The Outdoor Debate
by Jethro
Are you an indoor or outdoor kitty? If you are an indoor kitty it may be difficult for you to understand how others live the life outdoor or vice-versa. I was found outdoors at about 3 months old. I must have strayed away from my kitty mommy who was a feral kitty. I made my way over to a window where my human mommy found me and brought me in so I have experienced both sides of the debate. I would like to discuss both in detail and go over the in's and out's of each so you and your human mommy can make the best decision for you.
Outdoor There is both good and bad to being an outdoor kitty. The good points are:
you have freedom to roam, you can experience all sorts of nature, your mommy doesn't need to clean a kitty box (hehe), and you have all the grass you can eat. However, with these wonderful advantages, there are also many disadvantages.There are many dangers in the outdoors that you can encounter.
There are storms that you could be caught out in, there are wild animals that could bring much danger to you, not to mention those evil d*gs, there are some humans that are not friendly and that like to hurt and torture us, there are diseases that can be contracted, and there is always the danger of cars!!! You may be thinking, "It sounds like the dangers out weigh the advantages." Well, this does not have to be the case. There is plenty that you can do to protect yourself from these dangers.
The first and most important thing is that you have a collar and a tag. This will help identify you in case anything does happen to you or if you get lost. Next, just as important as keeping a collar on, is staying away from the street. If you live on a busy street, it may be helpful to stay in the back yard. You never know when a car will be speeding down the street that was not there a second ago. If you need to cross the street to get that tasty looking birdie, make sure you look both ways AND listen for a racing engine just incase there is a car racing down the road. It is best to rely on both of your senses instead of just one.
Another helpful hint is not to eat anything that you are not familiar with. You could get very sick and end up with a visit to the v*t. No one wants that!!! Stay away from strangers. If they come near you and smell suspicious run!! Run as fast as those kitty paws can carry you!! There is so much animal abuse out there and you do not want to become a victim of it. It is better to be safe then sorry!!
Finally, watch the weather channel. Keep up to date on those up coming storms. Sniff the air. Snow and rain always have a special smell to them that is highly identifiable. Watch your humans as they can also be a tip to an upcoming storm. Look for lots of groceries to come into the house. Watch to see if they are digging out flashlights, batteries, candles. If you see any of these strange behaviors, know there is a storm coming and keep your time outdoors limited.
Indoor Many people feel it is not fair to keep a kitty indoors. This is a decision that needs to be made between yourself and your human. Yes, it is much safer indoors, but don't let that fool you. The indoors can be just as dangerous as the outdoors. There is electricity that you could encounter that is very dangerous. There are things you or your siblings can knock over by accident that may land on you and hurt you. It is just as important be safe indoors as it is to be outdoors. Being much safer indoors and you do not have to worry about weather, cars, mean trespassers that hurt kitties. You are much safer from disease that other kitties carry that they could pass onto you.
Alternatives An alternative to being an indoor kitty, but still getting the fresh air out side is to have a screened in kitty porch. This will give you all the advantages of being outdoors with the safety of being indoors. How do you know if you should be indoors or outdoors?
Look at your surroundings. Do you live in a small confined space and need room to romp? Do you live on a busy street? Have you been declawed? Are you very skittish and tend to dart off without looking when frightened? Have you been to the vet and had all your shots?
These are very important issues that need to be discussed before the decision can be made and it is not a decision to be taken lightly. Think over all these questions before you make the decision. Remember, your safety is the most important thing to take into consideration.
Exam
Summary
Wednesday, 23-Apr-03 14:16:03 EDT
