The cats seem so miserable untill they go outside. They love it out there, but I don't leave them out very long. I hate for them to get fleas, or get lost or whatever outside,,,but that's all they beg for. What should I do. I want to make them happy.
Answers:
We all want our pets to be happy. Well...most of us.
My cat is an indoor cat. After we adopted him, he protested like the baby he is. But we bought him some toys, gave him LOTS of love and attention with as much playtime as we could afford and kept him entertained.
Your vet is right. Your cats will live so much longer if they are simply kept indoors. I know it's difficult to see them wanting to go outside but sometimes, the darned cats don't know what's best for them.
Keeping them indoors keeps fleas and ticks off of them (as well as off of you and out of your home); eliminates the chance that some wack job will hit them with their car; protects them from people who like to hurt animals, mean dogs and other cats that can hurt them; and minimizes the chances of catching disease (e.g., FIV, Lyme disease, rabies).
You'll save money from having to make unnecessary vet visits and it'll save you grief and sadness should something horrible happen to one of them. I have been the owner of cats that were indoor/outdoor kitties...believe me when I advise against letting them go outside!
I know you love your cats. I can see it! But keeping them indoors is better for everyone in the long run. As long as they have plenty of kitty toys to play with, they will learn how to be indoor cats.
Good luck!
NO.
The biggest reason is that you don't want to contribute to overpopulation of unwanted kittens AND cats can catch all kinds of diseases out there. Keep kitty safe at home.
Why does the vet say that going outside is bad for cats? Are you in an area close to a road or river or what? Most cats love the great outdoors, but it is your job to make sure that they stay out of danger. If there is no danger, then I cannot see why it would be bad for your cats to go outdoors.
It depends on where you live. There is nothing wrong with letting them out with supervision. You wouldn't want them getting run over or getting in a fight with a raccoon or anything, but my cats go outside every day and I have never gotten fleas or any diseases. Usually the only cats who run off are un-neutered males in search of a female. If your cats are fixed and have had a rabies vaccine, I don't see any reason to coop them up in doors when the weather is so nice. Just keep an eye on them. They even sell little cables for cats like what they have for dogs that are outside so they can explore, but stay in a controlled area. It's always an idea.
It can be bad for your cats to go outside if you haven't taken the proper preventative measures for that.
Your vet can tell you what you need to do to make sure your kitties stay healthy when they are out.
You can use flea/tick preventative on them, and you should start them on a heartworm preventative, like heartguard, as heartworm disease is present in all 50 states (it is passed by mosquitos) and is very difficult to treat in cats.
It's best to let your cats out into an enclosed area, or with a leash on, so they don't run away. They can get frightened easily. Just in case, they should each have a collar with your address and phone number, and their most recent rabies tag on it.
Being outdoors can be dangerous, but there are ways to make it safer for your little fuzz balls.
No, personally I disagree with letting cats outdoors unrestrained. It is so much safer inside. However, you could leash train them with a harness. A lot of people do this and their cats love it. Another option is to build an enclosure that they can get to through a window or cat door. Make sure it's fenced on the sides and the top. You can even make it interesting by giving them things to climb on in the enclosure. They're actually relatively simple and inexpensive. You can learn more about them and how to make them here http://www.catsofaustralia.com/cat-enclo...
well, my cats roam freely in and out of the house ( we have dog doors for our dogs, but the cats use em' too) and they seem fine. i will admit that we had two cats a couple of years ago that disappeared and haven't been seen since. we have coyotes that roam late at nght so we assume they got killed by them. but we don't know. so we worry some times. but it's all good. :)
umm i wouldnt trust that vet. my vet lets his cat outside all the time! my cat lives outside and he loves it! i would let them out when they want but if u want to b safe i would maybe watch them cuz there not really outside cats.
No, absolutely not. It has been proven that cats that go outside have a shorter life span than cats that are kept indoors. Cats are very susceptible to various diseases.
You're getting really good answers here, but something else to consider is how well you know these cats. If you've had them from kittens, you're probably okay, but if not, putting them on a leash could result in disaster. I put a cat on a leash and he was fine until i took him outside and he freaked. He exploded out of the harness and the collar, blew the leash off like it was nothing and ran away at amazingly high speed. Two weeks later, we finally found him. Turns out that a previously feral cat (one that has been living outside on his own) is not a good candidate for leash walking. He turned wild again almost instantly and we could have lost him for good. He had been hit by a car in those two weeks and nearly starved. It took quite a while to regain his trust, and needless to say, he's never been on the outside again other than in a latched carrier.
if you want to make them happy, maybe buy them a treat or something. Don't let them out if the vet says its bad for them! they will die sooner, maybe once every week or every second week, take them outside (with you beside them) but only for like 5 minutes!
just give them once a month flea and tick topic treatment, and train them to walk on leashes so you can take them out to the park for longer periods of time: That's what I do with my cat and he loves to go on walks! If you can't get them to walk on a leash then try getting them a kitty stroller (ebay search : pet stroller) as long as they have flea and tick treatments and you are there to supervise then they should be just fine
I also have cats that beg to go outside and whenever they go out they love it, the only problem is that if you start letting your cats out they might try to get out every time the door is opened and they might even rip up your screens if they still have claws, and if they don't you probably shouldn't let them out because it could be dangerous for them if they don't have a way to defend themselves, you also might want to consider a chain or leash of some sort so you can tie them out without worry of them running off or getting hurt
It can be done if you are willing to take time to do it, so few people want to invest that time. As so many of us know, all it takes is educating the cat about outdoors. That's all.
Take 5 minutes the first day, either on leash or in your arms, let kitty smell and look but not walk around, same for a few days after that. One day at a time, gradually a bit more each day.
Then take them to a car that's about to start, but do this in your arms, secure, and have someone start the car. They won't like it and if you do that twice, they'll do anything to avoid cars in future. Do the same with dogs. Teach your cats to walk on a leash and walk her along a road a few times, that way they'll know that roads have those noisy things they dislike so much, and they'll avoid those too. The more you show your cats, the safer they are.
Remember, this is about educating the cat the way you want them to be - safe. Make sure they are fixed. And that they are Frontlined or have tick and flea collars.
Firs the first few months or so, always be with them outdoors, so you can see they have learnt.
If you do this gradually and repeat it again and again, they learn, cats are not as stupid as some owners would have them be. They learn fast.
As long as kitty's shots are up to date, kittys are microchipped and have been taught by you they'll hang around home, having them fixed also cuts down the chance of straying.
The reason why your vet said no, is since most people cannot be bothered to teach their cat anything about safety, and so many of us have proven that if you teach your cat right, it's safe. Contrary to what indoor-only people would like to believe, cats outdoors do not live 3 years, in that case someone should have told my cat and many others that they should have droppeddead many years ago, but they're not, they are happy and healthy and ahve the outdoors to play in too. My vet only has to see my cat for boosters, and always comments on in what stunning condition she is. I live between a highway and a busy road, for reference.
Alternatively have a Purrfect sat fence system put up, that way they can go outdoors but not get outside of your garden, and everyone wins.
If you have cyotes and eagles who roam where you live, rather keep the cats indoors, or if your cats are declawed, then it's not safe.
If you want expensive vets bills then let them out as offen as you like. You have to think of it this way, Cats meet up with other cats which mean your cats will more then once meet up with a stray, and who knows what kind of illnesses they have.
So listen to the vet and DON'T LET THEM OUT.
I agree with your vet, it's so much safer for your kitty to not let him go outside unsupervised. I work at a cat shelter, and we get so many cats who were probably "loved" indoor/outdoor cats who were brought in. There owners probably just thought they "disappeared" and thought no more of it, when more often than not the cats end up euthanized. There's nothing sadder than having an owner come looking for there cat a week after their cat disappeared only to find out its already been euthanized.
There are so many diseases out there, such as FelV/FIV and parasite (fleas included). Keeping them inside and away from all of this will ensure that your kitties will live longer, healthier lives. No chance of getting into fights with other cats or dogs or being hit by a car from the safety of their home!
Plus, I know most cities have ordinances to always keep your pet leashed and/or on your own property at all times. So you'll also be obeying the law by keeping your cat inside and not roaming at large!
If you find that you absolutely cannot stand to keep them indoors (and I think you'll find that eventually they'll get used to it and not even miss outside at all if you give them enough attention inside!), you might consider building them a "cat fence". These fences are designed in a way that the cat is not able to jump over them and get out. So this way they can enjoy the outdoors, but without the worry of getting lost, hit by a car, or hurt by a person or a dog. You'd still have to worry about fleas though.
My cat is an outdoor cat and she loves it. Your vet is saying that it is better for them to stay inside because they can't catch anything from other cats inside your house. They should have all their vaccinations and flea tratments every three months to prevent fleas. I also hope you don't live on a busy road because a lot of cats are killed by cars. Think of it this way, would you rather live a long life in prison or a short life free? I think the best thing to do is outside during the day and inside during the night as it is harder for drivers to see cats on the road at night.
listen to all the other answers but i'm guessing your cats still have their claws. so unless they have been declawed don't even consider letting them out. Also try to keep some plants around inside your house cuz maybe they just want out to nibble on the greens that they crave so i'm sure once they have spayed and declawed and refused to be let out they will stop begging. it has alot to do with descipline. my cat was an outdoor cat at first but once i got her she was never let out and if she did sneek out i would spray her with the hose and so she got scared of going out again. now she's safe and content inside. also it keeps her away from getting into contact with other animals that can give her diseases.
There are alternatives that will make them just as happy, if not more, such as enclosed areas. Or if they have their shots, put them on harnasses and watch them run around. It is very unsafe, cats actually domesticated themselves hundreds of years ago becuase they like to be pampered. Think of it this way: Kids love to run and play, but you don't just let a two year old outside of the house to run in front of a car? It is fun to hang outside with them, or dress up windows for them to enjoy. If you have let them go outside, that is why they are freaking out, indoor cats are just fine until they get a taste of outside and the crazy adventures there. They should calm down and be happy if they have a nice indoor place. My cat used to LOVE to go outside, and I went out with her for long periods daily, sometimes on a leash, othertimes supervised, but later on all she wanted was her fancied up balcony with grass to lay in, and she was safe and having a blast.
I wouldn't advise letting them out unless they are leashed. Too many cats run out into the road and get seriously injured or killed. They can also get feline leukemia that way. How about opening up a window, with screen on it, someplace in the house where, say, a lot of birds feed, or people walk by! That will keep them occupied.
Cats can get leukemia, a form of cat cancer, which is contagious and is passed from one cat to another. My cats are indoor cats, but I let them out for about 5 minutes a day so they can eat grass. I stay out with them to make sure other cats do not come around them. Just let them out a few min. a day, but keep them away from other cats.
I take my cats out supervised, and only once in a while. They don't beg to go out, but they love looking out, and when I take them out unleashed, they don't leave more than 5 feet away from my home. They just scuttle around the house from the front door to the back door :) I think you should let your cats enjoy the outdoors if that's what they want to do, you only live once. Just don't LEAVE them out there and forget about them!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment