Dangers To Outdoor Cats: Mountain Lions, And Coyotes And Cars… Oh My!
Posted on: 7 April 2015
While your cat probably enjoys roaming its turf, hanging out with the other neighborhood cats and looking for birds and bunnies to terrorize, it would be a lot safer if you kept it inside. The outdoors are ripe with disease and danger. According to Dr. Debra Primovic, the average lifespan of an indoor-outdoor cat is only three to six years, while a strictly indoor cat can live, on average, to the ripe old age of 15 (and many live much longer). Not convinced? Here's a few of the dangers lurking in your neighborhood.
Disease and Parasites
When your cat is outside, doing its thing, it probably crosses paths with many other animals, including wild ones. These other cats, birds, squirrels, and rabbits can be carriers of a host of bacteria, fleas and mites. If you keep your cat indoors, you eliminate the need to use topical medications to keep bugs at bay.
No Chance at Becoming Lunch
It's a horrible thought, but it happens all too often. You've seen the flyers put up by folks who aren't as lucky as you, searching for their missing cat. There's a good chance they'll never find him or her, especially if you share a neighborhood with wild animals, which are prevalent in the even the most dense cities. Coyotes, foxes, fisher cats and raccoons are all on the hunt for their next meal, and you don't want it to be your beloved cat. If you've ever seen a zombie movie, you'll understand the horror, and you don't want your pet to face that.
Avoiding Cars is Lifesaving
It would be impossible to find proper statistics on the subject, but cats get hit by cars every day. No matter how much you try, you just can't teach them to look both ways before they cross the street, which means it's your job to keep them from playing in traffic. The only way to ensure this is to keep your cat inside. In the process, you'll also be saving some poor driver from living with the guilt of killing your family pet.
It may seem boring, or cruel, to keep your "wild" animal cooped up, but if you provide enough mental and physical simulation, your cat will be just fine. If your cat is a social creature, consider getting another cat to play with. The camaraderie can fill the void of the outdoors, and their interest in one another can help keep you sane as you try to wean your cat of the freedom of outdoor living.
For information on cat health, contact a professional company like Chicago Cat Clinic.
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