Dumb question on a cat

2manyrocks · Oct 31, 2023

Someone already mentioned this, but the lifespan of an outdoor cat tends not to be that long. If it's a cat that you like or you invest a chunk of money into, I'd keep him indoors from now on whether he likes it or not. He'll get used to it.

Sigarms · Oct 31, 2023

2manyrocks said:
Someone already mentioned this, but the lifespan of an outdoor cat tends not to be that long. If it's a cat that you like or you invest a chunk of money into, I'd keep him indoors from now on whether he likes it or not. He'll get used to it.

Although he spends time outside, he also spends as much time inside the house with the dogs. Hes' the only cat we've had in 20 years that actually gets along with all the dogs and isn't afraid of them LOL Dogs generally are always under supervision outside unless their in the fenced in area, the cat isn't.

However, I do see your point.

ning · Oct 31, 2023

I had a cat that had a limp. Wasn't getting better, wasn't getting worse. Vet did x-rays, found calcifications.

Suggested amputation.

I left, f*ck that. The limp wasn't keeping him from running and it wasn't even constantly there.

I lost him the next year to cancer, so I can't say how the limp would've played out.

ericm979 · Oct 31, 2023

Sigarms said:
BUT, this is a inside outside cat who likes to spend his summer nights outside. There is always a chance doesn't come back from outside. We had another cat like him, and as she got older, the less she wanted to be outside.

We had the toughest outside cat I've ever seen. She had bulging muscles! I've never seen that on a cat. She'd bring home two rabbits at a time and eat them both. We thought that she'd never handle being an indoor only cat. Something grabbed her and she barely made it home. We took her to the vet, they fixed her up and we kept her inside. She didn't seem to mind it as long as we gave her enough attention. She ended up making it to age 17. All cats are great but she was pretty special.

So maybe it'd work. It really depends on the cat. One of the cats we have now hurt himself jumping down from a high place he shouldn't have been on, and after healing up he was still trying to get up on high places. He's sweet but kind of dumb.

Jstpssng · Oct 31, 2023

OTOH I don't know about cats but have seen many dogs get along with only 3 legs; often you notice it runs funny before noticing it is missing a limb. Usually it's from being hit by a car.

etpm · Oct 31, 2023

Sigarms said:
Oh we will. He just doesn't like to be kept in the bedroom now.

I'll see how it plays out, but I also need to have a plan for worse case scenario. My wife always says I see the glass half empty. I tell her I just like to plan for worst case scenario so if it happens, I'm ready.

When my brother had his cat's ACL done the cat had to stay indoors and kept from jumping for several weeks. His cat really liked jumping up to and off of high places and the vet figured this is what caused the ACL injury in the first place.

Sigarms · Oct 31, 2023

ericm979 said:
She didn't seem to mind it as long as we gave her enough attention.

We're "down" to 5 dogs and 2 cats. Honestly, it's hard to give everyone single undivided attention for any amount of time before the others get jealous LOL

That said, if the cat comes in at night, he's generally the only one who sleeps in our bedroom.

He already doesn't like it when we let the dogs out and he's stuck in the bedroom.

newbury · Oct 31, 2023

Sigarms said:
I tell her I just like to plan for worst case scenario so if it happens, I'm ready.

One of my mottos is "plan for the worst, hope for the best and you'll usually come out ok" (Lee Childs dyslexia'd)

Oaktree · Nov 1, 2023

2manyrocks said:
Someone already mentioned this, but the lifespan of an outdoor cat tends not to be that long. If it's a cat that you like or you invest a chunk of money into, I'd keep him indoors from now on whether he likes it or not. He'll get used to it.

I see your point, but all my cats have always enjoyed being outside and I'm not sure I'd want to deprive them of that. Their independence is a lot of what I like about cats, dogs just need too much attention for my liking.
Females seem to do better in that regard, even if they're "fixed" males tend to wander further from the house and that makes them easier prey. Current one is quite "street smart".