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Ask Yvette

If your neighborhood is anything like mine, then a large percentage of the people are splitting mad about the outdoor cats. In our area, most of them are not likely strays. One or two people who believe that cats should be outside own these cats.

The problem is that cats often get into fights. As soon as the nicer weather comes, residents listen to the catfights. Nothing wakes me up faster than a cat scrap at 2:00 a.m.

Most neighbors complain bitterly about the scooping they have to do. Cats use plant beds and lawns as litter areas. If you live next to someone with a dozen cats, you know how quickly that litter box gets dirty.

Personally, I do not enjoy going into the yard to find the dead bird skeletons. When the snow melted this year, I was not impressed.

There are other reasons I am not a fan of cats who roam freely. I am convinced that one day I will drive my car into a telephone pole as I swear to avoid one of these animals.

Emotionally, I have a difficult time leaving my cat outdoors. Cats that live outside tend to have very short lives. Outdoor cats generally live for 4 years. Indoor cats live much, much longer. Our cat is now 13 years and counting. I've seen cats that lived past 20 years of age. That is an enormous difference. Cats die from being hit by cars. They also get trapped by angry residents and turned over to Animal Control. Predatory animals eat some cats.

I have been told that the former owner of our house used to trap the cats and turn them over to Animal Control. But it seems that many people have a crisis of conscience over doing this. Frankly, there aren't enough homes for all these cats. Plus, they are a little difficult to catch. I personally find it hard to call regarding a personal nuisance when I know the end result will be too many cats and not enough homes. It's a heartbreaking problem. I don't want cats to die because their owners let them roam free. I want those cats to have long healthy lives.

I know that some people live in more rural areas. I do understand that some cats are barn mousers. A rural setting is different from an urban setting. Farming communities do not have neighbors 20 feet away. Those animals have acres without heavy traffic zones. But in the city, you impact the people next to you. In the city your cat has to deal with motor vehicles.

I think that perhaps the most upsetting part of the problem is that cats can remain outdoors and confined. There are fencing products designed for cats. I have not used these products myself. But I have had several readers tell me they love the product. One apparently does need to adjust for trees that are close to the fence.

These fences have an angled top. Some models apparently can keep feral cats out of your yard too.

If you want to get a look at a couple lines, take a look at:
http://www.purrfectfence.com/
http://www.catfence.com/

There are ways for cats to enjoy the outdoors without infringing on neighbors. Cats are bright, highly trainable animals. There really is not need for them to be roaming free, breeding and fighting.

Yvette is an award winning pet writer and pet behavior columnist. She also is the author of Meeting Milo, a North American dog bite prevention program to reduce the approximately 2 million children bit by dogs annually. She is the owner of AwesomeDogs.ca and works as a behavior consultant in London, Ontario.

This column was originally featured in The Londoner
See more of Yvette... www.awesomedogs.ca
www.meetingmilo.com

Yvette has 2 dogs of her own, KIKI and KAYA. Take a look...

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