All Cats Should Be Indoor Cats

Cats allowed to roam at will sometimes pay with their lives, and taxpayers pay millions of dollars each year for animal control services to rescue, treat, feed, and house many of the cats that roam "at large" in the country.

There is nothing "natural" about a cat being outside.  When humans domesticated cats (about 6000 years ago), they removed them from the wild and changed their ecological role.  Cats are no longer wild predators that fit into an ecosystem, but are dependent on humans, receiving the things they need to live from people.

Cats can cause the same problems as dogs.  We do not tolerate dogs roaming at large because they can be a nuisance.  Cats break into garbage too, and dig up the neighbour's flowerbeds, defecate in children's sand boxes, ruin bird watching for people with feeders, and add to the burgeoning cat overpopulation problem.  Free-roaming cats also pose a hazard to motorists who try to avoid hitting them on the roads.

Risks to outdoor cats:

	disease
	parasites
	poisoning
	other animals
	cruel people
	traffic
	pet overpopulation
	being stolen

	unaltered cats allowed to roam free and mate at will account for millions of the cats euthanized each year.
	one female cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 cats in SEVEN YEARS.
	all pets, whether indoor or outdoor, should be spayed or neutered (unless for distinct breeding purposes)
	pet owners who allow unaltered animals outside are irresponsible and at the root of the terrible pet overpopulation problem resulting in millions of animal deaths yearly.

	Open screened windows to let some fresh air in.  Fresh air and sunshine are great for cats.  Just make sure the screen is secure.
	Consider building a cat enclosure.  This allows your kitty to get outside for some fresh air, to 'supervise' the neighbourhood and to play in an outdoor setting without the risks mentioned above.  (A great outdoor cat enclosure is offered by C&D Pet Products.)
	Plant pots of indoor greens for cats to chew on.  Grass, bird seed, alfalfa, or catnip will provide cats with fresh, tasty treats that aren't exposed to chemicals and pesticides.
	Give cats something to do while everyone is away.  Hiding a few treats around the house gives the pet something to look forward to.
	Provide a companion pet for cats who would be alone otherwise.  A compatible dog or kitten will keep him or her more active.
	Offer the cat toys that are safe and stimulating.
	Play games with your cat.  Human companionship is a very real need for cats.   (Reproduced with permission from the Toronto Humane Society's Animal Talk Newsletter.)