Do people who live in neighborhoods let their cats outside?

Question

2 of my cats love going outside and I want to let them out but I also feel bad if they are on the neighbor's property. What do other people do?

I already know about "dangers" of letting them out such as cars, etc. I just want to hear from people who let their cats outside.

Answer 1

In my neighborhood quite a few people let their cats out, and they p**p in my flower bed, spray, leave dead things etc. Not great. My cat is used to a harness and I would love to take her in the front yard on a leash so she could sit with me while I am gardening or whatever. I can't do this though because of all the people who let their cats and dogs run around loose and these animals try to attack her.

It is NOT safe for the cat, and it is very irritating for the neighbors. I would never dream of letting my cat wander around. Completely irresponsible. Get your yard fenced in so the cats can't get out and let them play there.

Answer 2

Our neighbors have- they never live very long once they start going out though. Be prepared for death or disappearance. They also get infested with fleas and bring home dead carcasses. We lived in the country and had cats go out a lot, but now I am in town and as much as I would love to I don't put them out. Kids shoot them or torture them, dogs attack them, antifreeze is readily available in the neighbors garage. It is just too dangerous.

Answer 3

yea all time unless they want i to be a house cat

Answer 4

We've got so many cats roaming around here, were not even sure who'se cat belongs to who. We believe some maybe strays and everyone feeds them. I have woken up to many a times with pawprints on my windshield. I just laugh cuz they look so cute.

If the neighbor's dog is always barking, let the cat out to leave dirty paw prints on their car.

Answer 5

I let mine outside but they've done it for so long they know their boundries. I think cats are way happier outside, where they have lived ever since domestic cats evolved. Cats are really smart and as long as they don't cross any busy streets they should be fine.

Answer 6

in my neighborhood (rather just on my street) there are a lot of cats outside that actually live around the street. one of them is mine and a few of them are from people who moved away and left the cats. we have a really nice lady that feeds the cats and takes care of them if they're sick and i offer food that my indoor cat won't eat to her. One neighbor complained but it was only because he said it made his house look bad to have cats running around! there are only 8 of them  sheesh. . .   lol      

Answer 7

One of our neighbors does. Before we put up a fence, it constantly came into our backyard, and even right up on to our deck to stare in our windows. It really bothered my dogs. It also enjoys pooping in our bushes and screaming in the middle of the night. And it's nearly been hit multiple times because it camps out under and behind one of our vehicles and takes its good old time getting out of the way when we need to back up. It's a very friendly cat, but it's honestly a pain to have it roaming around like this, not to mention extremely dangerous for the cat.

These same people let their huge shepherd mix roam around all it wants too, and it's come close to attacking my dogs twice. We spent over $4000 fencing in our backyard, not to keep our dogs IN, but to keep their animals OUT. And the husband is a cop. He's setting a great example, don't you think? I can't even walk out my own front door with my dogs on a leash without doing a check to make sure his animals aren't around.

I think a lot of people with cats don't understand that not everyone enjoys them running loose in the neighborhood. I like cats as much as the next person, but that doesn't mean I want one pooping in my bushes and screeching outside my window at 3am. We live in fear that we are going to run over this poor cat every time we back out of our own driveway, and frankly, we shouldn't have to.

If I let my cat-sized dogs run loose, I'm sure I'd get a lot of flack for it, and accused of not being a responsible dog owner, and a bad neighbor to boot. I couldn't even imagine doing this. Between cars and poisons and nasty kids and other dogs, I would never put my dogs at risk like that. I see a cat dead by the side of the road at least once or twice a month, and it always breaks my heart. These "dangers" are very real.

Answer 8

I would ask the neighbors from your house to 3 houses down. Cats usually wont go farther then that. Ask them is any one allergic and is it fine for your cat to maybe "intrude" every know and then. Make sure they know your cat is well behaved and wont do anything to your car.

Answer 9

I don't know where you come from but our neighbors let their cats out every night.

Answer 10

I live in the UK so outdoor cats is a very common and normal practice.

All my cats have always gone outside and stray no further than just across the road. Of course they go into neighbours gardens but only go to the loo in ours (that I have seen of course). I would have no problem if my neighbours didn't want my cats in their garden and would feel fine if they squirted water at them.

There are quite a few cats around where I live and they all roam around, I think it's quite nice to see, and as I said common practice in the UK.