My boyfriend and I had a bit of a debate the other day because he keeps his cat outside all night, whereas I feel better keeping mine indoors overnight. He says it's not fair to keep a cat cooped up like that since it wants to be outside (plus, he says if his cat stays inside it wakes him up every ten minutes) but I say it's not safe for the cat to be out all night. He told me it's no less safe then it being out in the daytime (since I do let my cats in and out during the day. Well, except for one, she's just an indoor kitty)..I dunno, what do you guys think, and how do you do things with your own cats?
Answers:
I have both indoor and outdoor sleepers. For the most part, I round the indoor/outdoor kitties in for the night. There are two cats, however that never come insides; barn cats. They can't live in the house due to urination problems or the fact that they hate other cats. But they both sleep in the barn, where they have cat beds.
It is safer for the cat to be indoors because large predators come out at night: foxes, racoons, coyotes, wolves (in certain areas), mountain lions, and bears. Now bears and wolves are less likely to eat your cats, but the rest of the listed predators are usually the culprits.
Domestic cats are just that, domestic. They were bred for companionship and showy colors. They retain a lot of their predator wild instincts, as we all do, but for the most part it is a shallow base of instincts. I'm sure you've experienced where your indoor/outdoor kitty will kill a mouse or almost kill a lizard and do nothing but play with it. Never eat it. The instinct is to catch something moving fast. Not to necesarily kill it properly or eat it.
By expecting domestic cats to respond to their environment like a savvy wild cat, you are giving them more credit than their breeding and in most times, their upbringing. Cats raised in the home and let out with older cats once in a while until they're old enough is not a full-on boot camp into surviving outside like they might have gotten where they feral or wild.
There are some cats that just can't be inside. Ferals, for instance. And in different cases, random personality types. But most animal rescuers agree, if you are going to take the danger of letting your animal outside, you should at least bring them in before dusk when the predators wake up to hunt. And fat cats shouldn't be outside long anyway. ;)
Most cats raised in an indoor-only environment never are even curious about the outdoors. They may want to sit in the sun of a window or go out onto a screened-in back porch and catch flies. But they never know the difference; they live healthy and fullfilling lives indoors. Therefore, it isn't cruel to expect them to live indoors all the time.
Cats brought up outside or in an indoor/outdoor environment tend to be harder to adjust to the indoor only scene. But at the rescue, we do it every day. And most "converted" cats end up living happy lives indoors after the brief awkward stage where they try for the door whenever you open it.
So, most of my cats (and most of the cats I know) are in before dusk and let out after dawn for safety reasons. A lot of people have differing ideas, but what it boils down to is that you are the animal's owner and protector. You are the one responsible for the animal's safety. It's better to be safe than sorry. For their sake more than your emotional attachment. Indoor at night! =)
Mine sleeps on my bed
One of our cats sleep inside, it is actually afraid to be outside, and the other two stay outside, and they are just fine.
My cats are both inside kitties and both like to sleep in the bed with us most of the time.
outside he loves outside
next of me or in her/his bed
my cat sleeps outside
I let my cat decide... if she waits at the door while she's inside, i let her outside and vise versa for letting her inside.
I once woke up to find my cat sleeping on my head, The world looked dark and furry for a second and the cat wailed in suprise as loud as I did.
you should keep your cat indoors...think of all the animals that could get a hold of the cat and kill them...just my opinion but I think all pet cats should be indoor cats...it's so much safer for them.
i have three and they all try and force their way under my blankets!!
I keep mine inside because my other cat got out and was eaten by coyotes
1 sleeps on my bed and the other under it
I use to rescue cats and all I can say is that the more you let your cat outside the high risk for losing them. Losing them to cars, people, injuries. I agree with you. They should be in at night, but everyone feels different.
One of my cats stays outside all the time because she potties in the house. However, I have a screen porch with shade and a cat door. My other cat sleeps with me when my husband is away for business but outside on weekends. The second cat can be a pain in the neck though. Sometimes he gets a hairball in the middle of the night and I have to get up and throw him outside. If your cat is declawed you should not have it outside without supervision.
i like this question... i shall star it! well anyway i somewhat have the same problem except its with my mom... she thinks that its best if my kitty stays out cuz it will bug her during the night since it also wakes up her up like a thousand times a night lol but i think its better if he stays indoors during night since he will fight with other cats so what i do is i always sneak him indoors and he just crawls into the closest and sleeps there... my mom dsnt know though.. so my answer is , he sleeps inside our house :D
It really depends on the cat. Some cats like to be inside all the time and get scared when outside. Unlike some cats who hate to be inside, they like to run free. I have one inside cat and one outside cat.
well my cat sleeps on a pillow that is on a big bean bag. but sometimes it just sleeps in the bed. my cat is afraid to go outside. but only likes to go out for a few minutes.
i dont have a cat
so i cant asnwer
but if i WERE to have a cat..then i would feel safer letting her/him sleep inside the house
Both my cats are completely indoor, and only allowed out in our fenced backyard, and then only if they're being supervised. I don't take the risk of allowing my cats to roam outdoors, and both of them sleep either on someone's bed or on their cat tree.
Personally, I don't think being outdoors is ever safe for any cat. :-)
my Mom %26 I had the same conversation , she would let her cat out @ day , but have the cat come in before everyone went to bed.
I live on a busy road %26 there are also lots of
wild animals %26 dogs that live near our home so my cat always stays indoors.
As long as his cats return without any harm I would not worry , they must know all the good places to stay @ night so that they don't get hurt.
I happen to agree w/ you though, the safest place for them is inside the house.
In the litter box.
well i keep my kitty indoors, she hates it out side no matter what i do she wont go out. but i have had indoor/outdoor cats befor and i always gave them the choice on in or out. they mostly choose indoors. but i wouldnt force them either way. open the door and let the cat choose. and if it is bothering him too much when the cat in indoors then shut the bedroom door with the cat out. but when my kitty in indoors she usually sleeps in the window or by my chest. if she gets annoying i just put her off the bed or out of the room. over all i say let the cat decide.
I keep my cat indoors. I am a firm believer that it is much safer in my house than in the neighborhood. She sleeps on my bed usually on my feet or my wife's back.
I keep both my cats inside at all times. Indoor cats tend to live longer(no danger of other animals,cars). As far as sleeping, they sleep wherever they want, which is usually in the bed with my boyfriend and I; between our legs or in between us.
My kitty sleeps with me on a pillow by my feet
My cats are strictly indoor animals and they both sleep on my bed.
We have 9 cats and a cat door the older ones come and go the kittens under 6 months all sleep with us.
He's crazy to leave the cat out at night. That's when all the night animals (coyotes, etc.) come out. His cat is gonna end up as a midnight snack. If he's that annoyed with it bugging him while he sleeps, close the door to the bedroom.
My cats sleep in different places. Sometimes with me, sometimes on the couch in the living room, sometimes on my computer desk chair, etc.
My cats sometimes sleep outside when I can't get them inside and it's getting really late. Then they attack the paperboy. :) No, just kidding (though I wouldn't put it past Chel-she's evil). Most of the time, though, they both sleep on the beanbags underneath the rainbow couch. (Don't ask)
We keep our cats indoors %26 they sleep anywhere they want to. Usually this means the boys are piled up in bed with us-- the 2 younger boys go under the covers if it's cold %26 the older guy is either right above my head or snuggled up with any one of us. Our girl hasn't slept in the bedroom since we lost her 'mentor' a few years ago.
Where ever he wants
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