Cat owners: Indoor or outdoor or both?

[Melidell]

My cat is ten years old now and he's always been an indoor cat. Occasionally he comes out on the deck with me which he enjoys but that's rare. He got out once on his own but he didn't even leave the back deck- he's not too adventurous at this point- he was just following our dogs outside. He's very healthy but overweight even though we are very strict about his diet. My vet told me that that's the trade off sometimes with an indoor cat- they are exposed to less hazards but don't tend to get the exercise that an outdoor cat would. I just don't want to worry about him being outside to be honest- nothing against out door cats.

[SusieQ]

Speaking from a non cat owner that lives nextdoor to an outdoor cat, INDOOR!!!!! my neighbour has a cat that finds satisfaction in sitting in my bloody bay window grooming herself while my dogs are in the window jumping up and down barking their heads off trying to get out at her. I drive her away and she the goes to the back patio door and sunbathes on my back porch. My dogs go flipping nuts trying get her....

when I come home and something is broken I know smokey has been over for her visit to make my dogs stark raving mad.

This cat teases the dogs and if it wasn't for my Boston that would rip head off instead of just chasing her away I'd be tempted to let them teach her a little leason. Not to mention their cat uses my flower beds as her litter box.... I can tell you the 50 or so poops that I cleaned up this spring so I could plant wasn't fun.... I walk my dogs and clean up after them immediately... Yeah INDOOR!!!

[Melidell]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SusieQ Speaking from a non cat owner that lives nextdoor to an outdoor cat, INDOOR!!!!! my neighbour has a cat that finds satisfaction in sitting in my bloody bay window grooming herself while my dogs are in the window jumping up and down barking their heads off trying to get out at her. I drive her away and she the goes to the back patio door and sunbathes on my back porch. My dogs go flipping nuts trying get her.... when I come home and something is broken I know smokey has been over for her visit to make my dogs stark raving mad. This cat teases the dogs and if it wasn't for my Boston that would rip head off instead of just chasing her away I'd be tempted to let them teach her a little leason. Not to mention their cat uses my flower beds as her litter box.... I can tell you the 50 or so poops that I cleaned up this spring so I could plant wasn't fun.... I walk my dogs and clean up after them immediately... Yeah INDOOR!!!

This reminds me of something my brother did when we were growing up. Our dog used to be tied up when he was outside (indoor dog, just tied up when he was put out as our yard wasn't fenced). There was this huge cat who used to lay itself down just a few feet from where the dog's rope ended and groom itself while our dog went nuts. One day my brother saw the cat outside waiting for the dog so instead of putting the dog on it's rope he put him on a leash and the two of them chased the cat up the street. He said the cat didn't realize at first that the dog was able to get closer than usual and got the scare of it's life! Sounds mean, but the cat wasn't hurt and it didn't mess with our dog again lol.

[Debs]

awesome story!!