Cats and the Not-So-Great Outdoors

A front door opens and out comes a pet cat, trotting off into the cool night air. Every night this cat is put outside to wander the streets. Her family, who loves her dearly, does this because they believe a cat is meant to spend some time roaming, climbing trees, hunting. Unfortunately, the cat is not the only one out hunting tonight. There is a human stalking the streets as well, a human with deranged urges, and the next time her family sees their cat, her body will have been sliced apart and discarded for that human's entertainment.

This is not the opening of some new horror movie. This is what is believed to be happening in a Sacramento neighborhood, as the mutilated bodies of nine cats have turned up in as many days. And though it's happening there with truly disturbing frequency of late, abuse and even mutilation of cats is far from unheard of anywhere.

Though perhaps one of the most frightening, this is just one of many dangers facing cats that are allowed to roam outdoors.

Whether or not to allow cats this freedom is a question that divides even the most devoted of cat lovers. Though I am a firm believer in keeping cats indoors, I can see where the other side is coming from; they truly feel they're doing the best by their cats, that cats are meant to wander the great outdoors. This perspective is well-intentioned, but dangerously short-sighted.

In addition to deranged humans, your cat could also run into:

• Other animals. Your cat can catch diseases from other cats, as well as wildlife she encounters outdoors. That is assuming, of course, they don't simply kill each other off in a fight (as happened to one of my childhood pets). Declawed cats are particularly defenseless out in the world.
• Traffic. That roadkill you see may well have been someone's pet. Don't let Frogger fool you — animals aren't good at dodging traffic. In the wintertime, parked cars are a danger, too. Outdoor cats tend to seek warmth under the hood and can be trapped when the engine starts.
• Toxic chemicals. There are a great deal of pollutants and poisons in our modern world. Some are intentionally left out for "nuisance" animals, but others are carelessly left lying around or have contaminated the environment and your cat won't know to avoid them.
• Bad weather. Few of us live in idyllic climates and just like any animal, cats can overheat or freeze. My father grew up with a cat whose ears had fallen off from frostbite. Spend any time with a cat and you'll learn they hate to get wet. Cats are good at finding shelter, it's true, but I've seen enough ex-strays who panic at thunderstorms to understand that the experience of needing to find that shelter can be terrifying.

The world an outdoor cat encounters isn't some grand playland full of trees to climb and mice to chase. It's a world full of speeding cars, growling dogs, rain and snow, and kids throwing rocks ... or worse. It's also not always safe for others when your cat is outdoors — he could be the one fighting with other animals, targeting the wild bird population or injuring another person.

If you feel your cat is being denied something by being kept indoors, simply wander your local pet supply store — there's no shortage of toys, scratching posts and furniture to let your cat fully unleash her instincts to hunt, scratch and climb.

In a perfect world, I'm sure my cats would love to freely roam the great outdoors, but I can say that they want for nothing inside my house, including their health and safety.

Photo credit:  Photos8.com