Is it possible to have an outdoor only cat as a 'pet'?

[ksr5377]

Our neighborhood has several strays that show up every now and then, but lately there's been one particular cat that my children have fallen in love with.  For a variety of reasons this cat will never be allowed in our home, but I'm wondering about the possibilities of trying to care for it so that I wouldn't have to be worried that it was sick or flea-infested while my children love all over it.  Is it worth trying to do that to an outdoor only cat or would it be a waste of time?  DH is rolling his eyes at me, he thinks this is a complete waste of time and that the cat will probably just disappear like all the other strays.  I'm wondering if between providing health care, food and love if it will stick around.

[Tanaqui]

If you intend to do this, you really do have to take care of the cat. That means you get it fixed, get the shots, use a monthly flea medicine and dewormer and preferably - since it's outdoor only and at high risk - get it microchipped. Often, so called "backyard cats" or "porch cats" are the least cared for because everybody who puts out a plate sorta thinks in the back of their minds that it's another person's responsibility. There are organizations to help ferals, but not much for friendly strays. However, there are frequently low-cost options for people's pet cats (both formal and informal - I know enough people who have gotten discount or free vet care simply by showing up and looking pitiful, and I've more than once gotten antibiotics for a minor ailment off a neighbor rather than going down to the veterinarian) and they certainly don't ask for proof of ownership. The microchip might be pricey even with aid, and to be honest, flea medicine is a constant expense, but a good flea medicine is worth its wait in gold. (Repeat after me: Fleas kill cats. They spread disease and intestinal parasites and cause anemia. Anything that keeps the flea population under control is a positive good.)

 

Even with food and medical care, it's true that outdoor only cats do have a shorter lifespan compared to indoor cats, sometimes MUCH shorter. There's so much that can harm them - wild animals, cars, deliberate or accidental poisoning.... That doesn't mean it's a waste of time and love to care for them, just that you have to be emotionally prepared that it might "disappear" and never return.

 

With that said, very friendly strays are a rarity where I am. It happens, certainly, but most strays are ferals. Please do take kitty to the vet and see if it has a microchip already and a loving family that wants it back.

 

[Amy in NH]

Yep.  We have a very friendly barn cat with a kitty condo in a sheltered spot (with fleece blankets inside in winter).  We feed her, worm her, and give her annual shots.

 

ETA: We did catch her in a have-a-heart trap and had her spayed when she was a kitten at a low-cost spay & neuter clinic.  She was the only surviving kitten of a lovely cat who was left by previous owners and was living here alone for 6 months before we bought our house.  After being cared for by us (outdoors/barn) for 6 years, momma cat disappeared a little more than a year ago.  She was a sweetie!

[Tanaqui]

Yep.  We have a very friendly barn cat with a kitty condo in a sheltered spot (with fleece blankets inside in winter).  We feed her, worm her, and give her annual shots.

 

Oh, yes. If you live anywhere where it gets cold, a small cat shelter is a must if you want to have an outdoor cat. Those are really inexpensive, though.

 

[gingersmom]

My neighbor did this and it worked out fine.

 

She had the cat spayed and got it all its vaccines.

 

She did discover the hard way the cat had fleas.

 

She had a heated cat house on her porch for the winters and when it got really cold/snowy she would lock the cat in the garage.

 

When they went away I would go over and put out food/water.

[ksr5377]

Yes, I was completely planning on taking it to the vet.  I figured if nothing else it would need vaccines and to be spade/neutered.  I am 99% certain that I know it's house of origin.  It would be the house where ALL the stray cats are coming from.  I talked to them a few years ago about the cats and was told that their children just love cats and they put food out back when they can afford it.  Before they moved to the neighborhood 3 years ago we never had a single stray cat that I can remember, let alone the dozen or so that are now around.  I was thinking of asking their permission, but from the looks of all the cats around it's very obvious they're not actually taking care of them.  

[Amy in NH]

I wonder if a call to animal control is in order?

[Tanaqui]

Yes, I was completely planning on taking it to the vet.  I figured if nothing else it would need vaccines and to be spade/neutered.  I am 99% certain that I know it's house of origin.  It would be the house where ALL the stray cats are coming from.  I talked to them a few years ago about the cats and was told that their children just love cats and they put food out back when they can afford it.  Before they moved to the neighborhood 3 years ago we never had a single stray cat that I can remember, let alone the dozen or so that are now around.  I was thinking of asking their permission, but from the looks of all the cats around it's very obvious they're not actually taking care of them.  

 

Yup, that's how it usually happens. Responsible people, when they feed the strays, take the time to get the strays fixed so that they don't have kittens every year.

 

I didn't mean to give the lecture. I mean, clearly I did mean to, but it's only because I feel strongly about this and not because I particularly doubt your desire to love this kitty.

 

[Amy in NH]

We've also caught a large tom who showed up here and was spraying around the outside of our house, sent him off to get neutered with his ear notched at the low-cost clinic, and turned him loose again.  That was a couple of years ago, and he disappeared for a year before turning back up briefly.  Not a friendly guy, that one.  We laugh to think he may belong to someone who was surprised to find their tom cat fixed when he turned up!

 

We live on a "farm" on busy state highway in a rural area, so I imagine we'll get more opportunities like these (unfortunately).

[TechWife]

Our first cat found us this way! He cried under my son's bedroom window, sounded so pitiful! He was friendly but a bit wary at the same time. I started feeding him and he stayed around, so after one week I took him to the vet, had him fixed, dewormed and immunized and got some flea medicine for him. I also had him chipped. 

 

On our porch I had a little shelter for him so he could get out of the weather and put food and water out for him.  Over time, maybe a few months, I got him used to coming into the house so that I could bring him in when the weather was bad. After about six months, he came in every night, but spent his days outside. During this time he also became used to us petting him and playing with him outside. He stayed with us for three years, and so when we moved, we brought him with us.He became an inside cat at that point because we moved to a more urban area and I didn't want him to get hurt in traffic.  He stayed with us several more years until he died last year at the age of 16. 

 

I agree with an earlier poster - do not do this unless you are prepared to take care of the cat - they really aren't very expensive, but they do need routine care, such as immunizations and flea repellant. We also dewormed him on a schedule, but I don't remember what it was like - it wasn't expensive though, just a pill or two and they were really cheap.

 

Even if you decide not to treat him as a pet, please have it spayed or neutered if you can - it really helps so much. There are low cost clinics - a vet might be able to tell you when/where the next one is located. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tanaqui]

We've also caught a large tom who showed up here and was spraying around the outside of our house, sent him off to get neutered with his ear notched at the low-cost clinic, and turned him loose again.  That was a couple of years ago, and he disappeared for a year before turning back up briefly.  Not a friendly guy, that one.  We laugh to think he may belong to someone who was surprised to find their tom cat fixed when he turned up!

 

We live on a "farm" on busy state highway in a rural area, so I imagine we'll get more opportunities like these (unfortunately).

 

There was an article I read to an advice column a while back, somebody whining that a neighbor had gotten her free-roaming purebred whatever cat fixed. "Who just takes somebody else's cat and takes them to be neutered???"

 

Well, if you let your cat roam around without a collar, then any old good Samaritan might do that and consider it a public service. Don't want the public taking an interest in the welfare of your pet? Keep him in the house! Or at least collar him so they don't think he's a stray.

 

[KrissiK]

Our third cat adopted us. She's a big, beautiful gray tabby. She'd show up, we'd chase her away. She'd come back and just sit on our front walk like she owned the place. Finally, we "let" her stay. She's a wonderful, beautiful, dignified kitty. And she came to us already fixed. We actually like her better than our "official" cats.

[Pawz4me]

I don't know anyone who has a totally outdoor cat, but I do know several people whose cats come in and go out at will (or at least when they can get a human to open the door for them).

 

Getting kitty spayed or neutered is key to getting it to stick around.  Cats are territorial.  They prefer to stake out their territory and stay within it.  So if they're not motivated to roam in order to mate, they tend to stay where food is plentiful and effortless.

 

You'll definitely want to get kitty vaccinated and use some flea preventative, too.  And a collar and tag so that the neighbors will know kitty belongs to someone.  Check out Boomerang Tags for some really great quality tags that fit flat on the collar.  You don't want anything dangling that could catch on something.  My cats are indoor only, but they've had the same Boomerang tags and collars for over ten years now (they wear them just in case they ever manage to get outside).

[xixstar]

This is how we ended up with a cat. One showed that just wouldn't go and when we decided to feed it I knew we also decided to let it in during the winter. After a few months we had a vet appointment for her (discovered she was already fixed which we suspected). Then come winter she came in the house and was mostly inside for a couple months. Now she spends most daytimes outside if I can help it. She loves everyone lots and looks quite happy to be part if it family. I knew I wouldn't be able to leave her out when severe weather hit and the kids were very excited for her to come in. It is obvious she was owned before at some point as she is a good house cat too.

[MercyA]

I wonder if a call to animal control is in order?

 

Depending on the ordinances in the area, this could result in some or all of the cats being killed.   :(

[MercyA]

You'll definitely want to get kitty vaccinated and use some flea preventative, too.  And a collar and tag so that the neighbors will know kitty belongs to someone.  Check out Boomerang Tags for some really great quality tags that fit flat on the collar.  You don't want anything dangling that could catch on something.  My cats are indoor only, but they've had the same Boomerang tags and collars for over ten years now (they wear them just in case they ever manage to get outside).

 

Boomerang Tags are awesome!  I second that recommendation.  They don't get caught on things and they last forever.  

 

I would be sure to only use a breakaway collar on an outdoor cat.

[Reefgazer]

Absolutely, we had a cat like that. Just make sure he has the proper vet care for an outdoor cat, and some outdoor shelter - maybe somewhere to hide during inclement weather. He will stick orotund if you are his meal ticket.

[Lolly]

Yes, we have done it. Our last cat came to us as a kitten. Her collar was growing into her neck. She was a sweety. She stayed almost kitten size. Don't know if it was genetic or a result of her beginning, but she was just adorable. I do not do indoor cats either.

[The Girls' Mom]

We have two "barn cats" that live outside.  They are both fixed.  We feed them daily on our porch, and have a kennel outside with blankets for when it gets cold (although they rarely use it).  They will disappear occasionally, sometimes for a month or two, and then show up again.  We usually find out later that they've been cheating on us with a neighbor ;)  Somehow they always remember where home is.

[SparklyUnicorn]

We have a lot of strays around here.  I don't adopt strays.  One problem with that is if you leave them food you will likely attract other strays.  Speaking to your question a stray will likely stick around if you are a source of food.

 

Aside from being fixed, you'd want to especially get the cat a rabies shot. 

[The Girls' Mom]

We have a lot of strays around here.  I don't adopt strays.  One problem with that is if you leave them food you will likely attract other strays.  Speaking to your question a stray will likely stick around if you are a source of food.

 

Aside from being fixed, you'd want to especially get the cat a rabies shot. 

 

This is true!  (except we attract raccoons and possums..lol) Anyway, if you just feed when the cat is there, and take the food back up, it can lessen that problem.

[MercyA]

We adopted a stray and he lived outside due to severe allergies in the family.  He made himself right at home from the start.  However, if we had not had him neutered, he would have roamed much more and possibly may have left entirely.

 

You'll definitely want to provide vaccinations and flea and heart worm prevention.  I liked Advantage Multi, because it took care of roundworms and hookworms as well as fleas and heart worms.  If your cat gets tapeworms (from fleas or by eating rodents), you'll need a different dewormer.  Some people give a tapeworm medication every few months just in case.

 

If you're leaving food down for the cat, you might want an ant-proof dish.  Your cat will need a shelter, which you can either make or buy.  There are lots of great ideas here.  We installed a cat door into our garage and built our cat his own "room" using wood, chicken wire, and a screen door.  He was warm and comfortable in the garage, and the separate enclosed space for him ensured that he wouldn't climb up into a warm car engine in the winter.  (Sadly, it's not uncommon for outdoor cats to die that way.) 

 

As a previous poster said, you do need to be prepared for possible heartache.  I think we gave our cat a very happy life.  He loved roaming the woods and fields and coming home to his warm bed.  Sadly, however, his life wasn't a long one. We believe he was killed by a coyote.  We still miss our sweet boy.   :(

 

Thank you for being willing to care for the cat.  I hope it goes well for you!

[SparklyUnicorn]

This is true!  (except we attract raccoons and possums..lol) Anyway, if you just feed when the cat is there, and take the food back up, it can lessen that problem.

 

Yeah we have a lady in the neighborhood who feeds the strays.  She was feeding some in our carport for awhile because a mother stray decided our lawnmower shed was a good spot to give birth to kittens.  *sigh*  Aside from more cats coming to the food we had insects, squirrels, birds, mice, etc.  It was pretty annoying.  And they would pee all over the place in winter because there is nowhere for them to dig around and pee so they'd just pee right there on the driveway.  Most of the kittens died. 

 

It was awful and this went on for almost a year.  Now they are finally gone. 

[chocolatechip]

Yes! Half of our family is allergic to cats, so all felines have to be outside at our house. We had one barn cat who was not really that friendly, but then one day the friendliest cat just showed up and stuck around. He's not really a good mouser like our other cat, but he is adorable. You can collar them and take them to the vet and put frontline on them and they do pretty well. Ours seem happy, and we haven't had a lot of flea issues. 

[fairfarmhand]

Oh yes! We never have animals indoors and our cats are wonderful!

 

in the past 20 yrs of marriage we've had 6 cats.

 

They are loving and good, fun companions for the whole family.

 

We treat them for worms, fleas, and ticks.

 

The challenge with outdoor cats, is that in my family, the instant we spend a bunch of vet money on an outdoor cat, they tend to get hit by a car or meet with some other unfortunate demise.

[vonfirmath]

We had a big fluffy white cat that was one of our two pet cats growing up.  We named him "Tom" after the elderly gentleman next door. We put out food and water and when he started showing up regular, my parents caught him and got him imunized and stuff (probably fixed too. We never saw any evidence of kittens.) And we put a collar on the cat. But the cat had too much hair and was never allowed inside. Besides, we had an inside cat as well (that was never allowed outside)

 

[ksr5377]

Thanks for all of the replies, we have a vet appointment on Tuesday! If nothing else, I will prevent more kittens. Hopefully she'll be willing to visit us regularly, my children will love having a pet.

[ksr5377]

Oh come on!  How can she stay an outdoor pet when she meows so pitifully at me every night at the patio door?  Of course they're french doors, so we can see each other.  

[Tanaqui]

Aw! Maybe give her a snuggle before you go to bed? She's not going to bed right now, of course :)

[PagesandFields]

If she's friendly enough I'd say catch her and get her fixed... usually local shelters have low cost options for people doing this.  It's the best thing you could EVER do for her, no matter if she sticks around or not.  I have one feral cat who lives in my office...  she's warmed up to us and prefers to be inside... she's pretty timid (when the kids are awake anyway) so sleeps in my office where it's quiet during the day and comes out (is actually quite obnoxious for pets now) once they're in bed.  I have another that is now an outdoor cat.  She was also a stray... but not feral...  We live rurally and I think she was dumped.  Frankly, she's happier outside...  She gets pets and loves whenever we're outside...  has a super nice heated cat bed I made out of 2 giant rubbermaid containers and straw with a warming bed.  I brought her into the bathroom this past winter because of our freakishly cold nights a few times... but she's super happy and healthy.  Once they're fixed they will need yearly shots and worming... and if you have an ourdoor cat it's best to worm them a couple more times a year also... 

Both of mine found us as strays.  The now indoor one was a starving kitten who was feral... I found her one day by complete chance... the other one is either our guard cat or our maskot...  I'm not sure which.  Both of mine warmed up to us pretty quickly.  The second one was so sick she lived inside from the beginning.  If you're up for it I've often had sick or new kitties in the bathroom... sort of a sick room.  After her surgery she'll probably need to stay inside until they remove stitches...  Even just a little bit of time can help them warm up to you....  Good luck!

 

 

[Kim in Appalachia]

We do!  She was a stray that wouldn't leave our doorstep 2 winter's back.  I finally caved and said we could keep her, but she could not come in (and she really wanted too!)  I'm very allergic.  We had her fixed and got her shots.  We also got her a heated cat house that is on our covered back porch.  She is well loved and cared for.  Even during the winter my kids will go outside.  She just likes to be near us.  She doens't want a lot of petting or being held (unless we're sitting by a fire), but she loves to be around us.  She always greets us when we get home and sits by the pool with us all summer long.