There are plenty of health and safety reasons explaining why it is better to have an indoor-only cat, but these reasons are escalated with city life for most cats. In contrast to the country, city life means autos, more foot traffic, and animal control nabbing your cat. There's also a potential that someone might steal your cat or treat it inhumanely. The overall risk of having an indoor-outdoor cat in the city is not worth the chance of losing your pet earlier to illness, injury, or kidnapping. Here are three reasons, among many other, why you should keep your cat indoors when you live in the city rather than letting it get outside upon occasion.
Shorter Lifespan for Outdoor Cats
Cats that are able to wander unreservedly outside live a way shorter lifespan than their indoor-only opposite numbers. While some outdoor cats can luck out with longer lives, the majority will suffer health problems and other sicknesses that will lead directly to a shorter life.
More Expensive Vaccinations and Veterinarian Bills
Indoor cats do not require the same vaccinations as indoor-outdoor cats. Feline Leukemia and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) are good examples of two shots that your cat will not need if kept indoor only. Rabies vaccines are imperative in most states, but indoor-only cats don't need them as frequently as outside cats do, with outdoor being yearly and indoor-only needing a rabies vaccination each 3 years.
Higher Risk of Injury
Cats are quiet when they are wounded. They don't need to risk predators discovering their injury, so they'll simply become quieter if they've got a dog bite or other ailment. If your cat is bitten while outside and the bite gets infected, you might be looking at thousands of bucks in ER charges once your cat reaches the point of a very serious infection and the injury is more noticeable.
Shorter Lifespan for Outdoor Cats
Cats that are able to wander unreservedly outside live a way shorter lifespan than their indoor-only opposite numbers. While some outdoor cats can luck out with longer lives, the majority will suffer health problems and other sicknesses that will lead directly to a shorter life.
More Expensive Vaccinations and Veterinarian Bills
Indoor cats do not require the same vaccinations as indoor-outdoor cats. Feline Leukemia and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) are good examples of two shots that your cat will not need if kept indoor only. Rabies vaccines are imperative in most states, but indoor-only cats don't need them as frequently as outside cats do, with outdoor being yearly and indoor-only needing a rabies vaccination each 3 years.
Higher Risk of Injury
Cats are quiet when they are wounded. They don't need to risk predators discovering their injury, so they'll simply become quieter if they've got a dog bite or other ailment. If your cat is bitten while outside and the bite gets infected, you might be looking at thousands of bucks in ER charges once your cat reaches the point of a very serious infection and the injury is more noticeable.
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