Outside cat owners...

Question

Do you know the dangers of letting your cat run loose outside? Just a few minutes ago I found my neighbor's cat inside my truck. I opened the door to get some stuff out early this morning and he jumped inside without my knowing. Today's temperature was 89F. Inside the truck was probably 130 or more. The poor cat was in there all day with no water and no air. He ran off when I opened the door so I don't even know if he's ok. Just thought I'd pass that along.

Question: What are some of the dangers of cats being allowed to roam outside?

Answer 1

A lot of dangers

Cats r usualy very careful so

a chance of that happening is not that great.



but they have a better life as an outdoor cat

they get exercise and they explore new places

just have them wear a tag with ur phone number or adress on it

Answer 2

I'm so glad he's ok.  scary stuff.

My oldest cat used to be a stray then was an indoor/outdoor cat (before becoming mine).  Even after he was fixed he was getting in lots of fights, needing lots of vet care, and he smelled pretty bad.  At one point two of his legs were pretty injured and he couldn't get up the stairs without being carried.

After I made him indoor only he healed, he stopped being stinky, and he became a sweet and playful kitty. It's been over 7 years since he became indoor only and he's still healthier than he was when he could go outside.

My parents' first cat was allowed outside and someone actually drove off the road in order to hit him.  

The stray my boyfriend's parents had fed for a couple years died several months ago, apparently poisoned.  He was less than 3 years old.

I have 6 cats now.  4 came from the outside.  They are all indoor only and they deal with that just fine.  They have entertainment - each other, toys, windows, a big cat tree, lots of things to scratch, and people who love them very much.  

Years ago my mother and I built a cat fence for their cats on top of the existing fence.  It wasn't very hard and it allowed their cats to go outside safely - they could not get out and they had family dogs to make sure other animals didn't get in.  I think it's great if they can go out safely but that has to be worked out very carefully to make sure they can't get out of bounds.

They don't need to go out.  They aren't wild and the environment outside is generally not nature.  Wild animals routinely die from disease and predators, is that ok for a pet?  Personally I don't think so.  I will do what I need to do to keep them safe.  

Answer 3

Much less here in the UK tan in the USA, especially if we have enclosed garden spaces, and live in cat friendly areas.

Tibbins has been outdoor all her life, since we found her as a stray in the country when I was a baby. She is now 19 years old (going on vets estimate), and loves to sit on our front porch all day, and likes to be fed there (we of course force her inside when the weather is bad now, for her old bones)

Our others use our garden, mainly with supervision. They can escape if we let our guard down, though. No harm has come to them as yet, but I still prefer to keep an eye on our 'less experienced' kitties. I panic my behind off and cry if WIllow is gone for more than half an hour, if she manages to escape. Thankfully, our fences are being fixed soon (had holes due to strong wind)

To put it in perspective, we live in an area where people let their rabbits roam free in gardens, though - not to mention cats. We havn't even had a killed rabbit by a pet cat in our area. It's all very naturey. I think it's a good rule to say 'Would I let my ferret run around my garden here, knowing he may wriggle under the fence if I don't notice a break?'. If not, then neither should you let your cat wander too much.

It depends where you live. It is not the exact same everywhere, but considering cats can die by gnawing a piece of grass thats too long and sharp, or has seeds, it pays to be careful.

Under the right circumstances, outside cats are extremely healthy, and get tonnes of exercise. Archie is a very handsome strong lad, the muscles on him are fantastic. He's like a panther. A shiny bright coat that overshadows most.

We are all too quick to remind people of the dangers about cats being outside - me included. I agree whole heartedly that outside is extreme danger in many places, but we must also accept that not everywhere is a kitty death trap.

It took us ten years to realise that people let their rabbits run free, and to trust this area to let our cats out. I would not let my cats out if we moved to an area I didnt know. Not at all.

Answer 4

I'll tell you another one I experienced first-hand.  I found my cat as a full grown stray.  He was used to being outside all the time; so he panics if he feels trapped inside.  About three months ago, he came home after ingesting poison.  He spent two days in the emergency veterinary hospital where they saved his life.  After that, I tried to keep him inside exclusively, but he really freaked out; so I let him go outside again.  The result of keeping him inside against his will (for only a short amount of time) is that he is now afraid to come in much at all.  I had worked up to him spending almost half his time in the house, but now he sleeps in the neighbor's backyard (with their permission).  I think he's afraid that if he lets his guard down around me, I'll take him to the vet again (*SIGH*).

Answer 5

there are numerous reasons NOT to allow cats to be outdoor cats...yours is a very good reason to start with followed by poisons such as antifreeze that drips onto driveways that thirsty cats may drink this will KILL a cat even a small amount...then there are the "cat haters" who will not stop at anything to kill a cat for fun with a bb gun poisons etc...then the obvious getting hit by a car and also wild animals and loose dogs that will maim, hurt and sometimes kill a cat...not to mention the many diseases that a cat can contract...anyway these are some of the main reasons my cats are all INSIDE CATS

Answer 6

What most people may not realize is that the AVERAGE LIFE span for an OUTDOOR cat is LESS than 5 years!

Indoor cats, however, can live to be 20+ years old.

Some dangers ....

- Cruel, sick people

*sad*

- Diseases

- Rabid animals (ie: raccoons)

- Being struck by a car

- Extremes in weather (heat, cold, etc.)

- Getting lost

- Starvation

- so, so many more

*cries for the poor cats*

:(((

Answer 7

Getting run over by a car, getting stolen/abused by others, catching a disease etc. I have indoor cats but I also know people who have outdoor cats. Outdoor cats, as long as they are given shelter when the temperature/weather is dangerous for their health, have it pretty good. They aren't sitting inside bored and getting fat. I think it depends on where a person lives and what is around...is that safe for the cat to be let loose?

Answer 8

Miss~Virginia - Cats are not wild animals. Cats are domesticated animals, just like dogs. When a cat is "wild", lives outdoors, fends for itself and has little or no human contact means that it is "feral" - "having reverted to the wild state, as from domestication".

I could never-ever-ever allow any of my cats roam outdoors unsupervised. I do have a former-stray that begs and begs to go outside, so I let him out in the fenced-in backyard with my dogs or I put him on a leash and walk around out in the front yard with him. He loves it and probably would explode if he was kept indoors all the time.

Anyways! The number of dangers a cat can get into if allowed outside is impossible to add up. There are just too many to list.

- Injury from fights with other cats.

- Injury from being attacked by dogs.

- Risk of being struck by any moving vehicle.

- Risk of being poisoned, especially by unhappy neighbors who aren't too fond of cats.

- Contact or ingestion of toxic liquids or chemicals.

- Stolen or picked up by someone who believes the cat is a stray.

- Stolen to be used in research/testing labs, to be used as bait or to be used in any other abusive/malicious manner.

- Risk of being bitten, attacked or killed by predators.

- Risk of being picked up by animal control.

- Exposure to intense heat or bitter cold.

- Exposure to severe weather.

- Hanging or strangling from collar, if the cat is wearing one.

- Diseases.

- Slipping, falling, jumping off of fences or high-up areas that could cause injury.

- Getting stuck (like you said) inside a car, or other area.

Answer 9

yes, i actuallY do know the dangers, im hoping that will take care of the problem.

i hate  cats.

unfortunately i have a smart cat and she wont die....

once she dies i can get a loyal dog.

Answer 10

They can get into fights with other cats or attack by dogs.  My cat is half in half out.

Answer 11

OK, MISS, cats are NOT wild animals! They have been domesticated for many, many years now and letting them outside, unsupervised is irresponsible ownership. In today's environment, it could almost be considered cruel.

Answer 12

Sure do. I've had outdoor cats my whole life, on a farm. I have two ferals living on the same farm at my mom's house.

Glad the cats okay, but I'm not going to force my two girls inside with a bunch of humans they can't stand and two dogs that'll terrorize them.

edit:

forgot to mention. outdoor cats do havea  shorter life span, but having them fixed greatly increases the life span. My girls are fixed, obviously, boy wouldn't that be a mess? lol My two boys are indoors unless leashed due to the area we live in. Too much traffic and loose dogs.

Answer 13

I had an outside cat when I was a kid. She climbed up into the engine of my sisters car, and when she started it up it cut half of poor Fuzzball's tail off! She became an indoor cat after that, as well as every other cat I have ever had.

I also forgot to mention all of the cruel people who don't like cats and do horrible things like putting out antifreeze for them to drink. I saw a lot of that when I used to work at the vet's office. Some people can be really mean.

Answer 14

I think you have to realize that cats are wild creatures and that we can't always control them. My cats are both indoor/outdoor cats, one just begs to go outside all day then finally we let her out and she's gone for hours, the other prefers to sit on the front porch for a couple minutes then goes back inside to nap. Obviously there are many dangers outside for animals, but there are dangers outside for us to should we all just become shut ins. And yes I just did spend $180 because my kitten got an abscess on her leg but at least she learned something, to come inside when I call her.

Edit:

Wow you guys like to gang up on people, When I said wild animals I meant that cats still have their wild instincts. Just because they have been domesticated for over hundreds of years doesn't mean they don't want to go outside my poor Cleo is absolutely miserable if she can't go outside for at least an hour everyday, and just to make things clear, my cats are spayed and treated like princesses. I live on a dead end street with almost no traffic on four acres, I would not condone letting your cat out in the city or even in a suburb.  I do not let my cats outside unsupervised, sometimes they do get into the woods where I can't see them but for the most part they are good and stay close. I just think that cats should be able to go out and explore just as much as we are. How boring would it be to stay inside all day.

Edit 2:

Also if you ask a question you have to be willing to agree to disagree with some people, Everyone has their own opinion, If you can't deal with seeing other peoples POV then whats the point of even posting a question or answering it for that matter. And if not mistaken this question was for outside cat owners and most of you that answered are inside cat owners.

Answer 15

Getting pregnant ( unspayed females)

Fighting and impregnating females ( intact Toms)

Abscesses

Hit by car

Caught in car fanbelt

Antifreeze poisoning

Rodent poisonig

People with guns

Getting stuck in cars,buildings,moving vans,sewers,walls,trees ,etc.

Killing birds and other wildlife

Contracting viruses,parasites and other diseases

Being attacked by dogs,coyotes,birds of prey,and cruel people

Frostbite ,hypothermia or heatstroke

Falling through ice

Falling into swimming pool and drowning

Getting caught in leg-hold traps set for fur-bearers

Getting lost

And many more dangers out there......

Edit:

Falling off of roofs,trees and utility poles

Getting impaled on fences ( those metal ones with the sharp points)

Getting their legs or heads stuck in crevices

Choking on bones stolen from garbage........