24
votes
How can we reduce our cat's wandering?
Not two cats are alike, in the same way that no two people are alike. Some people like to stay home and cook or watch TV, other people like to get their heads into the mouths of crocodiles and steal ...
- 2,619
19
votes
Is it safe to let an amputee cat go outside?
I've seen plenty of animals with missing limbs playing and exploring outdoors without problems. Your situation is a bit different though. Your cat is a recent amputee.
Losing a limb is a serious ...
- 491
18
votes
How can we reduce our cat's wandering?
There is a reason that nearly all major veterinary associations (at least in the US) recommend all pet cats be kept strictly indoors. The indoor/outdoor lifestyle does, statistically, dramatically ...
- 191
14
votes
Accepted
Completely outdoor cat from scratch?
This will be an unpopular answer, but here goes.
We had a small farm as a young family, partly because I am an animal lover, and partly to teach my children the true cost of their food (and I'm not ...
- 1,678
10
votes
Is it safe to let an amputee cat go outside?
I would keep him indoors. If he gets into a fight with another cat, he would be at a disadvantage because of his missing back leg and tail, and could get seriously injured.
He should be able to climb ...
- 7,562
9
votes
Completely outdoor cat from scratch?
My family has good experiences with adopting young feral cats, but admittedly we kept them in the house for a few weeks to make them associate our house with their new home.
Compared to getting an in-...
Elmy♦
- 32.4k
8
votes
Dangers from street-cat bite that left a tiny speckle of blood?
The bites of free-roaming animals like stray cats and dogs are always risky, because these animals may have recently had contact with rodents, vermin and filth. As pointed out by this Wikipedia ...
Elmy♦
- 32.4k
7
votes
Ok to let my indoor house cat outside in area frequented by strays?
If stray or neighborhood cats are getting into your yard, your cat will be able to get out of it, and make no mistake--your cat is faster and more agile than you. You will not be able to stop him from ...
- 6,139
7
votes
Is it safe to let an amputee cat go outside?
Your cat has just suffered a severe injury from being outdoors. There is no way to look at this and not conclude that the area he roamed was already unsafe for him.
So the answer to the question of if ...
- 247
5
votes
Camping with two puppies in December
I would be very careful and not overdo it. If your puppies have been exclusively indoors, their fur differs from an outside dog. Outside dogs have greasier fur to protect against moisture and they get ...
Elmy♦
- 32.4k
5
votes
Can a pug be trained for extended hiking?
If you keep the pug fit and healthy, it could likely last on a decent hike, but 15km would be pushing it. Remember that pugs are small and don't breath well. Plus, the pug will be taking, like, 10x ...
- 2,723
5
votes
Should I be worried about neighbours' cats in the context of my outdoor rabbits?
Even though @Elmy has a point I am going to assume that you are worried stray cats might hurt your rabbits.
This is definitely something you should mind. Cats can prey on pet rabbits.
In my ...
- 2,630
5
votes
Family loyal dog for long-term travel
There are several aspects you need to consider, including:
Breed
Traditional herding and guard breeds were bred exactly for your purpose: to protect familiar individuals (animals or humans) from ...
Elmy♦
- 32.4k
5
votes
Accepted
Safe to let indoor cat mingle with outdoor cats?
excellent and important question. I am trap-neuter-return certified and frequently handle feral cats, bringing them into my own home (where I have indoor cats) where they await+recover from their spay/...
- 673
4
votes
How to keep my cats warm in outside cat house?
I agree with M.Mat, kittens or even cats that are used to inside shouldn't be placed outdoors. Those outside cat houses, some that are heated, are usually used for strays that frequent an area but ...
- 181
4
votes
How to keep my cats warm in outside cat house?
So, cats are very clean creatures. If there is odor, assuming you mean cat box smells, you need to clean it much more often. Cats don't like the smell either so they may be going outside the box.
...
- 1,210
4
votes
Is overhead cable running leash suitable for all dogs?
Full disclaimer, I'm the owner of Rover Roamer Aerial Dog Runs, but I think I may be able to contribute to the conversation. These points come from my own experience.
For a dog, even worse than ...
- 41
4
votes
Accepted
Letting cat in and out when living in upstairs apartment
For starters, I have never owned a cat so I'm not experienced in this field but there are a lot of cats in my area. I have seen quite some people who attach wooden stairs to the outside wall of their ...
- 554
4
votes
My kitten ran away, what are the chances of her coming home and/or surviving?
Most likely your cat is really close to where you live, but really scared. When you can't see it, it is very likely alive and well, but scared.
Take a look under dense bushes and in small spaces. You ...
- 19.5k
4
votes
Accepted
What kinds of fences/toppers would deter cats from yard without harming a toddler?
There's likely very little you can do to prevent a cat from getting into a place it has its mind set on getting into. Cats are agile, athletic, and acrobatic. Making your fence unclimbable won't ...
- 486
4
votes
Accepted
What percentage of "lost" cats are actually eaten?
It's very hard to find any numbers, but it seems that most lost cats lose their lives to dogs and cars rather than to predators.
Toronto’s Animal Services report about 1,300 cats killed annually and ...
Elmy♦
- 32.4k
4
votes
How much land is required to not poop scoop for average sized dog?
It depends on the general climate and soil condition.
Where does the poop go? It has to be dissolved by water and absorbed by the ground.
In freezing temperatures, poop freezes as well (kind of ...
Elmy♦
- 32.4k
4
votes
Accepted
Leashed Cat on Windowsill above fire escape
It might be a case of overstimulation. If she's used to looking out a closed window, she's used to the visual input alone and very muted sounds.
Now that the window is opened, she gets the usual ...
Elmy♦
- 32.4k
4
votes
How do I get rid of flies around my dog and her puppies?
This is a potentially dangerous situation. Think for a moment where flies usually collect... it's around rotting biological matter.
If there are feces or waste from the birth clotted in the fur of ...
Elmy♦
- 32.4k
4
votes
Relocating two outdoor cats from New Jersey to Florida
Feral and Outdoor are two different types of cats. One is "wild", and the other is a pet. I'd be hesitant to move feral cats, but if they are your pets, don't abandon them. I don't know you, these ...
- 2,723
4
votes
Completely outdoor cat from scratch?
Indoor cats live an average of 16 years, whereas outdoor cats live an average of 4 years. Therefore, it is unethical to take an indoor cat and try to make it an outdoor one. The same goes for feral ...
- 4,128
4
votes
Completely outdoor cat from scratch?
My aunt adopted a young stray cat a while back. Since she was away during the week for work reasons, keeping him in the house was not an option, so she kept him outside (house with a garden in a rural ...
- 285
4
votes
Accepted
Letting cats outside?
I'm in a similar situation. My cat is several years old and has spent her entire life indoors, but she recently came to live with me in a house. I started letting her out, only while supervised, and ...
- 457
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible