Why you might not want to let your cat outside freely

Letting Cats Roam Freely

While dogs have been walked on leashes for a very long time, cats have often just been let outside to do as they pleased. This is a possibility for you to consider. We also need to consider the risks that are involved with letting our companion outside as a free cat.

Territory

All cats are somewhat territorial, meaning that they are attached to their environment and their resources. Your cat going into another cat’s area might cause fighting or stress because the cat whose domain they are entering will want to fight with them. Of course, fighting can involve getting injured and getting injured involves going to the vet and that means stress and it also means a lot of expenses.

Cats Are Prey

Cats are predators, but also prey. They are preyed upon by dogs and, in more rural environments, by coyotes and by big birds of prey. That’s a risk you have to be comfortable with.

Illnesses

Other cats can transmit illnesses.

Before letting your cat out, talk to your veterinarian about the risks involved. Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) and Feline immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) are both illnesses of concern. FIV is mostly transmitted through bites. FeLV is a bit easier to catch and there is a vaccine for it.

Poisoning

Whether it’s deliberate or accidental, poisoning is a very real threat. Car antifreeze is actually very appetizing to cats, but it’s deadly. You also have things like flowers such as lilies that can kill cats if they ingest even just a tiny bit of it or get pollen on their nose, so you want to be mindful of these. There are also dangers related to food that can be poisoned by humans. Another concern is mice that have ingested poison that people have put up because they want to kill the mice. If cats actually eat mice, then the poison gets transmitted, and they could die from it.

Cars

Another very evident risk is getting hurt by a car. That’s likely to cause death. Unfortunately, people often drive much faster than they used to and cats are notorious for speeding out into the street from between two parked cars.

Evil Humans

There are terrible people that might want to strangle your cat. There are others who will try to scare your cat. There are kids that, unfortunately, will cause bad experiences, just because they’re so excited to see a cat and will run towards them with their arms outstretched, yelling.

Cat Hoarders

Your cat could get taken from you. There are, unfortunately, people who are under the impression that they are saving cats when in fact, they are kidnapping them. They put food outside for the cats and then they lock them in their apartment. That’s how we end up with shelters having to go and rescue 20 cats from an apartment. You don’t know what’s happened to your cat. Someone in your neighborhood might have stolen them.

Predation

Another thing to consider is predation, mainly of small birds. This is a concern because cats are made to be hunting 24/7 and, unfortunately, the density of cats can be quite high in the city. Predation of wildlife is a concern.

Parasites

Then you have everything related to ticks and fleas, which are much easier to transmit when you’re in contact with roaming cats. Neighborhood cats and feral cats that do not have a home aren’t necessarily receiving flea treatment. Talk to your veterinarian to figure out the best course of action before taking your cat outside.

Feeding

It’s harder to control your cat’s weight if they roam outside freely because they will go and get food from your neighbors. They will show up and be like, “Meow meow! I’m so cute!” and people will feed them. So it’s harder to control their weight. Also, if you have a cat that’s on a specific diet, it’s harder to get them to eat only their medical diet if they can eat just about anything anywhere.

Lost

Your cat could get lost. Cats are very curious, but they are also very easily spooked. They can start to roam 3 blocks away from their house, and then suddenly something spooks them. They then run like a madman in any direction, not paying attention to where they came from. By the time they stop, they may be 4-5 blocks away, and they have no idea how they got there. You might not want to have to spend your evenings trying to find out where your cat is.

Prisons

Cats can also, unfortunately, end up stuck in a garage or a shed. That’s a very scary thought. Someone doing work outside with their shed door open might not see your cat enter the shed. When the person comes back to the shed to close the door, your cat goes “Oh I’m scared! I’m just going to stay hidden deep in the shed.” The door gets closed and no one goes into the shed for three weeks. No one knows there’s a cat stuck there. That’s a very sad ending.

Car Hoods

Cats do hide under/inside cars, especially when it’s cold outside and the car is still warm. They can then die or get transported kilometers away when the car starts up and starts moving.

Pee and Poop

You have to keep in mind that pee and poop from your cat will end up in other people’s gardens. Be mindful of the fact that if you let your cat outside, you really should have an outdoor litter box near your home. Sand works well for this. You will need to sift the poop out regularly. Otherwise, it’s a bit like dismissing your neighbors’ disgust at finding poop in their flowerbeds. If you say, “I don’t care if my cat goes to poop in your yard,” it can unfortunately cause people to start scaring cats off. This can result in the cat running way farther than expected and becoming lost. It also creates fearfulness in your cat. They learn that people are not that nice and become scared of your visitors, the groomer or the vet.

Your Cat’s Behavior

You are responsible for your cat’s behavior. If they terrorize the neighborhood, scare other cats and cause injuries, you should not let them outside on their own. We all live together. We don’t want our pets to be attacked by a loose dog. The same goes for a loose cat.

Dogs Don’t Go Outside Freely

Personally, I wouldn’t let my dog alone outside, so I do not let my cats outside either. If you do let your cat loose outside, you have to be mindful of those risks and also make sure that you will have the money to pay for veterinary bills if something might happen. Alternatively, you need to be comfortable with the fact that you will not be able to pay and your cat will suffer and you might have to euthanize them.

Access to the outdoors can be very enriching for your cat! But you have to determine whether them going out freely is the best option for both you and them.