Outdoor Kitties

[matty]

I'm slowly introducing my cats to the magical world of OUTSIDE. I plan on eventually making them as much outdoor kitties as indoor. My problem is, I have a hard time judging how long they should stay outside unsupervised, and have questions like, "Will they ever come back??"

I'm looking for feedback from people with indoor/outdoor kitties--what is an acceptable amount of time to leave Bosie and Gal outside? Can they stay overnight, and I'll let them in come morning? How long do other indoor/outdoor kitties stay gone?

I've always had either strictly outdoor or strictly indoor kitties--I'm having trouble mixing the two! And outdoor kitties in rural Missouri had it alot easier than outdoor kitties in downtown Columbia. Plus, Galvatron is very fond of sniffing roadkill, which is on the STREET. (Bosie, of course, will go nowhere near the street.)

Please give me some words of wisdom, cat owners! Ease my worried mind!:help:

[False Alarm]

this won't ease your mind but what the hell. from the american veterinary medical association (this is from a 2001 article but remains their position today):

A new position statement titled "Free-roaming, Owned Cats," which the Executive Board approved, states: "The AVMA strongly encourages owners of domestic cats in urban and suburban areas to keep them indoors."

The life expectancy of an outdoor cat is two to five years, whereas indoor cats may survive for 17 or more years. Free-roaming cats are in danger of injury or death caused by vehicles, attacks by other animals, human cruelty, poisons, traps, and disease. They also have increased potential to transmit or serve as reservoirs for some zoonoses.
http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/jul01/s071501e.asp

[matty]

Yeah, thanks alot, False Alarm. Anybody else???:cry:

No, I'm just kidding. I am aware of the dangers. The heart of the issue is that my younger cat is HORRIBLE. He's a totally disobediant, out-of-control, BAD CAT, and by letting him outside I feel he gets the stimulation and freedom that he needs. I'm not worried at all about the older cat, because he'll probably choose to stay indoors all the time anyway, and he's extremely skittish of other people, animals, etc. But the kitten is out of control, and I need to give him more stimulation than he can get inside, AND I need to get him away from me every now and then before I strangle him and go to jail for animal cruelty.

Also, every household I've personally known that had two or more strictly indoor cats--the cats had PROBLEMS. I think it's too small a space for cats to coexist and have mental stability. And I've known lots of people who had outdoor-roaming cats that lived long, happy lives. (That two-to-three year statistic is questionable.)

My cats are kept up on their shots, have all their claws, and are for the most part smart enough to avoid danger. I just worry, is all...

[False Alarm]

Yeah, thanks alot, False Alarm. Anybody else???:cry:

No, I'm just kidding. I am aware of the dangers. The heart of the issue is that my younger cat is HORRIBLE. He's a totally disobediant, out-of-control, BAD CAT, and by letting him outside I feel he gets the stimulation and freedom that he needs. I'm not worried at all about the older cat, because he'll probably choose to stay indoors all the time anyway, and he's extremely skittish of other people, animals, etc. But the kitten is out of control, and I need to give him more stimulation than he can get inside, AND I need to get him away from me every now and then before I strangle him and go to jail for animal cruelty.

Also, every household I've personally known that had two or more strictly indoor cats--the cats had PROBLEMS. I think it's too small a space for cats to coexist and have mental stability. And I've known lots of people who had outdoor-roaming cats that lived long, happy lives. (That two-to-three year statistic is questionable.)

My cats are kept up on their shots, have all their claws, and are for the most part smart enough to avoid danger. I just worry, is all...
yo it's all good just throwing it out there.

as for the two- to five-year stat, i'd say it's accurate but deceptive, as feral kittens (depending on environment) probably get snuffed out pretty quick a lot and drag the numbers down. and besides it looks like it applies to strictly outdoor cats rather than indoor/outdoor cats, so it ain't applicable with yours.

[007]

Also, every household I've personally known that had two or more strictly indoor cats--the cats had PROBLEMS.

I've never had problems with the two cat indoor method. My cats are always well behaved. As long as they use the litter box, I can overlook other small annoyances.

I don't have any advice for the outdoor kitty thing. I had an outdoor cat in the country, but I would be scared shitless to let my cats roam free in the city. Once, our cat escaped for the nite. I woke up the next day to a kitty pancake in the parking lot. I had to scoop her up in a garbage bag. --The thing that would worry me the most is malicious people. The story above - our parking lot was short & slow; I really think that someone went out of their way to run my cat down that nite.

Sorry, no helpful advice, only horror stories.
I've known people who've successfully had in/out kitties & never had a problem. Maybe Andi will have some good advice.

[matty]

007--your cats are well-behaved, but one of mine is NOT. And the usual things don't seem to have an effect--squirt him with water? He looooves water! Add vinegar to the water? He loooooves vinegar. Tap him on the nose? It's playtime! And two seconds later he's doing the same shit.

Mostly it's the constant yowling. Staring out the windows at birds or whatever happens by and acting like it's the end of the world. Especially in the morning. I've done everything with Galvatron that I did with Bosie, and Bosie is the most well-mannered, cozy cat ever. Gal, however, seems intent on destruction and mayhem. I know he's young, but this is beyond that. He's a NAUGHTY cat. The word "NO" means nothing to him. (I guess some cats are just assholes.)

Actually, he's half Siamese, and some loser I dated said that Siamese cats are very stubborn and strong-willed, more than normal cats.

Also, I really do feel like I'm depriving them of a world of exploration by keeping them indoors all the time. I want them to be able to do some cat stuff, like chase birds and climb trees and stuff. But then I wonder if letting them outside will just make Galvatron even MORE bad indoors.

I need a pussy expert!

[Soul Queen]

I also would be most worried about malicious cat haters. It seems they like to take their anger out at all the kitties in the world.

In miami it was really bad. Simolean's friend had someone come into her yard and beat the shit out of her cat. It was terrible.

I think your kitty either will be street savy or not. I'm not for sure how much street smarts a cat can pick up. Also be careful of nasty worms and diseases your cat can pick up from roadkill.

Cat training devices... Tape works really well if you want them to stop scratching stuff or jumping on ledges they shouldn't. I've also bought kitty spray for my furniture that has worked. I also bought kitty phermones for the road trip. Its supposed to calm your cats down and for urinary problems. But I've never used it. The cats really didn't meow that much on the trip. They were good. The spray I use is from Pet Organics and its called NO SCRATCH. I also used it with Marley and Skins and had good results.

Sometimes if your cat is a talker, there's really nothing you can do about it.

[matty]

he's not talking--he's YOWLING. Like the mournful wail of the Banshee.

[cuscus]

I don't know about where you live, but here in Wisconsin there is a huge feral cat issue. Such a problem that it is legal to hunt feral cats. All you would need is one drunk or angry cat hater to shoot a cat feral or not. Anyway I am always nervous with pets outside, whether cats, dogs, or other. Even if they are domesticated there are so many opportunities for accidents. My brother had an indoor kitty that never returned home, so I might be biased here, but I would say inside more, for there protection.

[Ag Au]

all the indoor/outdoor cats i have had or known were raised that way from the beginning, so adjusting one later i am a little worried about. but it could be fine. for some reason i worry more about cats outside than dogs, but really that doesn't make any sense.

i have friends who made outdoor cat perches in trees and tunnels and enclosed them with mesh. the cats love them and also get their outdoor time. but i don't know if you could do that where you live. i have also seen things like this for sale in catalogs but the cats look way unhappy and sorta seem like sitting ducks in there for the next mean dog to come over and play with.

sorry, i guess i don't really have much good advice. i suppose just stay out with them for the time being and keep an eye out until everyone gets comfy with their new situation.

[CaDi_LaCkLaNd]

I need a pussy expert!

Pussy expert here.

It is my experience that if you do let them out it is easy to get them back in if they enjoy it enough. They find it impossible to stay away from such a good situation as a warm place to sleep and some good lovin. To discipline them a water bottle often simply excites them.

Also, on a positive note, if they do find a better place and no longer return they are easy to come by and you can quickly get a new one. Who knows, maybe they will even be better behaved. However, I like mine a little crazy.

Just my two cents. P.S. I've never owned a cat.

[poofdogg]

Pussy expert here.

If by pussy expert, you really mean big-nosed clown....then I agree. :howdo:

[andikay]

I've known people who've successfully had in/out kitties & never had a problem. Maybe Andi will have some good advice.

:) ...

I think it depends on the temperament and intelligence of your cat and where you live. Matty, you and I live in a neighborhood that I think is okay for an outdoor cat. You just have to use your judgement (judgment? I always forget when to use which one). For example, when I lived on the corner of College and Paris (both busy streets, for you non-Columbians), I never let my kitty out. She was miserable, but I didn't want to take a chance.

I think your kitty will be okay. My big fat 11-year-old cat is pretty dumb, but she is smart enough to stay away from busy streets. She used to lie right in the middle of the street on Rosemary, but she knew enough to get up when she heard a car coming. However, some cats are NOT smart enough to stay away from cars, or are unable to if they live in a high-traffic area.

Bottom line: You're going to have to spend some time observing him while he's outside. This means going outside with him whenever you let him out and watching what he does. I know it's a pain in the ass, but you're going to have to do it to know if he is too dumb to stay out of the street. Sit and watch him for a good twenty minutes when you let him out for the next few weeks. Maybe you should start smoking outside and let him come outside with you when you do. You'll get a feel for whether he's smart enough not to get run over.


THE CAT LADY HAS SPOKEN.