Give me liberty or give me…

Long time cat owners are probably aware of the debate over indoor cats versus outdoor cats. When cats want to go outside, they’ll begin to scratch the screen or even wail. But the question is, do cats actually want to go outside, or better yet, do they need to go outside?

Cats can receive their exercise indoors because they rely on short bursts of very fast running. They have a natural instinct to bury their wastes, which is why they can use a litter box. In this sense, cats don’t actually need to go outside.

Here is a story of a woman who owned a cat and allowed him to roam outdoors whenever he pleased. One day, her cat didn’t return and when he returned two weeks later, he returned with a dislocated hip. From then on, she decided to keep her cat indoors and here are some things she learned.

•    Her cat lived longer – avoiding traffic, vicious animals and exposure to diseases helps prolong the life of a cat
•    Her cat was flea and dirt free!
•    Her neighbours liked her better – cats are curious creatures and when they explore, they may trample on gardens or cause general annoyances.

This site provides more reasons why cats should be kept indoors. Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and leukemia are passed between cats and sometimes diseases like Lyme tick disease and rabies can even pass onto humans.