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Now, what if you
absolutely do not agree with cats being inside
only? What can you do to help ensure safety?
Consider building a cat play yard. A six by
six by six cage (or larger) with a covered top.
Put in logs to climb, things to chase and bat at,
thick ropes to hang off of – look at the small
cat habitats at the zoo for ideas! Your cat
can go out but still be safe.
Cats can also
be leash trained. Of course they may not
follow you like a dog, but you and the cat can
spend quality time outside together and the cat is
far safer than if loose and unsupervised. (Even
loose cats can take off and fast get out of your
sight if unleashed). Just do not tie the cat
up and then YOU walk away. The cat could get
hurt.
All cats, whether
inside or allowed out should be microchipped.
With the improvement of microchip technology and
the efforts of organizations like Home Again to
try and get all shelters equipped with scanner,
chipping offers an permanent form of ID. And
ideally cats should have a secondary ID such as an
identity
tag. Just make sure they are on a safety
collar incase the tags or collar get snagged.
Even indoor cats may be at risk of escaping the
house and should have some form of ID – just in
case.
The choice of
indoor or outdoor is personal, but one we have to
take seriously. In this day and age, it is
really safe to allow cats to roam loose? If
you must allow your cat out, spay or neuter it,
have ID on it, do not declaw outdoor cats and if
you live near a busy road, forget it. And,
be responsible for any damage your cat may do to
other’s property.
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