Why keep cats indoors? Outdoor cats kill wildlife, and are themselves prey for coyotes, dogs and crazies. They get poisoned, lost and hit by cars. They acquire toxic parasite loads and diseases. In climates without a hard frost (like the West Coast), they'll repeatedly infest your home with fleas.
Cats do need their natural instincts honoured. Four ways to do this:
1. Harness and leash train your kitty. Exploring the world through your cat's senses is enjoyable, and deepens your bond.
2. It's easy to build a wire pen in your yard, or buy a pre-fab Catio. Add climbing shelves from where kitty can view birds and squirrels, and everyone's safe and happy.
3. Play vigorous "hunt and chase" games with your cat, using toys.
4. Make at least part of your cat's diet raw. This includes organ meats and "safe" bones. Muscle meats alone do not contain sufficient nutrients.
5. Grow cat grass.
6. Neuter your cat to curb much of the roaming instinct.
7. Plug in bird DVDs. Your cat will watch for hours, and even bat at the screen. Fun to watch!
On a very serious note: a new study by Environment Canada shows that a shocking 270 million birds are killed annually by domestic cats. The average house cat kills 10-12 birds and other small wildlife daily. This is up to 4400 creatures per year. It is irresponsible to destroy this much wildlife, particularly in a world where their habitat is shrinking rapidly.
Please consider keeping kitty indoors, and also building an enclosed Catio. Everyone can rest easier.
Yours in the love of animals,
Raisa Stone
I'm Dr. Dolittle. Questions?
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This article was first published in Raisa's Animal Soul Newsletter, then in: Abbotsford Today, Langley Today, and on the website for Habitat Haven.
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