Comments on: Who let the cats out? I did, and here’s why http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/11/16/who-let-the-cats-out-i-did-and-heres-why/ Blogging by a team of pet-care experts led by Dr. Marty Becker. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 20:18:01 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Gina Spadafori http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/11/16/who-let-the-cats-out-i-did-and-heres-why/comment-page-1/#comment-483464 Gina Spadafori Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:14:51 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=10161#comment-483464 It's not the change of temperature that's risking her life -- it's the cold. Take her in and keep her in, at the very least until she's used to her new home. It’s not the change of temperature that’s risking her life — it’s the cold. Take her in and keep her in, at the very least until she’s used to her new home.

]]> By: Bonnie http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/11/16/who-let-the-cats-out-i-did-and-heres-why/comment-page-1/#comment-483463 Bonnie Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:08:35 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=10161#comment-483463 A kitten has shown up in our yard, every tame and mannerly. I want to keep her as an outdoor cat, but I want her to come inside, too. How long can she hang out with us in the dead of winter without getting sick from the change in temperature? A kitten has shown up in our yard, every tame and mannerly. I want to keep her as an outdoor cat, but I want her to come inside, too. How long can she hang out with us in the dead of winter without getting sick from the change in temperature?

]]> By: AnneT http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/11/16/who-let-the-cats-out-i-did-and-heres-why/comment-page-1/#comment-478899 AnneT Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:08:43 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=10161#comment-478899 I'm so torn on this. My knee jerk reaction is 100% inside, that's it, period, you must not love your cat otherwise. Not friendly but I promise I don't say it out loud... much. But it's easy to say because I adopted two rescue kittens who have never been Out in their lives (I don't think the carrier trip from the door to the car counts). I also let them on every horizontal and vertical surface in my apartment and work hard to keep them amused. But life isn't black and white. The first cat I lived with as a kid would not give up Out for anything, even the nice screen porch. So while she was younger she was an inside/outside cat, then, eventually, we were able to leash her on a long lead and only when we were around. And that was ok because she was ancient and only wanted to sleep in the sun and eat grass. But her 17 years wouldn't have been nearly as happy had we insisted on keeping her in. But please, if you live in the city, keep your cat in. I came really close to hitting a cat a few weeks ago. It's just too busy in most neighborhoods :( And I really, really don't want to hurt any animals, I hate driving enough as it is. I’m so torn on this. My knee jerk reaction is 100% inside, that’s it, period, you must not love your cat otherwise. Not friendly but I promise I don’t say it out loud… much. But it’s easy to say because I adopted two rescue kittens who have never been Out in their lives (I don’t think the carrier trip from the door to the car counts). I also let them on every horizontal and vertical surface in my apartment and work hard to keep them amused.

But life isn’t black and white. The first cat I lived with as a kid would not give up Out for anything, even the nice screen porch. So while she was younger she was an inside/outside cat, then, eventually, we were able to leash her on a long lead and only when we were around. And that was ok because she was ancient and only wanted to sleep in the sun and eat grass. But her 17 years wouldn’t have been nearly as happy had we insisted on keeping her in.

But please, if you live in the city, keep your cat in. I came really close to hitting a cat a few weeks ago. It’s just too busy in most neighborhoods :( And I really, really don’t want to hurt any animals, I hate driving enough as it is.

]]> By: Gina Spadafori http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/11/16/who-let-the-cats-out-i-did-and-heres-why/comment-page-1/#comment-478770 Gina Spadafori Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:39:48 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=10161#comment-478770 If your worried about your cat catching birds, try the CatBib. It stops 4 out of 5 cats from catching birds. catgoods.com Comment by SG — November 17, 2009 Not gonna happen, but thanks. I wouldn't humiliate my cat that way. I have to sleep sometime, you know, and he'd kill me in the night. As for the whole cat-bird freak-out, people cause more bird deaths than cats ever could because people destroy critical habitat. People who live in wood houses shouldn't throw stones at cats. Not to mention, as mentioned in the piece ... he kills rodents. Routinely. Never have seen him with a bird, ever. I'd like him to continue killing rats and mice. It's his JOB, and it's a service to me. Four out five? Why do I expect you work for the company? Don't cite figures you cannot back up with anything more than marketing hype, please. If your worried about your cat catching birds, try the CatBib. It stops 4 out of 5 cats from catching birds. catgoods.com

Comment by SG — November 17, 2009

Not gonna happen, but thanks. I wouldn’t humiliate my cat that way. I have to sleep sometime, you know, and he’d kill me in the night.

As for the whole cat-bird freak-out, people cause more bird deaths than cats ever could because people destroy critical habitat. People who live in wood houses shouldn’t throw stones at cats.

Not to mention, as mentioned in the piece … he kills rodents. Routinely. Never have seen him with a bird, ever. I’d like him to continue killing rats and mice. It’s his JOB, and it’s a service to me.

Four out five? Why do I expect you work for the company? Don’t cite figures you cannot back up with anything more than marketing hype, please.

]]> By: Gina Spadafori http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/11/16/who-let-the-cats-out-i-did-and-heres-why/comment-page-1/#comment-478769 Gina Spadafori Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:36:42 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=10161#comment-478769 Yes, Woody is a great dog with a lot of common sense. He just VERY POLITELY lets people know the rules, which are: That is my MOM'S. You will not touch it or take it. Thank you. This is my MOM'S house/car. You will ask HER before entering. If it's cool with her, I love you, love you, love you. Because I love everyone, but you gotta know I still have a job to do. Nothing personal, you see. Yes, Woody is a great dog with a lot of common sense. He just VERY POLITELY lets people know the rules, which are:

That is my MOM’S. You will not touch it or take it. Thank you.

This is my MOM’S house/car. You will ask HER before entering. If it’s cool with her, I love you, love you, love you. Because I love everyone, but you gotta know I still have a job to do. Nothing personal, you see.

]]> By: Verde http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/11/16/who-let-the-cats-out-i-did-and-heres-why/comment-page-1/#comment-478766 Verde Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:39:59 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=10161#comment-478766 After the scare Woody gave the wood-be UPS package thief, I have no doubt that you have excellent dog door security. :`) I had to laugh yesterday a strong north wind was blowing the dog door on the porch open. Big D stood guard over it for a good 20 min. and told it what he thought of it's misbehavior. After the scare Woody gave the wood-be UPS package thief, I have no doubt that you have excellent dog door security. :`) I had to laugh yesterday a strong north wind was blowing the dog door on the porch open. Big D stood guard over it for a good 20 min. and told it what he thought of it’s misbehavior.

]]> By: SG http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/11/16/who-let-the-cats-out-i-did-and-heres-why/comment-page-1/#comment-478755 SG Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:35:16 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=10161#comment-478755 If your worried about your cat catching birds, try the CatBib. It stops 4 out of 5 cats from catching birds. If your worried about your cat catching birds, try the CatBib. It stops 4 out of 5 cats from catching birds.

]]> By: H. Houlahan http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/11/16/who-let-the-cats-out-i-did-and-heres-why/comment-page-1/#comment-478700 H. Houlahan Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:28:52 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=10161#comment-478700 <i>They insisted eggs produced in the absence of a rooster could still produce chicks. I suggested not, and why not, but they informed me I was misinformed.</i> <i>I let it drop. As I said, they’re very sweet women and their hearts are in the right place. Even if I sometimes do wonder where their brains went.</i> Gina, much as I enjoy a little neighbor-bashing, and of course you are absolutely right about <i>your eggs</i>, imagine my astonishment when I learned about this: http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/837/parthenogenesis-embryonic-development-in-unfertilized-eggs-may-impact-normal-fertilization-and-embryonic-mortality In some breeds of turkeys it is COMMON. All the parthenogenic poults are males, normal males with normal fertility. They insisted eggs produced in the absence of a rooster could still produce chicks. I suggested not, and why not, but they informed me I was misinformed.

I let it drop. As I said, they’re very sweet women and their hearts are in the right place. Even if I sometimes do wonder where their brains went.

Gina, much as I enjoy a little neighbor-bashing, and of course you are absolutely right about your eggs, imagine my astonishment when I learned about this:

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/.....-mortality

In some breeds of turkeys it is COMMON.

All the parthenogenic poults are males, normal males with normal fertility.

]]> By: Phyllis DeGioia http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/11/16/who-let-the-cats-out-i-did-and-heres-why/comment-page-1/#comment-478699 Phyllis DeGioia Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:02:09 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=10161#comment-478699 This past summer Dickens figured out the dog door. He was much happier, went hunting, hung out in the fenced back yard. When I realized he was leaving the yard, he lost his back yard privileges. It's upsetting to him, but I live three blocks from a busy highway. He was mentally stimulated, happy, lost weight, and was more affectionate than he had been. He escaped every harness I put on him. So now he has to stay indoors. I don't miss cleaning up his presents, though. I kept wondering why he wouldn't eat the head: are rodent skulls too hard to swallow, or were they a delicacy offered as a present? This past summer Dickens figured out the dog door. He was much happier, went hunting, hung out in the fenced back yard. When I realized he was leaving the yard, he lost his back yard privileges. It’s upsetting to him, but I live three blocks from a busy highway. He was mentally stimulated, happy, lost weight, and was more affectionate than he had been. He escaped every harness I put on him. So now he has to stay indoors. I don’t miss cleaning up his presents, though. I kept wondering why he wouldn’t eat the head: are rodent skulls too hard to swallow, or were they a delicacy offered as a present?

]]> By: Laura http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/11/16/who-let-the-cats-out-i-did-and-heres-why/comment-page-1/#comment-478672 Laura Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:38:30 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=10161#comment-478672 Gina, there I was feeling like the evil one letting my cats out because of the risks (and the vocal masses telling me how evil I am). There's not a day that goes by that I don't worry about my Lily outside, and she's had her moments (she has a paralyzed tail now - I think that was someone slamming a door on her) I feel the same when I watch my 5 and 3 year old children walking up the street holding hands to visit a friend's house. What's right for me is not necessarily right for others and vice versa. BTW, I'm going to be testing a GPS tracker for Lily in December - I've always wanted to know where she goes. Perhaps I won't want to know after that! Gina, there I was feeling like the evil one letting my cats out because of the risks (and the vocal masses telling me how evil I am).
There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t worry about my Lily outside, and she’s had her moments (she has a paralyzed tail now - I think that was someone slamming a door on her) I feel the same when I watch my 5 and 3 year old children walking up the street holding hands to visit a friend’s house. What’s right for me is not necessarily right for others and vice versa.

BTW, I’m going to be testing a GPS tracker for Lily in December - I’ve always wanted to know where she goes. Perhaps I won’t want to know after that!

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