06
Feb
Overcoming the Lure of the Outdoors Although indoor living has many perks the call of the wild can be intense for some cats. Predators cars diseases poisons and the bully cat who already possesses the territory your sweet kitty has just been let into are only a few of the reasons that indoor cats live significantly.
Given the opportunity these cats will attempt to dash for freedom whenever a window is opened or a door is left ajar.
Can indoor cats survive in the wild. As long as Its not declawed or extremely overweight or otherwise incapacitated streets arent so busy cats can live a long time in the wild they typically live longer indoors. But for an animal that was born to hunt is that really living. I concede that if you release the now-elderly cats into the wild one or both of them might survive just like a person who jumps off the Golden Gate Bridge might survive.
The point of this little story is that some individual domestic cats can survive in the wild. However their lifespan in the wild is likely to be shorter than it would have been in their owners home. The Perks of Being an Indoor Cat The more comfortable life of an indoor cat significantly increases his lifespan.
An indoor cat may live 15-17 years while the life expectancy for outdoor cats is only 2-5 years according to researchers at University of California-Davis. While most indoor cats are completely tame they still retain many of their wild cat behaviors and instincts. In order to provide a good life for an indoor cat you have to.
Free-roaming cats do kill wildlife and pose a disease risk. Cat owners should keep pets indoors But theres nothing in this study that convinces me that feral cats are living such harsh lives. The Humane Society says indoor cats live much longer and healthier lives than outdoor cats.
My indoor-only cat lived nearly 19 years. There is a difference between indoor and outdoor cat life expectancy so unless you really need to allow your cat to go outdoors it might be best not to. The life expectancy of an indoor cat is typically at least 12 years although they can live up to 20 years.
If cats are fed canned food they probably eat two meals a day three if theyre lucky. Most cats who eat dry food have access to it all day long which on the surface seems better since they can help themselves to small meals whenever they want but this is the perfect set-up for obesity when cats dont have to work for their food. Indoor cats live longer tend to be healthier and can avoid some of the predators injuries parasites and communicable diseases to which outdoor cats may be exposed.
Indoor cats do not kill birds and other wildlife. An outdoor enclosure or walk on a harness and leash can provide a cat with safe outdoor access if desired although cats do. Overcoming the Lure of the Outdoors Although indoor living has many perks the call of the wild can be intense for some cats.
Given the opportunity these cats will attempt to dash for freedom whenever a window is opened or a door is left ajar. Make sure screens fit snugly in windows and cannot be dislodged by a persistent cat. You may believe cats living only indoors are deprived of a chance at freedom and that they miss the call of the wild.
But what cats that go outdoors are actually deprived of is the consistent safety and contentment of a comfortable life at home. He calculates that cats can have four-to-10 times the impact of a wild predator. Native predators like jungle cats also kill a lot of small animals but their impact is spread out over a larger.
Chris Miller AtlasVet DC. First things first letting your cat outside at all is a big decision. Cats that spend unsupervised time out of doors are exposed to a variety of potential dangers not just the weather.
Other outdoor cats can pick fights to defend their turf or spread potentially fatal infectious diseases and if your cat hasnt been spayed or neutered they can end up helping. Our modern day moggies are descended from African wild cats but to this day they still retain those genetic instincts that enable them to hunt and catch prey and being able to show those behaviours keeps them mentally stimulated and happy. Cats need to be able to exhibit natural behaviours even if.
Other feral cats who have not been spayed or neutered. Feral cats are not accustomed to contact with people and are typically too fearful and wild to be handled. Feral cats who have spent their entire lives outdoors can sometimes adapt to indoor life but attempts to tame adult feral cats can.
The lifespans of indoor cats greatly eclipse those of their outdoor-only counterparts. Indoor cats live an average of 10-12 years with some sticking around for 20 years or more while outdoor-only cats survive just two years on average according to Jacque Lynn Schultz the Companion Animal Programs Adviser National Outreach for the APSCA. Predators cars diseases poisons and the bully cat who already possesses the territory your sweet kitty has just been let into are only a few of the reasons that indoor cats live significantly.