Pets

emilyann21

While reading the unpopular opinions on the WC board, saw this and wondered what your thoughts were about this...

"If you are going to have a dog and keep it outside, don't bother.

Indoor/outdoor cat ownership is irresponsible."

QueenofAnything

I agree with the first statement. Well for the most part. If you're getting a dog to guard your junkyard or whatever, yeah okay. But if it's a family dog? Why get a dog in the first place?

I also agree with the second statement. Mostly because I'd be terrified if Kaycee was wandering around outdoors by herself. Our neighbor's cat (that we call fat Kaycee) is indoor/outdoor and has gotten skunked and attacked by other animals enough times that our neighbors have made her indoor only. If I had an indoor/outdoor cat and it got run over by a car or killed by another animal, I'd totally blame myself. And then you don't know what they've eaten or if they're peeing and pooping regularly so if they start puking or having diarrhea or anything else, you can't give the vet info they'd need.

lovethebeach16

I just read that. I agree to an extent. I don't see the point in having animals if you are never going to let them inside and you have limited contact with them. I do agree about keeping cats indoors though. It just seems like they attract too many predators to be left alone outside. But I think saying its irresponsible is a bit extreme because it really varies in each situation.

Is the person who lets their cat into their fenced back yard while they are outside just as irresponsible as the person who doesn't spay their cat and lets it come in and out as it pleases? 

Xtine22

My in-laws have an indoor and outdoor cat, they live on a farm so the cat just kinda wonders around the farm. I believe Chip was actually a stray that just became part of the family. This I find ok.

However, I had a friend who lived in a city and had indoor/outdoor cats. This I thought was wierd. There is always so much traffic and people. I would have been worried all the time.

That all being said when i had Coury he was an indoor cat. I could never have an indoor/outdoor cat. I would worry all day if they were ok, if they would come home, if they got hit by a car.

 

exictedbride

Growing up I had two dogs. Neither one lived in the house and I am completely okay with that. They were hunting dogs and lived in a kennel inside an out building (heated in the winter). We walked them two to three times a day and we were not sitting inside when we were home, but constantly outside doing work on the lawn or garden or just playing with the dogs (who were always outside during the day and free to roam the property). They were well taken care of and very much a part of the family. 

 I think a lot of this debate depends on where you live. In the city with limited space versus in the country with 40 acres of land. What I really don't like is people who own dogs, do not walk them and keep them cooped up in a house all the time. 

JenO24

when i was young our family dog was always outside.  that said we were always outside as a family too.  if it got too cold out we'd let her into the laundry room to get warm.  one day she got beat up by a raccoon and soon died.  we'd just gotten a puppy a few weeks before and after we lost our other dog the puppy always came in at night, but stayed outside during the day.  now, the dogs weren't on leashes...we had the invisable fence so it's not like they had limited space...we lived on an acre lot.

our current dog molly was always an outdoor dog too, but when she moved in w/ us she became an indoor dog since we don't have a fenced in backyard and can't get one due to just being renters.  she's a great indoor dog too.

our cat is strictly an indoor cat...she wouldn't know what to do if she went outside.  she does try to sneak out every once in a while, but once she hits the grass she hides against the house.

i agree w/ excitedbride...it depends on your situation/location. 

diablesse

I could never keep a dog outside here in PA. When I lived in the caribbean though...most dogs lived outside.  My german shepard growing up didn't even want to be indoors that much.

 

Cats are supposedly slowly wiping out whole populations of local birds.  The bird lab at my whole job detested cats. They were on a mission to ban outdoor cats. A local cityman in Annapolis wanted to pass a law that cats could only go outside on a leash. hahahaha

 

exictedbride

diablesse:

A local cityman in Annapolis wanted to pass a law that cats could only go outside on a leash. hahahaha

We honestly have a harness and leash for our cat. When she wants to go outside we loop the leash around the picnic table and she loves it. That way she can't attack the birds unless they get dangerously close.

citygirl17

I agree with both statements.  I think dogs require space and need to have time outside but that is obvi very different from keeping it outside permanently.  Sure, certain breeds need more excercise and room than others, but all dogs need walks and outdoor playtime.  I want a dog SO BAD especially since our last attempt to get a puppy fell apart.  On the other side of the coin, H says it isn't fair to keep the dog inside all day while we're gone.  Well, we'd be getting a smaller breed that doesn't require much excercise, and I would take it for at least three walks a day (one in the morning before work, one when I get home, and once more before bed), and would look into having someone come by around lunchtime to take it out one more time during the day.  If you're willing to put in that kind of effort / expense, go for it.  Otherwise, a dog is just not the pet for you.  They are NOT meant to be cooped up all day long with no time outide.  I have a friend who lives at home with his mother.  They had a BOXER (high energy; needs a ton of excercise) and kept it crated all day down in the basement when they weren't home.  I know they loved the dog and would take him for walks, feed him, give him attention, etc as soon as they got home, but keeping him crated all day like that was borderline abuse, IMO.  The dog just passed away =(

H and I have a cat right now.  We adopted her from a shelter after she was picked up as a stray, and a contingency of her adoption was that she had to be indoor only.  There are woods behind our house with animals that could get at her and some ferral cats in the area so we would never allow her outside regardless.  Cats live longer, stay healthier, and are much safer indoors.  The facts are there.  I think cats can be taken out once in awhile but only on a leash - I just know mine would never tolerate it

stephaniem1977

I agree with the dog statement unless it is a farm/herding dog or something of that nature. If you're getting a dog as a family pet, you don't have it live outside of the family home.

DatsyuksMommy

The people that used to rent the house behind ours kept their dogs outside 24/7 and fed them outside. We had rats in our neighborhood when we moved in because of it. Dixie caught a couple. It was horrifying. They have moved out, and the rats are gone, but the new people keep their dog outside an awful lot, and I am afraid it is going to happen again. Unfortunately, I cannot approach them about it because they already hate us. Dixie jumped the fence a few times and the guy said that he thinks she's going to eat their puppy. Their dog is so much bigger than Dixie it's not even funny.

/rant

leolyns

H and I just adopted a dog (american staffordshire) from a county SPCA and she's mostly an indoor dog, crated when we're not home and has boundaries when we are home. I couldn't keep a dog outside 24/7. I remember 2 dogs that my dad had when I was younger were outside all of the time and thinking back on it now, it should not have been that way.

Re: cats, in-laws cats are indoor/outdoor and they prefer it that way. My two cats are indoor, although one of them is very curious about being outside so we take him out on supervised play. Although it's been so ugly and stormy he's been inside this week.  

emilyann21

My parents dog (the dogs I grew up with) were mostly inside dogs. They know they're boundaries in the yard and hardly ever, pretty much never now leave their yard.

 In college, a kitten showed up at the back door so we adopted him. We got him fixed and kept him inside only for months. One day my roommate let him out by mistake and I was worried sick. By the time I got home, he was waiting at the door. I got a collar and ID tag for him and he would let me know when he wanted out. He's now at my parents house and spends the majority of the time outside. He would just be miserable if he were kept inside 24/7.

 I guess it just depends on everyone's situation and all. 

thatjessie

In town cats living outside doesn't work. My parents live on a farm and besides being pets their 2 cats are there to keep the barn mouse free and they do their job and get to come inside when they want to.

Dogs= most of MT is a ranch or farm and I have never been to one that doesn't let their dog inside (unless he's muddy then they will bath him before hand). Around here if you don't want to deal with the hair and whatever then you don't get one. I also think it's redic if a dog has to be couped up inside all day though (unless its a small midget dog then they don't care). I know a lady that leaves her dogs kenneled inside (boxer and lab) and I think they'd be better off left outside most of the time.