Love Means Never Having to Say,
"My Cat is Missing"
Animal experts and a growing number of pet owners agree: Domestic cats don’t need to go outside to be happy. Your family will be happier and healthier too, without the diseases, ticks and dead critters indoor-outdoor cats bring their people.
And you’ll never have to explain to a sobbing child why his or her kitty didn’t come home. Some free-roaming cats are killed by cars, coyotes (don't blame them--they're born predators just as cats are!) or cruel humans. Others ingest poison and die before ever making it back to their doorstep. Still others crawl up inside car engines to get warm. You can guess what happens to them.
Fact is, well-cared for indoor cats can live 17 years or longer. Outdoor cats live an average of just two to five years.
The good news is you can transition your free-roamer inside only. Here are some tips to get you started. Need more? Ask your vet for a referral to a feline behaviorist.
"My Cat is Missing"
Animal experts and a growing number of pet owners agree: Domestic cats don’t need to go outside to be happy. Your family will be happier and healthier too, without the diseases, ticks and dead critters indoor-outdoor cats bring their people.
And you’ll never have to explain to a sobbing child why his or her kitty didn’t come home. Some free-roaming cats are killed by cars, coyotes (don't blame them--they're born predators just as cats are!) or cruel humans. Others ingest poison and die before ever making it back to their doorstep. Still others crawl up inside car engines to get warm. You can guess what happens to them.
Fact is, well-cared for indoor cats can live 17 years or longer. Outdoor cats live an average of just two to five years.
The good news is you can transition your free-roamer inside only. Here are some tips to get you started. Need more? Ask your vet for a referral to a feline behaviorist.
Blake was an indoor-outdoor cat who went astray. This is what he looked like when he was finally found. He's one of the luckier free-roaming pets. Many are hit by cars, killed by wildlife or tortured by cruel people. Photo courtesy of Rescue House
Timing. Never let your kitten out; she won’t miss what she doesn’t know. But older cats can learn to love the Great Indoors too. Bringing the cat in and shutting the door for good works for some. Others need to transition gradually, staying inside for increasingly longer periods. Winter, when cats would rather be indoors anyway, is an ideal time to start.
The Fix. Spaying or neutering your cat will reduce wanderlust—and prevent the tragedy of more homeless cats.
TLC. Cats need companionship and mental stimulation; an outdoor cat will welcome life indoors with enough attention and play. Do you work long hours? Consider adopting another pet. Many enjoy the company of a compatible cat or dog but may need time to adjust. Your vet or animal shelter can tell you how to “break the ice.”
Shake It Up. Shake a can filled with coins or marbles when your cat approaches the door. Or try a remote device so he doesn’t associate you with the noise that startled him.
"Indoor lifestyles are not only safer for cats but can be very satisfying if owners provide an enriched environment and plenty of attention, affection and play time. It does require more effort to keep a cat indoors. But you will be rewarded with a healthier cat and a stronger human-animal bond."
Stephanie Borns-Weil, DVM, Veterinary Behaviorist
Fun and Fitness. Play is essential to keep your cat healthy and happy. Interactive toys, such as a pole with feathers at the end, are fun and provide a bonding experience for both of you. You can also hide catnip toys so your cat can hunt for “prey.” Just be sure they’re not small enough to be swallowed. Or try placing cardboard boxes and paper bags without handles around the house. Cats love exploring.
Outside In. Providing fresh greens lets your kitty graze safely instead of munching on houseplants; some are toxic to cats. You can get kits complete with containers and seeds or plant pesticide-free alfalfa, grass or catnip in your own container. Don’t give your cat outdoor grass clippings.
The Safe Outdoors. A pet door leading to an outdoor covered cat enclosure—find them online or make one yourself—or a three-season porch offers the best of both worlds, fresh air and safety. Fill kitty's "outdoor" haven with multilevel cat trees, toys he can't swallow, greens and catnip.
A Bird's Eye View. Hang a bird feeder outside a window that your cat can access; just be absolutely, positively, 100% certain the screens are secure. Kitty will enjoy the show, and the birds will thank you too. Or treat your pal to a video of frolicking squirrels, mice and other critters. These are available online and in most pet stores.
Do NOT Declaw Your Outdoor OR Indoor Cat. It’s amputation of the toes to the last knuckle and can cause serious physical and behavioral problems. So can tendonectomy, which severs tendons so the claws can’t retract. If you don’t trim them often—your cat now can’t—they’ll grow into the paw pad causing extreme pain and infection. And if your declawed indoor-outdoor cat is cornered by a predator…it’s all over for the pet you pledged to love and protect.
A Bird's Eye View. Hang a bird feeder outside a window that your cat can access; just be absolutely, positively, 100% certain the screens are secure. Kitty will enjoy the show, and the birds will thank you too. Or treat your pal to a video of frolicking squirrels, mice and other critters. These are available online and in most pet stores.
Do NOT Declaw Your Outdoor OR Indoor Cat. It’s amputation of the toes to the last knuckle and can cause serious physical and behavioral problems. So can tendonectomy, which severs tendons so the claws can’t retract. If you don’t trim them often—your cat now can’t—they’ll grow into the paw pad causing extreme pain and infection. And if your declawed indoor-outdoor cat is cornered by a predator…it’s all over for the pet you pledged to love and protect.
Dedicated with love to Mr. McGillicuddy,
who died by the side of the road,
and all the other free-roaming cats who
didn't come home again.
Copyright © 2015 Coalition to Protect and Rescue Pets. All Rights Reserved.
