According to the American Pet Products Association
(APPA), more cats are living the good life – indoors. Since the APPA first
began tracking the percentage of cats kept indoors during the daytime, the
number has risen from 57% in 2002 to 64% in 2012; in 2002, 68% of cats were
kept indoors during the night compared to 76% in 2012. That’s music to my ears.
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| "Jenny" photo by Nancy Peterson |
When I worked as a registered veterinary technician
in San Diego, California, good Samaritans often brought in injured cats whom
they’d found outdoors. My beloved cat, Stu, was one of them. Young boys on
their way to school found him on the side of the road. He had been hit by a
car. The boy’s teacher brought him to our veterinary clinic and we were able to
repair his broken jaw and other wounds. We called him Student Cat and estimated
that he was about 4 months old. I cared for him for several weeks before he got
adopted by a nice family. Unfortunately, someone in the family turned out to be
allergic to cats and they brought Student Cat back to the clinic. The family
was very sad because they’d grown to love him in the four days they’d had him.
When I opened his carrier and picked him up, he
started purring immediately. My heart melted and I decided to adopt Student
Cat. He’d been through so much and I didn’t want anything else bad to happen to
him again. He joined my household of two other stray cats, Buddy, whom I found
in the parking lot where the veterinary clinic was located, and Daisy, who was
left behind when her family moved.
It’s not surprising that I acquired most of my cats
from the street. According to the APPA, more people (35%) get their cats as
strays than from any other source. Did you know that stray and feral cats,
known collectively as community cats, contribute 80% of the kittens born each
year and are the most significant source of cat overpopulation? Did you know
that cats can reproduce when they’re only 5 months old? So, in addition to keeping
cats safe indoors, it’s very important to spay and neuter them in order that
their offspring don’t become part of the overwhelming population of cats being
cared for by animal shelters and rescue groups.
Once stray cats join my household, they become
indoor cats. I’m convinced that they live much longer and better lives than
they would as outdoor cats. None have shown the slightest interest in going
outdoors again. Even though my cats live indoors, they all wear safety collars
with ID tags just in case something happens. You never know. They could sneak
out the door if someone isn’t careful or they could become displaced during a
storm. In fact, one day Daisy did sneak out the door to chase an insect. She
froze in fear and I did too.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure that people who let
their cats roam love their cats, and they think it’s cruel to keep cats
indoors. Although it wouldn’t be good to keep cats indoors with no way for them
to exhibit their natural behaviors, cats who are provided with a stimulating
environment can live happy, and safer, lives indoors. Instead of chasing a
leaf, they can chase a ping pong ball; instead of climbing a tree (and possibly
getting stuck up there), they can climb a carpeted cat tree; instead of
relaxing outdoors in the sun, they can get some rays and watch the world go by
from their window perch.
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| "Luna" enjoying the sights outside, photo by Nancy Peterson |
Because my cats live indoors, I notice if one
suddenly goes to the litter box more often than usual. As soon as I noticed my
cat Buddy straining to urinate, I took him to the veterinarian. He had a
bladder stone which had to be surgically removed. I might not have noticed
Buddy’s problem if he went outdoors and a male cat who can’t urinate will get
very sick very fast. He may never have come home and suffered in great pain. Another
time I was getting ready for work and Daisy had a seizure. I could have missed
that if she was allowed outdoors.
Speaking of safety, an indoor lifestyle for cats also
protects them from being hit by a car, mistreated by mean people, being injured
by other animals, and having other life-threatening or fatal encounters.
Keeping cats indoors also protects birds and wildlife who may fall victim to
cats and helps keep the peace between neighbors who don’t appreciate cats using
their garden as a litter box, walking on their cars, or upsetting their indoor
cat.
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| "Toby" photo by Nancy Peterson |
An indoor lifestyle doesn’t have to mean that your
cat never has the opportunity to enjoy being outdoors. I’ve trained one of my
current cats, Toby, to “walk” on a harness and leash. As soon as he’s out the
door, he munches on a plant and relaxes under a bush. Since he’s not that
interested in going outside, I haven’t continued the walks. Why risk getting
fleas or other parasites when he can munch on cat grass and relax on his cat
tree inside. My other current cats, Luna and Jenny, are on the timid side and
would not enjoy the harness and leash.
I really want to build a catio (a screened in patio
enclosure attached to the house) for my cats to give them a greater opportunity
to enjoy the outdoors in a safe setting. I think we would all enjoy being together
in the backyard while I garden. You may want to consider a cat-proof fence for
your yard but remember that although it will keep your cat in, it won’t keep
out other animals who could harm your cat.
For decades, The HSUS, the nation’s largest animal
protection organization, has promoted the important message of keeping cats
indoors. Nancy Peterson, a registered veterinary
technician and award-winning writer, joined The HSUS in 1998 and has served as
the Cat Programs Manager since 2005. Nancy’s current family consists of rescue
cats Luna, Toby, and Jenny.
