Indoor cat..quality of life?

itty (Sherry ) writes
".. take a survey of the
reasons people *who own housecats* let their cats out. Try a declaw survey
and
bring us some video of that, too.

Sounds like a nifty idea...first, you must learn the art of sarcasm: how to
recognize it and when to use it!

"Luvskats00" wrote in message
...
"Alison" writes

Many, many people let ther cats out in the US and Canada , can you
tell me what reasons they give for letting their cats out?

1. Their parents did it when they had pets as children.
2. They thought that's the way it is supposed to be.
3. They don't think about it.
4. They also believe that neutering/spaying their pet takes away
from their
abilities to be a natural cat. etc.

Possible reasons yes but I don't see what the last sentence has
to do with it
Alison

"Luvskats00" wrote in message
...
"Alison" writes

Many, many people let ther cats out in the US and Canada , can you
tell me what reasons they give for letting their cats out?

1. Their parents did it when they had pets as children.
2. They thought that's the way it is supposed to be.
3. They don't think about it.
4. They also believe that neutering/spaying their pet takes away
from their
abilities to be a natural cat. etc.

Possible reasons yes but I don't see what the last sentence has
to do with it
Alison

"Mary" wrote in message
news

I think we've gone over the statistics issue. It seems we are now
going
in circles. In circles around a *really* dead horse. I'm done!



I haven't seen any actual statistics quoted. Phil gave quotes from
Vets and behaviourists from a website and I replied to those.
Alison

"Mary" wrote in message
news

I think we've gone over the statistics issue. It seems we are now
going
in circles. In circles around a *really* dead horse. I'm done!



I haven't seen any actual statistics quoted. Phil gave quotes from
Vets and behaviourists from a website and I replied to those.
Alison

From: itty (Sherry )

Unfortunately, luvscats is having problems pasting the text she's replying
to...and for someone posting from AOL, it's not that hard. And I see the same
irony you're seeing....she's curiously quiet about declaw, for someone who
claims to be such an advocate for cats.

I'm not surprised that she's not responding regarding declawing. When she
posted as NYWriter on AOL, she was an advocate of declawing.

Lauren

________
See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe
Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html
http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html
Declawing Info: http://www.wholecatjournal.com/articles/claws.htm

From: itty (Sherry )

Unfortunately, luvscats is having problems pasting the text she's replying
to...and for someone posting from AOL, it's not that hard. And I see the same
irony you're seeing....she's curiously quiet about declaw, for someone who
claims to be such an advocate for cats.

I'm not surprised that she's not responding regarding declawing. When she
posted as NYWriter on AOL, she was an advocate of declawing.

Lauren

________
See my cats: http://community.webshots.com/album/56955940rWhxAe
Raw Diet Info: http://www.holisticat.com/drjletter.html
http://www.geocities.com/rawfeeders/ForCatsOnly.html
Declawing Info: http://www.wholecatjournal.com/articles/claws.htm

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.

For years I lived in New York City and, for obvious reasons, all my
cats were indoor-only cats. They were happy and healthy and lived long
lives. When I moved to a ground-floor brownstone with a yard, in
Brooklyn, they were indoor-outdoor cats and also lived long and
healthy lives.

In 1990 I moved myself and my cats to the west coast to a house with a
large yard and the cats were allowed outside. I built a large cat
enclosure for them with a ramp leading from a back bedroom. They loved
it. Unfortunately before we finished the enclosure my very favorite
cat and buddy was killed by a stray dog who I don't think actually
meant to harm her -- he was some kind of terrier. I have, since then,
allowed them all outdoors with no problems. All of the originals have
passed on in the past 14 years and now the ones I have mostly stay
either on the porch or inside -- not because they're old (which
they're not) but I think they just like hanging out. They always have
access to indoors. I live on a very quiet street with barely any
traffic (on purpose). HOWEVER, were I to move to a place where there
were predators like coyotes or traffic or human weirdos (adult and
child), I'd keep them indoors all the time. I do that during July4th
and Halloween anyway -- the cats don't seem to mind at all.

In your position I'd probably not allow any new cats outdoors if you
have animals like coyotes close by. Others here have suggested a
screened-in porch or other type of safe enclosure. To me, that's the
best of both worlds for the cat.

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.

For years I lived in New York City and, for obvious reasons, all my
cats were indoor-only cats. They were happy and healthy and lived long
lives. When I moved to a ground-floor brownstone with a yard, in
Brooklyn, they were indoor-outdoor cats and also lived long and
healthy lives.

In 1990 I moved myself and my cats to the west coast to a house with a
large yard and the cats were allowed outside. I built a large cat
enclosure for them with a ramp leading from a back bedroom. They loved
it. Unfortunately before we finished the enclosure my very favorite
cat and buddy was killed by a stray dog who I don't think actually
meant to harm her -- he was some kind of terrier. I have, since then,
allowed them all outdoors with no problems. All of the originals have
passed on in the past 14 years and now the ones I have mostly stay
either on the porch or inside -- not because they're old (which
they're not) but I think they just like hanging out. They always have
access to indoors. I live on a very quiet street with barely any
traffic (on purpose). HOWEVER, were I to move to a place where there
were predators like coyotes or traffic or human weirdos (adult and
child), I'd keep them indoors all the time. I do that during July4th
and Halloween anyway -- the cats don't seem to mind at all.

In your position I'd probably not allow any new cats outdoors if you
have animals like coyotes close by. Others here have suggested a
screened-in porch or other type of safe enclosure. To me, that's the
best of both worlds for the cat.

That might be a good compromise: a large enclosure outside (when it's sunny)
and window perches, toys and a scratching post inside! :-)