We live in the city and have a huge backyard. We have a garden and are overrun with chipmunks. :) But, we also have squirrels, birds, rabbits and others that visit as well, dispite, our two totally spoiled indoor(mostly) outdoor poodles.

My dd wanted a cat/kitten so we started with our local humane socitety. I just got off the phone and have never been so insulted. ( I have asthma and so does my oldest but short hair cats that live outside and are well cleaned( haa haa, the idea of bathing a cat but we do it.) have never been an issue) But, we just found out that we are not eligible to adopt from our local shelter because we can't keep the animal indoors. The person on the phone told me that I was a very cruel person to want to adopt a kitten and let it live outside. We live outside and plan on bringing the kitten inside the barn we have when it is cold. So, please someone tell me without yelling or name calling, why I am being cruel to consider getting a cat for my family.

TIA

i think that letting a cat live outside vs. the other option (being put down), i would pick a house cat that lives outside.
but the reason dh and i don't have pets is b/c he thinks dogs belong outside, but i disagree.
i don't think they needed to insult you or call you names, but i am glad to know they are looking for good homes for the animals. (and i am not saying that you don't have a good home, just saying that in general i am glad they are looking out for the animals:) ) i sure hope that made senseLOL

Because the kitten deserves to be in the warmth of your home, not out in the backyard. Because it's not just the cold that can hurt your kitten outside. Because food and water and occasional attention is not enough. Because the kitten deserves a home, inside with a family. period.

Our local shelter has the same policy. Growing up, our cats were indoor/outdoor cats, but the cat we have now is indoor only. I don't know if I'd say it is cruel to let a cat outside, but there is such an increased chance of disease and getting hurt (from predators, cars, fighting with other cats, mean kids, etc) that I prefer to keep our cat inside.

I must be a horrible person too. We have 2 cats inside and about 15 outside. The outside cats are barn cats, they live in the barn (or the garage if they go but that will change). They do get food and water, but they also hunt.

Honey, you can come "adopt" some of my kitties. They love being outside.

What is a cat's natural life?
Quite honestly, I bet cats natural habitat is outside.

My thougts are raise the cat inside at night and keep it outside in the day when you are home.

Inhumane? I dont think so, mama. You are giving the cat another chance to live.

My thought is, why would you adopt a kitten when you are allergic? Makes no sense to me. I also assumed since you have to go through a process of adoption, that this is a no kill shelter? If so, then it is not a choice between outside and death. It's a choice between staying in the shelter or living in your backyard.

A cat's natural habitat is outside, but that doesn't make it the best, safest and most responsible place to keep them. The point of "adopting" a kitten is to give it a home and a family.

JMHO as the adoptive mom of several kittens over the years, each and everyone has been an happy indoor cat.

I agree that wanting to keep a cat outdoors (where they'd be if humans weren't enslaving them all the time...hee hee) is not inhumane.

Next time you encounter that kind of language, remind the person name-calling that it's equally inhumane to try to shame our peers.

Good luck finding a kitty.

My DH thinks it is wrong to keep a cat cooped up inside a house. He says yeah - indoor cats live longer, but what kind of life?

We always had indoor/outdoor cats - free to go in and out as they please. As an adult, I got two cats and they were mostly indoor cats because I lived in an apt and did not have a good yard. In FL, we had a great set-up because the cats could go outside to a screened porch. They would bring me half dead lizards so I didn't like that so much. When we moved here, we gave them access outside but they mostly stayed in the backyard.

I think people can have very strong feelings/ideas on this issue, but I also think there are two sides to the whole thing. The chances of a cat being injured or getting sick are higher with outdoor cats. Many unwanted cats are euthanized (sp?) and I think that I would prefer a cat find a loving home - be it indoor or outdoor - than to be euthanized. Loving home defined as a person or family who provides the cat with food, water, attention, health care, etc.

Of course, I think an outdoor cat should be spayed/neutered.

Originally posted by soul4five
I agree that wanting to keep a cat outdoors (where they'd be if humans weren't enslaving them all the time...hee hee) is not inhumane.

Next time you encounter that kind of language, remind the person name-calling that it's equally inhumane to try to shame our peers.

Good luck finding a kitty.

I agree. We had an outdoor cat because he LOVED to hunt and would have rather died than be cooped up. He got worms and we were told to let him in we would have to worm him EVERY time he went outside:rolleyes:
Humans forced animals to live indoors. They are not MADE to live indoors.:(

Of course a cat is fine outside! All they need is food, water, shelter from the rain, and a little petting now and then is an extra treat for them. Ours lives outside and is very content and loving to our children.

well I dislike cats so I'll talk about our dog instead. I grew up with an outside only dog. My sis has a dog and it's an indoor dog and sheds all over the place, pees on her bed when they leave town, etc. so I don't like that either.

We got a puppy and kept her inside for the first few months but now with the hot weather, we let her outside and she's been preferring it so much that we've been letting her sleep out there too. Our backyard is fenced, no other animals are getting to her (unless they are smaller than she is) and she is very happy. She runs all around, potties wherever she wants, eats when she wants, sleeps when she wants and basically just lets us know she's happy.

Well worry about winter when the weather turns colder but for now, she's an outdoor only dog and has been since the beginning of June. I definitely don't think we're cruel to her and she's happier with us than she was at the shelter... locked in a little cage with no company.

i think ya have to look at it from their pov-they're an organization & their job is to find good HOMES for the animals so they won't be put down.

an allergic owner, with a self-confessed outside "home" is less than a perfect home, imo.

nothing against you, mama~but so many factors play into who they can willingly & openly adopt out to, and for this, i am glad~for the animals.

Oh, yes outside in their natural habitat is so cruel for a cat that they would be so much better in a shelter where no one wants them.:rolleyes:

You cruel person you! How dare you want to provide a wonderful pet for your dd to cuddle with and bond with even though you have allergies. How dare you want to provide a good home for an animal even if it is outside for an animal that is so better off locked in a cage at a shelter where it has no one to bond with. You are so cruel and sadistic!!!

:rolleyes: Sarcasim :rolleyes:

There are plenty of other places to kittens. There are a lot of unwanted kittens that instead of being taken to a shelter are either dumped or killed. I wonder how many of those kittens could be saved if shelters didn't have such stupid rules.


I think it is just absurd. They are so busy trying to make sure that the animals they have get "perfect" homes that they don't have the resources to save a lot more of them.

I just wanted to add that when I decided that our current cat would be an indoor cat, I had some reservations that I would be cruel for not letting her out. Our previous cats had loved being outside. However, our current cat was a kitten when we got her, and she has never been outside. She doesn't try to get outside or act unhappy - probably mainly because she doesn't know any better. My point is that while it may be hard for a cat accustomed to going outside to be confined indoors, cats, especially those who've never been out, can be perfectly happy inside.

Welllll, you have a lot of wildlife in your yard that would be chased off or killed with a cat. I also wonder about shelter for a cat in the cold. Can you provide that? Is your home located by a road or busy street? If so, I'd say no, no outdoor cats. JMO. If you were out in the country and no busy roads or a quiet area with no busy traffic? And the cat was spayed or neutered and fully kept up on vaccines? I think outdoor can be ok, but with a companion....or they search for companions, and end up finding not so safe ones (strays infected with things, etc.). I'd also consider the cost...outdoor cats cost more when given proper care. They need routine wormings and more vaccines to be kept safer. Also consider the emergency costs if your cat, say, got hit by a car. I know this is a biggie for shelters. They see a lot of cats go home with owners, be allowed out, and then no one can cover the costs when the cat gets into a fight and needs a $200 abscess surgery, or is hit by a car and needs a $1000 vet care tab paid. Outdoor cats are more costly and risky, but if you are in the right location and prepared, I think, personally, allowing them is fine.

JMO. (o;

I agree with what you said Denise, but country life isn't necessarily safe either :( I had a beloved cat that was my baby for 10 years. He was very unhappy inside. I forced him to be inside at night but he would b-line for the door first thing every morning. He came in and out all day, just like a dog. I was very, very attached to him. We live in the country and he was taken by coyotes about 2 years ago. I was heartbroken. But, I know he had 10 happy years versus perhaps 20 if I'd forced him, against his will, to live indoors. Just a personal decision for each pet owner to make I think.

ETA: We now have 2 cats that are solely indoor cats and they don't care to go outside. They're happy indoors, so I keep them indoors. They have their own wing of the house and aren't allowed in my bedroom or my sewing room - we're all happy ;)

*Very* true Faith. Or my friend, who lost a kitten to a hawk! Right in front of their eyes. The cat was only allowed out when they were outside...and poof, the hawk swooped down and the kitten was gone. :( Coyotes, yes, them too. We have them here, in our once country now more suburban city like area.......last year 3 area cats were caught by coyotes, one seen being carried away by the mail carrier here. :eek:

outdoor cats can be a nuisance to the neighbors.

I LOVE cats. I had one for 19 yrs. She started off as a indoor/outdoor cat (that's the way it was back in the 1970's) but as she aged, we made her an indoor cat (during the 1980's :p )

She was much better off indoors (not getting knocked up, in fights, getting lost)

Whether country or city, cats do better indoors.

Okay, I went through all this not two days ago on another post, so I won't dredge it all up. You can read it here (http://www.amitymama.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=187143) if you want to.

Basically, I volunteer for a dog rescue that requires adopters to agree to keep their pets indoors. I agree with the policy. We are trying to do the best we can to find the best possible homes for these animals. Not necessarily just a home, the best possible home. I think that rescues and shelters that implement the indoor only rule are only trying in whatever way they can to ensure that the animals will be well taken care of.

That said, I would have never said you were a cruel person for wanting an outdoor cat (though I might have suggested that you get a cat and not a kitten, as leaving a little kitten outdoors from the start seems a little much IMO), I would have simply said that you don't meet out requirements as an adopter and suggested you find another route and left it at that. Saying you were cruel and inhumane was a little over the top IMO, but some people are passionate!



BTW, where were you the other day Denise, I could've used some backup, LOL

We have an exclusively outdoor cat. He was indoor/outdoor (I never get how people have totally indoor cats, he would HATE that) cat before we had kids. After I had Ara, he bit a visiting 4 month old on the foot for no darn reason, just ruling the house, so he got kicked out. He is great with the kids as an outdoor cat, loves on them, likes to be pet, but he is very territorial if you let him indoors. He has good food and water, shelter, and lots to hunt. Plenty of woods to play in and he doesn't go in the road or wander, except next door to visit the neighbors cat (also outdoor, gasp). His is also a long hair cat and loves the snow (seriously, he gets all excited and starts dashing around, throwing snow in the air) so I don't worry about him in colder weather - plus it only snows here 1 - 2 days/year.

So no, I don't think you are mean for having an outdoor only cat.

but I agree with the shelter. They are adopting out domesticated cats, not ferrel I assume. If its a domesticated cat is belongs indoors. Domesticated cats don't have the same predator and fight instincts and are in more danger. Yes tons of cats do great outside but they are trying to find the best home for this kitten and outdoors does not sound to be it. We are cat foke and adore our 2 indoor only cats. If they go out its with us just for a looksy. I wouldn't encourage adopting a kitten for outdoors. The only thing I could say is if it is a kill shelter and an adult I would think about it...An adult who's been around the way but I kitten without a mom to teach him is just as helpless as a newborn.

Originally posted by freedomlover
outdoor cats can be a nuisance to the neighbors.



True!!! Our neighbor's have a lovely indoor cat that gets to "play" outside. He's a good mouser so I don't complain but the harassing of our dog through the windows does get a bit old.

Katie

Many areas have rapidly declining bird populations also due to outdoor cats. :wah: And may I also say I hate people who let their cats out and into MY yard?! I do NOT like cats pooping and pee'ing in my garden and yard! I am sick of worrying about my kids playing in their sandbox because the neighbors cats pee'd in it. And I am tired of their cats coming over to hang on MY screens trying to get IN and harassing my cats by spraying my house sides or door! If you have an outdoor cat who is a neighbor nuisance, they can be trapped and taken to a shelter legally. So those with outdoor cats should have them chipped.

You're not inhumane.

Here's how I feel. I grew up in the country where we had indoor/outdoor cats. My mom still does there and has a cat door. I live in the suburbs now and I hate outdoor cats here. I also think litter boxes are nothing but disgusting so I will not have a cat while I live here. We did for a while but it didn't work because of the reasons above so now she lives at my moms and is so happy.

We've been doing work on our front landscaping and of course since it was dirt for a while the neighbor's cat would come poop in it. Then the next day we go to work in the yard and it's stinky :mad:. We are always chasing cats out of our yard. We have bird nests every year and the cats harass them and poop, pee and spray YUCK!

We're good friends with our neighbor with the cat and give him a hard time about it. He bought us this last weekend and it's displayed in our front yard :D ~

we have two kitties (one of which is stretched out on the floor in my sig pic).
Vinny is the older of the two and he LOVES to go out back for about 5 mins in the mornings. At 6 am, he gets a bowl of milk and then heads out into our back yard to lounge on the patio. Now Sam, pictured below, can't STAND the outside. He hangs out by the back door waiting for Vinny to get in. When we adopted the boys, Vinny was front declawed but for some reason, Sam is compeltely declawed.
Anyhow, I have never been comfortable having my indoor cat go outdoors but I feel better about it here at the new house. Our back yard is fenced and it is over 6 ft tall. Vinny is entirely too lazy (and FAT) to get his rear over it. He just likes to lay on the patio and watch the birds go by.
I'm too much of a worry wart to have an outdoor cat (or outdoor pet for that matter). My dog NEEDS to be around people. He goes out long enough to do his "business" then he's whining to come back in. He's def. a people dog.
Also, I'd be concerned with what an indoor/outdoor cat might bring back IN with them. I know outdoor cats are at a higher risk for FIV, for which there is no cure. The average lifespan for an outdoor cat is 5 years (!!!!) They also have a higher chance of carrying toxoplasmosis and various other diseases you'd rather NOT have in your home or around children.
The only outdoor cats we have ever "had" have been ones that have adopted us. They show up on my doorstep, meowing like mad. I feed them for a while and then they wander to some other soft hearted sucker:)
I agree that the name calling was childish and just plain rude. Perhaps the woman/man you spoke with has heard of some of their cats/kittens they've adopted getting hurt after being left out and she's overly sensitive. Not making excuses for her actions, just trying to find a reason for it.
Good luck!

I know people who don't like cat's using their children's play yard for a toilet and leave poison out for the cats. I'd keep them inside.

I do not at all think you are inhumane, though most mamas here have good points.

If you would like to get an outdoor kitty, I would not get a kitten. Instead, adopt or get an adult cat from the paper that is USED to being outdoors all of the time. Many cats need homes and I am certain that it wouldn't be hard to find one.



*edited for typo*

We have 2 cats who were raised in our home (we got them as kittens) but once they were grown, they longed to go outside. They have been neutered and shots kept up to date (and they still have all of their claws) so we let them out and they have never looked back. They live outside and come into our sunroom when the weather is inclement (snow, freezing, etc). My DH and I strongly feel that a cat's natural habitat is outside. I don't think it is inhumane in the least. Period.

our local shelter is really tight, they have a very strict application policy. I went in one day to see about getting a dog and basically was told they would give us one because we had children, not small children just children. It used to be that the fee was like $15 and if the animal wasn't sterile you had to pay for that too, well, now it's $75 no matter what, and they must do a home visit, there is a longer app for a dog then I had to fill out to vote or buy a car!!!

I understand that they want to find good homes and I think that is good but sheesh thier just going to put them down evetually.

Oh and about 3 days later I read a story in our local news about a women who lost her dog on monday looked all day tuesday called the shelter on wednesday to find out that yes they had found her dog but they didn't find it adoptable so they put it down!!!

I haven't read all the replies but here is what I have to say - I believe that it is an SPCA rule to not adopt out cats to people who will keep it outdoors. The thinking is two fold - one is that outdoor cats are more vulnerable to things such as cars, mean kids, and mountain lions. The other thought is that a cat is more likely to get diseases such as feline leukemia outside. Vaccines don't help that much with some diseases.

I am a cat person and rather allergic to them. I swear the universe sends a new cat the second the old one dies. I've had what we call "walk on cats" for about fifteen years.

All of that said, the cats alive today are not what they were before domestication. Yes, some hunt but not all do.

In SF the SPCA is a no-kill shelter. They are very picky about who they adopt out to. I don't even know if I would be approved to get a cat from them since my income goes up and down. Serial killers are known for starting to kill with pets. There was a case in Atlanta of a man who kept getting cats from the shelter there and then taking them home and pouring acid on them. These are more reasons that such rules are in place.

Going to give my side...as a non-cat owner (used to have two indoor cats, so it's not like I don't like cats)...but I HATE having cats in my yard using it as a bathroom for one. We've got cats all over this neighborhood and the entire town that come and go as they please. I HATE it! It's one thing to live in the country & have cats (still doesn't guarantee the cats will stay on the property and I'd still be ticked if someone else's cat came to my yard). The other thing is that although one person's cat is vaxed...ten others might not be...so there is an issue of spreading disease...there's also the issue of not having a fixed cat (but when you adopt from a shelter that usually isn't an issue).

So I think that cats belong indoors unless they are tied up. And for most cats that's not an option. It's not like dogs are allowed to run loose in most towns. I don't understand why cats are allowed. I fought vocally and hard to get a "leash" law for cats here along with a lot of other people...it failed. Then I fought with the animal shelter to require outdoor cats to be fixed...it failed. Now the only thing you can do is call the police if a cat is running around and being a nuisance. Well most of the ones in my neighborhood are when they urinate and poo in my yard...argh!

Our cat is indoor only from a no-kill shelter that specified that we must keep him in.

He is very happy - except he will only eat when someone is standing next to him. Then he takes one bite, rubs against you, takes another bite, etc. He gets pissy when you don't want to stand there at the exact moment he wants to eat. Otherwise, he's cool.

We used to have indoor/outdoor cats in a neighborhood. All were spayed and vaxed. We lost two to cars on very quiet streets. One cost several hundred dollars to repair after a fight. We lost another to feline immunodeficiency disease (feline AIDS). It was not pretty and cost a small fortune to treat him through the years. We finally had to put him down as the disease progressed.

You cannot vaccinate against that or feline leukemia (edited to add: yes you can vax against feline leukemia as the other Denise says in her next post), nor against cars and other predators.

I don't think they should have called you cruel at all! It's just their policy. FWIW, many county shelters or "pounds" don't ask those questions. Also, our paper is always full of free kittens! You should be able to find one, if you want one.

Actually that is incorrect...you *can* vaccinate against FELV (feline leukemia) but NOT FIV (feline aids) or FIP. But you can most surely vaccinate for FELV, as well as FVRCP (distemper combo).......There is a vaccine for FIP as well, but it was found to cause the disease in more cats due to being a live vaccine. They are trying to work on a vaccine for FIV but no luck yet. Abd true, Eliz is right...like with people, no vaccine is 100%.....by far. However I feel it is crucial to vaccinate pets, they simply are at more risk over humans....we don't share food with other unknown sick humans, or water bowls/sources, we don't lick one another that we don't know, etc. pets being vaccinated is totally different over people imo. We simply have the smarts not to place ourselves at the risks they do. Well, most of us. LOL. (o; (And this goes for indoor pets too......rabies is fatal and several cats have gotten it from hunting down a bat that entered a home...and distemper lives in the soil for years and is tracked in on our feet/shoes and transmitted to our pets who are not vaccinated....vaccines, imo, are important for pets....indoor or not)

That's right Denise. I remember now. We were several years between cats and I forgot about the leuk vaccine.

My bad! Thanks for correcting the misinformation!

Originally posted by JojAbis
Oh and about 3 days later I read a story in our local news about a women who lost her dog on monday looked all day tuesday called the shelter on wednesday to find out that yes they had found her dog but they didn't find it adoptable so they put it down!!!

That is just SICK! It would have taken the entire police squad to keep me from beating the hell out of the people who murdered my dog. How inhumane.

We had to promise to keep our cat and dog indoors when we adopted them. I wouldn't let them stay out anyway because we have coyotes and such.

Erin

Originally posted by mothersrem
plan on bringing the kitten inside the barn we have when it is cold.



FWIW there are many rescue organizations that will adopt out fixed cats as barn cats. We did this one year when we were having rodent problems in our barn. There are lots of cats that are feral or on the feral side which doesn't make them the best companions but they are good at chasing away small animals. The rescue organization brought me the cat and a crate. We kept her in there for a few weeks and I would go out daily and feed her and clean the crate. She was recovering from being spayed and they also wanted to have her associate our barn with food and shelter. Then we let her out and provided her with food, water, and shelter and she lived in our barn. She never became too friendly (despite socialization efforts) but she did help with the rodent problem. I feel that she was much better off spayed, vaccinated and outside in my barn, than put to sleep because she was wild and therefore "unadoptable". I'm not sure where in KY you live but here are a couple links I found that might be helpful.



The Kitty (http://archives.bereaonline.com/archives/2002/october%20-%20the%20kitty%20inc/kitty.htm)

alley cat advocates (http://www.alleycatadvocates.org)

Holly's Place (http://www.hollys.org/ferals.html)

Home At Last (http://www.homeatlastanimals.org/ferals.html)

Hope some of this is helpful

Jenn

I think the thing is that a kitten does not know how to care for it's self and won't have a mama cat top watch over it. Where I live in Gurnee. IL it is near the second largest mall in the world but also have coyote that come down and steal dogs and cats in the night for food.
The kitten may wonder off and you never see it again do to it getting lost or killed. It is different if it was born out side in the barn and raised out side with it's mama. But there is also the threat of distemper and several other diseases that can hurt it. Even if you got a full grown cat, it may still have trouble out doors if it wasn't found that way. You may be adopting a cat that was always inside and just got passed it's owners door and then found by the catchers.
I worked for a ferret shelter so I know they are only trying to do what they feel is right but they should have never gone to name calling. They should have just tried to educate you on why they don't feel it is a good idea.
Sorry you are having trouble getting a pet.

without being mean or taking sides...I think the rationale is this, there are many dangers for cats or kittens in living outside. Not many of us live in an area that is totally safe. There are diseases, larger animals that could prey on the kitties, cars that could hit them etc etc. The shelter (as some do )believes that if you are going to adopt from them you are going to make the kitty a member of your family, and who puts a member of their family outside to live?
I personally have had indoor outdoor cats in my life, some have died from being hit by a car. I now suffer from asthma so can't have an indoor cat, but wouldn't get one to live outside because of the risks.
Lots of volunteers at shelters hold pretty strong views about companion animals. They don't know you, so can express themselves any way they feel fit, as long as they are not called to task for it. You could call the shelter and ask to speak with a sup. but my guess is that it is a policy not to adopt to people who will make the kitty indoor outdoor.
I would suggest that you scour your paper for ads for kitties to good homes, there are so many, most are really low cost or free. I think it is important to make sure they are vetted, shots flea/tick meds and such, and the commitment to take care of medical needs as they go through life, but love is love.
Just trying to clarify the shelter peoples thought process behind the policy.

Originally posted by mothersrem
We live in the city and have a huge backyard. We have a garden and are overrun with chipmunks. :) But, we also have squirrels, birds, rabbits and others that visit as well, dispite, our two totally spoiled indoor(mostly) outdoor poodles.

My dd wanted a cat/kitten so we started with our local humane socitety. I just got off the phone and have never been so insulted. ( I have asthma and so does my oldest but short hair cats that live outside and are well cleaned( haa haa, the idea of bathing a cat but we do it.) have never been an issue) But, we just found out that we are not eligible to adopt from our local shelter because we can't keep the animal indoors. The person on the phone told me that I was a very cruel person to want to adopt a kitten and let it live outside. We live outside and plan on bringing the kitten inside the barn we have when it is cold. So, please someone tell me without yelling or name calling, why I am being cruel to consider getting a cat for my family.

TIA

I used to volunteer at a local no kill shelter here in the city. One of the things I did was help screen calls from people wanting to adopt cats/kittens. I think it's pretty standard for the shelter to want the cat to be an indoor cat (especially in the city) I also don't think they will apopt a cat to someone who is allergic or has asthma. If you rent, you need the landlords approval (that's at the regular shelter too, not just the no kill shelter) They do ask quite a few questions because they really do want to find the animals permanent homes. I personally think cats in the city are better off indoors. I've seen too many awful things happen to cats who roam. I think it's a bit different if you live out in the country. If you really want to adopt a cat to live outside, you'd probably be better off getting an older cat that is used to being feral/outside. A kitten may not be able to take care of itself if left outdoors.

One more thing is that Feline HIV and Leukemia are up and they are both contracted from fights with other cats much of the time---get your cats VACCINATED if they will be outside. I had a cat die of leukemia because I didn't know better.

Erin

I wonder, also, if the shelter said they felt it was inhumane to leave a kitten outside all the time...? Not that they called YOU inhumane, but said they did not adopt to people who wanted a strictly outdoor cat as they felt that was not the best and inhumane for the cat....? I know that is similair to how our local no kill shelter words it.

I wanted to thank you for your input about my cat situation. I thank those who were able to make good points without being rude. I grew up with 9 cats and 4 dogs. Our cats shared our home and I loved my cat snowball. He was like a dog. I wish I could have an indoor cat. Having them cuddler up at my feet at night would be a blessing on a cold winter night here. So I do know about the risks and dangers of having your animals outside and that is why I have been very apprehensive about this whole thing. As for my asthma, yes, a cat could trigger my allergies and asthma but so can having children or talking a walk outside. I cannot live in a bubble and thinking about having a cat that can be bathed in allerPet-C for cats weekly is not irresponsible. People who have allergies learn to cope and adapt. I bath my dogs weekly. Sometimes twice. We feed then a high quality protein diet with a variety of vitamins and even spend 3 hours a month making their food to make sure it is balanced. So, allergies guide my decisions but can't rule them. I would never have had children if I had been afraid of my asthma and let it paralyze me. Taking risks is a part of life and everyone must chose what risks they are willing to take. I am not willing to risk putting a defenseless kitten outside. I am willing to take a risk by offering a farm cat or an neighborhood cat a home. I am very familiar with shelters and know they all have their own rules. I totally, totally respect and appreciate the shelters that do have strict rules for adoption. I was in no way trying to suggest I disagreed. I am not from KY so I did not know they had this specific rule when we started looking for a cat as a family pet. When I said kitten I did not mean a 9 week old. I would never, ever leave a young kitten in my back yard all night and during the day while the girls were at school. I have been told shelters have a neighborhood kitten/cat adoption option sometimes so I was hoping to find a cat that had been around the block or was a farm cat that needed a home. I picked the shelters because I thought they would be more honest about the cat and often the animals are more in need. I know we can get a cat if we want one but it is not a matter of just getting a cat. I has to be the right one. We live in a very quiet neighborhood on a very quiet culdasac in a fenced yard. We have the ability to provide a warm and loving family for a cat without it having to live in our home. Our garage is part of our home. I don't sleep there! Our barn is insulated. This isn't a rash spontaneous decision we are making. Most of the cats here rarely leave their yard. We were even looking into clicker training our cat as we did our dogs and other animals. We are outside so much that the cat would not long for company. I do vaccinate my animals ! So, I an not a bad animal owner as some on the messages I have been sent have said. I have received some horrible email from this post of just sharing and unfortunatley feeling humilated by being treated so poorly. I did not intend it to turn into a heated discussion about where and how we should care for our animals. I often do post on heated discussions to avoid insulting people or hurting peoples feelings unless I am very careful about how I word things. For those that took time in writing your response and were careful not to point fingers or tried to undertstand and didn't read into the situation I thank you.

So, with that said I was just sharing the fact that this person had insulted me not by telling me I was unfit to adopt. But, by saying I was inhumane to want an outside cat and that he would be reporting me to social services and other services to make sure my dogs were not neglected. All because I said I was looking to adopt an outside cat and had already filed out the application and was calling to follow up on the application because the director had said he thought they had a neighborhood 2 yr old cat that needed a home. But he was mistaken. But, the gentlement I talked to was unaware of this. But, there is away to stand you ground and teach people about animal neglect and humanity without insulting them. If he had said he thought it was inhumane to keep a cat outside that is one thing, but unfortunately, he did not. The fact he told me he questioned how my dogs were being raised and that I should expect a visit from the local authorities was too much. This situation has been resolved but people do need to remember that when dealing with the public rudeness does nothing but make people angry. Patiences and well-worded statements are necessary. As a teacher, I could never have said something like that and expect to keep my job. People can't make assumptions. Yes, cats are part of a family and you wouldn't want to put a family member outside but family situations change and people who would never plan on doing something may find them having to change the situation. I know people who believe putting relatives in a nursing home to be inhumane, but if they ever had to do it for whatever their family situation, I would not be sending them hate mail. People make too many assumptions.

All we wanted to do was provide a home for a cat who loved the outdoors wanted to be outdoors. We did not intend to throw a 9 week old kitten outside. We have been able to locate such a program and now are deciding if taking on a cat would be best for our family. Researching it and making a decision based upon knowledge and not insults is what we plan to do.

Thanks to all of you who were able to discuss this topic without being rude or insulting.

Please don't think that I am comparing getting an outside cat to putting a family member in a nursing home because I AM NOT. It is just not our place to judge peoples decisions. Educate if necessary so they can make an educated decision but not to pass judgement.

Some cats do need to be indoor and it is policy for most rescues to only adopt cats out to those who will keep tham inside. True, some cats love being outside only, but if you lived on a road, that would be a bad option for the kitty. If you have coyotes, the kitty should be able to be inside somewhere safe and there again no one will adopt a cat to you if you live in a area known for coyotes. Some people won't adopt cats out to people with kids at all. Your best bet is to get a semi feral cat but anytime you bring a new cat into your life it needs to be kept inside (as in in the barn) for a few or more weeks so that it knows where home is and won't run away. Getting an adult would be easier plus adults are why more likely to get put down than kittens.

As far as the gal's attitude, you need to understand how many people want to adopt cats just to catch mice or live on a road or have cat eating dogs, etc. They have to deal with the good and the bad and are sometimes quick to judge and that is also why they have such policies in place though for the protection of the cat (one bad apple. . .). If an animal gets placed in a bad home, they could get abused.

Rescues shouldn't place an animal without some kind of a home check anyways. County/city shelters are of course different, but a rescue who hands a cat over to just anyone isn't doing their job.

Anyways, if you find a place who will let you jump through their hoops, it is worth it because they will also be trying to pick out the right cat for your family. Obviously they would not put a blind cat/kitten in and outdoor home but maybe a big male or has some survival insticts left or a sassy calico.

Jenn