Outdoor cats

The Something Awful Forums > Main > General Bullshit > Outdoor cats

Let cats murder?
	Yes
	No
	Goku

Crypto Cobain: Jun 17, 2018; by Reene

Colonel Cancer posted:

Trapping a predator in your lovely apartment/house because you want a furry toy is hosed up. At least keeping animals for eating or labor makes sense, this just stinks of inability to form normal human connections and projecting your hosed up psyche into a defenseless animal

I like to imagine my cats are slowly going insane.

# ¿ Jan 1, 2020 01:16

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# ¿ Apr 27, 2024 17:07

Crypto Cobain: Jun 17, 2018; by Reene

thatguy posted:

I mean I feel like there's a line here because I don't actively aim for cats I just don't care when they die. I mean when I take your murder is good argument at face value, I might as well grab the trusty .410 and just execute them on sight.

Don't be that guy.

# ¿ Jan 3, 2020 03:53

Crypto Cobain: Jun 17, 2018; by Reene

Resting Lich Face posted:

My kitty was missing 14 days and miraculously found her way home. She's not been out since.

I love a happy ending. :kimchi:

# ¿ Jan 3, 2020 04:24

Crypto Cobain: Jun 17, 2018; by Reene

Cats that are kept indoors can reach the ripe old age of 17-20+ years, whereas outdoor cats live an average of just two to five years.

# ¿ Jan 4, 2020 18:22

Crypto Cobain: Jun 17, 2018; by Reene

Do it ironically posted:

It’s because a lot of cat owners are just irresponsible owners who want to put literally the least amount of effort possible into keeping a pet alive, they say cats are “bored” being indoors because the idea of playing with, training, spending time etc with their pet is a foreign concept. I don’t even know why outdoor cat people own a pet what’s the point

It's this, thank you.

# ¿ Jan 4, 2020 21:13

Crypto Cobain: Jun 17, 2018; by Reene

phasmid posted:

Lol I've owned five outdoor cats since I was a kid and the three that are deceased were all 15-20.

I dunno where you indoor guys live but it's not commonly a death sentence for cats to be let outside. They're better equipped than most other stuff out there. Of course, as a poster said earlier, I haven't really taken gunshot wounds into my figures on that.

Well it's probably different in rural / suburban areas but here in the city it's a really bad environment for them.

# ¿ Jan 4, 2020 21:45

Crypto Cobain: Jun 17, 2018; by Reene

phasmid posted:

I've never owned a cat in the suburbs and I've never lived in rural areas at all.

I can't and won't argue with your anecdotal experience, but coming from a veterinary hospital work background I can tell you the data doesn't lie: indoor cats live much longer and healthier lives than do outdoor cats.

This stuff is googleable.

# ¿ Jan 4, 2020 22:51

Crypto Cobain: Jun 17, 2018; by Reene

phasmid posted:

Also kinda resent the idea that letting cats in and out is lazy somehow. I've known a lot of people with indoor cats who work full time and have active social lives and p much just go "bye cat, see you in twelve hours!" every weekday.
Not a nice way to treat a loved one.

A cat is not a human baby. All cats, big and small, are actually solitary animals. A little bit of care and affection go a long, long way. Especially if you have two cats (as I do), they will for the most part keep each other occupied and entertained while you're away at work.

# ¿ Jan 4, 2020 23:18

Crypto Cobain: Jun 17, 2018; by Reene

esperterra posted:

cats are social animals, they just have different cues from say dogs.

This is really only true in feral conditions and it's about survival of the litter. Individual housecats don't require anywhere near the same kind of socialization as say a dog.

# ¿ Jan 4, 2020 23:27

Crypto Cobain: Jun 17, 2018; by Reene

esperterra posted:

tbh it's prob arguable that domesticated cats are more social creatures than wildcats, who can live either alone or in colonies. but there's a reason people recommend adopting cats in pairs, and it's not just to keep eachother occupied.

Yeah I will admit I wouldn't adopt a single cat out of feelings of guilt about living one home alone, but I was talking more about human socialization not feline to feline socialization. I should've clarified that earlier.

# ¿ Jan 4, 2020 23:33

Crypto Cobain: Jun 17, 2018; by Reene

jonathan posted:

Yeah this was trees all over but there are bears moose cougars lynx coyotes wolves fox eagles owls hawks etc and they're all on the property at any given time.

Yikes.

# ¿ Jan 4, 2020 23:58

Crypto Cobain: Jun 17, 2018; by Reene

Prism Mirror Lens posted:

Yeah indoor cats live longer lives but isnt it still messed up? You wouldn’t keep a dog or a child or probably even like a ferret inside for their ENTIRE lives. I honestly even feel bad for keeping my pet rats inside all their lives but at least it’s easy to give them a large space relative to their size with lots of climbing space. If a cat can’t go outside then it should have some huge crazy cat room full of stuff to hide in and climb on

I highly recommend this:

CatastrophiCreations Cat Mod Garden Complex Handcrafted Wall Mounted Cat Tree Shelves with Planter for Cat Grass, Onyx/Natural, One Size https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0711DDDW6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_xFweEb1X8KSBT

# ¿ Jan 5, 2020 05:37

Crypto Cobain: Jun 17, 2018; by Reene

The Splash posted:

If you live on a farm where a cat can be a ratter, great. Outdoor cats with jobs are different. But letting pets loose in and around cities should be illegal (if it's not already). You don't let your dogs wander the streets at night, why would you let your cats?
Every person around where I live with outdoor cats is the same - no cat furniture, often too many animals in a small space, and owners with no empathy. Of course your cat is fleeing out the front door when they have no vertical space and are constantly running from your other three unhappy cats and dogs in your one bedroom apartment, it doesn't mean they're escaping to some beautiful wonderland or a scheduled playdate.
If your cat is social, have two or more social cats and in a space that works for them. If your lizard/rat/dog/etc. is social you don't throw them outside, you make a better environment for them.
If your cat needs exercise, get exercise equipment, actually play with them, and/or harness+leash train them. If your dog need exercise you don't throw them outside, you walk/run them on a leash (or get them to a dog-specific area to exercise).
If you honestly think your cat wants to be outside then set up a secure outdoor space. Don't assume the world will take care of your pet. That's being the parent who drops off their young children at malls all day because of course the Gamestop employees will look after them.
Pets aren't that complicated, they just require that you give a poo poo and learn what they need. They're not decorations. I'm sick of seeing dead wildlife, cats abandoned because they stayed outside too long so they were replaced, and cats hurt or worse from owner neglect. If you don't have the space for cats then don't get cats.

Hear hear! Preach!!

# ¿ Jan 8, 2020 05:35

Crypto Cobain: Jun 17, 2018; by Reene

phasmid posted:

Like 99% sure all the indoor people are the kind who refer to their pets as their "babies" in casual conversation.

Babies are annoying, loud, and needy. Very much unlike cats.

# ¿ Jan 8, 2020 23:48

Crypto Cobain: Jun 17, 2018; by Reene

Foreskin Problems posted:

Where the hell are the pictures of outdoor cats?

I'd rather not have kitty roadkill posted itt tbf.

# ¿ Jan 9, 2020 00:54

Crypto Cobain: Jun 17, 2018; by Reene

JustaDamnFool posted:

lmao am I just supposed to live my life in constant fear of every cat i see that i don't recognise?

Yes if you have cats of your own that you value the health of. Outdoor/stray cats are carriers of many diseases which have fomites that can easily be brought home to your own cats.

# ¿ Jan 9, 2020 02:46

Crypto Cobain: Jun 17, 2018; by Reene

phasmid posted:

Question then: since cats are such formidable killers that a single one can genocide out whole areas of birds/small animals, what do we have in place once we move all the cats inside and there's nothing left to hunt the vermin?

Because poisoning mice and clubbing rabbits is animal cruelty, too, IMO.

Nah rabbits are prey animals, and crave the club. It's a rabbit's nature to die, just as it's a cat's nature to live a life of quiet luxury.

# ¿ Jan 13, 2020 21:26

Crypto Cobain: Jun 17, 2018; by Reene

phasmid posted:

See, mine love the luxury but then they go to the window just meow and meow and I know they long for the fast-paced primeval game of "tag, you're dead".

Maybe they have what amounts to a gambling addiction.

Gambling isn't anywhere near dangerous enough to cats to make this analogy work. More like dealing hard drugs in the streets of a major city.

# ¿ Jan 13, 2020 21:50

Crypto Cobain: Jun 17, 2018; by Reene

Genesplicer posted:

We have two cats, Jameson and Guinness, who never go outside. I built an enclosure that allows them to go through a cat door to visit outside without actually being in danger. Due to its multiple levels, we call it the CatStacker (tm).

Pics of the catstacker please! Sounds awesome!

# ¿ Jan 13, 2020 23:26

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# ¿ Apr 27, 2024 17:07

Crypto Cobain: Jun 17, 2018; by Reene

Dont Touch ME posted:

Yes both of those things are sheltered. Freaking out is never an appropriate reaction. Losing composure is for the youthful and the intoxicated.

Yes, let's all maintain our composure as our oceans turn to acid and our air into sulfur. Wouldn't want to lose our cool, the most important consideration!

# ¿ Jan 14, 2020 01:02

The Something Awful Forums > Main > General Bullshit > Outdoor cats