A Safe Cat Is A Happy Cat
TM
America's Favorite Pets
THEY'RE PLAYFUL AND LOVING.
Aloof and mysterious. Frisky and
mischievous. They're also becoming the most
frequent occupants of America's animal
shelters, where millions of them are cared
for each year.
They're cats-America's most popular pets,
but also the pets most likely to die
prematurely from diseases, poisons, attacks
by other animals, abuse by humans, or
speeding vehicles.
Cats are as deserving of our protection as
dogs. But millions of cats suffer and die
needlessly because they are allowed to roam.
The vast majority of these cats aren't the
victims of cruel or thoughtless owners; in
fact, their caregivers often love them like
children. Instead, cats are the victims of
outmoded perceptions that cast them as
independent, natural explorers who prefer to
be left to their own devices.
The Myth of the Outdoor
Cat
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT CATS don't need to wander to lead fulfilling
lives. The bad news is that many cat
caregivers believe the opposite.
Free-roaming cats get a dangerous tradeoff:
freedom to roam in exchange for the vastly
increased likelihood of a premature, painful
death.
The Humane Society of
the United States estimates that the average
lifespan of a free-roaming cat is about
three years, compared to 12-18 years for the
average indoor-only cat. Even cats in "safe"
suburban neighborhoods can meet untimely
fates and never return home.
Safely confined cats
avoid these hazards:
-
TRAFFIC. Collisions
with cars and other vehicles are common
killers. It is a myth that cats are
"streetwise" about cars. Cats are
intelligent and alert but, like most
other animals, stand little chance
against fast-moving vehicles.
-
DISEASES. Rabies
and other diseases that can be
transmitted to humans are a serious
public health concern. According to the
American Association of Feline
Practitioners, as many as 15 percent of
sick cats are infected with feline
leukemia or feline immunodeficiency
virus (FIV)-and many cats have both.
These viruses are fatal and transmitted
through contact with other cats.
-
POISONS. Poisons
exist on chemically treated lawns, in
bait left out to kill rats or mice, and
in auto antifreeze - which has an
appealing taste that leaks from cars.
-
OTHER ANIMALS. Other cats, dogs, and wild predators
such as coyotes, raccoons, and foxes are
potential enemies of cats and often
engage in fights that leave cats injured
or dead. Outdoor cats can suffer torn
ears, cut eyes, abscesses, and other
injuries requiring costly veterinary
treatment.
-
CRUEL PEOPLE. Many
shelter workers see cats who have been
burned, poisoned, or otherwise tortured
by disturbed children and adults.
Other
Dangers Lurking Outdoors
FREE-ROAMING CATS
INEVITABLY pick up fleas and ticks and then
bring these pests into the home. Fleas can
cause anemia, skin irritations, and
allergies in cats and transmit diseases to
humans through their bites. Unsterilized
cats allowed to roam contribute to the high
number of cats who end up in our nation's
animal shelters every day.
Most veterinarians
treat the injuries and diseases resulting
from allowing cats outdoors unsupervised. In
fact, two out of three veterinarians
recommend keeping cats indoors, most often
citing dangers from vehicles and disease.*
And fewer than five
percent of "found" cats taken in by animal
shelters are reunited with their owners.
That's why outfitting your cat with a collar
and visible identification is an important
step to keep your cat safe.
The Myth of the
Indoor-Only Cat
KEEPING CATS
SAFELY CONFINED is not new to many long-term
cat lovers. But it is news to many people who grew up with indoor-outdoor or
outdoor-only felines.
Some cat owners believe
that it is unnatural, or even cruel, to keep
cats cooped up inside all the time.
Unfortunately, this belief is
self-perpetuating, especially if the pet
caregiver makes no effort to provide the cat
with a stimulating indoor environment.
While most cats enjoy
being outside where they can hunt prey and
explore their surroundings, it's a myth that
going outside is a prerequisite for feline
happiness. Playing with an indoor cat easily
satisfies the animal's stalking instinct and
keeps the cat stimulated and healthy through
exercise. In fact, the indoor cat who gets
lots of attention and playtime is often
happier than the indoor-outdoor cat who is
generally ignored by human companions.
Cat owners can easily
create feline-friendly homes that meet all
of their cats' needs. Many innovative and
fun toys can help make the indoor life a
great but safe adventure.
And
cats don't have to be deprived of the great
outdoors to stay safe. Cats can be trained
to accept a harness and leash, and cat
enclosures can allow them to experience all
the pleasures of the great outdoors without
all of the risks.
Keeping Communities Safe
CATS ALLOWED
TO ROAM FREELY outside not only face
potential harm but also have an unintended
impact on our communities.
Local
governments spend hundreds of millions of
dollars every year controlling stray
animals, from neighborhood cats defecating
in sandboxes to feral cats living in urban
areas. Cats are now a major focus of local
animal care and control agencies, which in
the past concentrated most of their efforts
on dog control and rescue.
In fact,
animal control agencies were established
long ago primarily to control the spread of
rabies among dogs in the street. Today, cats
who roam, particularly after dark, are
likely to come into contact with nocturnal
creatures, including raccoons and skunks,
the primary vector species of rabies in the
wild. As a result, cats are now the most
common domestic vectors of rabies, with 278
cases reported in 1999 in the United States.
Because of this, increasing numbers of
cities and counties have been backing
measures to inoculate cats against rabies.
In addition,
free-roaming cats kill millions of wild
animals each year. Studies have shown that
most of the animals killed are small
mammals; approximately 25 percent are birds.
Well-fed housecats kill wildlife because of
their instinct to hunt prey,
not because they need the food. Cats are not
a part of natural ecosystems, and their
predation causes unnecessary suffering and
death to wild animals. They also cause
conflicts among neighbors, pitting gardeners
and bird lovers against cat owners who allow
their charges to roam.
Keep Your Cat Safe
BECAUSE OF OLD
PERCEPTIONS concerning independence and
predatory stalking, people have been slow to
recognize that cats need and deserve the
same kind of protection as dogs. But the
transition has begun. Many shelters now
require potential adopters to commit to
keeping their cats indoors and strongly
recommend that cats wear collars and ID
tags. In addition, local ordinances aimed at
encouraging cat owners to confine their
cats, as they do dogs, are being
implemented.
Cats are healthier
and happier when safely confined.
For more information or
materials, complete and return the order
form in this brochure. Or write to Safe
Cats, The Humane Society of the United
States, 2100 L Street, NW, Washington, DC
20037, or visit
www.safecats.
org.
