this post was submitted on 11 Jan 2025
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Don’t let your cats roam, it’s a dick move in so so many ways. Be responsible and keep and eye on your pet on your property, if you don’t think cats are indoor animals, don’t get one
There are cats that definitely come with pre-conditions. For example our last cat was abandoned and he chose us next. But first he spent about 4 months learning to like being outside. So until we moved* he wouldn't let us keep him inside. He'd literally climb out the window, up the wood framing, to the roof, get into the pine trees and work his way down from there. Eventually we'd just get a meow at the front door when we thought he was still chilling in the living room.
If you're adopting a shelter cat or bringing up a kitten you should absolutely keep them inside. But some cats will let you know they have terms and conditions to your relationship.
Note - Once we moved he no longer wanted to roam so much and was content with being a balcony cat. Which strongly suggests it was tied to some idea of territory or familiarity with that area.
This a thousand times. Allowing a cat outdoors is the single worst thing for the environment the average person is capable of doing.
Not particularly great for the cat, either.
Woah, is lemmy pro letting cats outside? It's so terrible for the cats and local wildlife why would you be in favor of it?
How is it terrible for the cat? Their natural habitat is outside!
Mostly cars, but it's also how they end up getting lost or grabbed by people thinking they are lost, and also wildlife like coyotes or owls and raccoons often can kill them because they don't have a natural sense of fear for predators anymore. As well as transfer of disease from mingling with other outdoors cats. Or getting pregnant by meeting up with other outdoor cats while not being fixed themselves.
"fixing" is such a weird way to describe breaking something
It’s fixing a problem.
Cats do not have cars in their natural habitat.
No it isn't. Cats are domesticated. They have no natural habitat because they aren't wild animals.
Their natural habitat is outside in the near-east and egypt, not anywhere else. That's not to mention, most people live in urbanized areas with a lot of hazards that aren't natural.
A cat's natural habitat is not North America. They are very destructive to our local ecology.
After they domesticated themselves I am pretty sure their natural habitat is whatever we decide it should be. We already are deciding if they can breed at all so....
All the cats in my neighborhood that were outdoor cats have been killed within a week. Coyote has had some good eats this week.
No, it isn't. Domestic cats do not belong outside. The exposure to numerous hazards literally cuts their average life expectancy by half.
I’m always amazed cat owners let them roam. You’re putting a LOT of trust in both the animal as well as your greater environment. Just the other week I read a message from our local animal shelter. They had found a cat which had gotten poisoned. Either intentionally or unintentionally, that couldn’t be determined.
They had to put it down before the owner was found, it was that sick. I’d feel pretty guilty if that was my cat.
Cats can get run over, abducted, get hurt, etc. Even ignoring the fact that it’s a living creature, it’s also an expensive piece of property and vet bills aren’t cheap either.
Instead of a catio I installed fences around my property so my cats could enjoy the outside without roaming outside. It wouldn't work for everyone because my property is half walled to (not the regular american layout) but it works like a charm.
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