Top Reasons to Keep Your Cat Indoors

  Posted on August 29, 2010  by Joy of Living  No comments

Bo, the blogging kitty: Face it.  We have two types of cat lovers in this world:  those who are wise enough to know that cats are safer when kept indoors and those who believe that cats deserve the freedom to run in the great outdoors. The latter may be true…if you own a tiger and live in the jungle!

Part of a human’s responsibility to their cats is to keep them safe and healthy.  If you are one who still likes to give your cat that outdoor freedom…the freedom of the open road…read on.  I hope to change your mind.

Here are a few reasons why it is best to keep your cat indoors:

1.) When indoors, cats do not get hit by cars…unless, of course, the dog of the house (not that our lovable Jessie would do this!) gets cocky and decides to see what it is like to drive, only to put the gear shift in Drive as opposed to Reverse, ramming the car into the living room from the garage.

2.) Indoor cats are safe from predators and dog packs. Otudoor cats rank below predators in the food chain, and if there is a hungry duck, coyote, owl, or the like, that cat is like a 24-hour McDonald’s drive-through.  Even with claws and fangs, the outdoor cat does not stand much of a chance.  If declawed, well, that is basically a suicide mission.

3.)  Indoor cats don’t upset the neighbors.  Even if your outdoor cat is “well-bred,” if it wanders into a neighbor’s yard who is not particularly fond of cats, well, you may have your own personal altercation there…and I personally don’t know where in the food chain you stand with your neighbor, but I really don’t want to know.  Neighbors can be down-right mean when it comes to matters such as these.  Best not to tempt fate.

4.) Indoor cats are safe from human abuse.  Did you guys see that video out of England last week where a woman put a cat into a garbage can and closed the lid “just for fun?”  She said she meant no harm, but seriously, folks….I mean, as much as the dog in our house bothers me, I would NEVER do something so ill-spirited as that!  I may throw some of her TOYS in the trash, but never her!

5.)  Indoor cats can get plenty of exercise.  Think:  interactive toys, climbing towers, and scratching posts.  Heck!  We can really get our hearts pumping chasing that family dog around!  I also get additional exercise by jumping to conclusions and avoiding the issue.

6.) Indoor cats do not get lost.  Even though the family dog may need a GPS to find its way from the basement to the attic, cats who stay inside pretty much have a handle on the lay of the land.  Get him outside, and all bets are off.  As he expands his outdoor territory, the chances of him finding his way back home get slimmer.

7.) Indoor cats are not stolen.  Ever hear of a “buncher?”  That is someone who steals outdoor cats and sells them to laboratories for animal experimentation or research.  Some people will even grab cats for use as “bait” for training fighting dogs.  Sounds hard to believe, but those low lifes are out there!  (Mmmmm…is that what a cat burglar is???)

Well, I know some of you have your own opinions of indoor vs. outdoor cats, and I respect that.  I just wanted to share my piece on this topic.  As for indoor dogs versus outdoor dogs…that is another story for another day.  I am sure there is some quick way to nail this doggie door shut once Jessie runs out for a bit.

(Thanks to cat.about.com for this awesome information!)