The old school way to raise a cat was to allow her the freedom to venture outdoors. For many years, cat owners believed that cats are pets that are easily acclimated to the wild and should be kept as indoor/outdoor pets or even strictly outdoors. While it is true that being able to explore the outside world will enrich your cat’s life… it is also a high-risk behavior for the cat!
It’s a constant debate on whether to allow your cat to go outdoors or to remain indoors. Being able to go outside will allow your cat to have endless freedom and express her feral nature certainly has its perks. With proper guidance, training, and experience, your cat will become a master at traveling outdoors.
However, most indoor cats simply do not know the rules of nature and often pay a hefty price. Cat owners are the ones who are responsible for ensuring the safety and happiness of our cats. We must do everything in our powers to ensure that our feline companions are cared for and pampered.
Below are some reasons to help enlighten you on the dangerous factors of the outdoors and some considerations you should think about. Most cat owners simply do not know of the risks associated with allowing their cats to roam outdoors.
Indoor Cats Live Longer
One of the biggest reasons why you should keep your cat strictly indoors is the undeniable fact that indoor-only cats live longer. This is simply true.
In general, a feral cat could live anywhere from 0 years 16 years or so, if the cat is even lucky enough to make it past kittenhood. This really depends on the cat’s genetics and her environment.
Some feral cats will find easy access to food, while others will struggle. Some will be able to live fulfilling lives! Others won’t be as lucky… It really is a struggle to live on your own in the wild. Every day is its own challenge.
House cats who are allowed to go outdoors generally follow the same principles. Since these outdoor cats are exposed to the risks of nature… these cats could find themselves in very tricky situations just the same.
The advantage of domesticated cats is that they have no need to worry about a food source. Pet cats could simply walk up to their humans and meow for more food whenever they are hungry.
However, there are still plenty of risks that could bring harm to your cat. Eagles, bears, parasites, infections, getting into fights, eating poison, and the list just goes on and on!
The reason why indoor cats tend to live longer is that they are simply not exposed to as many dangers. Indoor cats have been observed to live up to 16 to 20 years, and some grow even older!
Also, your cats can be under your supervision. This will most likely prevent any dangers to befall upon your beloved cat!
Parasites In The Body
While your cat is outside doing cat things and strutting her thing, she could potentially come home with an uninvited guest!
While on one of her outdoor escapades, your cat could stumble upon some things that could potentially invade her body. Nasty little creatures that literally want to suck the blood out of your cat! These things are known as parasites.
Maybe it’s from something she ate… or from something she was rubbing herself against… Whatever this thing was, it was infested with parasites and your cat has it now too.
It could even be from simply strolling through some grass or tall foliage. A tick or some fleas could go on her fur at some point, inevitably bringing these little pests home with her.
There is a great chance that your cat will come across something and end up being infected with some sort of parasite. And you, as their caretaker, must remedy the situation each and every time!
Fortunately, whether it is roundworms, fleas, or ticks… a simple trip to the veterinarian will help with identifying the problem and with finding a solution or medication.
But why go through all the hassle if you could prevent it in the first place?
Most feral cats in the wild will have some sort of parasite on their body. Guaranteed. Indoor cats will never have to deal with this problem. However, any cat who is allowed to go outside may succumb to these parasites.
I personally don’t like the idea of your cat coming home all dirty and infected with pests. It will most certainly affect your living space!
You won’t even be sure what your cat will walk through or rub herself in while being outside. And she just might end up bringing unnecessary germs and other pathogenic organisms into your household. This could certainly cause trouble.
Not only can they become infected with parasites, but your cat could also come down with the feline version of HIV.
Wait… Cats Could Get HIV/AIDS too?!
Yes. Yes, they can.
It is called Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). It is a very slow illness that will eat away at the cat’s immune system over time. After years of this, the cat will eventually come down with other infections that the body will normally have been able to fend off but is now unable too.
For those that are unfamiliar with HIV or FIV, it is a transmittable illness that will slowly destroy someone’s immune system over time. Humans generally get it from having an infected person’s blood, semen, vaginal fluids, or breast milk to enter those who do not have HIV. That is why having protected sex is so important.
I have lots of experience in the social work field, and it is surprising how many people don’t know the dangers of HIV. You could literally get it from anyone. Always be safe!
Without proper control, HIV will run rampant and infect all your white blood cells. When the number of HIV virus goes up and the number of white blood cells goes down, eventually this will turn to AIDS. This is when your immune system essentially crumbles. This greatly reduces your body’s ability to fight off common infections, germs, and other pathogens leading you to become severely ill.
Obviously, there is a lot more to the HIV/AIDS disease but this is a short summary.
By you allowing your cat to go outdoors invites them to participate in unprotected sex! Your cat doesn’t even know about sexually transmitted diseases… She’s totally unprepared!
However, it is more likely that your cat will get into fights or altercations with other cats who may be infected with FIV or Feline AIDS. This illness could be passed from cat to cat through deep bite wounds. Cats are very territorial creatures, and your house cat might not know the rules of the club… and this might leave her in a desperate situation.
That’s why it is heavily recommended that you keep your cats indoors to prevent any contact with infected cats. You also have to be careful to get blood test results for any new cat you may adopt into your household.
Oh… did I mention cats could also get leukemia? And it’s highly transmittable? Even more so that FIV or Feline AIDS.
“What?! That’s terrible! Why do cats have so many diseases!?” you may ask.
I won’t get too into it, but Feline Leukemia is also an illness that severely impacts a cat’s immune system. Over time, the immune system will be compromised and the cat’s body will have great difficulty fighting off various infections and diseases.
The worst is that feline leukemia could be passed from more types of bodily fluids that FIV/AIDS. This includes saliva, nasal fluids, urine, feces, and blood. This makes this illness far more transmittable and contagious than FIV/AIDS.
Honestly, you will never have to worry about any of this if you just give your cat the pampered indoor lifestyle. Just enrich your cat’s life and she will never be bored!
Cat Thugs And Cat Gangsters
The harsh environment of the outdoors is truly brutal for any creature to survive through. The weak will fall while the strong will resists and persist. The cats who are able to thrive in this ever-changing landscape become toughened feral warriors.
These wild cats are no pushovers. When they see your cat strolling into their neighborhood, all they see is either a threat or fresh meat. Your cat may go exploring and unintentionally stumble onto another cat. This would cause quite the situation.
Other cats might not take a liking to your cat just waltzing about and may become confrontational. Your cat may find itself fighting against another bigger cat or even a colony of cats. Other cats aren’t the only animals too. Your cat will have to battle against raccoons, dears, dogs, and other indigenous life forms. Truly an exciting life but a very dangerous one as well.
Just know that there are many feral cats that are quite territorial of their homes. Wildcats are often times prepared to fight to the death in order to protect themselves, their families, and their homes. It may be a misunderstanding, but a catfight could easily break out.
Many cat owners will find that their cats to come home with injuries that could be minor scrapes to something life-threatening. Not only does allowing your cat expose her to injuries from animal fights, but it will also add to your veterinarian bill… and it could be quite costly.
Instead of paying for vet bills and risking your cat’s life, why not invest into cat trees and cat toys to enrich your cat’s life? It will save you a lot of money and worry in the long run!
Car Accidents
Another great reason to keep your cat indoors is to prevent any accidents from occurring. If your cat is not properly trained, she will not know how to properly cross the street or traverse through the neighborhood.
Your cat may find herself chasing after a butterfly and frolicking about, only to stumble right in front of a moving vehicle. Inevitably leading to a disastrous outcome. It’s easy to teach other humans how to safely cross a busy road, but teaching a cat may be more challenging.
Or maybe your cat was the one being chased by some dog or another animal, and it tried to cross the road in order to find safety. As you can see, there could be many situations where your cat may find herself in front of an extremely fast-moving vehicle.
Even if the cat is to survive the car crash… it will most likely have devastating effects on her health. This will also accrue a medical bill and extra support from you in order for your cat to rehabilitate.
Your cat could even be sleeping under a car or vehicle in order to rest and find shelter in the shade. There have been many stories where people have found cats inside the hoods of their cars. These cats were seeking shelter from a storm, cold weather, or what have you.
Final Thoughts
It is simply not a good idea to allow your cat to roam outside. It may enrich her life and provide her with many things to do, but the consequences could be very costly.
Your cat may find herself locked in a fight to survive against another animal, and may try to flee, only to get struck by a vehicle. There are just so many factors that could come into play that will cause harm to your beloved feline companion.
I personally recommend that you invest in some cat furniture, toys, and other cat goodies to ensure that your cat is comfortable and delighted to live an indoor only lifestyle.
Not only will this allow you to constantly supervise your feline child, but it will enrich your cat’s life and they will feel fulfilled. As always, I wish you and your feline companions all the best. Be safe!
Sincerely,
James Kim
