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?

There was a TV documentary on a while ago where all the cats in a neighbourhood were tracked.Interstingly very few of them travelled very far and certainly not for many kilometers as stated in the RSPCA link.Feral cats will travel there to mate but otherwise cats carve out their own territory and avoid other cats.
My cats have caught fledglings in the past but keeping them in dawn and dusk has seemed to eliminate that.We are brought the odd mouse but mice can breed very quickly so not even making a dent in their population,similarly can't get upset about rabbits either,or socks.

I'm American and I don't know anyone that doesn't let their cat go outside. One person doesn't speak for the entire country. Get a grip.

It is very stressful fo an animal not to be able to engage in its instinctive behaviour.They need to be able to go out and plod round their territory and stalk and catch mice and other smallish animals

I think that bit about outdoor cats having a 4 year lifespan is talking about feral cats, not pet cats with access to a garden.

We've had our elderly cat since he was a kitten. As soon as he had his jabs etc we encouraged him out and got a flap installed. The main reason was so we didn't have to deal with litter trays tbh. He loves going out front and back (we leave in London but our road is quiet ). If we have to keep him he moans!

He's never really been a great hunter and has lost his 2 ?molars (the big teeth that are important for hunting) so he's even more crap at it now.

He's 18 now so is positively geriatric and he spends more time indoors now sleeping especially when it's cold but that's his choice. He does go out to do his business and check his territory though!

Mine has a little queendom which she doesn’t venture from. It does include treat stops at various of my neighbours. She’s currently sunbathing on the ledge of a neighbours bay window

@5PlusMeandHim at the expense of neighbours? Cats should be confined to their own territory. If that needs to be outside it should be in a cat proofed garden

The main reason was so we didn't have to deal with litter trays tbh

You do realise how selfish that is? Unless you’re ensuring your cat is using your own garden

My rescue cat wont go outside for more than 10 mins.
I'd love her to be an outdoor cat as I worry she gets bored.
Any tips on getting her out?
She seems scared of a lot of noises outside despite being a former stray.

What is a cat-proofed garden?

@CraftyGin one the cats cannot get out of

Personally, I've always found it strange that people have house cats that never go outside. However, I've never had a cat, so know very little about the reasoning behind that. I guess if you live in a city or town then it's probably safer they stay inside.

My brother lives in Arkansas and they have 2 cats that never go outside due to the snakes and other predators they would run into. He does have a huge house though, so they aren't short of space to run and play.

YANBU OP. It's perfectly normal to allow cats outside in the UK and most manage to wander their territory quite happily never coming to any harm.

Rspcb state there is no evidence
That cats are impacting the bird population.

Ours don't go out, one has a problem and i'd worry i'd never seen it again! It's easier being indoors.
We have other small animals in the house and they've never gone for them, they're more scared of them!

The cat that stays with us would go stir crazy if he couldn't go outside. He goes up the garden sniffing the flowers/plants on the way with a smile on his face.

We have an 8 month old kitten and from very young she was desperate to get outside. She escaped out 2 windows that were only opened a crack and bolted out the door twice before we could catch her. Then she would run as fast and far as possible until we eventually caught her. She thought it was a great game

There was no way she was entertaining the idea of being a house cat.

One of the joys of having cats gir me is watching them play in the garden/climb trees/chase butterflies etc.

They also keep them the mouse population - not all wildlife is great. They don't catch birds generally, although I will admit we did have a live wood pigeon.

My cats are definitely happier for having access to outside.

People that choose to have a cat should secure their garden so it can’t get out to get hit by cars or poisoned or worse, or shite all over peoples property, or annihilate wildlife.

The only way you can secure a garden and keep a cat in, is to build a cage around your garden

Does having a collar with a bell help to stop the little sods committing murder?
I would also plead with all cat owners to train their cat to come to a special sound. Mewler comes instantly when she hears her special bell and it is always paired with a Thrive treat. If the bell even gets moved and she hears it she must have a treat and she can't be given a treat without the bell being rung. It has helped us find her many times (even if we only hear her mewing if she's trapped) and gets her back instantly if she legs it out the front door

@crunchymint You’d think so, wouldn’t you? I can absolutely guarantee though, that in the 6 months I have lived at my current address, my cats have not once left the confines of my garden. No netting, no cage, no cat-proofing. Nothing. And my cats are thick as pig shit. They are just supervised (helicopter catting, anyone?!) and listen when I hiss their names to get back in our house. (Also worth note in my anecdote- I hiss quietly as I get up at 4am and they nip out then to eat the grass, so any screeching from me would upset the neighbours. Otherwise I’d probably screech.)

@Davros if mine refuse to move from behind the shed despite my hissing their names to get in, Dreamies packets do the job every single time. They know where they are kept and the opening of that drawer will see the furry little bastards in the house in a heartbeat. It’s a cliche that cats go feral for a dreamies for a reason I find.

Same @SilentBob 2 of mine have never left my garden. They also come in to poo in thier trays 😂

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

No, it's not, it's illegal in some states.

I have four cats and all of them go outside, none of them have come to any harm.

If I kept them in they would (probably literally) be climbing the walls!

capitalcityspayandneuter.com/pdf/All_Forms.pdf