DD wants a cat, but we have several friends who are highly allergic...

[Tap]

Both dd's best friend and a very good friend of ds are both very allergic to cats so we can't have an indoor cat. DD11 has been begging for a furry pet. I don't want a fragile indoor pet (hamsters, gps, etc) as dd3 is not soft and has killed many an insect or frog in her hands.

 

Is it a horrible thing to do to a cat if you get one with the intention of having it live outdoors. We live in the PNW so the weather is pretty easy most of the year and we can make it a cat door into the garage for colder nights. Our furnace is in there and it is insulated, so even in freezing weather it isn't below 45-50 in there.

 

I am considering looking for a litter of outdoor cat kittens, who have been raised to be an outdoor animals anyways.

 

There are two other outdoor cats in our neighborhood and we don't have problems with animals like raccoons or coyotes.

 

We, of course would keep current on vaccinations and spay/neuter.

[anissa]

I get upset with people who let their cats wander all over...the nighttime racket can wake the dead. But I am a dog person so am biased:001_smile: btw we have gps and they are hardy little rodents if you don't let them get too hot. Good luck!

[Tap]

I get upset with people who let their cats wander all over...the nighttime racket can wake the dead. But I am a dog person so am biased:001_smile: btw we have gps and they are hardy little rodents if you don't let them get too hot. Good luck!

 

Funny...it is the dogs in our neighborhood who make the noise. We have one family that works nights and their dogs (5 indoor retrievers) bark for 60-90 minutes every time they leave. Then there is the family 2 doors down who have a hound dog that is outside most of the time. :(

 

I have never heard one of the cats make noise.

[AFwife Claire]

Well, this is probably not a popular opinion on these boards, from other threads I have read, but we had a cat very much like you described when I was growing up. Tigger was always an outside cat due to allergies in my own family. We got her from a little of barn kittens. She always had a snug box on our porch and access to our garage. We spayed her as soon as possible, and she was not a wanderer at all. She policed our yard, keeping it free of mice (and brought her trophies to the door, LOL), and loved sitting on the porch rail and watching life go by. We all sat out on the porch and petted her a lot, and she followed us around when we played or worked outside. We lived in Ohio at this time, and when it got really cold, we would bring her into our basement at night. She was always quite eager to go back outside though. She never tried to come in our house either, LOL. She really just wasn't interested. Much more going on outside! So for us, what you are describing worked out really well Although I know there are people who would argue that all cats are dying to be inside-lapbound-snugglebugs, that really isn't true because we had one that wasn't! So I hope you can find one too! Several of my kids have cat allergies, but my best friend has an indoor cat. It is really hard for us to visit over there, even when she thoroughly vacuums (and we are coming from VA to visit in OH, so it's not like we can just pop in and out for short periods frequently!)

[anissa]

You are right, dogs that bark incessantly are beyond annoying! I don't know why the cats choose my yard at night to do their screechy, death song, but boy does it freak me out when it starts! I think your plan sounds good. Your dd wants a pet and if the cat likes it outside, I say go for it.

[Hedgehog]

We have a cat who is most definitely an outdoors-at-night animal. It's the way she's always been right from day 1. She comes in the morning and eats a meal, and goes straight into her basket on the laundry room counter and sleeps all day; wakes up at around 5-6pm and eats another meal; sits near her basket waiting for some attention (which she usually gets) and then goes out again at around 9pm. She very rarely comes to us and loads of visitors have not even been aware that we have a cat as there's no cat hairs on the furniture. We have some friends who are allergic to pet hair and although it's better if we have a window open, they don't seem to be overly bothered if we don't.

[elegantlion]

I think a cat can become an outdoor cat, but I don't think I'd get a cat with the intention it could never come into the home. I certainly wouldn't get a kitten and allow it be outside only.

 

However, if you look at shelters for adult cats, ones that they can tell you have been outdoor cats, it would beat the alternative future for the cat.

[plansrme]

I just want to say "thank you" for being sensitive to your friends' allergies. I have no input on the original question (dog person here), but one of my children cannot visit either set of paternal grandparents (divorced parents) or my grandmother, for more than about 2 hours. After 2 hours, she has severe reactions to their cats. During the visit, she can't sit on the floor or any upholstered furniture, and we are constantly checking on her eyes, as that is where the reaction always starts. It is unfortunate that her grandparents are missing out on knowing her because of their stupid cats.

 

She has collected a bunch of non-cat friends, but if one of her best friends got a cat, sleepovers or even long visits at the friend's would be out of the question, and the friendship would certainly suffer.

 

Terri

[fairfarmhand]

If you have a cat this way...(and it sounds like a good plan to me. This is the way I've ALWAYS had cats)

 

GET IT FIXED!!!!

[Tap]

I think a cat can become an outdoor cat, but I don't think I'd get a cat with the intention it could never come into the home. I certainly wouldn't get a kitten and allow it be outside only.

 

However, if you look at shelters for adult cats, ones that they can tell you have been outdoor cats, it would beat the alternative future for the cat.

 

This is where I struggle. I grew up with pets that were indoor/outdoor at will. I don't have an issue with an indoor pet, well except for fur but that is another post.

 

I would specifically look for a young cat/older kitten that wanted to be an outdoor cat. I have known many this way, so I know they exist.

 

What I wouldn't do is pick up a random cat, and make it be outdoors. I would be looking for one that already had an 'outdoor' personality.

 

I wouldn't like a cat that was begging to come inside, just to push it out. That isn't my personality.

[elegantlion]

This is where I struggle. I grew up with pets that were indoor/outdoor at will. I don't have an issue with an indoor pet, well except for fur but that is another post.

 

I would specifically look for a young cat/older kitten that wanted to be an outdoor cat. I have known many this way, so I know they exist.

 

What I wouldn't do is pick up a random cat, and make it be outdoors. I would be looking for one that already had an 'outdoor' personality.

 

I wouldn't like a cat that was begging to come inside, just to push it out. That isn't my personality.

 

Very true. My parents live in the country and have cats. Some prefer outdoors to indoors. We selected a kitten from them many years ago and he hated being indoors, even at 10-12 weeks. he was horrid, so we "exchanged" him for our current cat, who never goes outside. Prince, the other cat still lives at my parents and goes in/out at will.

 

I would maybe look into a no kill shelter or cat rescue group. Someplace where they might be able to know the temperament of the cat from a previous owner.

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

DD11 has been begging for a furry pet.

 

I am one who objects to outdoor pets. However, I also have a secondary concern. Do you truly believe that an outdoor cat will satisfy the need for companionship that your dd11 is craving? I would worry that she might think she will be happy with an outdoor pet because the thought of finally getting one at all would be so exciting, but it might not play out that way in the end. I am sure that many people do form attachments and relationships with outdoor cats (and some have posted here) but I imagine at least as many do not because outdoor pets are not as involved in the daily life of the family as indoor pets are. They're not readily accessible for snuggling while reading a good book, or when your mom has sent you to your room and you need a furry friend to cry and tell your troubles to (my favorite memories of childhood cats), etc.

 

I thought there was some kind of cat that didn't bother allergy sufferers. I can't remember which breeds. In the absence of that, I would personally try another animal who could live indoors before I would get an outdoor cat.

[Tap]

I am one who objects to outdoor pets. However, I also have a secondary concern. Do you truly believe that an outdoor cat will satisfy the need for companionship that your dd11 is craving? I would worry that she might think she will be happy with an outdoor pet because the thought of finally getting one at all would be so exciting, but it might not play out that way in the end. I am sure that many people do form attachments and relationships with outdoor cats (and some have posted here) but I imagine at least as many do not because outdoor pets are not as involved in the daily life of the family as indoor pets are. They're not readily accessible for snuggling while reading a good book, or when your mom has sent you to your room and you need a furry friend to cry and tell your troubles to (my favorite memories of childhood cats), etc.

 

I thought there was some kind of cat that didn't bother allergy sufferers. I can't remember which breeds. In the absence of that, I would personally try another animal who could live indoors before I would get an outdoor cat.

 

I would have thought the same thing, including the thought that outdoor cats tend to be more independent and aloof. This summer, the neighbor brought home a cat from a shelter. He was supposed to be an indoor cat but he loved the outdoors and especially our back porch. She got very, very attached very quickly. When the owner took him back to the shelter (happened before I realized it) she was quite upset.

 

So, Yeah I do think that the outdoor pet is a good fit for her. She is a real animal lover and cried for days when fish have died. :(

[Tap]

 

I would maybe look into a no kill shelter or cat rescue group. Someplace where they might be able to know the temperament of the cat from a previous owner.

 

LOL, it is funny you mention this, because I totally forgot that dh's mother is a foster mom for a no-kill shelter. She takes in the smallest kittens and gets up at night to bottle feed them. I may put a bug in her ear to watch for one that may fit our needs.

 

I completely forgot about this because we aren't very close to her and only see her once or twice a year.