild animals, cars, etc. Ginger-lyn Just my $1.02 worth. |
#54
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On Thu, 02 Sep 2004 16:53:54 -0700, blair thompson
wrote: 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. This is just one person's opinion, of course, but I think well-cared-for indoor cats can be quite happy. I have eight of them, and very few problems. You need window space, plenty of toys (interactive toys are important, too), cat posts/trees (I even have a log that they love to scratch on). You need to interact regularly with your cats. And yes, two (or more) is much more helpful than just one (for the cat, that is). Giving occasional cat grass can help as well. So I would say indoor cats can have a high quality of life, and it is certainly better than having one's life cut short by wild animals, cars, etc. Ginger-lyn Just my $1.02 worth. |
#55
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On Thu, 02 Sep 2004 16:53:54 -0700, blair thompson
wrote: 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. This is just one person's opinion, of course, but I think well-cared-for indoor cats can be quite happy. I have eight of them, and very few problems. You need window space, plenty of toys (interactive toys are important, too), cat posts/trees (I even have a log that they love to scratch on). You need to interact regularly with your cats. And yes, two (or more) is much more helpful than just one (for the cat, that is). Giving occasional cat grass can help as well. So I would say indoor cats can have a high quality of life, and it is certainly better than having one's life cut short by wild animals, cars, etc. Ginger-lyn Just my $1.02 worth. |
#56
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On Thu, 02 Sep 2004 16:53:54 -0700, blair thompson
wrote: 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. I am very surprised that you didn't get a huge number of people who equate keeping a cat indoors to abuse. Other topics such as this one have often caused that. Some of the posters would have liked to hang anyone who even considered this. The rational dialog is refreshing. The statistics show that an indoor cat lives much longer than an outdoor one because of the dangers of living outdoors. That alone, says alot. Those who say that indoor cats go insane from it are saying things that are untrue in order to persuade people to believe what they believe. It isn't true, but it makes a good story. My cats ONLY go out on a leash and only during daylight. All but one of my previous cats has lived to 17+ years old and they have shown only signs of being happy. Of the ones that I currently have, the one who is least interested in going out is the one who was born and raised outside. She knows the difference and has decided that life is much better indoors than out. Well, at least that is the reason that I project for her preference :-) They have a tremendous number of toys and cat friendly things to climb on. Since there is more than one cat, they also entertain one another. Wrestling is the number one sport here. |
#57
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On Thu, 02 Sep 2004 16:53:54 -0700, blair thompson
wrote: 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. I am very surprised that you didn't get a huge number of people who equate keeping a cat indoors to abuse. Other topics such as this one have often caused that. Some of the posters would have liked to hang anyone who even considered this. The rational dialog is refreshing. The statistics show that an indoor cat lives much longer than an outdoor one because of the dangers of living outdoors. That alone, says alot. Those who say that indoor cats go insane from it are saying things that are untrue in order to persuade people to believe what they believe. It isn't true, but it makes a good story. My cats ONLY go out on a leash and only during daylight. All but one of my previous cats has lived to 17+ years old and they have shown only signs of being happy. Of the ones that I currently have, the one who is least interested in going out is the one who was born and raised outside. She knows the difference and has decided that life is much better indoors than out. Well, at least that is the reason that I project for her preference :-) They have a tremendous number of toys and cat friendly things to climb on. Since there is more than one cat, they also entertain one another. Wrestling is the number one sport here. |
#58
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We currently have 4 indoor cats - all of them were feral when we coaxed
and/or trapped them and brought them indoors. The oldest is 8, then 6 and 2 two year olds. Only the most recent addition even considers going near an open door. He's only been in the house 3 weeks - we named him Mr. Lucky and he missed hurricane Charley by 5 days and now he's safe and dry for hurricane Frances. Think about fleas, ticks, disease, snakes, gators, fox and bobcat in our area and know the cats stay indoors - they will adjust and live healthy, happy lives - afterall they rule! |
#59
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We currently have 4 indoor cats - all of them were feral when we coaxed
and/or trapped them and brought them indoors. The oldest is 8, then 6 and 2 two year olds. Only the most recent addition even considers going near an open door. He's only been in the house 3 weeks - we named him Mr. Lucky and he missed hurricane Charley by 5 days and now he's safe and dry for hurricane Frances. Think about fleas, ticks, disease, snakes, gators, fox and bobcat in our area and know the cats stay indoors - they will adjust and live healthy, happy lives - afterall they rule! |
#60
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"Wendy" wrote in message ... I'm wondering what the let your cats outdoors people think the benefit is. Is it the fresh air and exercise? If so that can be accomplished by building a large outside enclosure or having a screened in porch. If the point of going outside is to let the cat be unfettered, have the freedom to wander about and interact with the wildlife (translated chase/kill birds, mice and rabbits), then the enclosure or screened porch only increased the sq. footage of the "cage". It's certainly a good idea for people to try to build an enclosure or screen a porch for their cats. I don't think the Inside Cat Only brigade emphasises this enough ( I don't mean the people on this group !) to the average pet owner and the average pet owner might not have enough knowledge to keep their cat from being bored and frustrated. It's easier with dogs , you can take them to the park and they don't seem to mind doing the repetitious games such as catch the ball , my dog will do this twenty times and not be bored but cats are far to uintelligent and clever for that. My cat goes outside (daytime only), she is about 5 now and she doesn't go far from the garden . If I had to, I would fence the garden to keep her in but I don't feel she is at risk, though obviously, nothing in life is certain. She has the choice, in bad weather no way will she go out . So if she has a choice that's less frustration for her. When she goes out , she likes to patrol her patch and catch up on whose been visiting and what other animals have been in the garden , she will sit and watch at certain places for mice and maybe stalk the feral pigeons. This gives her a work ethic which is satisfying and stimulating, after that it's nap time in the shed . I have always had rabbits and guinea pigs and they attract mice, so her job is to keep the mice population down, other wise I would be over run . As to killing birds and mice and rabbits , so do hunters, dogs, farmers , people poison mice that come into their houses etc. Why make the cat out to be the baddie? If you eat meat or wear leather, that means an animal has died for you; should you become a vegan? When a cat goes out, *every* day is different. Cats are very intelligent and it's harder to replicate that indoors though maybe not impossible. Alison |
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