Cat Question

Re: Cat Question

feeds@yuku.com (Frosty) — Mon, 12 May 2008 13:08:17 GMT

Any trick to keeping a cat in? One got out this weekend - little sucker figured out how to open a door, and off she went. I spent an hour chasing her around the neighborhood.

And what about when people come to your house when you are not home? My brother-in-law and sister-in-law do this all summer - we have a pool, they have kids....

Re: Cat Question

feeds@yuku.com (Frosty) — Tue, 06 May 2008 16:41:22 GMT

But how do you keep them in? Last night one ran out the door as I opened it a crack (on my way in). In the summer, we have visitors (nieces and nephews) when we are not home. Our other cats hid (plus one was an indoor kitty with no interest in going out, and the other was an outdoor kitty), but these two seem to like people and come running.

We once had a kitty that never kept a collar on - bell or no bell. We'd put one on (always the breakaway kind), she'd go out, and...

Re: Cat Question

feeds@yuku.com (ckcaney) — Tue, 06 May 2008 16:39:22 GMT

Yes, the collar has to be put on correctly so the cat doesn't get hung up or hung.

Interesting info posted, but ol Mr Stubbs, I used to watch 'em, he cower down and then on his dash, the bell would jingle, bird flew away and he'd turn around and give us dirty looks hehehehe, boy was he pissed off at that collar....

Cats are now kept indoors.

Re: Cat Question

feeds@yuku.com (Evelyn) — Tue, 06 May 2008 15:26:17 GMT

And some cats being hung by collars, too, ck.

It's never been clear that bells on collars actually deter bird attacks as far as I know. Here's one bit of info:

"A fact sheet put out by the Mammal Society but unfortunately no longer available on their website showed that putting bells on cats does not limit their hunting ability, in fact belled cats in one particular study caught more wildlife than their unbelled equivalents. Some reasons given were that...

Re: Cat Question

feeds@yuku.com (ckcaney) — Tue, 06 May 2008 14:31:32 GMT

That's what they made ringing bell collars for - scares the birds away, leaves one frustrated cat though....

Re: Cat Question

feeds@yuku.com (Evelyn) — Tue, 06 May 2008 14:23:52 GMT

I have to admit, it makes me sad, too, that birds in particular are harmed by cats outdoors.

Re: Cat Question

feeds@yuku.com (jojo) — Tue, 06 May 2008 13:52:02 GMT

Realist wrote:
All my cats have been indoor/outdoor (cat doors).

The prize hunter was Charlie, born in Charlie Lane's barn...took him when he was 6 months old. Runt of litter, beautiful tawny little guy with the most beguiling personality ever. But, HUNTER! During his 14 years, I was brought gifts of 100s of moles, field mice (alive), black bird (alive), two doves (alive), woodpecker (alive), three long...

Re: Cat Question

feeds@yuku.com (Evelyn) — Tue, 06 May 2008 11:37:36 GMT

I think the whole question of boredom in cats has everything to do with environment and pretty much nothing to do with their being indoors. If you have a cat that isn't given good toys, perches, run of the house, and enough human interaction vis a vis play time, cuddle time, and just spending time with you, they may be bored, but it's not, IMO, a function of being indoors as much as it is of having an owner who doesn't understand or care enough about making them part of the family...

Re: Cat Question

feeds@yuku.com (tripville) — Tue, 06 May 2008 11:27:50 GMT

To answer your question Brain, I think that any boredom on the cat's part is far outweighed by the benefits of the safe environment that living indoors affords them. When I was young, I hardly ever heard of cats being indoor only pets. With age comes knowledge and experience and over the years, my experience has been that cats do better living inside. They are wonderful, domesticated pets, and because there are so many abandoned, abused, not taken care of, and just allowed to have...

Re: Cat Question

feeds@yuku.com (o Realist o) — Tue, 06 May 2008 11:05:45 GMT

All my cats have been indoor/outdoor (cat doors).

The prize hunter was Charlie, born in Charlie Lane's barn...took him when he was 6 months old. Runt of litter, beautiful tawny little guy with the most beguiling personality ever. But, HUNTER! During his 14 years, I was brought gifts of 100s of moles, field mice (alive), black bird (alive), two doves (alive), woodpecker (alive), three long snakes (alive), three huge rats (dead), a huge grandpa opossum (dead) and numerous other...

Re: Cat Question

feeds@yuku.com (Zannylicious) — Tue, 06 May 2008 09:25:14 GMT

The cats we had growing up always went outside, and 3 of them were major hunters... One of them, a Maine Coon Cat, always ate the heads off of what ever she got, and there was always a mouse ass in the driveway from her.

When we lived in Magnolia, we had a feral cat, we think, that always came to our back porch, and would wait until we fed him. We also had a cat, who was more like a dog than a cat.. She would come running when you walked in the door, to greet us, she came when you...

Re: Cat Question

feeds@yuku.com (Jim B 01930) — Tue, 06 May 2008 06:04:52 GMT

They are animals! Like tigers & lions & bobcats ....

No, They are not. I can show you wild tigers, lions, and bobcats. Show me wild Siamese. Domestic cats are a life form alien to this planet developed by selective inbreeding. They do not belong in the wild - anywhere.

There is more than one way to skin a cat.

Re: Cat Question

feeds@yuku.com (brainfix) — Mon, 05 May 2008 23:24:38 GMT

Cats always answer with their behavior.

Re: Cat Question

feeds@yuku.com (dewey77) — Mon, 05 May 2008 23:22:19 GMT

Don't you?

Too bad cats can't answer.

Some enjoy conditioning.

Re: Cat Question

feeds@yuku.com (brainfix) — Mon, 05 May 2008 23:13:54 GMT

Don't they get bored living indoors?

Re: Cat Question

feeds@yuku.com (tripville) — Mon, 05 May 2008 22:55:37 GMT

My veterinarians here in N.Y. disagree about cats needing the outdoors. They are the professionals, the ones who should really know, and do know. They absolutely, positively advocate having indoor cats, for all of the obvious reasons. Everyone has their own theory on this issue, but I tend to agree with the Drs. who have to fix them up when they are so hurt and broken from the perils and dangers of the outdoors. Outdoors is never a good idea.

Re: Cat Question

feeds@yuku.com (mightymajka) — Fri, 02 May 2008 15:26:32 GMT

After domestication in Egypt, cats were primarily used for the rodent population in Europe and were also brutally killed by the superstitious over there who felt they were familiars of the devil. Brought over on the Mayflower, they begin their venture here. Unfortunately outside they do more harm than good. We have a sophisticated way to keep the rodent population at bay (decon and pest control), and they severely hurt the bird population. My 12 yr kitty was trapped outside at 5 mo. and it...

Re: Cat Question

feeds@yuku.com (Evelyn) — Fri, 02 May 2008 13:11:34 GMT

They are domesticated animals. When you don't depend on hunting to survive, why do you have to hone your skills? Trust me, they continue their hunting behaviors just fine indoors---there are mousies, dust bunnies, catnip toys, wads of paper, lost keys, stray tennis balls, and all sorts of delights to entertain them! :-) Besides, they're taught hunting skills by their mamas as little kittens. If they missed those lessons, they won't even realize it.

Re: Cat Question

feeds@yuku.com (Dun Fudgin) — Fri, 02 May 2008 13:06:58 GMT

Evelyn wrote:
Hey, that's his vacation, Frosty! LOL

Dun, why do cats "need the outdoors"?

They are animals! Like tigers & lions & bobcats and the such they need to hone their hunting skills. No mouse or rat would dare invade the house of a "street wise" cat!

Re: Cat Question

feeds@yuku.com (Evelyn) — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:30:59 GMT

Hey, that's his vacation, Frosty! LOL

Dun, why do cats "need the outdoors"?

Cat Question

feeds@yuku.com (Frosty) — Thu, 01 May 2008 13:32:47 GMT

Cat question - how do you keep cats indoors?

I just got a couple cats (5 and 6 months old) and they want out. If I even unlock the door, they are both there. Several times they got out - one immediately runs to edge of deck, jumps off, and takes off. Unfortunately in summer, there is a parade of people in and our of our house - often when we are not home. Our last cat simply hid, but I don't think these two will.

Off my own topic, but I think I know what got my poor...