u/XB1uesky

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I know it is very controversial, but outdoor pet cats can actually be a good thing if one actually knows how to let a pet cat outside responsibly without any special “protection”.

Birds this, traffic that, many people only explain why outdoor access without confinement apparently isn’t a good option for cats, but there are still a plenty of upsides to giving cats freedom. It’s just that people who demonize outdoor cats don’t understand that the sociologies of cat and other pet owners (like dogs) are completely different, and not all cats are the same. Besides, cats hunt because they are OBLIGATE CARNIVORES, so of course they have hunting instincts.

Cats evolved for thousands, or even millions of years to be outdoor species, and not everyone can afford toys for their furry friend. As a result, some people give cats outdoor access they have biologically adapted to. But if you force cat owners to confine them, things get real messy. Just like with dogs, lifestyle related conditions are a result of forcing cats to rely on being inside all day. Cats were even let out in the first place in ancient civilizations to deter rodents from grain storages and other very important stuff.

Domestic cats shouldn’t be treated any differently from dogs when it comes to outdoor access, let alone methods that just don’t count, like “catios”, or synthetic natural materials like grass pots or concrete slabs, which aren’t even real outdoor access. If we don’t see anything like “dogios” and the like, why would cats need any of this? Cats should have the right to maintain a healthy weight while having the same hybrid of safety and freedom as a dog. A backyard is enough, there isn’t really any need to call it a “cat backyard” if both cats and humans can coexist without the yard being intended for just one species. Better yet, even trying something new like walking a cat on a leash and harness can do wonders if done just right.

In fact, free ranging dogs and outdoor dogs have a fair share of problems too. Some breeds have a notorious reputation for killing other pets, other dogs included, and people, even grown men. They also hunt large wildlife like deer and other quarry of similar sizes, depending on the breed. Even the dog breeds that are tinier have impacts on wildlife. My dog, a Shih-Tzu mix, had killed an entire family of bunnies on our backyard a few summers ago. That same dog also has a desire to escape, one time squeezing through a hole in the fence to get to our neighbor’s yard, or even in open traffic. On the other hand, not every cat breed is well-known for being hunting focused despite their natural psychology and hunting instincts. Take the Ragdoll cat for example, they are really well-known for limping when carried and loving cuddles rather than hunting, or how some cats aren’t really escape artists at all or some know how to keep danger at bay really well.

See a cat laying on grass? See a cat chasing a butterfly and being happy, but not a whole lot else? This is the product of a cat owner who actually cares and celebrates a cat’s evolution, not stigmatizes it. Cats don’t deserve a disproportionate blame for any nuisances to wildlife, as dogs might as well have a reputation for killing wildlife alongside.

RESPONSIBILITY IS KEY, NOT A CAT’S LIFESTYLE!!!!!!

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