Today is Earth Day, so let's be kind to the earth and its native creatures (as well as our cats) and pledge to keep our cats indoors.
Indoor cats live longer and are healthier than outdoor cats and it's just not true that cats can't be happy indoors. This is why the Humane Society of the United States and the American Veterinary Medical Association endorse keeping cats at home. Outdoor cats also have a tremendous impact on wildlife, which is why so many respected organizations -- the National Wildlife Federation, The American Ornithologists' Union, the National Audubon Society, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, American Bird Conservancy, and The Wildlife Society -- have stated that cats should be kept indoors.
You can check out more information and lots of links on the whys and hows of keeping cats indoors. According to the American Humane Society, only 2% of cats brought into shelters are reunited with their owners, and only 24% of shelter cats are adopted. My wish is that all cats can be as loved, spoiled, and protected as Sophie and Kady (above), who never go outside. If we can work toward that goal, fewer wandering, neglected, or abandoned cats will have to suffer, and we can help native wildlife to thrive. Happy Earth Day.
Cats are, despite what everyone thinks, are an invasive and very destructive species that are not native to the New World, nor to most parts of the Old World. So people who claim that kitty is "part of the natural environment" are engaging in and perpetuating an intellectual fraud.
i love cats as much as the next person (in fact, I am a cat sitter!) but outdoor cats are a strict no-no.
GrrlScientist
Posted by: GrrlScientist | 22 April 2005 at 02:42 PM
I almost lost a cat to a depraved neighbor and since then, they've all been indoor kitties.
Posted by: Storyteller | 24 April 2005 at 10:30 PM
My cats, before the pair I live with now, were all indoor/outdoor cats. They all had their own doors. I never imagined that indoor cats could be as content as these are, and neither has had a single sick day in their 12+ years (except for an allergy to vaccines.)
They like watching birds through the window, but show no interest in going out there.
Posted by: SB | 29 April 2005 at 09:40 PM
Kady and Sophie are the same way...in fact, they run away from the door when I open it!
Posted by: Nuthatch | 30 April 2005 at 08:57 AM
I've an indoor kitten/ a very nice one. I'm all against cats catching mice. if you keep your cat at home... let him be your favourite pet.
Posted by: catslovers | 05 December 2005 at 09:35 AM
What's happened with the cat? He is extremely big! Well, i think he is a nice thing!
Posted by: catslovers | 05 December 2005 at 09:39 AM