Indoor Kitties?

For the longest time, cats were considered to be creatures that came and went as they saw the need. It was not for a human to question where a cat was or what a cat was doing. They were mysterious beings that lived in a world outside of our own, proud, dignified, and anciently respected. Except, perhaps, for cat haters.

Well, the above are comments that have slowly changed over the years. Pets have moved to a position of protected companion, and cats along with them. While many people still allow their cats to go outside, many more are starting to keep their precious felines indoors, safe from the wicked world.

And the world is wicked.

You see, cats are not the untouchables we used to see them as. Idle, daily, things such as cars, dogs, and cat haters take their toll daily.

The expected lifespan of an outdoor feral cat is about five years. The expected lifespan of an indoor outdoor kitty is 8-12. The expected lifespan of an indoor kitty is 12-22. And we are not talking decrepit, dying animals here; we are talking healthy animals and great companions.

Let.s look a bit at cats. They are territorial animals. An unaltered, dominant Tom cat will have to fight, possibly daily for his territory. It may cover a few miles, and have inside of it several unaltered Queen (female) territories, as well as a host of altered pet territories. You.re, assumed, altered pet, will come into conflict with the local Tom, and unless s/he is super submissive, will get into cat fights.

Now, your cat also considers the house its territory. Cats like stable, routine environments. The house is one of these, and indoor kitties come to enjoy their home and while they may look at the outside, how many of us have seen our cat freeze when actually passing the door? Or get lost outside and cry and panic because they want back in? All seven of mine do this, as all seven have at some point or another bolted out of the door and found themselves shocked that the world is very big.

But there is more. Now, you run the risk of your kitty catching feline leukemia or aids. This is commonly obtained from saliva transmissions in fights. Communicable kitty diseases is correct, I really did say that. Your cat no only has to worry about dogs, cars, mean people and poison, now kitty must worry about blood born pathogens. Or, I should say, you need to worry about this.

And the elements. The elements will take their toll of your cat. We all know that sun, wind, rain, heat, and cold wear on you. We put on sun block, live in climate controlled environments, and do out best to avoid the body wrenching changes of the outside world. Well your cat will be affected by these things.

And god knows what is in the stuff they eat or drink.

And we all know about dogs, and mean people. Here is my mean people story:

Hallow was brought to me three days before Halloween in 2001. It was a Saturday and I had not locked the clinic door, although we were done for the day when three boys came in with a box, a towel, and a black kitten. This kitten was emaciated. They said she had been around the neighborhood for a few days, and that another group of boys were trying to corner her for Halloween games. So I put some food down for her, and she sucked it down and then crouched on the counter and vegged out, to weak to do anything else.

I took her home. It was a rough week. We had only acquired Dusk the previous weekend and I had just nursed her back to health. Hallow was a week of lots of news paper on the floor as she battled coccidian and worms and a digestive system unused to food. We judged her at around 5 or 6 weeks. And yeah, I still have her.

And that my friends, is the final point. Your cat, to many, many people is just a cat. So keep that cat safe from the uncaring. They out number us.