Georgetown Animal Services

Cats Belong Indoors

Cats may love to go outside, but to save their lives, keep them inside.  Although cats are smart, alert and adroit, they are no match for the many perils that await them outside.  That’s why the average indoor-only cat lives up to three times longer than the cat who goes outside.  Consider these threats:

 

DISEASE:  Feline Leukemia and Feline Immunodeficiency virus are only two diseases passed from cat to cat and, once contracted, result in eventual death.  Outside cats are even more likely than dogs to encounter rabid wild animals.

 

PARASITES:  Outdoor cats suffer from fleas, ticks, ear mites, and worms to which indoor cats are not generally exposed.

 

POISONING:  Poisons can be found in lawn chemicals, bait left out to kill rodents, auto anti-freeze and other sources.

 

OTHER ANIMALS:  Fights with other cats, dogs and wildlife often leave cats maimed or injured.  It’s not just the Toms.  Female cats get into fights, too, because cats are by nature territorial.

 

CRUEL PEOPLE:  Cats are often the victims of burning, tarring and feathering, and other tortures.  Animal dealers may collect outside cats for sale to research facilities.  Outside pets are at the mercy of the people they encounter.

 

TRAPS:  It is estimated that over 100,000 cats are caught in traps each year.  Those not  killed may suffer for days before being released and often lose limbs from the injuries.

 

PET OVERPOPULATION:  Unaltered cats allowed to roam and mate at will account for millions of the cats that must be euthanized each year because there aren’t enough homes for them.  Allowing unaltered animals outside is irresponsible and at the root of the disgraceful pet overpopulation tragedy.

 

  • In just seven years, one female cat and its young can produce 420,000 cats.
  • Every day in the United States, more than 70,000 puppies and kittens are born.  When this number is compared to the 10,000 human births each day, it’s clear that there can never be enough homes for all of these pets.  But don’t look at it as just a problem of numbers—every single pet is an individual life.

 

Cats can be completely happy inside if you provide them with toys, good care and, most importantly, lots of love and attention.

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