To think letting a cat go outside is NOT "Cruel" or "Abusive"?

[SneakyGremlins]

Had a heated debate polite discussion with an American last night about cats. Said American - and their friends - think cats should be permanently kept indoors, and it's cruel and animal abuse to let them go outside because, I quote, "There's bears, snakes, wolves and coyotes, people putting down poisoned food, cars and all sorts of dangers".

I snappily politely pointed out that America does not equal the world, and while I concluded that cars are indeed a danger for pets, Living IN ENGLAND I have yet to see any coyotes or bears or wolves. I've never come across poisoned food either - although again this does happen rarely, I admit.

I also pointed out that cats can get depressed/stressed being cooped up inside all day, which was met with "You just need to play with them all day, then they won't be bored! It's cruel and heartless to make a cat go outside into the dangerous wilderness!"

AIBU to think that it is not a bad thing to let a cat go outside?

Keep the horrible bird murderers in.

As for hunting things to extinction, given what humans get up to I think we can wind our necks in about that one. No animal is as destructive or invasive as humans

That’s a bit of a leap isn’t it? Because humans are destructive it’s ok for me to have to deal with dead birds/frogs etc from next door’s cat? I find it incredibly upsetting that I can’t enjoy wildlife in my garden because of someone else’s pet

Crunchy mint they DO say that in other countries, and for good reason. Roaming cats are run over and get into fights. I live near a highway and see dead cats all the time

Our cat died because he was let out. He died on the field he was very welcome in (keeping rabbits off the crops!) which is a few steps behind our garden. He would have hated to be kept in: it would have been no life for him - though presumably longer.

His surviving brother is let out, but is far lazier and more cautious so rarely goes more than fifty yards from the house and actively avoids strangers.

In any case we always did our best to keep them in after dark. It was a condition of the adoption. We call them in for tea then not let them out again. I do think cats should be in at night partly for their own safety/comfort and partly for the sake of wild nocturnal mammals.

www.rspcansw.org.au/what-we-do/care-for-animals/cat-care/keeping-wildlife-safe-and-your-cat-happy/

My cat doesn't go outside. She just won't entertain the idea. I feel bad for her that she doesn't have a life outside the home. No cat friends or little sun spots in the garden. But her choice.

I highly doubt there are many bears and coyotes or wolves (practically extinct most places there id imagine) are strolling around most American suburban gardens

Crunchy mint please reread your link . It does Not say cats should be oudoors. It does not say indoors is cruel

It says that cats will struggle indoors

yesitsme's cat's brother from another mother going for his constitutional on holiday last year. He goes out on his own at home via his cat flap though!

goodcatsa.com/keeping-your-cat-indoors

Australian but the facts are still facts indoor is kinder not crueller. Being run over by a car is cruel

Omg it doesnt say that!!!!. It says they may if not entertained.

My Persians are happy to be indoor cats. Even if the back door is open they don't always go out. Before I had them I always thought keeping a cat indoors was cruel. I had no idea that Cat breeds had different characteristics, and some are happy indoors. My parents adopted a cat that was supposed to be indoors but quickly realised he wanted to be out. So they let him out.

I have 2 cats now who are predominantly happier indoors and only go out in my garden when I open the patio doors —to go out and have a smoke, me, not the cats— and have never tried to venture any further.

When I was growing up, living in a cul-de-sac in a village, we always had cats who came and went as they pleased. I never thought anything about it, but I would be mortified if mine now went and shat in next door’s garden or whatever. For some reason this was never spoken/argued about years ago, though, and our umpteen cats must have pooped all over the shop? Weird, now I think of it.

Urgh, strikethrough fail. (Disappointed in self)

My cats LOVE going outside. Lots of exploring. They always come in when I call them. If anything I'm a bit over protective as I try to keep them in when it's raining or dark. They are my babies

The average life span of an outdoor cat is 4 years, the average lifespan of an indoor cat is 20 years. Depends how long you want your cat to live for. I love mine a lot so they stay inside.

In Australia they have to keep cats in due to snakes/scorpions etc who can poison cats- that's why it's kinder- the same doesn't apply in the UK.

I have a friend who thinks it's abuse to let them out as they might get run over.

Mine would be miserable - in fact we had to keep him in when we first got him and he was. He spends a lot of time just sleeping in the garden or sitting on a bench, he just likes being outside (when it's warm enough).
Keeping him in would be a miserable thing to do

My cats go mental and then show signs of depression after a while if they can't go outside. And the information regarding them outing other animals into extinction is incorrect. I was very worried when I read this and investigated further and found reliable information explaining that is not true. If I can find the links again I'll post them.

@MiniMum97 and yet they DO hunt wildlife. Why does a cat owner’s desire for a pet trump that of other people to enjoy their garden?

If you're happy to run the risk of your supposedly loved pet getting run over then let them go out. Same as if you're happy to let it shit all over your neighbours garden and kill off small animals.

Any future cats owned here will be indoor cats with an enriched environment for their protection and safety which is my responsibility. I think people who chuck their cats outdoors are just lazy and can't be bothered to actually make their pets happy so they'd rather let them risk their lives.

When we adopted my cat, we stated we needed a cat that was indoor due to the fact that we don’t have a back or front garden and our road is very busy. The shelter took this into account and luckily the cat I fell in love with, they felt would be happy indoor. Others we were possibly interested in they said no outright as those particular cats would not have been happy being indoors all the time.

DCat has been indoor with us for 3 years now and she’s very happy. She has dozens of toys, and she actually runs away from the front door if we leave it open, she’s very lazy and has no interest in going outside. It very, very much depends on the cat.

Glad to see people still happy to let cats roam in UK - SIL wanted to get a rescue cat or two recently and most rescues wouldn't allow cars to homes where the cat was allowed out, one insisted on netting over the whole garden and another objected to her being on a busy road - a cul-de-sac with little traffic.
Local vet happily passed her a pair of kittens and said rescues turning into cat hoarders is a big problem.

It may not be Americans in general but the last half dozen cats my family have got from US rescues have all been declawed before they got them.

Cats can be very destructive (much like dogs) if not stimulated enough or get enough physical activity.

I recently came across a high-quality TV programme called My Cat from Hell. It features a cat behaviouralist in America helping cat-owners who are considering having their pets put down because of their destructive behaviour. In almost all cases the problem is caused by cats being kept indoors, often in small apartments, with no stimulation. The solution is always to play with them more and provide lots of cat trees etc.

I think most cats are happier with outdoor access. If you're going to keep a cat indoors, you need to provide it with exercise and stimulation.

It’s common for cats in America to be declawed - now that’s cruel