ajayanthi
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My parents just recently moved from the suburbs to Victorian Village and are debating letting their cats (who were always outdoor cats) outside but are unsure. Any cat owners have any advice/experience with outdoor cats near busy streets in the neighborhood such as Neil, Buttles, etc.?
Thanks
bastardsuperstar
ゴジラ
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ajayanthi wrote >>
My parents just recently moved from the suburbs to Victorian Village and are debating letting their cats (who were always outdoor cats) outside but are unsure. Any cat owners have any advice/experience with outdoor cats near busy streets in the neighborhood such as Neil, Buttles, etc.?
Thanks
i am probably a block from where they're living, and have been here 5 or 6 years. in that time i've gotten to know a handful of the "actually owned" outdoor cats in the hood. a few on them have collars, so i've even learned a few of their names. thomas i've known for years now, and he hangs out on my patio when i'm outside reading (pissing off my indoor cats to no end!) also, i don't see a lot of roadkill cats on buttles, so that s a good sign. as a head's up there are a lot of possum, raccoon and other cats to fight with/be attacked by, but, again, thomas is still around, and i'm pretty sure there's not THAT much critter on critter violence on the block . . .
on the other hand, i personally could never have an outside cat, especially 'round here.
but if they're good with it, it's not uncommon . . .
Cardiff
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I'm on the edge of Vic Village and I think traffic is a bit too busy for outdoor cats. Also there are a lot of strays/semi-ferals running around. I've done some TNR with the ferals in my area and most of them tested FIV+ and FeLV+. It just seems like such a risk - there are other ways to keep a cat happy and entertained safely indoors.
groundrules
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I live in the area. I see a fairly regular array of lost pet posters. I wouldn't do it.
Cookie
Flyntonville
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anillo wrote >>
Just get a harness and a leash and let the kitty outside when it's nice out, that's what I do.
Yay, an excuse for posting The World's Heaviest Harness!
2thDoc
Downtown
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as a head's up there are a lot of possum, raccoon and other cats to fight with/be attacked by, but, again, thomas is still around, and i'm pretty sure there's not THAT much critter on critter violence on the block . . .
Critter on critter violence is not a problem, but...
tourist19
Merion Village
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LOL @Cookie
I think it depends on how well they think the cats can defend themselves. If they've been outdoor cats for years and have all their claws, they are likely to be ok. If they haven't then I wouldn't chance it. If they do decide to let them out I would make sure they are both collared and microchipped.
Chris Sherman
East Franklinton
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i grew up down there. all our cats were outdoors. now 25 years later the neighborhood is much busier with lots of traffic. i would not let my cats outdoors. i suggest a catio. we once had a cat drink coolant in the street and it died. RIP Boris the cat. 1984-1988
groundrules
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2thDoc wrote >>
Critter on critter violence is not a problem, but...
I know you're kidding, but there is some truth to the fact that you can't account for the crazy actions of people. My neighbor has a super sweet cat that has been 'adopted' by a neighbor at least once, maybe twice. I mean, this cat was clearly not a stray, and someone decided to lock it up in their house.
dru
IV
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we live in IV and keep our cat indoors, but that is mostly because she is the type who will dash away.
living in the neighborhood i see plenty of people that have indoor/outdoor cats that seem to be incredibly well boundary trained - i.e. always sitting on the front porch or lounging on the sidewalk. there's a house on Park St. with a beautiful garden that always has an orange tabby sitting in it. so if they aren't prone to wandering far and wide, they should be okay.
i would say they would want their front claws and all there booster shots, as there are still ferals in the neighborhood and you'd want them to have protection against feline leukemia and any cat brawl.
Liner Notes
Short North
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My wife and I live in Italian Village. We have always had indoor/outdoor cats. This neighborhood is the most urban environment our cat Ziggy has lived in, so we were a little apprehensive about allowing him outside. After a few days cooped up in the house, he decided that he must go outside. He's discovered his own boundaries and has never had a serious fight with any of the feral cats in the neighborhood. He comes inside at night (well almost every night), has his claws, a collar and is up to date on his shots. I'd say his best attribute for being an outdoor cat is that he is usually afraid of people and loud noises. This keeps him away from the street most of the time. He does cross it though and of course that worries us. Ziggy is also quite the hunter, bringing home the occasional critter. The one that gave us the biggest scare was a bat!
We also have an indoor only kitty, but given the chance I know she would want to go outside. Cats always do.
groundrules
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Liner Notes wrote >>
Cats always do.
Mine don't. They love looking out the windows, but they run from the front door when I open it. It's also possible that they're not so much running from the front door as towards the food bowl. Debatable.
Now the basement, however, they're obsessed with.
dru
IV
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groundrules wrote >>
Liner Notes wrote >>
Cats always do.Mine don't. They love looking out the windows, but they run from the front door when I open it. It's also possible that they're not so much running from the front door as towards the food bowl. Debatable.
Now the basement, however, they're obsessed with.
when i first started dating my wife she had an elderly cat that would spend her entire day in the picture window at the Olentangy Village apartments watching the courtyard. we thought surely she wanted to go outside, so one nice day we took her out with us. if she could have absorbed her body into the wall a la David Copperfield she would have done so. she spent the whole time pressed against it looking mortified.
mrsgeedeck
Castle of Lions
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We live just off of Fifth and Neil, and I knew spring had finally arrived in the 'hood when all the cats came back outside. While there are at least 5 indoor outdoor cats on our block alone and no evidence of road kill or other unfortunate incidents, our cat is only allowed outdoors when supervised.
I know at night we can hear some ruckus if we leave the windows open, and for awhile we had a cat dubbed the "orange menace" that seemed to enjoy taunting our cat from outside; we've also had a lovely neighborhood cat that just enjoyed coming over and sitting quietly on the porch.
Maybe leave it up to the cats?
Liner Notes
Short North
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groundrules wrote >>
Liner Notes wrote >>
Cats always do.Mine don't. They love looking out the windows, but they run from the front door when I open it. It's also possible that they're not so much running from the front door as towards the food bowl. Debatable.
Now the basement, however, they're obsessed with.
Ha-ha! Food bowl is priority #1. ;)
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