Dangers outside, boredom inside: Can we do better for our cats?
By Christie Keith
March 17, 2009
It’s a debate that never ends. Yes, cats who go outside can get hit by cars, trapped by irate neighbors, or killed by dogs or other animals. They pick up fleas and get in fights with other cats. The list is pretty much endless, and yet… most people let their cats go out at least some of the time, even some people who would rather not.
The reason? I take a look at that question in my column this week on SFGate.com:
The sterility of indoor life leaves many loving cat owners conflicted over what’s best for their pets. They doubt that a life spent indoors is healthy, and when faced with a pet who wants to go outside or seems bored and inactive, they wonder if safety is really as important as keeping the cat active, healthy and happy.
This is where the dialogue between cat expert and cat owner breaks down. No matter how many ways you restate the safety argument, until you find some way to deal with the argument about health and happiness you’re not going to address the real reason many caring cat owners finally open the door.
But here’s my question: Can our cats have it all? Is there a way we can keep them safe and our neighbors — and birds — happy, while still giving our cats the benefits of going outside?
The answer is a qualified yes. Qualified because one of the reasons cats are such popular pets is that most people see them as effortless. Unlike dogs, the majority of cats fit into our homes with little or no training. Someone who has cats precisely because they’re easy may not be willing to make the necessary accommodations to keep cats both healthy and safe.
But if you already keep your cats indoors and want to give them the benefits of fresh air, sunshine and outdoor exercise, or you’d love to keep your cat safely in the house but think you’re depriving her of something valuable by doing so, yes, you really can have it all — as long as you’re willing to work at it.
I go on to share some of my experiences with cat enclosures, as well as tips from certified cat behavior consultant Marilyn Krieger and “Walk your Cat” co-author Jean Miller.
Read the column here, and let me know where you stand on the great indoor/outdoor cat debate.
I think the answer is still yes and no. My experience growing up with a family who thought cats belonged outside unless they were actively cuddling (and not allowed to cuddle if they were dirty, a ridiculous cycle), who died or disappeared early, pushed me to keep my own cats inside full-time when I had a say. However, even the most sedentary cat I have seemed to look out longingly through the windows, and when given th chance bolted outside.
I kept them strictly indoors as long as I lived in unsafe areas—coyote country, housing developments with unpleasant neighbors. Now I live across the street from my childhood home, in a neighborhood I trust and know very well, with neighbors who have cats and love them on all three sides and a huge park on the fourth side. I have made the decision to let the cats outside during the day, always leaving a cat flap open for them in case they want to return.
Obviously I made sure they’re fully vaccinated, wormed, and covered with anti-parasitic medications before they went outside. I even did it in stages, letting them out a little, bringing them back in, making sure they know the area before leaving them out for hours without supervision.
Sure, it could still backfire on me. But they are much happier when they can run around in the backyard, and I still see them inside more often than not, and they seem even more affectionate than before.
Comment by Orli — March 17, 2009 @ 6:43 am
I believe in keeping cats indoors … and I let my cats out most days.
::::head explodes:::
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 17, 2009 @ 6:55 am
This is an argument I will never understand.
Why do cats, as opposed to other pets, need to roam free? Sure, we take our dogs outside but they are leashed, in a fenced yard or supervised. They are never allowed to run off leash and unsecured willy nilly with no supervision. Is this only because of leash laws? Otherwise, folks would let their dogs run wild during the day when they are away at work.
Why is it too much work do provide an enriching environment in your home and take your cats out on a harness or provide an enclosure if you feel it’s that important for cats to be outdoors. As Christie mentions in her article, there are many cat safe options to give them the opportunity to be outdoors safely without having to roam the neighborhood.
Cats are often second class citizens compared to dogs. They get a big trough of dry food and thrown outside to entertain themselves. People can’t be bothered to take the time to play or walk their cat like they would their dog. Why?
On the mention of cat friendly neighbors, I am a cat person. I only have cats, more than a couple. I volunteer for a cats only welfare group. My neighbors across the street have outdoor cats but I do NOT like my neighbor’s cats on my porch, in my yard, on my property. I like their cats, they are very sweet cats. However, they come sit on my porch and torment my cats who want to rip their face off. My cats scream and yell and throw themselves against whatever obstacle is in their way. I can’t leave my windows open on the lower level of my house when I am not home. The neighbor’s cats are a nuisance.
A friend of mine has multiple cats and also has neighbors with cats allowed outside. Her cats are spraying the front door when the neighbor cats perch there. Why should other pet owners have to be inconvenienced and deal with behavior issues with their cats because the neighbor thinks it convenient to throw her cats outside every day?
Where I live, we have leash laws for dogs as well as cats. (Exception for ferals, we have an active TNR program monitored by the county.) Cats are not allowed to be a nuisance and be on other other people’s property. I call animal control EVERY time the neighbor’s cats are in my yard.
Comment by Heather — March 17, 2009 @ 7:28 am
Good article. I am a firm believer in letting my cats go outside but only during the day time. They have had their fair share of accidents outdoors but I have tried keeping them in and they just get depressed and anxious.
I feel letting them outside is only natural, their natural environment. They like to romp around in the grass, climb trees, chase mice, and just be regular old cats. I would never deny them their freedom.
Comment by Jaime — March 17, 2009 @ 7:34 am
The assumption that the person who lets her cats out is the same person who puts a trough of stale dry food out and can’t be bothered to play with her cats is insulting and wrong.
My cats are fed with as much care and planning as my dogs are. They are also groomed, sleep on my bed, have indoor trees and perches, toys and nightly laser-tag games.
But I gotta tell ya, I can’t give them what they get in the couple hours they get outside most days, usually when I’m working at home. (And never at night.) I’m lucky in that I have a lower-risk — not no-risk, certainly — home. My lot backs up to two acres of landlocked undeveloped land, with a creek running through it. The cats poke around there a little, but mostly stay in the yard. I’ve never seen them go to the front of the house, but even then, I live on a very quiet street. I don’t really have a neighbor on one side, and I don’t see them bothering to visit the yard on the other. Why would they? They have their own private wilderness behind them.
It’s a hard decision to let them out. I didn’t make it lightly and I re-think it every day. In fact, I agonize over it.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 17, 2009 @ 7:50 am
It’s also natural for your dog to be outside chasing squirrels and being regular old dogs. What about other pets? Birds, rabbits, ect? ALL animals natural environment is outside. So why is ok only for cats and natural for them but not the others?
And the North American continent is hardly a natural environment for a domestic cat descendant from African desert cats.
Comment by Heather — March 17, 2009 @ 7:59 am
Excellent article. Growing up in Nebraska, my childhood cats were primarily outdoor cats. I was very fortunate that my cat I got when I was three years old lived until I was 24 despite living in a rural area next to a busy highway.
As an adult living in a major metropolitan area, I cringe at the thought of letting my cat roam around outside without supervision. We have trained Slinky to walk on a leash and we let him play in the fenced backyard (supervised) almost every day.
Comment by Jason Merrihew — March 17, 2009 @ 8:01 am
We have four “very spoiled” cats and they are kept indoors - they have a room all their own with lots of toys, cat furniture, their food and water bowls and litter boxes. They have two windows in their room which looks out on the front yard and we have their furniture arranged by the windows so they can see out and there is a bird feeder close by so they can watch the birds (btw the birds are not scared since they know the cats can’t get out so sometimes it’s a case of the birds watching the cats too). We also have some stools arranged under the windows at the back of the house for them to look out of so they can watch birds and the pond we have in the backyard. We play with them when we come home from work at night and on weekends, they love to chase the laser toy (which we call the “red bug”). We also have a sunroom on the back of the house and when we are home and the weather is nice we open it up and open the windows and let the cats have the run of the room. When we built it we put large screened windows all the way around it and put glass windows on the bottom part of the room that faces out to the pond area so the cats could look out easily. We will let the cats come outside on the back porch area if we are outside, but they don’t really stray off the porch and only one of them will actually follow us into the yard, the rest will lounge on the porch for a short time and then go back into the house. None of them tries to run outside when we open the doors, they all seem quite content to be in the house and I do not believe they are missing anything by being in the house (except all the dangers they could face if left outside on their own).
Comment by Deb — March 17, 2009 @ 8:01 am
I call animal control EVERY time the neighbor’s cats are in my yard.
Comment by Heather — March 17, 2009
Why? So you can punish your “bad” neighbors by having their cats die at AC?
Too often it seems to me this issue becomes another “no room for discussion” thing, like the “a breeder is a breeder is a breeder and all are scum” attitude of the forced spay-neuter crowd.
There is no one true way to keep pets or raise children. But there sure are a million people who want to tell you there is.
—
And the North American continent is hardly a natural environment for a domestic cat descendant from African desert cats.
Comment by Heather
The same can be pretty much said for you, since you and I are both descendants from the “fertile crescent” of the Middle East.
But that hasn’t stopped humans from colonizing more continents and destroying more habitat and its inhabitants than cats ever could.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 17, 2009 @ 8:03 am
I am always torn between letting them live inside all the time and letting them outside.
I have an outside small enclosure (the size of a shed) with shelves and that keeps them happy a lot of the time. However, I have been letting them outside mornings only—so that the squirrels and birds can have freedom eating away at seeds in and out of the feeder and on the ground.
I am quite anxious when they are loose, even though I stay out with them. That is because in the past I have had to deal with lost cats, dead birds, dead mice, angry neighbors, cat fights, animals such as snakes (you name it) brought into the house, and dog-chasing (by me).
This is a great subject you bring up, Christie, for maybe I can learn more solutions to dilemma aof what is overall best for my two “Black Beauties”, Inca and Sophie.
Comment by Colorado Transplant — March 17, 2009 @ 8:04 am
Gina, I’m not saying ALL folks throw out the trough but a good majority people do indeed just free feed a big bowl of dry food with little to no effort.
Cats are NOT low maintenance pets, as many like to believe. They require just as much effort as dogs and in many cases don’t get even half that.
As I said, I’ll never understand this argument. It’s not ok for other pets to roam free outside but it’s natural and ok for cats. As a cat lover, I find it disheartening that cats don’t deserve the same consideration as their dog counterparts.
Comment by Heather — March 17, 2009 @ 8:10 am
Again, my cats are getting every bit as much consideration. How miserable would my dogs be if they never left the house? Instead, they go on river-parkway runs, to training grounds, dog parks and more.
You know the pet I feel worst about? My PARROT! No matter how much environmental enrichment I offer him, I can never make up for what he has lost for being my indoor pet. (Some people free-fly their trained parrots, by the way.)
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 17, 2009 @ 8:18 am
Why? So you can punish your “bad” neighbors by having their cats die at AC?
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 17, 2009 @ 8:03 am
Firstly, my AC will fine them, *if* that. And my AC is practically no kill. They don’t take in ferals and were the first in my state to legalize TNR. They work with local rescues and no kill shelters. They don’t kill for space. There kill stats have dropped dramatically in recent years. They are well on their way to a no kill nation.
Why is ok for my cats to be stressed and tormented in their own home? Why is that acceptable? Why is ok for my friend to have to live with her cat spraying? If people want to let their cats outdoors, that’s their decision but it must come with responsibility. It’s not my responsibility to deal with their cats. Why is that fair?
Comment by Heather — March 17, 2009 @ 8:19 am
Suggestion: Why don’t you try a motion-detector sprinkler to keep your neighbors’ cats out of your yard? That what I usually suggest to readers who complain about cats. It’s a practical solution.
As for life being “fair,” well, I let that one go in kindergarten.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 17, 2009 @ 8:22 am
There kill stats have dropped dramatically in recent years.
Comment by Heather — March 17, 2009 @ 8:19 am
*Their*
And FWIW, my cats go outside with harnesses. I’d love to have an enclosure but alas I am a renter. A friend of mine has a huge, awesome enclosure attached to her house. I’m insanely jealous.
Comment by Heather — March 17, 2009 @ 8:23 am
Heather, I do think that’s the perfect compromise. The enclosure Christie had at her old house in the country was the most beautiful cat paradise imaginable.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 17, 2009 @ 8:25 am
I’m not sure the mailperson would appreciate getting hosed when she comes to deliver the mail. And I’ve tried to electronic deterrents and the cat repellant spray.
Comment by Heather — March 17, 2009 @ 8:31 am
My cats have lived exclusively inside since we got our second cat when I was a kid. They have cat trees, kitty condos, a rotating assortment of toys, and lots of love and attention. They do not appear to be bored, frustrated, or depressed.
However, I have to say, they also do not appear to be stressed or tormented by neighborhood cats that come onto our property or even into the rose bush right outside my living room window. Nor have my plants appeared to suffer from the visitations of our local feral or free-roaming owned cats.
I disagree with the choices of so many of my neighbors to let their cats outside. I don’t believe it’s safe, not even remotely. We are in a thickly-settled, very busy urban neighborhood. We also have opossums, coyotes, and hawks. It’s a dangerous world out there, for a six- or seven-pound cat.
But I find the claim that they’re somehow a threat to either anyone’s property, or the happiness of anyone’s indoor cats, to be frankly a bit bizarre.
Comment by Lis — March 17, 2009 @ 8:35 am
Ok, now we’re getting somewhere. You have a problem. That doesn’t mean any cat, any where should never be allowed outside.
But if my cats, in their couple hours outside a few days a week, were causing a neighbor problems, I would certainly pull out the plans and get going again on that enclosure. End of discussion, and yes, I have asked the neighbors.
I NEVER defend allowing a pet to cause a problem for someone else.
Have you talked to your neighbors?
Another practical suggestion, along the lines of understanding that some things are outside of our personal control: Have you tried blocking your own cats’ access to the room or window where they are likely to see the other cats? Yes, I know: Not fair. But I’m trying to offer possible solutions.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 17, 2009 @ 8:37 am
I have had my own neighbor pet problem, by the way. My sweet neighbors (two sisters) took in a stray dog who is a problem barker. Non-stop yappy. That’s a real problem for someone who works a lot at home, believe me.
But we worked together to try out ways that might help to keep Mango more quiet — some training, some behavior changes (theirs and mine), some environmental change to reduce bark triggers.
It took a while, everything didn’t work, of course, but a lot did and the end result is that Mango is now a dog we all can live with.
Muttering, “Mango, STFU!” was cathartic, but generally unhelpful. Working with the neighbors was a far better option, offering real solutions Even if Mango still is barkier than I would like, it within the parameters of what I can live with, easily.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 17, 2009 @ 8:46 am
mmm…Mango. Now I want a mango water ice.
Comment by Original Lori — March 17, 2009 @ 9:06 am
But I find the claim that they’re somehow a threat to either anyone’s property, or the happiness of anyone’s indoor cats, to be frankly a bit bizarre.
Comment by Lis — March 17, 2009 @ 8:35 am
You’ve never heard of outdoor cats causing behavioral problems for indoor cats?
I could care less about poop or whatever in a garden or plants. Lots of animals defecate outside whether it’s cats, squirrels or raccoons. I’m not concerned about a “threat” to my property.
************************
Ok, now we’re getting somewhere. You have a problem. That doesn’t mean any cat, any where should never be allowed outside.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 17, 2009 @ 8:37 am
As I said before,
“If people want to let their cats outdoors, that’s their decision but it must come with responsibility.”
I never said cats should never be outside and as mentioned my cats go outside harnessed and supervised. I don’t feel its safe to let them roam free unsupervised or for them to be a nuisance to others.
And my neighbors don’t care. They “can’t” keep their cat in their yard or away from mine.
Comment by Heather — March 17, 2009 @ 9:36 am
I live in a highrise so its not like I can just open the door and let them out.
I try to play laser pen and/or remote control mouse chase every evening with them. They also like to fetch balls and chase soap bubbles, so we have a variety of things going. They also have a cat tree, cat beds, a gazillion other toys that I rotate around.
And as a special treat, I put a couple of inches of water in the bathtub along with a little motorized shark and let my big guy chase it around.
I do think my cats get a bit bored at times - but in a busy metropolitan area going outside is a big NO! But if I had a big yard, I would probably set up one of those giant enclosures so they could play without getting lost or hurt.
Comment by 2CatMom — March 17, 2009 @ 10:24 am
Motorized shark! I love it!
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 17, 2009 @ 10:27 am
“Suggestion: Why don’t you try a motion-detector sprinkler to keep your neighbors’ cats out of your yard? That what I usually suggest to readers who complain about cats. It’s a practical solution.
As for life being “fair,” well, I let that one go in kindergarten.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 17, 2009 @ 8:22 am”
I love Christie’s post and the responses. It’s great that cat owners are trying to find appropriate solutions that meet the needs of their cats and their neighbors. But here’s the thing: I’m not a cat owner and I really do NOT want other people’s cats in my yard. It’s my yard, and I should have a choice. Don’t I? Why do cats have rights that people don’t? If a neighbor’s kid came into my yard and started digging, harassing my dogs, killing birds, and the other things cats do (well, presumably not the pooping in my garden…), I’d have a variety of recourses. And if the parents took the attitude of every cat owner I’ve ever talked to about keeping their cat on their own property (an indifferent shrug), I’d have even MORE recourses. So I see this as intractable, because cat owners basically have Gina’s attitude: life’s not fair, suck it up. No, I DONT have a right to use my property as I choose. Cats have more rights than me: it’s MY job to keep them off my property.. but I can’t even THINK of trapping the cat, because that would be cruel.
Comment by EmilyS — March 17, 2009 @ 10:52 am
Okay, now we need the URL for the motorized shark.
I think Lindsey would freak (he’s more of a fluffy-ball kind of guy), but *I* want to see it.
Comment by Dorene — March 17, 2009 @ 11:29 am
When I lived in the ‘burbs, and had many cats, we built a chain link “house” so they could go outside and still be safe.
Some loved it, some were indifferent. But it was great to have and can be a great solution.
By using dog kennel panels it can be built simply and relatively cheaply.
Now, with three cats in an apartment, we are on the third floor, with a forest full of wild beast behind us, and a highway in front of us. So they don’t go out, but we make sure they have many windows to look out of.
Comment by WereBear — March 17, 2009 @ 11:38 am
Cat owners basically have Gina’s attitude: life’s not fair, suck it up.
Comment by EmilyS — March 17, 2009
OK, but then, what am I supposed to do about the raccoons, rats and possums? Not to mention the wild birds? Shit happens, everywhere. Even if I happen to “own” the property.
And my point was that Heather doesn’t have a CAT problem; she has a NEIGHBOR problem.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 17, 2009 @ 11:49 am
I agree you with you, Heather, about cats often being treated as second-class citizens - even in animal-welfare/animal-advocacy circles. Since cats have been the number-one housepet for years (based on population), you’d think that the sheer numbers would begin to raise their status a bit. But, no, the mindset for many people is just pour some kibble/open the back door. And if the cat doesn’t come home, well, the cat just “ran away.”
I used to house/pet-sit for a neighbor who had one dog and one cat. The dog got regular vet visits, plus attention for his behavior and phobia issues (he was a rescue). The cat, meanwhile, hadn’t seen a vet in years, and as it aged, it was losing weight, had poor coat quality, etc. I gently suggested that Buttons should see a vet and get some basic bloodwork, said the likely conditions (CRF, thyroid) were relatively easy to treat. But, no, the cat never saw the vet. This couple was happy to seek my advice and products for the dog (I successfully used calming aids on him when I watched him during a thunderstorm), but the cat just wasn’t high on their priority list. I gave up trying to advocate for Buttons.
A couple of weeks after this couple moved to a new neighborhood, the cat, not yet acclimated to the new house, dashed out the front door. A few days later, my neighbor drove past my yard and stopped to tell me about the lost cat, and said she figured the cat had purposely left to look for a place to die - even though the cat was not at death’s door when they moved. I explained that that was mostly an old wive’s tale and that their poor cat was probably just scared and disoriented. I recommended posters, local lost pet websites, and put her in touch with an animal rescuer who regularly helps perfect strangers find their pets. I could tell that this was all sounding like too much trouble. I was afraid that I’d hear what I didn’t want to know, so I never checked back. I felt a connection to this cat, who I had cared for occasionally for several years, and it hurt my heart to know that her own family treated her so casually. I happened to talk to the woman again a year later. She said that they did look for the cat, put up some posters, but Buttons was never found. Damn - makes me cry a little even now. Poor sweet kitty.
Anyway, to chime in on the main point of this story: yes, I think cats are safest indoors and generally should not be allowed to roam. You just don’t know when they might wander a little too far or decide to pursue a squirrel just as the FedEx truck comes down the street.
But most of my cats do have access to the great outdoors. Our backyard is fenced, and the fence has netting and poles to keep the cats from jumping over. The trees have deer-netting skirts that prevent the cats from climbing. One multi-limbed mulberry tree couldn’t be skirted normally - two kittens kept figuring out how to bypass the skirt. So we hired someone to remove some boughs and build a lattice barrier. We specifically asked for one bough to be cut off straight, thus providing a seat for the cats (we call it the “catbird seat” - they can climb the tree partway, but can’t go any further). It’s been a few years since we built most of this, and some of the hardware, etc needs to be replaced or repaired. I’ve been scoping out the yard, and as soon as the weather is warm and dry enough, I’ll be out there reinforcing the weak areas so that there aren’t any escape routes. The base of the fence is reinforced with bricks or lumber, as necessary - once had a cat who liked to try to tunnel her way out.
Not all our cats like to go out. Some don’t go out at all; some don’t like to go out when it’s cold. But on a warmish day, several will be out there. Our blind cat Ziggy loves to flop around in sun puddles - it is his greatest joy, and it always warms my heart, too. One of our cats is a determined escape artist, even with the enclosure, so Rufus doesn’t have backyard privileges. He does, however, have a matching collar, harness and lead, and loves to go on walks where he can greet his public. Turns out he likes most dogs - who knew?
I recently had to depart from my cats in- house/enclosed-yard/on-leash policy, though, for Sammy, the neighborhood stray. He had been seen wandering, obviously homeless, for a couple of years at least. Last spring, he started spraying my front porch. So I decided to make him my responsibility and made him my one-cat TNR project. He comes daily for his meals, and stopped spraying after he was neutered. He refuses to use either of the shelters I provided for him, though. He crosses the street to wherever it is he does sleep. So now, even though my own cats are safe in the house or yard, I have an “outdoor” cat who I fret over.
Comment by cerridwen — March 17, 2009 @ 12:02 pm
Gina, at the rate this one’s going, you may want to consider quietly replacing Christie’s name with yours in the byline. But that would be cheating, wouldn’t it ;-)
Heather, have you considered not worrying about how other people chose to keep their pets? And the possibility that you don’t know what’s right for everyone else? Just askin’.
Comment by Susan Fox — March 17, 2009 @ 12:09 pm
My little Batman (no longer with me) used to get blamed for all the cats’ poops in the neighborhood—it was impossible for him to do that many. Needless to say, all those that complained are now my “enemys”. These same people did not complain about poops from opossums, squirrels, racoons, foxes, etc.
What should I say about all the dog poops on my front and back lawns? No, it is the cats that are the naughty ones—the neighbors say. After all, these neigbors love their dogs!
Comment by Colorado Transplant — March 17, 2009 @ 12:11 pm
I’ve discovered that deer netting over the raised vegetable beds works just fine for keeping the neighbor’s cats out. I use coffee grounds to deter them from defecating in the flower beds and that has worked very well. I’ve blocked access to under the porches so they can’t go under there when it rains. I just can’t go to war with my neighbor over his 3 free roaming kitties. I feel kind of sorry for them, though. They look sort of rough and I’m not sure they get regular vet care.
Comment by C.L.H. — March 17, 2009 @ 12:28 pm
“sun puddles.” Love that!
Comment by Sonia — March 17, 2009 @ 12:31 pm
Heather, have you considered not worrying about how other people chose to keep their pets? And the possibility that you don’t know what’s right for everyone else? Just askin’.
Comment by Susan Fox — March 17, 2009 @ 12:09 pm
Wow. I’m generally surprised at a.) the tone here and b.) this conversation would be different if this was about dogs.
Consider your question when your neighbor’s dog lives outside on a chain because you couldn’t possibly know what’s right for everyone else.
As I’ve said twice now, this will be the third time:
“If people want to let their cats outdoors, that’s their decision but it must come with responsibility.”
I’d prefer not to worry about how other people choose to keep their pets. But when they are at my house, it becomes my problem. So I’ll continue to call AC with a nuisance complaint. If the cats get impounded, the owners made the choice and it’s the consequences of their decision. They alone have to take responsibility for it.
And I generally don’t see raccoons, foxes, possums, rats sitting on my front porch, peeping in the windows or peeing on the front door.
Honestly, I’m just baffled. So I’ll just leave you all to it.
Comment by Heather — March 17, 2009 @ 12:57 pm
Dorene: If Gina says “OK” I could even send her a couple of pictures of Teddy playing with his little shark in the sink - you can see the big shark in the picture which really needs a big bathtub to zip around in.
Comment by 2CatMom — March 17, 2009 @ 12:59 pm
I’ve been around a while and this is a debate that could go on for ages and that probably will.
Outdoor cats face many risks (including predators in my area) and it is a calculated risk to let them out.
Sure, you can mitigate the situation as best as you can but there is always danger.
Cats have also been notoriously ignored by their pet parents when it comes to socialization, training, or enrichment.
On the other end of the spectrum, the issue of predation on wildlife (yes, even when they have food at home) or the passage of disease to (and from) local wildlife remain other concerns.
For a long time in my practice I have recommended that people install an aviary type of enclosure with a window entry to and from the house.
This gives a safe zone to them while also allowing them to venture out.
Perches, access to natural earth and foliage are other benefits—and are under more controlled circumstances.
Responsible pet ownership also means that you are a good neighbor but that doesn’t mean that people will be so (as the comment thread here shows).
Ultimately I think it is a personal choice and a calculated risk depending on where you live and the threats faced because of the surroundings.
BTW IMO many cases of house soiling or other undesirable behavior could be eliminated with access to the stimulation of outdoor access or a great deal of work to provide environmental stimulation indoors with many of the products on the pet market today.
Comment by Ark Lady — March 17, 2009 @ 1:09 pm
Dorene: If Gina says “OK” I could even send her a couple of pictures of Teddy playing with his little shark in the sink - you can see the big shark in the picture which really needs a big bathtub to zip around in.
Comment by 2CatMom — March 17, 2009
Absolutely …
—-
And Heather I think we actually agree (you and I, at least) that many cats are not cared for as well as many dogs. And that pets should not bother the neighbors.
But I still think it’s possible to evaluate risk/benefit and make a decision in each individual case — no outdoor access, limited by “catiary”/cat fencing, limited by circumstances (only goes out with owner, etc.)
You disagree, and that’s just fine. Except:
If the cats get impounded, the owners made the choice and it’s the consequences of their decision. They alone have to take responsibility for it.
Comment by Heather — March 17, 2009
That’s still an attitude of getting the cat killed to punish the neighbors. It’s the same attitude that drives the traditional sheltering concept: We have to kill the pets who come in to shelters, because anyone who’d take a pet to a shelter is bad and needs to learn the consequences of their actions.
I’m not saying that you are consciously thinking that, but that it’s kind of the way we have all thought about these things — us animal advocates anyway — before having our core beliefs blown up by the potential of no-kill communities to save pet lives by working WITH people instead of against them.
I see any underlying idealogical parallel. Is it just me?
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 17, 2009 @ 1:17 pm
Actually - I think the tubby toy is an orca - not sure if this is the exact one:
http://www.newcooltoysonline.com/suorsusumi.html
Its battery operated and moves quite fast around the perimiter of the tub rotating as it goes. Teddy will lean over and bat at it for a while - finally he’ll get so excited that he jumps in the tub and chases it around. I put about 2 inches of water in the tub - enough so the toy can move.
The only problem is when he’s done playing he doesn’t understand why rolling on the carpet to dry off isn’t OK. So towel drying has become part of the game- in the form of a play wresting match.
No, I don’t have a life.
Comment by 2CatMom — March 17, 2009 @ 1:21 pm
Those cat-proof fences ( http://www.purrfectfence.com/ ) are the BEST IDEA EVER! If I had cats I’d totally get one.
Comment by Pai — March 17, 2009 @ 1:39 pm
“Consider your question when your neighbor’s dog lives outside on a chain because you couldn’t possibly know what’s right for everyone else.”
Red Herring Alert.
Comment by Susan Fox — March 17, 2009 @ 1:39 pm
Not that I pay attention to such things, heaven knows, but Christie’s SFGate.com piece is sizzling hot with comments and readers over there.
Only Dick Cheney is drawing more fire.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 17, 2009 @ 1:50 pm
Yowza… it’s the top emailed and third most read piece on SFGate.com today! And SFGate.com is the seventh busiest news site in the country.
Teh kittehs are pleased with this offering.
Comment by Christie Keith — March 17, 2009 @ 1:52 pm
It was front and center, well actually right side top, on the SFGate home page with a kute kitteh photo this morning. Do you get a $1,000,000 bonus for that?
Comment by Susan Fox — March 17, 2009 @ 2:28 pm
She should!!
Comment by Original Lori — March 17, 2009 @ 2:36 pm
That’s all I say to Heather is that I sincerely hope some day she will show Compassion to every living creature!
Comment by Colorado Transplant — March 17, 2009 @ 2:42 pm
Wow, just wow.
Now because I don’t agree with free roaming, owned, outdoor cats and believe my cats have a right to not be tormented in their own home, I’m not compassionate, not an advocate for animals and against a no kill nation.
That’s a pretty big assumption.
That whole working together thing works both ways.
Comment by Heather — March 17, 2009 @ 2:58 pm
Do you get a $1,000,000 bonus for that?
I used to, but they gave it to someone at AIG.
Comment by Christie Keith — March 17, 2009 @ 3:06 pm
Pai, if we were living in a place where I didn’t feel it was reasonable to let the cats out loose on the property, a cat fence is exactly what we’d install.
I wonder about the effects of the indoor air pollution we’ve all read about on a 9lb. or so house cat whose face is close to the floor and who has limited or no on-going access to fresh air day to day.
Hard, maybe impossible, to draw cause and effect conclusions, but I believe it’s something to be concerned about.
Comment by Susan Fox — March 17, 2009 @ 3:06 pm
Heather,
I’m not at all saying that you’re not an animal-lover, or an animal advocate. But I am saying that you are operating with a underlying ideology that’s too common among animal-advocates, in my view.
And that is that pets must pay for the sins of their owners. In hopes, of course, that the owners will learn because of the consequences of losing a pet.
That’s also the dynamic that underpins the traditional shelter system. It’s not even on a conscious level, in many cases, but it’s sure as hell there.
I mean, geez, I expect a cranky cat-hater to call animal control on a neighbor’s roaming cat. But I’m kind of surprised that someone who actually likes cats would.
And again, let me state that you don’t have a cat problem. You have a neighbor problem. The distinction is important. If a free-roaming pet cat is causing a problem, the cat’s owner should make it right, as a good neighbor.
But an animal-lover, faced with a problem, should try to find an animal-friendly solution. As I did with my neighbors and their barking dog. We worked on what we could and I just shrug off the remaining barking because it’s soooo much better. But I never would have put them in a position to potentially lose their pet.
If you don’t see that, then really, let’s just let it be. I don’t think I can explain it any better than I have. And trust me: If you were my neighbor and my cats were causing your cats problems, I would get the contractor going on that cat enclosure.
Again, Heather, my intent is not to attack you personally, or anyone who chooses to keep cats inside, so please stop taking it that way. It’s a valid choice, and undeniably a lesser risk for the cats.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 17, 2009 @ 3:24 pm
Interesting comments regarding this subject. AAHA is working with various pet organizations through the CATalyst council to address the public preception problem cats have. Although they are the most popular US pet (total number) and one of the most blogged about subjects, cats don’t get the same respect or health care their canine friends get. Congrats Christie on the article’s success. The paper owes you big time. :0)
Comment by Jason Merrihew — March 17, 2009 @ 3:43 pm
We live in the city of San Francisco (densely populated urban area with a extremely busy main street out front where people speed up/down the hill and big city buses frequent) and are lucky enough to have exclusive ownership of the backyard of our 2-unit Victorian. We installed the Cat Fence-In system here to enclose the whole yard. We had to do some minor customizing for the irregularities in the way 100-yrs of architectural density between buildings/lots happens in SF, including building a fence/gate to block off the breezeway area (and creating a double-door system as a buffer to that scary street), and removing an old foundation from a former stable that was in our yard until 2003 - all providing possible escape routes for our kitten. It’s been over a year and has worked great so far. He spends a ton of time outdoors - safely enclosed. I do know that he’s killed a lot of insects (including a big dragonfly) – mostly moths, spiders and flies - but so far the pigeons and other birds know to stay out of our yard. There is a male pigeon that spends whole days taking pieces of vegetation off the roof next door and flying it to his nest someplace nearby and my cat loves to watch this while chirping and chattering. My cat spends quite a bit of time staring longingly up at “the princess in the tower” (the female indoor-only kitty that watches him for hours at a time from the apartment building behind us) and watching the workman demo and rebuild the decaying Victorian behind us to the north. Installing the Cat Fence-in system was the best thing we could have done for him and our household. I had indoor-outdoor cats (indoors at night always) previously that lived well into their 20s, but I could not have allowed this curious youngster outdoors because of the street we live on being so busy, him being so young, and he has hemophilia. I couldn’t risk him getting into a fight with another cat or even getting scratched. Also - he’s been raw fed since 4.5 weeks old, and I didn’t want his diet to be corrupted or appetite spoiled by eating a neighbor’s kibbles. I would have been too worried about all of this without the enclosure. The Cat Fence-in system we bought is the kind that also keeps other cats out of our yard, too. It works - there are other cats that have tried to get in and they have never been successful. I briefly considered keeping him indoors-only, but we live in a 600-700 sq ft studio and I can only imagine what crazy destruction/mischief he would have gotten into in here if he didn’t get a chance to spend so much time outside running around and being crazy - not to mention the torture and annoyance he would have caused to my turtle, goldfish and two senior Great Danes that sweetly tolerate his antics. And yes, I still take the time each day to play with him – he is always game for a play session. Sometimes I feel my games are not enough though and that he really should have a real live, feline playmate – maybe someday. Right now this is as many animals as I can successfully, responsibly and attentively care for – and the two senior Danes would not appreciate any more changes (new animals being introduced). When I had cats before enclosures were not as well known or available — but now that they are so readily available, effective and affordable - I see no real reason for people not using them these days. I think old habits die hard sometimes, but I’m really glad I’ve changed by ways. I think some of my neighbors think I’m weird though. Most people either have indoors-only or free-roaming cats - even with all the risks. There’s NO shortage of missing cat signs in this neighborhood; nearly epidemic (just about every pole has 2-3 signs on it) - we have at least one coyote living in the park at the top of the hill and plenty of urban traffic around here.
Comment by kasie — March 17, 2009 @ 3:47 pm
Why are you all pounding on Heather? Try walking in her shoes. It’s probably causing her anxiety and stress as she is the one dealing with the problem and having to clean up - not the neighbors who are causing the damn problem. Leave Heather alone. Was going to stay out of this fray, but couldn’t. If the neighbors won’t take responsibility, just WHAT is Heather to do. It’s not an ignorable problem.
Comment by VJ — March 17, 2009 @ 4:02 pm
Well, she could start by not advocating a solution that has the cats paying for their owner’s irresponsibility with their lives. Just a thought.
Comment by Susan Fox — March 17, 2009 @ 4:29 pm
But here’s the thing: I’m not a cat owner and I really do NOT want other people’s cats in my yard. It’s my yard, and I should have a choice. Don’t I? Why do cats have rights that people don’t? If a neighbor’s kid came into my yard and started digging, harassing my dogs, killing birds, and the other things cats do (well, presumably not the pooping in my garden…), I’d have a variety of recourses.
The local cats are harassing your dogs? Really? How are they doing that, exactly?
My cats are strictly indoor cats. And, I shouldn’t have to say this, but for the benefit of EmilyS, and Heather, and others, apparently I do: they get every bit as much love, attention, and vet care as my dog—although they do not get walks, or weekly baths.
But I’m obviously doing something wrong, because the neighbor cats, both owned cats and area ferals, do not damage my garden or my neighbors’ gardens. They do not taunt my indoor cats and provoke spraying, yowling, or destructive behavior.
And they do not harass my dog. Occasionally they have sworn at her, but that has happened when she has unwisely offered to play with them. My dog weighs all of fifteen pounds, and some of the cats in this neighborhood outweigh her without being in any way fat. They don’t harass her. They don’t seem to spend their time harassing other dogs in the neighborhood, either, not even the ones that are smaller than most of the cats. I’m really having difficulty wrapping my mind around this concept of the neighborhood cats “harassing” your dogs.
As for poop: The annoying piles of poop I find around here did not come from cats. For the most part, it’s absolutely clear that it didn’t come from cats; it came from one or more of the big dogs in the neighborhood, whose owners are apparently far too refined to carry anything as tacky as poop bags. Occasionally I see smaller poop around, that could come from cats—or from small dogs—or from the opossums and woodchucks in the neighborhood.
And for that matter, some of the intermediate-sized poop might be from the coyotes. Who knows?
Do you? Really?
And I know for sure a fair bit of the bird-killing is done by—birds. Red-tail hawks, to be precise. Mostly they kill only to eat, but for a couple of weeks every year, the devastation among the bird and small rodent populations is something awful, while the year’s fledglings are practicing.
And if the parents took the attitude of every cat owner I’ve ever talked to about keeping their cat on their own property (an indifferent shrug), I’d have even MORE recourses.
Yeah, because people would believe you about them actually doing damage, rather than merely annoying you by the bare fact of their existence. Also, they’re capable of understanding human property lines, and if they’re ignoring them, they need to learn not to.
So I see this as intractable, because cat owners basically have Gina’s attitude: life’s not fair, suck it up. No, I DONT have a right to use my property as I choose.
Sure you do. The cats aren’t stopping you. No, really, they’re not.
Well, maybe if you wanted to grow catnip for some reason. But generally, no, they’re not.
Cats have more rights than me: it’s MY job to keep them off my property..
Yes, just as it’s your responsibility to have your property adequately fenced to keep out young humans, if you have pool or another “attractive nuisance” on your property. Having that fence is Not Optional if you have a pool; it doesn’t matter if you think being required to fence your property is an infringement of your rights.
but I can’t even THINK of trapping the cat, because that would be cruel.
Yes, EmilyS, intentionally trying to get the cat killed to punish the owners is cruel.
Comment by Lis — March 17, 2009 @ 4:48 pm
I have sympathy with Heather as well. I would not appreciate someone elses cat spraying at my door.
I am unclear whether
1)she has told the neighbor politely, but firmly that this is going on and it needs to stop
2)if she can enlist animal control not to take the cat, but to speak to the neighbor,
3)if there is a mediator in the neighborhood she can enlist and if none of this works and
4)the spraying has caused actual damage to the house whether a trip to small claims court might do the trick.
I had this problem many years ago when I lived in an apartment building with a rear staircase. The neighbors cat would stop by and spray at the back door and my cats would be very upset. Fortunately, a little bitter lemon and cat “No” along with a squirt gun did the trick.
But that smell - that would have been intolerable if it had persisted - and I’m not sure what I would have done.
Comment by 2CatMom — March 17, 2009 @ 4:53 pm
Wow, I normally don’t read my comments at SFGate because they get too rough for me, but this doesn’t usually happen here.
Meep.
Comment by Christie Keith — March 17, 2009 @ 5:13 pm
I’ve read all the comments regarding Heather’s POV and issues, and I feel like I need to support her. She did write, and I know Gina read it, that her local AC shelter is not going to kill her neighbor’s cats, the most they might do is fine them. So to continually insist that she is going to make her neigbors “pay” by losing their cats isn’t really accurate. People should be responsible for their outdoor cats’ behavior. If not,they should be prepared to accept the consequences of their choice to let their cat harass the neighbor, whatever that may be. Me, I throw stuff from the window at neighborhood cats roaming through my yard. I have chickens and a garden that need my protection. Haven’t actually hit any, just scared the piss out of them.
Comment by Margaret — March 17, 2009 @ 5:21 pm
I have 2 mostly house cats. I got them as kittens at least a dozen years ago. They have always been indoor cats, although in really purrfect summer weather, one at least will venture out through the garage into the dog yard, but she has to work up the courage. The other only goes as far as the door.
I had a cat who did go out. She would help me garden, or train a dog over the AG equipment, and go for walks through the hayfield with the canids and me. She came when I called her, and always greeted me when I came home. Everyone who visited had to pay homage to her.She’d tap them with an insistent paw if they didn’t from her throne ( the kitchen table). The dogs would sleep with her, but she never played with them the way the 2 others do, being above all that sort of nonsense. Dogs? Pffft!
Alas, she was struck by a car right by the house, and died in my arms. It’s been 2 1/2 years. I still miss her.
My remaining two get aerobic exercise from playing tag with the dogs, have a large screen kitty tv consisting of a bird feeder just outside one set of living room windows, lots of old furniture to rub against, sleep on or scratch, a wood stove to keep them warm, lots of toys, an occasional deer mouse and young little brown bat ( highly exciting for all concerned when that happens), good food and plenty of lovin’.
I don’t think I’ll ever have a cat that goes Out again. I have lost too many over the decades to cars.
Comment by Anne T — March 17, 2009 @ 5:30 pm
I’ve got one cat whose life tenure has spanned the seventeen years from Boston apartment through two suburban houses, to farm life.
Dave has been an exclusively indoor cat, to the point where now, in his senescence, he is not interested in going outside. He’s also not really interested in leaving the furnace room in the basement. This sucks.
I really believe that his life always under a roof has limited his mental latitude, and contributed a great deal towards his becoming reclusive and strange as an old cat. I don’t believe it’s possible for an owner, even a very interesting household, to substitute for the richness of the world.
That doesn’t mean that, if I lived in an apartment or near a busy road again, I’d let a cat roam. The right answer about outside access depends on the circumstances, and the circumstances where Dave grew up were not appropriate for a cat to go outdoors at all.
But now that we have acreage with no road frontage, and have need of versatile mousers — the two “barn cats” have such rich days and nights, and participate so seamlessly in the life of this place. They have so many choices, and enough room to exercise their options while staying “home.” Watching them hunting in the hayfield, sunning among the chickens, or curled up in a chair by the fire with a dog, I can’t help but think that they have the most enviable of cats’ lives — the comfortable commensalism that has been there for our two species for millennia. It shows in their casual confidence and easy behavior.
Not everyone can offer a pet cat anything like these freedoms — not everyone lives in an apartment on a busy street, either. There are compromises. But it’s disingenuous to maintain that a permanently confined cat is not diminished by those limits.
As for the neighbor’s free-roaming neglected semi-ferals. They are not a nuisance in the village because they are permitted outside. They are a nuisance because they are neglected, because they are intact, because there are far too many of them.
And they aren’t a nuisance for me, since the first time they tried to intrude and Moe showed them to the end of the lane. No calls to animal control necessary.
Comment by H. Houlahan — March 17, 2009 @ 5:41 pm
Just to change the tone here, I love the ocra pool toy! Neither the cat or the dog likes water around here, but gosh, I think that toy looks like lots of fun. (Yes, did not have enough rubber duckies when I was a kid in the tub! ;-))
Comment by Dorene — March 17, 2009 @ 5:55 pm
I never thought too much about outdoor cats until I started working in a wildlife hospital. Then - wow - the cat-caused damage became very real and was quite devastating. Over the years, we’ve listened to our neighbors tell us that it’s “natural” for their cat to sit under the tree and wait for the right moment to gulp down tumbling fledglings, one by one. I imagine the conversation would be different if we explained it would be quite “natural” for our dogs to gobble up the kitties. The food chain, and predator-prey relationships and all.
My heart sinks when I hear a nest of hungry songbirds now, or a baby jay shrieking in the mouth of one of the local cats - bells be damned. We pulled a gorgeous stellar jay away from a cat last year and brought it to the neighbor, demanding that he drive it to the wildlife hospital for emergency treatment (secretly hoping that the responsibility would make him re-think things). He sheepishly agreed, but I have to wonder if he didn’t just stash it in the trash instead. Sigh - nothing’s changed and we recently watched his cat chase a cooper’s hawk off of her hard earned meal. It’s hard to make peace with this side of keeping cats entertained. Don’t think I ever will.
Comment by Donna — March 17, 2009 @ 6:29 pm
EmilyS: “Cats have more rights than me: it’s MY job to keep them off my property..”
Lis: Yes”
NO!!!
And that is why this issue is intractable.
If this, as some are saying, a “neighbor problem”.. please tell me what possible conversation could I have with Lis if she were my neighbor, and believes her cat has a right to my property and that it’s MY responsibility to keep it out? Would she pay to build the necessary fencing? And what if I didn’t want to have such a fence?
I’d like to know, because NONE of my attempts at polite “could you try to keep your cat on your own property” overtures to any of my previous neighbors has resulted in any change in their behavior, or their cat’s. “Sorry, that’s just the way cats are”.
And no, Gina, cats are NOT bunnies, or squirrels, or any other form of wildlife, to be allowed or tolerated. For one thing, it’s much more difficult, and much more expensive to exclude them. And we’re evidently not allowed any form of lethal control or trap and remove to Animal Control (which so often does amount to the same thing). Because that would be so cruel. Unless the trespassing animal in question is “vermin” i.e. groundhogs, possums, and other less cute kinds of animals. In THAT case it’s fine to kill, or even to promote a sport like “terrier work” to kill them for fun. But God forbid our dog kill a cat.. then it’s a headline, the dog is “dangerous” and subject to seizure and death.
Cats seem to be in their own “domestic pets when we want them to be; undomesticated wildlife when we want them to be; feral special status animals when we want them to be” categories. So no, I don’t get it. The double standards make my head heart.
Comment by EmilyS — March 17, 2009 @ 7:20 pm
EmilyS: “Cats have more rights than me: it’s MY job to keep them off my property..”
Lis: Yes”
NO!!!
And that is why this issue is intractable.
If this, as some are saying, a “neighbor problem”.. please tell me what possible conversation could I have with Lis if she were my neighbor, and believes her cat has a right to my property and that it’s MY responsibility to keep it out? Would she pay to build the necessary fencing? And what if I didn’t want to have such a fence?
My cats are inside—a fact I’ve mentioned more than once in this discussion.
Cats who are outside wander according to feline notions of territory, not human notions. You will never live in an area where 100% of the owned cats are inside and there are no feral cats.
So, yes, if you want to keep cats off your property, you have to deal with the fact that even with 100% cooperation from the owners of the owned cats, you will either take effective measures yourself, or you will have the cats on your property.
And if your “solution” to your problem is trapping or killing the cats or calling Animal Control to have them do it, don’t expect to be loved and admired for it—except by other cat-haters.
And no, Gina, cats are NOT bunnies, or squirrels, or any other form of wildlife, to be allowed or tolerated. For one thing, it’s much more difficult, and much more expensive to exclude them.
Oh, my.
Do you really believe that?
Try telling it to someone who has tried to keep deer or rabbits or raccoons out of their garden.
No, it is not harder.
And we’re evidently not allowed any form of lethal control or trap and remove to Animal Control (which so often does amount to the same thing). Because that would be so cruel.
Yup. And only a cat-hater would be puzzled as to why.
Unless the trespassing animal in question is “vermin” i.e. groundhogs, possums, and other less cute kinds of animals. In THAT case it’s fine to kill, or even to promote a sport like “terrier work” to kill them for fun.
In my area, no, it’s not. Lethal measures may NOT be used against groundhogs, opossums, rabbits, squirrels, skunks, or other nuisance wildlife unless they become an actual threat to human health or safety, not merely a nuisance.
It is, quite naturally and appropriately, different in areas where agriculture is a larger factor—some of those areas being not very far from here. In those areas, however little you’re prepared to credit it, these animals are a real problem. And no, using terriers to do the work they were created to do in controlling them is not remotely comparable to dog fighting.
But God forbid our dog kill a cat.. then it’s a headline, the dog is “dangerous” and subject to seizure and death.
This varies wildly with where you are. What won’t vary is that, if your dog kills someone’s cat, and you equate it to killing a rat, you’ll have made a permanent enemy.
A rat is not a dog is not a boy. And a cat isn’t a rat, either.
Comment by Lis — March 17, 2009 @ 7:47 pm
OK - in the interest of world peace - here’s my solution:
Get the motion activated sprinkler as suggested, get a PO Box and voila! - no pesky cat, no wet mailman.
Can’t we all just get along?
Comment by 2CatMom — March 17, 2009 @ 7:59 pm
Uncle.
It was not my intent to pick on Heather. I was trying to get to the root of the issues. But I maintain: I NEVER said it was OK for someone’s pet to bother a neighbor. That said, however, I do believe sometimes we have to tolerate many things we don’t like to get along in relatively close proximity.
I also said that I thought an animal-lover should look for animal-friendly solutions. Whether the problem is a feral cat, an owned cat or a barking dog.
Sometimes … I think too damn much.
Cats are IN. We’re going to bed.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 17, 2009 @ 8:12 pm
2CatMom: Can’t we all just get along?
What she said.
At this point, I can’t even follow the thread of the argument anymore, and it’s hurting my head to try. I do think Heather’s comments were at times misinterpreted, and that unsavory attitudes and motives were unfairly attributed to her. In Comment #55, 2CatMom provided an accurate interpretation of Heather’s actions - at least, it coincided with my understanding of the situation- and it all seemed very reasonable to me. So I’m jumping in to defend Heather (even though it’s taking me away from the guilty pleasure reading Dr. Phil’s message boards).
When there’s a problem with animals in your neighborhood, I think communicating/negotiating with the neighbors is a win-win strategy - IF the neighbors are rational and are willing to change their minds or their behavior. But even otherwise reasonable, compassionate people have blind spots or rigid beliefs (ref. my former neighbor, in my earlier comment, who would do anything for her dog - but wouldn’t provide medical care for her cat). Maybe the reason this discussion generated so much animosity is that specific solutions for individual situations were interpreted as one-size-fits-all. Dunno - going over to Dr. Phil’s place to see what makes my head explode over there.
P.S. Tonight I discovered a bonus of walking a cat on a leash: I wanted to let my husband know that dinner was waiting for him, so before I took Rufus for his walk, I left this note:
Dear Mr. L,
Went for Walk.
Noms in fridge.
Rufus
:0)
Comment by cerridwen — March 17, 2009 @ 8:41 pm
Christie, I needed this discussion about cats so much at this time.
I have learned so much about how people deal with cats.
No, my present two cats cannot have the rich life that all my other cats have had—because of angry neighbors opposed to them having freedom. However, they will have the best I can give them. After all, they are “just cats” that were throw aways given to two different shelters. So some life is better than no life.
My knowledge how to deal with these cats has been expanded so now I can solve my dilemma of how to deal with the outside/inside problem, thanks to ALL the comments I have read.
Comment by Colorado Transplant — March 18, 2009 @ 5:56 am
My cat Dickens stays inside with a big cat tree and a porch window seat. I live three blocks from the busiest highway in town. My yard is fenced, but a roommate’s cat used to scale it easily and when he was gone I panicked. I like the idea of an enclosure - some friends have a terrific one that he built without buying a kit. I don’t like the idea of leaving any animal on a tie out stake unsupervised because they can’t run to protect themselves.
Remember Kitty Boy, the cat I take care of who doesn’t like to use a litter box and prefers outdoors? He is extremely street savvy and is now 13 or so and has never come home with a problem. Kitty Boy is miserable inside. We have another neighbor, a major cat lover, who doesn’t like roaming cats to bother her three cats and she says she will call animal control if she thinks it is necessary. She has told that to Kitty Boy’s people, who live two houses away.
Kitty Boy’s people let him outside and use a tieout in their back yard for the other two, who remain indoors (although Otto tends to bolt out and then panic after an hour and wants back in).
I don’t pretend to know what the answers are, but realize there is no single answer that is right for every cat and owner.
Comment by Phyllis DeGioia — March 18, 2009 @ 8:15 am
“there is no single answer that is right for every cat and owner.”
Which really IS the answer, when you stop to think about it.
Comment by Susan Fox — March 18, 2009 @ 9:37 am
Dear Mr. L,
Went for Walk.
Noms in fridge.
Rufus
:0)
Comment by cerridwen — March 17, 2009
Love this. :)
Comment by Gina Spadafori — March 18, 2009 @ 9:38 am
I grew up with cats allowed outside and there were no problems. And when I got my first cat after leaving home, I also let it outside. At first I had no worries about it, until a co-worker told me their cat had been taken away by an eagle. Well I thought what are the odds of that happening, prety slim so I continued with the outdoor routine when she wanted out. Then we moved out to a more rural area and one day driving home I saw a dead kitty in the middle of the road, it had been hit by a car…..no, it wasnt ours but that was it for me, I at first thought it was ours and the heart sinking feeling I got when I thought it was her was it for me. I could never live with myself if something happened to her so her free days roaming came to an end. I did continue to take her out with leash/harness but that also ended one day when there was a loud noise and she bolted and jumped over the edge of the deck with her leash/collar still on. I grabbed her at the very instant the clasp broke so she luckily avoided getting hung by the neck or dropping to her doom. That was it, my kitties are now all in-door. I think its a personal choice everyone has to make on their own considering where they live, etc. I just knew I wouldnt be able to continue to let her out if I didnt want to die early of a heart attack worrying about her all the time.
Comment by Sandi K — March 18, 2009 @ 10:36 am