Question about a cat.

[Tinaweena]

Ok, I don't know a dang thing about cats. I've been scared of them ever since I got bit really bad a few years ago by one.
However, we have a severe mouse issue at our new house. I'm trying to get over this cat fear, by petting friends cats at their house. Reading about them on the internet. I even took my friend to the humane society to adopt a kitty and had it in my cat and everything!! So I'm making progress and starting to see why they are so lovable to other people.

Ok here's the question. (please don't jump down my throat I really don't know what the standard is for these little guys) Is it bad to have an outdoor cat? I'd like to have him or her around to control our mice. I will not just get a cat bring it home and let it outside. I will take it to the vet, get it fixed, get shots, have a collar, and have a bed/food/water for it of course. Hopefully in the garage tho until I can warm up enough to let him hang out inside with us.
If this is a bad idea, or if it's at all cruel please let me know and I will stick with the mouse trap route (which doesn't work btw).

 

[Julie]

Alot of people might disagree with me, but thats what makes the world go round.
I don't think it's bad or neglectful to let a cat outside. They are very independent animals and enjoy outside. Like you stated they should have medical care, and be fixed, so not to produce more unwanted kittens.

I wouldn't pick a cat used to being inside. There are many homeless cats that are not accustumed to inside life, and would be thankful for a warm place to sleep, medical care, and food. I get emails all the time for rescued barn cats looking for a life long home with medical care. There are many just not accustomed or comfortable for in home only. And those are probably the ones most likely to be put down for obvious reasons. So I think there are many cats that would be happy living out their lives chasing mice etc. then when you both get comfy, maybe he/she would wonder indoors for some affection.

 

[AusCatDogs_4Ever]

A lot of people I know have their cats indoor/outdoor. But my cats are all stricktly indoor. There are many dangers outside for a cat, getting eaten, hit by a car, getting lost (they do stray really far!, etc. The averave life span for an indoor/outdoor cat is only 3-5 years, when an indoor cat can live up to 18-20 years! I read that outdoor cats tend to be more wild and independant, but I don't think you would care for an affectionate wanting to be petted all the time, due to your fear of them.

My friends cat is indoor/outdoor and is it ever wild. It hates to be patted or picked up. She will even leave you with a pretty nasty bite if she doesn't want to be touched.

If you want a more independant, less affectionate cat, go with a female. I will always have boy cats. Most boys are more affectionate and dependant on people, also more playful, when they are neutered before 6 months of age, they keep their kittenhood for the rest of their lives. Girls are more moody and less playful and kitten-like when they are older.


Here are some articles you may want to read:
http://www.runway.net/b/moonmaid/in-or-out.html
http://www.meowfoundation.com/health/outdoor.html
http://www.bestfriendspetcare.com/bf_kitty_09.cfm

 

[Barb04]

I personally don't like to have cats outside because I'd be afraid something might happen to them.

I was never a cat person until I met my husband and now we have 3 in addition to the dogs. We have Maine Coons that act more like dogs than cats and are friendly. Tabby cats are really sweet.

 

[Zoom]

It really depends on where you live. I'm used to barn cats who come and go as they please, but it was out in the country. I couldn't dare have an outdoor cat here, it'd be dead within a week, too much traffic.

So, think long and hard about how much of a risk traffic poses to your kitty. Otherwise, so long as you let it keep both sets of claws, it should be ok.

One thing I would recommend is to go to a local adopt-a-thon or shelter and find one of the younger kittens, or even offer to foster a pregnant cat. I've always been there when my favorite barn cat dropped her litter, and once the eyes were open (about a week) the kittens were used to being handled (still with mom until she weaned them though) and they were the SWEETEST bunch of kitties ever.

 

[Snark]

Kudos to you for trying! If cats are too much for you, what about adopting a terrier or terrier mix? My dogs are actually better mousers than the cats. Lol!

You can have an outdoor cat but you need to be aware that there will have to be an 'adjustment' period. You can't just bring home a cat who doesn't know you and expect it to hang around your house right off the bat, anymore than you would expect a new dog to 'know' he should stay on your property if you were to toss him out the door unsupervised. The cat will need to learn you are the provider of food and attention and your house is a good place to hang around. You might want to keep the cat confined to your garage for a little while until it becomes comfortable with you and knows where the food will be. A cardboard carton turned on its side with a towel or blanket inside makes a nice 'cat bed'. We've also picked up wicker baskets at garage sales, put blankets in them and the barn cats like sleeping in them, too.

We 'take' in feral cats and we've built a 'cat' room in our barn where the newbies stay until they've had their shots, been neutered/spayed and start to realize those big, scary, ugly two-legged things provide food on a regular basis. The 'oldies' will come up to be petted and we can even pick them up and carry them around. Not bad for feral cats who couldn't be touched initially.

Outdoor cats have a high 'attrition' rate. Loose dogs, coyotes, cars, mean people and even hawks can kill a cat that is outdoors. Outdoor cats get in fights with other outdoor cats (and nearly always wind up with some kind of abcess from bite wounds.) Indoor/outdoor cats live a bit longer, but they're subject to the same dangers. My neighbor stopped by other day, wanting to know if we'd seen his cat. She was an indoor/outdoor and just disappeared one day, he was really upset.

Our boys and girls are affectionate, but the boys are the 'lapsitters'. The girls would rather just be petted for a little bit then go about their business. (As the exception, my mother has a feral rescue, MamaCat, who insists on sitting on Mom's lap every morning for an ear/belly rub.) It depends on the cat's personality. Both sexes like sleeping on the bed at night.

Good luck!

 

[AusCatDogs_4Ever]

Our boys and girls are affectionate, but the boys are the 'lapsitters'. The girls would rather just be petted for a little bit then go about their business. (As the exception, my mother has a feral rescue, MamaCat, who insists on sitting on Mom's lap every morning for an ear/belly rub.) It depends on the cat's personality. Both sexes like sleeping on the bed at night.

Yup! My first cat is a female, she hates to picked up, likes to be patted only now and then, but she always did love sleeping on my bed.

 

[sparks19]

I remember when we got Tigger. I was a kid and we boarded hockey players for the local junior B team. One of the guys that was staying with us had a barn cat back home that had kittens so he gave one to me. She was cute as a button. We tried to keep her as an indoor cat but she would NOT have it. She wonderfully affectionate but she loved to go outside. It was impossible to get out the door without her getting out if she wanted out bad enough. So eventually we just stopped fighting her. We were worried because she had been declawed (remember we intended to have her indoors) but taht did not stop her. She brought home baby rabbits, squirrels, birds, and other rodents ALL the time. Of course we lived in a very small town in the boonies so there wasn't much threat traffic wise.

We kept the garage window open a bit and her food was in there soshe would just climb up to the window and come in and meow at the door to be let in. Or she would come to my bedroom window (I was on the bottom floor) and I would let her in there. She was great. She played with the dogs all the time, she was affectionate, and all because she was allowed outside. She was miserable when she wasn't allowed out.

 

[Gempress]

I agree, there's nothing wrong with an outside cat, as long as you're in a quiet, low-traffic area.

However, if you really want an effective mouser, it would be best to allow the cat inside and outside. An outdoor cat can't do anything about indoor mice. A kitty door would be a good idea. That's what my parents do with their cat, and it works quite well.

 

[Tinaweena]

Great info for me guys!! Thanks so much. We have a cat door in the garage already from previous owners.
I was really concered about it being cruel or something, since I really have to experience with them at all. I will eventually let it inside with us to control mice in the house also. I hope it will get under control from the little guy or girl stopping them from coming in at all.
I'm still thinking about it and won't get one for a few months anyways. But all the info is great!

 

[Rubylove]

Great info for me guys!! Thanks so much. We have a cat door in the garage already from previous owners.
I was really concered about it being cruel or something, since I really have to experience with them at all. I will eventually let it inside with us to control mice in the house also. I hope it will get under control from the little guy or girl stopping them from coming in at all.
I'm still thinking about it and won't get one for a few months anyways. But all the info is great!

Wow I can't tell you how pleased I am to see how hard you're trying to educate yourself!!

Many people in Australia have indoor/outdoor cats - it's a little more dangerous to have them both (all five of mine are indoor/outdoor) but it does depend a lot on where you live.

What you have said in terms of spaying/neutering, collar etc etc is just fantastic. The only thing I will possibly say, because I know it's done A LOT in the States (it's illegal in Australia) is please don't declaw!!! It's SO cruel, and can cause a million behaviour problems (such a vicious biting) that weren't there before. I have a feeling it may be illegal in Canada, too, and if you want it to catch mice, then you won't be declawing I guess!!

Just one other thing - what will you do if your kitty isn't interested in catching mice?? Will you still keep it and give it a forever home?

Here's an awesome link to the best forum I've ever been on, The Cat Site, which will give you reams and reams and reams of advice, and can help show you why cats are the most wonderful creatures in the world! (along with dogs, of course!)

www.thecatsite.com

Good luck!

 

[Nobody's Fool]

If you have mice inside your home, here's one solution that works, no cat, traps, poison or any killing of the mice is involved. It's not for everyone, though.
Get yourself a pet rat. The sound, smell and general presence of a rat in the house will keep mice away. Rats make wonderful pets, especially if purchased at a young age. They do require daily handling and interaction, but they repay you with such affection and silly antics.......

Just an idea, since you don't seem to be a "cat person"

S.

 

[Fran27]

Wow I'm glad to see people are not dead set against outdoor cats here

I agree with everyone also - it depends a lot on where you live. Traffic, wild animals, dangerous snakes etc should be taken into account. Character-wise, I've had indoor/outdoor and just indoor cats and I haven't seen much of a difference. I depends mostly on the character of the cat. My Siamese was indoor for a year before I moved in here, and as the three cats here were indoor/outdoor, we got her used to going outside also. She's very wary of cars and it's pretty safe here either way, but she does look much happier now frankly. And she's still a lovebug when she is inside.

 

[Wings]

Both my cats are inside cat, my apt is too busy (traffic & mean pple) to let them go outside. But they have lotsa of toys, cat tree and stuff in the house to play with and they are doing very well. I read somewhere that says if they never know the outside world they will do well inside.
My boy is lap bug and just loves to be hugged and carried. My girl comes when she wants to but both of them sleeps wif me in the room at nite and watched me like a hawk They will even listen to my alarm in the morn and if i dun wake in 20 mins, they will jump on the bed and wake me ... my snoozers

 

[Gustav]

All our cats have been indoor/outdoor!! My first cat Dudley lived until she was the grand old age of 22! and even then we had to have her put to sleep because she really wasn't well! My mum's current cat is 12 and he's an indoor/outdoor cat! And to be honest it has never occured to me to keep the cats in the whole time! They are so much happier when they can go out! I have a cat flap (kitty door) and they come and go as they please, only downside is that I did wake up one morning just as Katelina was placing a freshly killed Rat on my chest!!