# One of the reasons my cats are indoor-only **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 13, 2009, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-reasons-my-cats-are-indoor-only/521064 "2009-12-13T03:51:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-reasons-my-cats-are-indoor-only/521064/41 "2009-12-14T18:59:07Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > To **StGermain** : All points I had considered in pondering whether she’d be worth a look – I figured her breeding wasn’t a huge draw in your part of the world; and yes, for sure, for a lot of people, a horse being out of work for three years because of a foot problem is enough to send them screaming for the exit, no matter what the given reason. Further, the sort of folks who would be looking specifically for a warmblood might be put off by her Paint cross. It’s very possible she’s a steal at that price. > > Might make sense for you to have x-rays done of the foot if you decide you do want her. You’d think that after mentioning her foot injury they’d take care to show a sales pic of the mare in which her feet don’t look like they hired a hungry rodent for a farrier. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-reasons-my-cats-are-indoor-only/521064/42 "2009-12-14T19:37:09Z")
I live in Tucson, right in the middle of the city. But we still see coyotes in our neighborhood regularly. I saw a study that showed that of city coyotes in Tucson, about half their diet was cats. Well, I decided our cats would be inside only from now on. (cite: [Outdoor cats are easy prey for coyotes - CSMonitor.com](http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Wildlife/2009/1201/outdoor-cats-are-easy-prey-for-coyotes)) ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-reasons-my-cats-are-indoor-only/521064/43 "2009-12-14T19:42:24Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > IMHO indoor cats may live longer, but cats that can go outside live happier and a more full life, though it may be shorter. > > It is like a person, yes if you keep it confined in a way that it’s needs are met it may live a long time, but a free person who can experience life may live shorter, but have a better life overall. Yes, I’m sure that notion is of great comfort to the cats I see alongside the road, crushed by truck wheels or disembowled by predators or shot or set on fire by evil people. Never mind starvation, illness, fleas, frostbite… A “better” life :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-reasons-my-cats-are-indoor-only/521064/44 "2009-12-14T19:45:16Z")
I always beg people to at least consider keeping their cats inside. I don’t like cats…but do you think I want to run over your beloved pet? Do you think it won’t break my heart just as much when I see that collar? Knock on wood I have never run over any cats to date, though I have come close. Currently there is a stupid black cat in my neighborhood that saunters across the road, in the dark, never hurrying. One of these days someone is going to run it over and I don’t want it to be me or mine. ---
**Author:** ![FallenAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@FallenAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallenAngel)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-reasons-my-cats-are-indoor-only/521064/45 "2009-12-14T21:51:56Z")
When my wife and I first got together she had an indoor/outdoor cat. I was pretty insistent that the cat become indoor only when we moved in together. My wife was willing to go along with it on a trial basis, and the cat is still happy, healthy and zanily playful now almost five years later. She still likes to LOOK outside, but she doesn’t show any desire at all to actually go. ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-reasons-my-cats-are-indoor-only/521064/46 "2009-12-14T21:51:59Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > My beef is with the silly analogies. Geez. My point was that sometimes you have to make the choice for them. A cat might like it better outside, but it isn’t always safe. A toddler might like to play in the middle of the interstate, but that isn’t the best choice, either. My cats stay inside. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-reasons-my-cats-are-indoor-only/521064/47 "2009-12-14T22:22:16Z")
> [@Hanna](#): > > Geez. My point was that sometimes you have to make the choice for them. A cat might like it better outside, but it isn’t always safe. A toddler might like to play in the middle of the interstate, but that isn’t the best choice, either. My cats stay inside. Sure, we agree it isn’t always safe. Personally, I think some of the dangers are being overstated - I’ve never encountered the cat-burning psychopaths that some upthread are claiming as a common danger. Comparing letting a cat out to a toddler playing in the interstate also = hyperbole. The issue is how important to rate safety over quality of life. There, I suggest reasonable people can disagree. Some see nothing wrong in having nine indoor cats; others, nothing wrong in letting their cats out. Different values are at work. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-reasons-my-cats-are-indoor-only/521064/48 "2009-12-15T00:40:59Z")
Zak, aka Adventure Kitty, was a super-cute grey and white tux cat that belonged to my cousin, who lived on a mountaintop. Zak was Adventure Kitty cuz he loved to walk with her or by himself in the woods on the mountain. But there were critters bigger than he, who liked to eat critters littler than themselves. So one day Zak didn’t come home. My cousin later went out walking and found what looked a lot like kitty bones. Bye bye Adventure Kitty. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-reasons-my-cats-are-indoor-only/521064/49 "2009-12-15T01:40:27Z")
Growing up, my mother used to let her cats go outside. The last cat my grandmother had, Kelly, was an outdoor cat. Despite the fact that she lived to be 18, she still had her close calls. Once when Mom was still living at home, Kelly disappeared once and didn’t come home until the following night. Apparently, some asshole had shot her and she had an injured leg. It took them forever to find a vet, and while she was all right, she had to have a pin in her hip for the rest of her life. My cats are indoor cats only. The only one who ever tries to get out the door is [Luci](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v220/Guinastasia/Kitties/luci10.jpg), and she’s technically still a kitten. And she’s not really trying to escape so much as just walk out, as if “Hmm…what’s out here?” She’ll most likely grow out of it as she gets older. (And if not, too bad. Besides, once you close the door, she’s fine) Our’s are generally content, extremely spoiled, well fed and warm. They like looking out the window, but other than Luci occassionally trying to explore the porch, they show no interest in getting out. And even Luci’s more obsessed with getting into the cupboard where the food is kept. 😉 I just don’t want them getting hit by a car, getting into a fight with some other cat, killed by some animal, or hurt like my gramma’s cat. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-reasons-my-cats-are-indoor-only/521064/50 "2009-12-16T00:21:46Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > You’d think that after mentioning her foot injury they’d take care to show a sales pic of the mare in which her feet don’t look like they hired a hungry rodent for a farrier. :dubious: 😃 Good point! I did think those front hooves looked rather, er, ratty. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-of-the-reasons-my-cats-are-indoor-only/521064.md?page=2)