letting my kitty out

trying again with pictures

 

That's adorable SweetpeasMama! Keep the pics coming!

 

It worked! What a sweetie!

 

8) what a cute little kitten! at first i thought that string was a leash! he is a doll.

 

What a beauty!

 

Well, Sweetpea went out on his leash last night for the first time. He seemed scared to death. I had him used to the harness already before we went out. He don't walk around very much. He walked to the door we came out of then he hid. I know all of the sounds and things around him were new so I'm sure that is why he was scared. Has anyone else's cat acted this scared about being outside? Should I continue to take him out or leave him inside? Thanks.

 

Give him a couple of days to get used to his surroundings. One of my cats was spooked the first few times out. They both still bolt for the door if a school bus (or other equally loud vehicle) passes - which makes me happy!

 

if you don't trust your neighborhood don't let him out on his own. If you feel he is safer being inside (unless outside on his leash) that's the way it should be...his safety has to come first or you'll wake up some day and realize how much you miss him and wonder where he's been. I have one I haven't seen in nearly 2 years and I will spend the rest of my life wondering what happened to her. And the pain she probably went through, along with me never having any closure, is just not worth giving a cat outside freedom which can (and usually does) lead to doom.

 

That's exactly why I only let my Moe out on her harness with supervision. I take her in if I notice the neighbour's dog loose (see other thread) or anything else that makes me uneasy. I would never let her out unsupervised while tied up. She could encounter danger and not be able to get away.

 

He would never be allowed outside not on the leash. This was strictly on a leash and that is the way it will always be. I just wonder if this experience is a sign that he is happy inside and I shouldn't pursue bringing him out anymore.

 

I honestly wouldn't take my cat outside ever if she wasn't a door-begger. She was a stray so she was used to the outdoors when I adopted her. Once they get a taste for it, it's hard to get them to stop whining to be let out. I would say that if he's happy indoors, leave him there.

 

Happy indoors, or just content b/c he has no other choice?

I'll admit that I can't understand why ppl won't let their cats out if they live in a decent neighborhood. Most cats prefer to be outside - like quoted in the post - once they know what the outdoors are like they want to be there. Bad things can happen when they are outside (as bad things can happen when they are inside) but it isn't a given. I have had many, many cats. Only one has met his end from being outside (some idiot driving too fast hit him), but mind you he was 19 yrs old and had to go out some way.

I don't really like to reply to these topics but I get irritated when I read other posters acting like letting your cat out is certain death. Umm...no. That is just ridiculous. Obviously if there are extenuating circumstances (crazy neighbors, wildlife, etc) then don't let the cat out but if you live in a nice neighborhood, there is nothing wrong with it.

 

All my cats have always been outdoor cats. They'd play and 'go' outside but lived inside. As in, spent much of their time indoors relaxing/napping and playing with their staff (us). Yes, stuff can happen but cats are agile and natural hunters. I've only maybe lost one or two cats to the wide world. But my hubby is completely paranoid about letting our new baby outside. We have a large porch which is mostly closed in with lattace. Once I get it fully closed in, I'll let her play out there.

 

I am completely paranoid about letting cats outside too...maybe it's cause I foster and hear all the horror stories and have dealt with a lot of the stuff that can happen to outside cats - had one under the hood of a car, one missing probably due to wildlife, have a friend who saved her neighbor's cat from the jaws of a Fisher only the cat's injuries were to severe for the cat to be saved, have another acquantance whose cat got it's eye severely damaged to the point of having to have it removed by a bluejay (cat was after the nest), a kitten run over by its owner who didn't see it behind the tire of his car (he had to explain that to his little girls), and it goes on and on. So pointless...yes stuff can happen inside but it's more controllable (you can fix the wires to your stuff so the cat can't chew them if that's a problem). I have my house catproofed as much as I had it kidproofed when my sons were young.

And I like the birds outside...I hated it when my outside cat (one that I haven't seen in 2 years) left me birds and chipmunks. And she didn't even kill some of the stuff just maimed it so my husband had to kill them.

Then there were the nights I'd be climbing trees (I hate heights) cause my cat would be up there for HOURS and in the winter with ice building up I'd have to get her down cause a dog would have chased her up there.

Ever have a cat get under the hood of a car? That is the worse....absolute worse thing. Luckily mine survived.

 

Mary, what is a Fischer?

honeyber

 

I don't think letting your cat out is "certain death". I just found a happy medium by leashing Moe when we go out (which is pretty much whenever she wants). I just think that if the cat's not asking to go out and it's content in it's home (as one of my other cats was even after all the leash training) then what's the harm in that?

 

You kid proofed your house - but I assume you let your sons outside as well? Why? There are so many pointless, dangerous things that can happen to them. I would say you let them outside b/c they liked being outside. Well, cats like it too. If they kill stuff - that is their nature. They are animals. They enjoy hunting and getting into things. How exciting can you possibly think a cat's life is stuck indoors all the time? My cat is absolutely miserable if I don't let him out. I completely understand if you live in an apartment, or if wildlife is a huge problem, etc. but if not, then keeping them in is cruel in my opinion. There is a balance, or at least there should be, between happiness and safety. You can't protect them from everything but you should always strive to make them as happy as possible. My cat is happy outside. Yes there are dangers but I am not going to make him miserable (I know he would get used to it and deal with it but he would never truly be happy) just to ease my worries/paranoia.

 

a Fisher is an animal that isn't native to this country but introduced by Europeans sometime ago but they have thrived. They are a little bigger than a weasel and the only animal in the NorthEast that can take down a porcupine....and the porcupine population is decreasing thanks to the beasts.

They track their prey for miles and can also climb trees. Their prey gives up due from pain and exhaustion cause the Fisher keeps attacking their prey's face. Eventually the animal just gives up while the Fisher keeps attacking.

A male Fisher probably weighs about 15-20 lbs. while the female is about 10 but they are larger than cats. They are very common here and my neighbor saved another neighbor's cat from one just a few weeks ago (chased the Fisher away he saw stalking Domino). Everyone here loses cats to them every summer yet they continue to let their cats outside which is stupid - but it keeps the shelter with a good customer base I guess.

I think one got my Sessy a couple of years ago and then a few nights after Sessy disappeared something jumped onto my window screen and tried to grab Missy right out of the window!!! Whatever it was was large enough to pull my wooden dirt and flower filled window box right off it's perch below the window. It was dark out so I couldn't see what attacked the window...so now at night I can't even leave my windows open.

I don't blame the wildlife as they have to do what they have to do to survive but I don't have to feed them either.

I'll see if I can find a picture of a Fisher....there is an animal rehab place near here that keeps animals that can't be put back into the wild and they have 2 Fishers. Those things have some nasty looking teeth and claws.

 

http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Wildlif ... fisher.htm

they (meaning Fish & Game) don't like to admit that fishers take a lot of cats because they fear people will go around and just start shooting them. fish and game also says NH doesn't have any mountain lions but the people who have seen them say yes. I don't always believe what Fish & Game says anyway...they are more concerned with revenue (at least this state) than much of anything else.

Also I know tons of people with proof of fishers taking cats (having seen them or having the vet tell them what probably attacked their cat)

 

Mary, I saw a fisher 2 days ago in our back yard. I was wondering what it was. It looks like a brown cat from a distance, but then it's got a small head and it was eating our weeds or bugs? I had no idea they exist and are so viscious. I live in the suburbs and it's no surprise to see deer in the streets, but a fisher? I think I better accompany Milo when he's outdoors, just to be on the safe side.