Lainey

Lots of folks... cats get into fights with other cats, hit by cars, etc. , more chance of the cat using all of their nine lives quickly. Most cats do get "street smart" over time though. I've never like the idea of indoor cats, and litter boxes, and I would not want to de-claw a cat. That's a nasty procedure for the animal.

Since I don't like shredded furniture, we let the cat out.

HARDtoTOP

those same people complain about dogs in kennels too. WTF is next? let's bring in all the wild animals too so they don't get cold?

Lainey

Well kennels are OK if they are short term. I don't understand folks that constantly keep their dog tied up or caged in a kennel all the time. Why bother getting a dog? On really cold nights, I'd rather see dogs and cats inside, garage or basement will do, but that's just my opinion. The real wild animals can stay outside.

HARDtoTOP

I'm not talking about leaving the dog out all night or in below freezing temps. But during the day in decent weather they like their fresh air. My guys are outside in the mornings and afternoons most of the time and then they come in to watch TV and cuddle on the couch with us. If the kids want to play with them during the day they do that too.

The other side of that is for Zig, he needs to be acclimated to the cold and hot weather otherwise he would have trouble breathing in those same conditions at work. Imagine having a dog always in the AC and then asking him to do a 2 mile track on a 90 degree day!

elmmx5

[QUOTE=Legal Bill,Nov 11 2009, 03:52 PM] Who doesn't approve of letting cats out?

Bass

all good points erick - vet bills, ticks, eating mice, missing cat cats are much healthier inside but once mine got the taste for goin outside (stupid roommate) there was no stopping them

Lainey

FWIW, inside cats get fleas too. See the cat sitting in the open window...fleas can come right on in. Fleas can be even worse on the cat that stays indoors, as the fleas have no where to go but inside your house or on the cat.

I do agree that they are safer indoors, whatever works for you.

Our kitty just got seen by the vet. $150.00 later....she should be OK. She has a temp, likely a respiratory infection, she got some kind of shot to get some fluids into her, antibiotics (giving her pills is always fun) and Rick picked up flea medicine as she has been scratching.....No evidence of her being in a fight, though she did have some kind of boo boo over her ear the other day.

zzziippyyy

A cat that has never gone out lacks the skills to survive outside and the odds of survival drop given various factors. Proximity of traffic from said cats location, type of breed, disease etc.

Now if the cat had gone outside from day one this would be different, but you cannot take an indoor cat and just start letting them out.

Rose and I would never let any of our 3 ragdolls outside. They would get stolen or run over first than any number of other things could happen to them.

But you must remember the pedigree of our cats is high and they were $$$ to $$$$ to acquire in the first place. One of our ragdolls was the national grand champion kitten back in 1998 and her value during her prime breeding years was in excess of $5000. She has kittens in many countrys including Sweden, USA, Canada and others she is now retired so nowadays she lives a pampered spoiled indoor life. Can you say 2 litterboxes cleaned 3 times a day

Lastly we them too much to let them out.

I present:

Racing Rags Purr-O Later

Mainely Rags Terrible Tony

Racing Rags Rainbow

HARDtoTOP

$5000 for a cat?????


That beotch would have been on Ebay the same day!!!!

zzziippyyy

^ Ya but the other side of the coin is the $$$$$ the kitty earned from breeding!