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Posted by fullottermoon on August 25, 2002 at 02:36:59:

In Reply to: going out?!? posted by galgolfer9 on August 24, 2002 at 22:42:51:

:I have recently gotten my 5 month old male cat neutered, and he is now going to be allowed to go outside, becoming an indoor/outdoor cat. I am worried about him wondering off, being so excited for everything new to look at and all the new smells. Are there any suggestions to making sure he doesn't go too far away, and to make sure he comes when I call him. I have lost one kitten when he wondered off and never came home. I live in the country, and he wasn't neutered, which I'm hoping was the main reason for his disappearance. I can't lose this one, too!

The only guarantee for making sure a cat doesn't wander off is to keep him inside!
It is NOT necessary for cats to go outdoors no matter what they try to tell you! Cats can live perfectly happily and much more safely indoors. Living in the country is not as safe for cats as it once was. And un-altered males usually only go away for a few days and return if they are out "courting." Once that is over and done with, they'll come home with their battle scars from fights with the other male cats. The act of mating is their sole purpose for disappearing for a few days. Nowadays, there are many more predators closer to inhabited areas than ever before. As man keepstaking their natural habitats away (logging, building, clearing land) they have to fnd someplace to exist. I don't know where you live, but in many parts of this country coyotes prey on pt cats & small dogs. Also, foxes (my sister lost a cat to a fox). Cougars in the western part of the country and lynxes in the east. And I won't even get into steel leg traps that some morons put out! There is now a much bigger threat of pets being bitten and infected with rabies by wold animals,also. (all this because man is intruding heavily on natural habitats for wildlife) I'm not trying to scare you- or maybe I am just a bit because these are now factsof life. So, I guess you can figure out what my advice is.

Follow Ups:

• Re: going out?!? PHMadameAlto 08/25/02 (0)