Weighing In On The Indoor / Outdoor Feline Debate
by
Madeleine Fisher-Kern,
the dog & cat lost & found for Los Angeles County & City
Call me opinionated and stubborn, but I stand firm on keeping cats as indoor pets only. Now before those of you who believe cats become neurotic, psychotic, or self-mutilating because they can't live as most of them were born, free, let me explain my side.
To start: Let me ask a long question. Why is it acceptable to keep the big cats - e.g. lions, tigers, cheetahs, etc. - in captivity - e.g. zoo confinement, circus confinement, etc. - which has the similar equation of an incarcerated criminal in a prison cell, and, at the same time, it is so unacceptable to keep a small cat - e.g. Siamese, Persians, Tabby, etc. - as an indoor pet only which has the similar equation of Randolph Hearst in his celebrated castle? Why aren't those cat guardians who demand free-roaming status for their "little ones" not demanding equal free-roaming status for the "big ones?"
First, let us, at least minimally, understand the nature of the beast - big and little. The little ones still share many of the characteristics of their forbearers. They are still territorial, protective of their young, and like to hunt (which is mostly unnecessary). The forbearers, the big ones, are territorial, protective of their young, and like to hunt (which, in the wild, is necessary). The needs of the small house cat are mostly met by their owners. The needs of the big wild cat are their responsibility if they are not incarcerated. The need for both the little and big cats to delineate their territory is as strong as their other needs. By means of scratching or spraying, a cat will mark his territory and claim it as his own. There will be little reason to go outside that territory, if within that area, all the cat's needs are met. For the big cat, this reasoning has some flaws, for it doesn't seem reasonable that an incarcerated big cat, no matter how his needs are met, can be happy as an exhibit in a zoo or a performing shadow of itself under a circus tent. But for the little cat, it is reasonable enough to be able to create a life that will not only add to the cat's health and longevity, but keep him happy and content to the bargain - as long as the little guy's claimed territory includes all his necessities.
I have had eight cats throughout my life and countless others, whom I have fostered on their way to permanent homes. All were kept indoors. None of those cats have ever showed neurotic, or, to the extreme, psychotic behavior because of my denying them their "right" to wander the lush pesticide sprayed lawns of my neighbors, or, though not hungry, prey on small animals, or to exercise their beautiful agility by catching the song bird on the wing. Neither did these beloved felines of mine ever end up under the wheels of a car, or trapped in a neighbor's garage, or end up in the jaws or beaks of a larger, faster, and stronger predator, or get targeted by a malcontent's bee-bee gun, or worse, get kidnapped by some stranger, or eat or drink something toxic off the street, or... The rest of the list I will leave to your imagination. Yes, some eventually did succumb to illnesses, such as diabetes, cancer, and liver disease, but these diseases weren't brought on by accidents which could have been avoided.
If a cat is kept indoors, yes, his needs must be met diligently. If you find any of the following needs cumbersome, DO NOT ADOPT A CAT if the only option, as per your needs, is to allow him outdoors.
Keep it clean. Cats are cleaner than most people. And with all the science that is going into types of litter boxes and the litter they contain, there has got to be one that will make it acceptable to the cat and easy to maintain by you.
Provide fresh clean water at all times. Water is essential to a healthy cat's well-being. Personally, as I won't drink my local tap water, I offer my cats the water that is safe for me to drink - bottled spring water.
Feed a high quality diet. Scrimping to save a few pennies a day might cost you hefty vet bills in return. Cats need a good meat source with the proper nutritional supplements in their food. By-products, preservatives, fillers, etc. are not available in the jungle, why make them available in the home. And feeding small amounts twice or more a day is healthier than one big meal.
Provide "intellectual" and play stimulation. There are wonderful toys on the market, some quite inexpensive, which your cats will love. The inexpensive little felt mouse satiates the hunting need. Balls you buy or make out of regular typing paper or anything else that can be wadded safely are great. Catnip on anything is almost more pleasure than most cats can take. Interactive toys get you in the mix. They can be easily made with a stick, a string, and a feather. Your cats will love you for it.
Love and attention is as important for them as for us. As you should not scrimp on their food, so you must not scrimp on loving them and interacting with them every day. How much of yourself you invest in your cat results in how much you will get in return. And if they are going to be alone for long days and nights, consider getting them a feline companion. Though cats get along better than dogs on their own, they are still born of a litter and appreciate a little cat tussle now and then.
As for the question of the furniture... If you worship your furniture more than the cat, don't get a cat. In my home, they have scratching posts which are used. One cat, however, has adopted a convertible sofa in our den. As we love Dolly more than our sofa, we admonish her for scratching the arms (just so she doesn't think it's perfectly all right), but accept the fact she will do it when we're not watching. To add, the material on the sofa is that irresistibly scratchable kind so it's really hard to resist. There are materials which don't call out to be scratched. If you run your hand smoothly down a fabric, it's not scratchably attractive. (To read about de-clawing, refer to "De-clawing: To de or not to de" here on the Be Aware link.)
Provide a window perch on a sunny window. Cats just love to nap in the heat of the sun. They also like to see the oddities that walk or safely fly by.
Do these minimal things from 1 to 7 and I promise you that the cat you keep indoors will not suffer any deprivation which will mandate their need for therapy.