Duncan and I have only one major point of contention – he wants to go outside, and I won’t let him.
All my other cats were allowed to go outside and live independent cat lives, but Duncan is my prisoner.
When I lived downtown with five cats (Mr. Jones, Catastrophe, Mean Joe, Screamer and Beethoven), in a third-floor apartment at the corner of O’Connor and Cooper, I had bars installed on the kitchen window so they could come and go as they pleased, up and down the fire escape.
Sometimes one of them would disappear for a few days, and I’d worry. But they always came home. They’d come home with burrs and battle wounds and ravenous appetites. They’d settle in for a good meal and some heavy-duty affection and deep, contented purring, followed by a long slumber.
I was always a strong advocate of letting cats go outside. Even if it made me worry. Even if it shortened their lives.
But Duncan? He’s different. He’s so unusual and trusting and affectionate. I just know that sooner or later, some little kid would drag him home and tell their mother that he followed them. (Which is something I did at the age of eight, and which, weeks later, resulted in that cat being taken to the Humane Society, for which I still feel guilty.)
Something more sinister could happen to him too. I’m still haunted by the story of serial cat killer Craig Farkas. I wonder if my beloved tomcat Bud, who went missing in the early 90s, was one of his victims.
Or something less sinister could happen. He could get run over.
Every time I leave the house, Duncan tries to squeeze past my feet into the great, alluring outdoors. I understand his need, and I hate to deny him anything, but I would be devastated if anything were to happen to him. I love this cat with all my heart and soul. Maybe it’s selfish of me, but I can’t risk losing him. He must remain safe, even if it costs him his freedom.
The other day, GC and I were outside. GC was mowing the front lawn and I was weeding the front garden. Duncan was standing on his hind legs, looking through the screen door at us and meowing sadly. I decided to let him come outside with us for a few minutes.
He was such a happy cat. He stayed close and chewed tall grass and let the breeze tickle his ears.
Our cats stay inside – my sister and I were young when we got them and my mom wanted to avoid explaining to us why the cat disappeared. Now and then they’d get out, but usually they’d wander around the back yard and then meow at the back door to come in. We also let them out on the porch and front lawn. Jack doesn’t go out anymore, ever since he ran away for three days. I think he was traumatized – he hates outside now!
I have the exact same dilemma
I do take the boys out now – but I put them on a leash (and I stay with them) they love to be outside
Hi Zoom – my mother had a cat that also longed for the outdoors. We got her a harness and leash and she took to it like crazy. She would wander around her little outdoor world, sleep in the flower bushes etc. She even leaped into the air one day and caught a bird, even though she had no claws. We would only put her out when someone was home, perferably outside with her.
Cheers – Linda Anne
There are these upside down play pen-like things for giving pets some outdoor time without their running off or getting snagged by a loose dog or hungry hawk. Be warned, however, that a little outdoor time may make him MORE desirous of being out, which can drive a person around the bend. BTW, I assume Duncan is neutered?
EK, Duncan did slip outside once, last year, for a couple of hours. I didn’t even notice he was gone. Next time I opened the door, he came flying inside, soaking wet from the rain. It only dampened his desire for a few days, though.
Valerie, do you take them all out for walks at the same time?
Linda Anne, that’s sweet. I bought Duncan a harness a couple of years ago, but he can (and does) slip out of it.
Abby, you’re right, his excursion resulted in excessive meowing at the door ever since. (And yes, he’s neutered.)
I will say that I have a bit of a problem with cats outside, in that every morning, I get to pick cat poo out of my veggie garden. I have tried cayenne, lemon rind, lemon juice and now wooden skewers. Nothing works. I just get veggies dug up and replaced with nice mounds of dung. I have to admit I find it slightly inconsiderate of cat owners to just let them wander around the nieghbourhood at will.
I think that sounds like a doable plan – put him in a harness while you are outside with him. Maybe his harness is loose and that’s why he can slip it? I never put the dog outside without also being outside with it, even though it was on a leash.
It’s a dilemma, but every rational agrument is very much against letting cats roam around outdoors — especially in the city. If you had a big farm, with no one around for miles and he’d been an outdoor cat from day one, then sure – it would be really mean to keep him indoors. But Duncan? Sometimes what’s best doesn’t always feel right.
My cats have been longing for the great outdoors for years, but have kept them confined. This article was in today’s NY Times http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/17/garden/17catio.html?hpw
There are some other options besides the harness and leash. You only need to be creative.
I lived with a cat, Hemingway, for 18 years and he was exactly like Duncan. A big, trusting, goofy, not terribly bright but oh so beautiful boy. I was terrified to let him out. Once, when we moved, someone left the door open and he made a mad dash for the great outdoors. He was gone for 8 hours and I was frantic. He turned up at the next door neighbours’ door — screaming to be let in. Poor boy — that was his first and last taste of freedom.
We let our cats outside, on a harness with a good length of rope and usually sit with them while they chew on grass, sit in the shade and generally just laze about. They love the outdoors and understand that if they wish to go out, they must play by our rules.
My sweet orange tabby boy Homer was an indoor cat who longed to go out, but every single time he escaped he had a traumatic experience – falling off a balcony, attacked by a dog, pooped on by a seagull.
We had a moving day incident too. I told people for the love of God do not let him out of his carrier until the door wasn’t going to be opening and shutting again. Someone couldn’t take his sad yowling, and let him out into a closed room. I came into the room and saw an orange tabby sitting on a dresser. i called Homer and A DIFFERENT CAT TURNED AND LOOKED AT ME!!! I saw the back balconey door was ajar and ran down and out. There was Homer about to cross Cumberland Street!
The hawks and eagles here keep Luna inside or under cover when she goes outside. She hugs the house and sits in the flower garden or under the rose bush brambles once or twice a week.
If Duncan takes to a harness I’d give him supervised outside time. I feel bad for cats that don’t get normal experiences like feeling the wind. I think they can get that without being obnoxious garden and bird destroyers.
The Australians have perfected outdoor cat runs:
http://www.catsofaustralia.com/cat-enclosures.htm
I think the leash and harness idea is a good one. I used one on Muffy when she first came home and she was quite happy with it. I also used one for my previous cat Minou. Maybe that’s all Duncan needs, to chew tall grass and feel the breeze on his ears.
Our cat is an indoor cat. The only time she wants out is when the kids are outside playing. Once she escaped without us noticing. We found her a few hours later hiding under the bushes by our front door. As soon as called her she meowed and ran back in. Poor thing was so scared she doesn’t go near the front door anymore.
Harness is good…
All our cats are indoor cats. If they want to go out, we’re willing to take them out in a harness, but that’s it. Unless you’re willing to buy/build a cat run, I think that’s the only way he should get outside. As long as they’re active inside, which he clearly is, they tend to live longer healthier lives as indoor cats, and you don’t have to live in terror of cars, horrible people, and an overly trusting cat!
As for the complaints about cats pooping in your veggie garden, are you sure it’s not raccoons? In general cats try to do a good job burying their poop, but racoons will just leave you a nice steaming pile, even in places where they don’t belong (like your back porch! ugh)
That’s a hard one.
One of our cats pined to go out, saw a leash as punishment and once slipped out and didn’t come back. Since we were in the country, probably Mr. Fox got him.
With another of our cats, she rarely wanted to go out and then was so sneaky she was out before we could stop her. She only wanted to go as a show of her superiority and came back within minutes.
After losing cats to cars and coyotes (still so painful to think about) our four cats are indoor cats. We do put them out in a “chicken tractor” my husband made. It’s a 4’x 4′ x 8′ frame with chicken wire attached to top and sides and a door at one end. They can loll in the dirt, eat grass, feel the breeze and watch the birds at the nearby feeder. They love it and always have long naps when the come back in. It also keeps them from eating the wildlife they used to catch and me having to deal with the worms they’d get as a result. I also feel good about not impacting the native wildlife which was, afterall, here first.
My first cat was an indoor cat for years when I was in an apartment, but when I moved to a house, she thought she should get out. I let her go out in the fenced in backyard once and she was horrified by the grass. She lifted her paws up really high as she stepped carefully, then gave up and went inside and that was that.
Now I’m in the burbs and had 2 cats for a while. One was a big orange goofball too (not as big as Duncan, though!).
He was smart and could open the sliding screen door himself, so they became outdoor cats. He loved everyone, to the point that strangers followed him home to find out where he lived so their kid could visit him. I was also worried that he’d get stolen because he was so beautiful, trusting and friendly. He only got lost once and after a few days just marched into the home of a total stranger and settled down. Thankfully, she called the Humane Society just as I was writing up a lost cat report for him. He died young, of illness, nothing outdoor related.
My remaining cat spends much of her time outdoors, mostly hanging around in our garden or under neighbours’ cars. She also likes to follow me as I walk the dogs. She stops before the main street. She seems very streetwise, so I only worry about her a little. I fear more for the creatures she stalks. She’s a good hunter, and shows up with chipmunks and grackles as big as she is. She puts them down and they run or fly away. I think she’s trying to teach us to hunt.
She does fine. I still think cats are better off being indoors in general, but can’t bear to do that to her now.
My oldest kitty is allergic to fleas, so no outside for her. At all. My two brother kitties are about 4 years old and have never been outside. They are content to go out on the screened back porch occasionally and have never tried to get out. If they did get out, I’d be worried to death about them, as they have no “outdoor smarts.” And then there’s the problem of them bringing fleas back inside with them, nestled in their very long and thick coats. Nope. Not gonna risk it, even if they decide they want to venture out some day.
I have owned indoor/outdoor kitties in the past and none of them have lived as long as my indoor kitties have. Just sayin’.
Duncan on a harness leash would be the cutest thing in Ottawa. I remember walking through the Glebe one winter’s day after a heavy snowfall that left 2-foot-high snowbanks everywhere, and there in front of me was a woman walking a long-haired cat on a harness leash. The cat had little booties on, and it was just adorable.
now that edgar is gone, i let stinky out in the back yard. she was a rescue cat and i think she knows how good she’s got it so she doesn’t wonder. she lays on the deck, basking in the sun and occasionally wonders through the garden and eats tall grass. she is so excited when i get home from work every day. she zooms out of the house faster than the dog!
Zoom, I take the boys out together, and it can get tricky becuase tehy never want to go in the same direction. Every so often I can sucker Dave into taking one while I take the other but it’s not that often