CR!FR - Why Cats Should Stay Indoors

Some people grumble that the requirement of most rescues to keep adopted cats indoors is unfair. They believe cats "need their freedom", or they don't want to maintain a litterbox so they allow them outdoors. From the point of view of the rescue group, who has put a lot of effort, resources & TLC into caring for the cat, it is in the best interest of the cat to be kept indoors. Below are some reasons why. WHY CATS SHOULD STAY INDOORS
1 - THEY CAN GET HIT & KILLED BY CARS. These poor cats would still be alive if they had been kept safely inside. All the photos below were shot on Northern Virginia roads in late 2007. Regrets for the graphic illustration of this point. Northern VA is known for its constant major traffic flow, it's not worth the risk to cats' lives to let them out. (It's understood some cats escape despite their owners' best efforts).

This poor tortie was run over on Braddock Rd. in front of the funeral home near Burke Station Rd. It's a very busy road through a residential neighborhood.	This cat was run over on Wolf Shoals Rd. in Clifton, a quiet one-lane country road. On a nearby a tree hung a "Missing Cat" notice describing this poor cat. I called & left a message with the sad news.

This poor cat was literally lying at a bus stop on front of Oracle headquarters in Reston. It's at a very big intersection of multi-lane highways lined with large corporate buildings & residential condos.	This once-beautiful orange tom had been big, healthy & robust; now he lay covered with flies at a bus stop.
2 - THEY CAN GET LOST. Below is a sampling of e'mails we receive every week from worried cat-owners whose cats have gone missing.
Subject: lost Alexandria brown tabby--please crosspost I lost my cat last Friday 2/2/07 Reply to: XXXX@yahoo.com Date: 2007-02-06, 10:36AM EST Please help! My tiger striped tabby cat is missing. His name is Cokie (Coconut) and he's 13yrs old. He's very shy. Will pay a LARGE reward for his return. Please call Joanie at 703-XXX-XXXX. See attached photo.... He was last seen Friday in the Bren Mar area of Alex/Edsall Rd.	Asked to crosspost Fw: LOST Felv+ kitten-Centreville Kitten: DSH Orange Tiger Striped Tabby Centreville,VA 703-XXX-XXXX, XXXX@yahoo.com Name: Luke Age:6 months Sex:M Size:S Luke is a Feline Leukemia positive kitten lost since 9:45 p.m. on 06/14/06. He is very sweet & vocal and gets along well with cats & dogs. He is skinny & tall, has white markings on his chin and mouth, a pink nose & yellow eyes, about 5 lbs. He is neutered & microchipped, but didnt have a collar on when he ran away. Last seen on Grape Holly Grove in the Sanderling development, located off Machen Rd.
Fw: lost 3-legged cat alex./springfield Date: 2006-10-24, 4:09PM EDT Our grey (muted tortie), 8lb. cat was lost from our Kingstowne apartment (Alexandria/Springfield region) on Saturday, Oct 21st. She is missing her right front leg. If you should find her, please contact us at the email listed.	Date: 2006-12-22, 10:25AM EST Name: Charlie-Male Tabby/Main Coon mix; 1 1/2 yrs; Neutered; Gray/Brown/Black tiger stripe; Bushy tail; very friendly; Home Again Chip # 7F7A04232C in back of neck; Last seen Friday 12/1/06 in Lake Ridge Villas on Dulcinea Place. Nearest intersection: Cantania Place & Oakwood Drive.
Asked to crosspost. Subject: lost siamese vienna va please post Lost Siamese In Vienna on 5/3/07 Reply to: XXXXXX@XXXXXXX.org Date: 2007-05-05, 12:14AM EDT 4 year old Siamese Cat lost at 7PM on 5/3. She has no front claws and is scared of everything! She was lost at the intersection of Gallows Road and Tyson Oaks Circle in Vienna. She is not wearing a collar and was strictly an indoor cat. If you have any information please contact 703-XXX-XXXX. YES, THERE IS A REWARD.
LOST CAT Pumpkin is a 7 y/o indoor DMH orange tabby male with white belly and paws (see attached picture). He was last seen on February 6th near Marshall Road and Ware Street in Vienna, VA. His sister Cleo and his human family miss him greatly. The family was told by a pet psychic that he's alive and well. They continue to check shelters and adoption events, post signs, and even sprinkled used cat litter to guide him home. Any information please contact Suzan G. directly at: W: 703-XXX-XXXX, C: 571- XXX-XXXX	Subject: Please crosspost Lost cat- Mature female Persian, tan coloring, bushy tail, missing left eye due to surgery. Spayed and declawed. She went missing in the Glade Cluster neighborhood in Reston, Virginia 20191. Has been missing since 12/2/06. Please call or E-mail with any leads. 703-XXX-XXXX or XXXXX@aol.com
3 - THEY CAN GET INJURED OR KILLED BY OTHER ANIMALS. Here in Northern VA we have foxes & coyotes trying to survive in unnatural surroundings, eager to prey on smaller animals. Domestic pets can also pose dangers to your cat, especially dogs & unaltered cats who are more territorial & apt to fight. Injuries can become infected &/or infested with maggots. 4 - THEY CAN GET DISEASES FROM OTHER ANIMALS. Rabies, Feline Leukemia Virus (FLV), Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), Panleukopenia, etc. are all transmissable from other animals. 5 - THEY CAN GET INTERNAL & EXTERNAL PARASITES FROM OTHER ANIMALS & THE ENVIRONMENT. Roundworms, hookworms, heartworms, tapeworms, fleas, mange, ear mites, lice, ticks, etc. are all eager to make your pet their host. Ringworm is a fungus not a parasite. 6 - THEY CAN INGEST POISONS such as anti-freeze, rodent poison, insecticides, lawn chemicals, etc. 7 - THEY ARE AT RISK FROM HOSTILE & CRUEL HUMANS. Simply peruse www.pet-abuse.com & your heart will break from the horrific & mindless sadism inflicted on innocent & helpless animals by (mostly) men. 8 - THEY OCCASIONALLY KILL WILDLIFE FOR SPORT.Cats are the ultimate predator & small animals don't have much chance should a cat decide to "play" with them. 9 - YOU CAN'T MONITOR YOUR CAT'S URINARY/BOWEL HEALTH IF HE RELIEVES HIMSELF OUTDOORS. If your cat develops complications & you have no litter boxes in the house because your cat "goes" outside, you won't notice his painful attempts to urinate. That is a red flag warning of a potential UTI or urinary tract blockage, both serious conditions & potentially life-threatening. Additionally, observing a cat's painful attempts to defecate, or finding blood and/or mucous in the feces is a red flag for constipation, bowel blockage, or mega-colon, all serious conditions. For more info on FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease), click here. ~ Thank you Franny Syufy for the tip! Cats are domesticated animals who did not create the mechanized environmental conditions in this world & are not adapted to many of them. They rely on us to make decisions in their best interest & to protect them. Cats can enjoy the grass & breeze if you construct a secure covered run for them in your yard. Be sure to apply flea/tick treatment & bring them in at night. Better yet, open a window with a secure screen & grow some wheat grass indoors.