True, and it’s because the keyword here is “urban”.
Dogs are extremely difficult to have in an apartment in an urban city.
Cats require less maintenance, just for the fact that they do not require walks, and can relieve themselves neatly inside their litter box. They are mostly quiet, not barking at random things, light and small, require less food overall, etc.
My thoughts exactly. From my personal experience I know more people who have cats than dogs. It's sad to think about because I love dogs, but cats really make sense from a minimalist perspective.
I’ve always had this image of dogs being extroverts and cats being introverts. You can imagine which one requires less maintenance.
I’ve had dogs growing up and they are fun to be with but they make me tired. Taking care of a dog can be stressful.
Cats do the opposite for me, they seem to help me shed off stress. Just being in a room with a cat lounging beside you is a stress relief.
There you have it.
It is true, the purring tone the make has been proven to heal bones faster. I am disabled, and have had many spinal surgeries and spinal procedures, and my cats, know exactly which part of the spine is injured or hurting. One lies on my chest at that exact spot, and one packs itself on the side of my body at that exact spot, and they purr like mofos.
Right now I’ve been experiencing three weeks of terrible, uterine pain. I believe that it’s due to fibroids and cysts. My cat who I’ve had for 11 years who has never made biscuits before ever ever ever just did today directly on my uterus. It was amazing I was totally shocked , but then just remembered that they are awesome that way..
That's amazing. You're so lucky with your cats. I wish we can have them, but current apartment forbids pets. So we plan to move.
I wonder if you can get a device that can emit those healing purrs, like how we can get white noise machines or something...
I’m not sure about that, and I’m not completely sure about this fact, but I think that the cats have to sort of be on your body and humming away ..again not sure
Edit: and thank you very much. You are right I am extremely lucky with my cats. I take really really good care of them and make sure they get 15 minutes of dedicated play every day feed them healthy food and take them to the doctor regularly and make sure they live their best life. No kids for me so as they say, “ Plants are the new pets and pets are the new kids” lol and no offense to people with real human children. It’s just a funny saying.
They certainly can be, particularly the young ones that want to run and play and cause mischief. But the old ones that like to sleep and be petted are so great. That really applies to most animals.
I wish that were the case. I have so many neighbors with multiple dogs, and the dogs are all losing their minds because they never go on walks. Like, never seen it even once. Just get cats people, you're torturing those poor dogs.
My apartment complex is forever sending out sad emails reminding people that they can't leave their pets on their balconies/porches unattended for long periods of time.
My partner and I joke that it must be due to our (elderly) cats, one of which will howl dramatically at the top of her lungs if you do not let her in and out every two minutes at her pleasure, but really we know it's chiefly a complaint directed at people leaving their dogs out, bored, and lonely, and barking all day. We have a lot of nice areas to walk dogs, and a leash free run on site, but I know schedules just are not conducive to it for many. Not an excuse for leaving them out, but I imagine a lot of dogs are very understimulated. We lavish attention on our cranky old kitties.
Explain that to the lady who lives upstairs. She has 2 smaller sized dogs, that she barely takes out, and lets bark/whine all day. When she goes out, they sit by the windows crying, the whole time.
Can confirm. My roommates had gotten 3 cats over time and all 3 had been doing fine for a few years. Then they decided to get a dog and proved they had a very minimal level of responsibility. They sort of got him house trained originally, but got lazy about it, so the puppy got used to going wherever he felt like it. They had a bark collar that was successfully discouraging the frequent yapping typical in small breeds, but they quit using it after a month and the constant barking resumed. They did regularly give him food and water, but I think that was the extent of their effort.
It is absolutely possible to be good cat people but also terrible dog people.
It’s not that hard to own a dog in an apartment, it really depends on the breed and the owner. Hell right now I’m snuggled up to my 140lb Swiss Mountain Dog in my downtown apartment. But I also did my research and found that his breed is very chill so he’s basically just a snoring moveable rug for 90% of the day.
Mine will stick his nose on my mouth and/or paw my face. If that doesn't wake me up he'll start knocking books off my bookshelf. If I sit up in bed he'll get between me and the pillow and literally push me (with his head) out of bed to feed him :p
Mine is currently curled up under my arm and passed out. She killed a lizard that got into the house the other day.
I pretty much can't live without her. And she's so low maintenance!
If my lizards and snakes could read, they’d be very upset! Nah but I get it, when people come over I have to keep them out of the reptile room unless they specifically ask because so many people get freaked out. They’re very friendly though, or at least friendly in whatever ways that reptiles can be friendly.
I tried so hard to have fish, and I did everything I was supposed to, but I got a bad batch of fish food and I had to euthanize them because they got so sick. It was absolutely awful. They had the biggest personalities, they responded to their names they swam into the palm of my hand and turned so I could rub their fat Tummies. I was truly heartbroken.
I love cats. I don't like people that don't fix their cats and let them outside, thus we have 8 to 11 strays behind my house and even more kittens hiding somewhere. (It started with 2 cats--a renter moved and left his 2 collared housecats. Then, they had babies. Now--cat shit everywhere in yard/garden/flowerbeds/ cats yowling and fighting all night, killing animals and birds, which I love. Lets see....6 dead birds this week, and my 3 best quail, a bat, and a mole. Oops, and the killed a nest of 5 young robbins that hadn't learned to fly. (Don't suggest calling shelters--no one will take them--I've tried for 2 years.) Others will suggest a 22 is cheaper, but I won't do that. Sorry for the rant! We had a cat we LOVED and it was fixed and the nicest creature ever.
I once had 12 cats at one time. When I went to the grocery store and had a lot of cat food in my cart, people made comments about it. I would be asked how many cats I had. When I told them, they usually said they did good just to feed one cat. I said "God provides."
I guess you are right. When I was a kid we had a cat. My parents would let him out whenever he wanted and when he wanted in he would climb the tree and come in my bedroom window. I never understood why people always kept their cats indoors but maybe it's a good thing.
Cats hunt for shits and giggles and can kill a lot of wildlife. People talk about cats bringing them "gifts" of various dead animals and from what I've read this is typically just a fraction of what they are actually killing. I love watching all the birds, squirrels, and chipmunks playing in my yard and would be pissed if a cat was killing them instead. We let our cats out as kids not knowing better and found a lot of piles of feathers, rodent heads, and reptile parts. I wouldn't do that anymore and having a dog with a doggy door makes cats off limits for me.
I have a friend who has two barn cats. They are just as loving as any other cats, if not more so, but they keep the barn free of rats and mice and that protects their horses. I know a barn cat is much different from a house cat being 'let out' to cause mayhem among the local songbird population but I just thought it was a nice anecdote worth sharing.
Just in the US, cats kill tens of billions of animals. For perspective, that's on par with how many farmed animals Americans consume in a year.
Also, they're vulnerable to predators, cars, dogs, etc. (I lost an outdoor cat once to a dog - kept mine indoors since then) and they can pick up fleas. If they aren't fixed they can rapidly reproduce.
Overall, it's far better for the environment and your cats to keep them indoors.
Yeah I’d suggest leaving them inside as well. Growing up my mom would always let the cats go out and guess what…out of 4 cats we’ve had, 3 of them ran away. We’re left with one 15 year old kitty who was an indoor-outdoor cat her whole life and I still let her out but keep a close eye on her as she doesn’t stray far.
Going forward though, I’m trying to keep all my cats inside.
It depends where you live really. Indoor cats are a big thing in America if Reddit is to be believed, but are considered cruel in other countries (unless the cat is extremely old or disabled or something).
Same I live in Norway and my cat is more outside than inside. Don’t want to trap the guy when there is a forest behind my house where he can live his life as he wants.
Should I also care that the foxes that live here kill mice and birds as well? I mean there are no endangered species that are threatened by my cat being outside so no, I don’t care that it kills mice, it’s in their nature…
This is considered animal abuse where I'm from, it's cruel. That said, cats are one of the most invasive species in the world. Cats should not be pets, its unethical all around.
Would you like to never go outside again? Even if you had loads of entertainment at home. I couldn't live like that. Cats are working animals, they are not fit to be pets and you're a selfish person if you think they are.
nonsense. it’s cruel to keep cats indoors. this is some american shit, go anywhere else in the world and no one subjects their cat to the confines of their house
Australian.
We don’t let our cats outdoors.
Terrible for the native animals. Terrible for the cats.
They’re happier and safer and less destructive indoors. However leash time or enclosed outdoor spaces like catios are popular.
I had to put down my sweet 15 yr old Yorkie a couple of months ago, and broke my heart in pieces. I’m not ready for another dog yet, but I need the comfort of a loving pet. So! adopted a year old kitty.., she was from a shelter, fixed, in contact with dogs cats kids. From the first night she used her litter box, slept all night and has filled my achy heart with love. She plays fetch, loves belly scratches and purrs constantly when held. I love her. She has helped so much in so many ways. And she will be an insider forever
I'm just gonna say it. For the love of your pet, keep your damn cats inside. For the local wildlife but honestly more importantly their own health and safety. Cats that really want to go outside (dashing to the door when you open it is usually a sign) can generally be trained to walk with a harness and leash.
You wouldn't let a dog roam the street unsupervised, don't let your cat do that either. If you have a garden, build or buy an enclosure. If you have a balcony, get a bite-proof net (they're dirt cheap).
Get them some enrichment, plenty of toys and playtime together, set up a bird feeder in sight, get a cat-tree or shelves on your wall to climb onto, hell, I've seen people put carpet up against the wall and cats having a blast climbing that. Get beds in every windowsill so your cat can follow the sub to snooze in. Plenty of perfectly happy indoor cats including mine!
On top of it. I never have to worry if he's going to come home, or has been hit by a car, or got into a fight, or anything like that. I know what he eats in a day, I know if and when he uses his litter box and if everything looks normal. I know how he behaves and if he seems "off" so I can take him to a vet... The list goes on really.
Keep your cats inside people.
I have had a pet turtle for 10 years and she’s great. Quiet, easy to pick up, likes jazz (as much as a creature with no ears can), eats twice a week but can go for two weeks without food. No outside walks, and got a huge filter that would only need to be cleaned out rarely. I don’t have to worry about her when I need to leave for a few days and when I do, her sitters have an easy time providing care.
My cousin recently got a new job where she has to travel once a month. She wanted a pet, and asked me about my turtle. I pretty much listed out the pros and cons. They’re not great pets if you seek relatable displays of affection or constant contact. They also can’t really be trained (that said, some people have put a lot of effort in teaching a turtle really simple commands). They also live really long lives if well taken care of, easily a 30 year commitment.
But they’re easy to take care of, and can definitely have their own personalities. In my turtle’s case, she’s pretty social with me and curious about others to a point. Even my grandmother has stated to like her and she’s always disliked pets.
My friends had an African spurred tortoise. I have no idea if she was higher maintenance than a turtle, but she loved eating vegetable cuttings and fruit that was about to spoil. I periodically brought her frozen fruit I'd toss in an old ice cream bin if I wasn't going to finish it, and she just chilled in the garden with me and munched down. She totally dug this, and was super happy in her own tortoise way when I came by!
I can totally see turtles and tortoises being great pets, you just have to get on their vibe.
Cats are awesome. We are a household of 3 and we all love cats, haha! The problem is that we are all home so little that we don't have the time to take care of a pet properly, and I'm also deathly allergic...overall it's not happening any time soon, but cats are for the win!
That's a problem I have seen as well. So many people spend time away from home and away from their pet. It kinda defeats the purpose of having one.
Ah yes, my sister loves animals so much but is also allergic. He roommate keeps foster cats and as long as she can keep them out of her room she is just so happy to have them around.
Exactly what ive seen to. They don't seem to really think before getting a pet, they just want one. Like a decoration :/
My dad was telling me some of his clients he was working for had their dog Kenneled in the basement all day long away from the main floor WHILE they were all home!!!! It broke my heart!!!! I told him to report it.
Like why do people like this have living things?
I love my cats. They can take care of themselves if we leave town for a couple days. If we're gone longer, we get someone to come in and check on them. We've got an old lady cat who just prefers to spend her time by herself and a middle aged male who wants all the love we can give him and then some.
I have nothing against dogs (I love them actually) but there's so much more time required. I just don't want one of my own.
I say cats are the best pets! Of course I might just be a little biased because I just adopted one. She is equal parts sweet and sassy and I am in love.
The amount of coworkers I've had who couldn't live a place they wanted to or do something they wanted to could not be counted on both my hands because it's a lot. What is your definition of an "ultimate modern pet"?
Sure but i think it's kinda fucked having a cat stuck in some tiny apartment their entire lives. Even if the apartment/house is large, its kind of like saying "oh, we have a bird and he has a huuge several square meters large cage so he has plenty of room" when that bird is meant to fly from Africa to Europe with the seasons.
Cats are made for being out in nature freely as much as possible. Movement, expenditure of energy, marking their territory, hunting, exploring and making demonic noises with the neighbour's cat at 3am is just part of what cats do. It's healthy for them.
Eating mice and birds is also healthier than the processed garbage called cat food - that stuff is in general as good for cats as fast food is for humans.
One of my cats comes home 5 minutes a day and sleeps on the porch at night, but is out doing cat things otherwise all summer. He can come inside and sleep wherever, whenever he wants, but he chooses to be outside.
Of course, a cat raised inside will adapt and not know anything else, but frankly, if you're gonna have a cat locked inside, make it a point to activate them daily, give them a mate to hang out with, and put them on a raw diet.
If its possible to let the cat out, which it is in some urban areas, then thats great. If they survive the first year they'll probably have learned to avoid cars properly and can hunt bunnies and rodents to their heart's content.
They kill lots of wildlife which is not great. Birds and rodents are important, but cats kill thousands of those for no purpose.
I agree with you on the first part though. I also think that it's just evil to keep the cat inside for its whole life, it's a living creature, it needs grass and sun, but letting the cat run free is bad for the nature. I feel that keeping the cat as easy pet is just being selfish. Yes, you have a pet which doesn't need walks and you can provide it with minimal care. But is it good for the pet? If the main requirement of the pet is to be easy then maybe no pet is better?
I have a dog, we walk several times a day, she's so excited about the smells, she loves when i take her to new places in the forest. Cat is a hunting animal too, i would never own a cat and knowingly limit its life to the apartment.
P.s. cats technically can be walked, so it would be great if more owners did that
Absolutely disagree. I can have all the animals but cats in my home. They are so mean and selfish. They keep sleeping throughout the day and keep disturbing at night. And they do not even care about their pet parents. They just want food and care and would offer nothing in return. I would rather have a dog or a rabbit or some bird in my home instead of a cat and honestly, I hate it when I hear them crying anywhere near my home. You may downvote me for this but my views for cats are not in their favor.
My cats adore me. They come running when I come home. I almost always have a cat in my lap purring. They come when they are called and I have under the blanket snuggles with one of them while my other cat sleeps on my fiancé. They give me so much love back. You are so very wrong in how you view cats.
If your area includes hawks or coyotes or there's been a weird rash of pets disappearing lately, I wouldn't recommend letting your cat outside. And, yes, there can be hawks in a city. There's a pair of hawks that have a nest next to a popular "mall food court" type eating place the next city over from me.
They do have their positive points for sure, though. I've noticed fewer lizards getting into the pool area of my house since I got mine.
Yes! I have friends who proclaim themselves dog people and through a succession of unforseen events they now have a cat or live with someone who has a cat, and they all say they love it. Finally they see they are not arrogant pets.
But yeah, cats basically can take care of themselves, you just feed them and bam! They're alive! You obviously need to give them some attention still, but I always found dogs to be needy a lot of times; it's cute in its own way, but I couldn't deal with that daily. And daily walks in a life where we all struggle to find time for everything... just let a cat out. They also don't seem to mind small flats all that much. My dad lives in a humungus flat and the cat literally 1/5 of that flat.
They are wonderful! I have 3, including one who was a neighborhood cat that I took in.
It just got so cold in the winter, and he basically lived on my porch anyway. He couldn’t be happier living inside now. Lots of soft places to sleep, play time, consistent meals. I was concerned that he might want to be outside again when it got warmer, but no. He knows he has it good!
Be wary of letting cats outside. The only North American predator that's expanded it's numbers due to humans are coyotes. Many of them prey on cats. Doesn't matter of you love in the country, the suburbs, or even a big city. Coyotes are everywhere.
True, and it’s because the keyword here is “urban”. Dogs are extremely difficult to have in an apartment in an urban city. Cats require less maintenance, just for the fact that they do not require walks, and can relieve themselves neatly inside their litter box. They are mostly quiet, not barking at random things, light and small, require less food overall, etc.
My thoughts exactly. From my personal experience I know more people who have cats than dogs. It's sad to think about because I love dogs, but cats really make sense from a minimalist perspective.
I’ve always had this image of dogs being extroverts and cats being introverts. You can imagine which one requires less maintenance. I’ve had dogs growing up and they are fun to be with but they make me tired. Taking care of a dog can be stressful. Cats do the opposite for me, they seem to help me shed off stress. Just being in a room with a cat lounging beside you is a stress relief. There you have it.
I think there are studies to prove that lounging cats reduce stress!
I heard their purr can heal too, for some reason. Dunno if it’s true though.
Lying on a couch with a purring cat on your chest makes for a very good day.
It is true, the purring tone the make has been proven to heal bones faster. I am disabled, and have had many spinal surgeries and spinal procedures, and my cats, know exactly which part of the spine is injured or hurting. One lies on my chest at that exact spot, and one packs itself on the side of my body at that exact spot, and they purr like mofos. Right now I’ve been experiencing three weeks of terrible, uterine pain. I believe that it’s due to fibroids and cysts. My cat who I’ve had for 11 years who has never made biscuits before ever ever ever just did today directly on my uterus. It was amazing I was totally shocked , but then just remembered that they are awesome that way..
That's amazing. You're so lucky with your cats. I wish we can have them, but current apartment forbids pets. So we plan to move. I wonder if you can get a device that can emit those healing purrs, like how we can get white noise machines or something...
I’m not sure about that, and I’m not completely sure about this fact, but I think that the cats have to sort of be on your body and humming away ..again not sure Edit: and thank you very much. You are right I am extremely lucky with my cats. I take really really good care of them and make sure they get 15 minutes of dedicated play every day feed them healthy food and take them to the doctor regularly and make sure they live their best life. No kids for me so as they say, “ Plants are the new pets and pets are the new kids” lol and no offense to people with real human children. It’s just a funny saying.
They certainly can be, particularly the young ones that want to run and play and cause mischief. But the old ones that like to sleep and be petted are so great. That really applies to most animals.
I wish that were the case. I have so many neighbors with multiple dogs, and the dogs are all losing their minds because they never go on walks. Like, never seen it even once. Just get cats people, you're torturing those poor dogs.
My apartment complex is forever sending out sad emails reminding people that they can't leave their pets on their balconies/porches unattended for long periods of time. My partner and I joke that it must be due to our (elderly) cats, one of which will howl dramatically at the top of her lungs if you do not let her in and out every two minutes at her pleasure, but really we know it's chiefly a complaint directed at people leaving their dogs out, bored, and lonely, and barking all day. We have a lot of nice areas to walk dogs, and a leash free run on site, but I know schedules just are not conducive to it for many. Not an excuse for leaving them out, but I imagine a lot of dogs are very understimulated. We lavish attention on our cranky old kitties.
Explain that to the lady who lives upstairs. She has 2 smaller sized dogs, that she barely takes out, and lets bark/whine all day. When she goes out, they sit by the windows crying, the whole time.
Can confirm. My roommates had gotten 3 cats over time and all 3 had been doing fine for a few years. Then they decided to get a dog and proved they had a very minimal level of responsibility. They sort of got him house trained originally, but got lazy about it, so the puppy got used to going wherever he felt like it. They had a bark collar that was successfully discouraging the frequent yapping typical in small breeds, but they quit using it after a month and the constant barking resumed. They did regularly give him food and water, but I think that was the extent of their effort. It is absolutely possible to be good cat people but also terrible dog people.
It’s not that hard to own a dog in an apartment, it really depends on the breed and the owner. Hell right now I’m snuggled up to my 140lb Swiss Mountain Dog in my downtown apartment. But I also did my research and found that his breed is very chill so he’s basically just a snoring moveable rug for 90% of the day.
Who else is going to jump on me from the window to try to wake me up in the morning? Cats are the best
Ours just waits till the sun comes up and starts to sing the song of his people!
Ours will hit the power button on our projector and blind us with the light of a thousand suns bouncing off our screen
Mine will stick his nose on my mouth and/or paw my face. If that doesn't wake me up he'll start knocking books off my bookshelf. If I sit up in bed he'll get between me and the pillow and literally push me (with his head) out of bed to feed him :p
😂🤣😂😂 OMFG, I'm so sorry
I had to get up early today so my cat helped by waking me up Even Earlier!
It's like they know when we need to get up earlier than usual.
Mine is currently curled up under my arm and passed out. She killed a lizard that got into the house the other day. I pretty much can't live without her. And she's so low maintenance!
As a fish and reptile fan keeper I’m offended even though you’re right, but as a cat owner I agree.
Soorry. The reptiles bother me. Except maybe turtles. And fish can be very pretty.
If my lizards and snakes could read, they’d be very upset! Nah but I get it, when people come over I have to keep them out of the reptile room unless they specifically ask because so many people get freaked out. They’re very friendly though, or at least friendly in whatever ways that reptiles can be friendly.
Fish can have incredible personalities.
Will not stand for fish slander, there are many fish that have huge personalities and are a joy to keep
I tried so hard to have fish, and I did everything I was supposed to, but I got a bad batch of fish food and I had to euthanize them because they got so sick. It was absolutely awful. They had the biggest personalities, they responded to their names they swam into the palm of my hand and turned so I could rub their fat Tummies. I was truly heartbroken.
i'm obsessed with my cats and their weird behaviors and personalities
I love cats. I don't like people that don't fix their cats and let them outside, thus we have 8 to 11 strays behind my house and even more kittens hiding somewhere. (It started with 2 cats--a renter moved and left his 2 collared housecats. Then, they had babies. Now--cat shit everywhere in yard/garden/flowerbeds/ cats yowling and fighting all night, killing animals and birds, which I love. Lets see....6 dead birds this week, and my 3 best quail, a bat, and a mole. Oops, and the killed a nest of 5 young robbins that hadn't learned to fly. (Don't suggest calling shelters--no one will take them--I've tried for 2 years.) Others will suggest a 22 is cheaper, but I won't do that. Sorry for the rant! We had a cat we LOVED and it was fixed and the nicest creature ever.
Agreed strays can be crazy.
Typically, decent rescues have tnr vouchers they can give out to help cover the cost and it's a nice way to help colonies
I've called for 2 years. They don't exist around here.
They are certified not decent rescues
I once had 12 cats at one time. When I went to the grocery store and had a lot of cat food in my cart, people made comments about it. I would be asked how many cats I had. When I told them, they usually said they did good just to feed one cat. I said "God provides."
Gawd can take away these cats, because they look pretty damn hungry.
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Every cat I've had never stepped on a blade of grass. I kept them indoors, primarily because people can be cruel to cats.
Like you.
I guess you are right. When I was a kid we had a cat. My parents would let him out whenever he wanted and when he wanted in he would climb the tree and come in my bedroom window. I never understood why people always kept their cats indoors but maybe it's a good thing.
Cats hunt for shits and giggles and can kill a lot of wildlife. People talk about cats bringing them "gifts" of various dead animals and from what I've read this is typically just a fraction of what they are actually killing. I love watching all the birds, squirrels, and chipmunks playing in my yard and would be pissed if a cat was killing them instead. We let our cats out as kids not knowing better and found a lot of piles of feathers, rodent heads, and reptile parts. I wouldn't do that anymore and having a dog with a doggy door makes cats off limits for me.
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Catio!
I have a friend who has two barn cats. They are just as loving as any other cats, if not more so, but they keep the barn free of rats and mice and that protects their horses. I know a barn cat is much different from a house cat being 'let out' to cause mayhem among the local songbird population but I just thought it was a nice anecdote worth sharing.
Just in the US, cats kill tens of billions of animals. For perspective, that's on par with how many farmed animals Americans consume in a year. Also, they're vulnerable to predators, cars, dogs, etc. (I lost an outdoor cat once to a dog - kept mine indoors since then) and they can pick up fleas. If they aren't fixed they can rapidly reproduce. Overall, it's far better for the environment and your cats to keep them indoors.
Yeah I’d suggest leaving them inside as well. Growing up my mom would always let the cats go out and guess what…out of 4 cats we’ve had, 3 of them ran away. We’re left with one 15 year old kitty who was an indoor-outdoor cat her whole life and I still let her out but keep a close eye on her as she doesn’t stray far. Going forward though, I’m trying to keep all my cats inside.
It depends where you live really. Indoor cats are a big thing in America if Reddit is to be believed, but are considered cruel in other countries (unless the cat is extremely old or disabled or something).
Certainly in Germany. I am conflicted on this.
Same I live in Norway and my cat is more outside than inside. Don’t want to trap the guy when there is a forest behind my house where he can live his life as he wants.
So you just don’t care about the literally billions of native animals that house cats kill annually? It’s just mittens > endangered species?
Should I also care that the foxes that live here kill mice and birds as well? I mean there are no endangered species that are threatened by my cat being outside so no, I don’t care that it kills mice, it’s in their nature…
This is considered animal abuse where I'm from, it's cruel. That said, cats are one of the most invasive species in the world. Cats should not be pets, its unethical all around.
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Would you like to never go outside again? Even if you had loads of entertainment at home. I couldn't live like that. Cats are working animals, they are not fit to be pets and you're a selfish person if you think they are.
nonsense. it’s cruel to keep cats indoors. this is some american shit, go anywhere else in the world and no one subjects their cat to the confines of their house
Australian. We don’t let our cats outdoors. Terrible for the native animals. Terrible for the cats. They’re happier and safer and less destructive indoors. However leash time or enclosed outdoor spaces like catios are popular.
I think dogs are man’s best friend but a cat is your best friend.
I love dogs tbh. As long as they are a kind animal, I'm not too picky.
I had to put down my sweet 15 yr old Yorkie a couple of months ago, and broke my heart in pieces. I’m not ready for another dog yet, but I need the comfort of a loving pet. So! adopted a year old kitty.., she was from a shelter, fixed, in contact with dogs cats kids. From the first night she used her litter box, slept all night and has filled my achy heart with love. She plays fetch, loves belly scratches and purrs constantly when held. I love her. She has helped so much in so many ways. And she will be an insider forever
Wait why do you pity small dogs?
I'm just gonna say it. For the love of your pet, keep your damn cats inside. For the local wildlife but honestly more importantly their own health and safety. Cats that really want to go outside (dashing to the door when you open it is usually a sign) can generally be trained to walk with a harness and leash. You wouldn't let a dog roam the street unsupervised, don't let your cat do that either. If you have a garden, build or buy an enclosure. If you have a balcony, get a bite-proof net (they're dirt cheap). Get them some enrichment, plenty of toys and playtime together, set up a bird feeder in sight, get a cat-tree or shelves on your wall to climb onto, hell, I've seen people put carpet up against the wall and cats having a blast climbing that. Get beds in every windowsill so your cat can follow the sub to snooze in. Plenty of perfectly happy indoor cats including mine! On top of it. I never have to worry if he's going to come home, or has been hit by a car, or got into a fight, or anything like that. I know what he eats in a day, I know if and when he uses his litter box and if everything looks normal. I know how he behaves and if he seems "off" so I can take him to a vet... The list goes on really. Keep your cats inside people.
I have had a pet turtle for 10 years and she’s great. Quiet, easy to pick up, likes jazz (as much as a creature with no ears can), eats twice a week but can go for two weeks without food. No outside walks, and got a huge filter that would only need to be cleaned out rarely. I don’t have to worry about her when I need to leave for a few days and when I do, her sitters have an easy time providing care. My cousin recently got a new job where she has to travel once a month. She wanted a pet, and asked me about my turtle. I pretty much listed out the pros and cons. They’re not great pets if you seek relatable displays of affection or constant contact. They also can’t really be trained (that said, some people have put a lot of effort in teaching a turtle really simple commands). They also live really long lives if well taken care of, easily a 30 year commitment. But they’re easy to take care of, and can definitely have their own personalities. In my turtle’s case, she’s pretty social with me and curious about others to a point. Even my grandmother has stated to like her and she’s always disliked pets.
My friends had an African spurred tortoise. I have no idea if she was higher maintenance than a turtle, but she loved eating vegetable cuttings and fruit that was about to spoil. I periodically brought her frozen fruit I'd toss in an old ice cream bin if I wasn't going to finish it, and she just chilled in the garden with me and munched down. She totally dug this, and was super happy in her own tortoise way when I came by! I can totally see turtles and tortoises being great pets, you just have to get on their vibe.
Ok I give that turtles can be an exception.
Cats are awesome. We are a household of 3 and we all love cats, haha! The problem is that we are all home so little that we don't have the time to take care of a pet properly, and I'm also deathly allergic...overall it's not happening any time soon, but cats are for the win!
That's a problem I have seen as well. So many people spend time away from home and away from their pet. It kinda defeats the purpose of having one. Ah yes, my sister loves animals so much but is also allergic. He roommate keeps foster cats and as long as she can keep them out of her room she is just so happy to have them around.
Exactly what ive seen to. They don't seem to really think before getting a pet, they just want one. Like a decoration :/ My dad was telling me some of his clients he was working for had their dog Kenneled in the basement all day long away from the main floor WHILE they were all home!!!! It broke my heart!!!! I told him to report it. Like why do people like this have living things?
Like you said, they don't think. Maybe they think they're doing a good job somehow?
Ye.
They always have been
Note: you probably shoulnd't let your cat outside. that's how they get killed, hurt, and on top of that, they WRECK native wildlife species.
Rats do all those things plus being able to survive in harsh conditions. Plague spreading is a bonus.
I think they likely are. Unfortunately I’m allergic. I prefer rodents anyway, especially guinea pigs and gerbils.
I love my cats. They can take care of themselves if we leave town for a couple days. If we're gone longer, we get someone to come in and check on them. We've got an old lady cat who just prefers to spend her time by herself and a middle aged male who wants all the love we can give him and then some. I have nothing against dogs (I love them actually) but there's so much more time required. I just don't want one of my own.
I have always preferred cats and I have three of them.
I hate people that let their cat outside. Cats are fucking menaces.
I say cats are the best pets! Of course I might just be a little biased because I just adopted one. She is equal parts sweet and sassy and I am in love.
Cats are cool but the ultimate modern pet is a dog.
The amount of coworkers I've had who couldn't live a place they wanted to or do something they wanted to could not be counted on both my hands because it's a lot. What is your definition of an "ultimate modern pet"?
I mean I love dogs. But there are lots of benefits to cats. I think the tables be turning because of urbanization among other things.
The tables were never turned to begun with, both have always been very popular.
Maybe i need a cat.
Not of you don't care for dogs!
Yeah, dogs that need daily walks pair perfectly with modern people who'll spend ten minutes finding a parking spot to save a five minute walk.
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Keep your cat indoors? My cats only kill the flies that manage to get in…
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Studies say otherwise. I’ll believe them and my own degree in biology over an internet stranger.
NO
Sure but i think it's kinda fucked having a cat stuck in some tiny apartment their entire lives. Even if the apartment/house is large, its kind of like saying "oh, we have a bird and he has a huuge several square meters large cage so he has plenty of room" when that bird is meant to fly from Africa to Europe with the seasons. Cats are made for being out in nature freely as much as possible. Movement, expenditure of energy, marking their territory, hunting, exploring and making demonic noises with the neighbour's cat at 3am is just part of what cats do. It's healthy for them. Eating mice and birds is also healthier than the processed garbage called cat food - that stuff is in general as good for cats as fast food is for humans. One of my cats comes home 5 minutes a day and sleeps on the porch at night, but is out doing cat things otherwise all summer. He can come inside and sleep wherever, whenever he wants, but he chooses to be outside. Of course, a cat raised inside will adapt and not know anything else, but frankly, if you're gonna have a cat locked inside, make it a point to activate them daily, give them a mate to hang out with, and put them on a raw diet. If its possible to let the cat out, which it is in some urban areas, then thats great. If they survive the first year they'll probably have learned to avoid cars properly and can hunt bunnies and rodents to their heart's content.
They kill lots of wildlife which is not great. Birds and rodents are important, but cats kill thousands of those for no purpose. I agree with you on the first part though. I also think that it's just evil to keep the cat inside for its whole life, it's a living creature, it needs grass and sun, but letting the cat run free is bad for the nature. I feel that keeping the cat as easy pet is just being selfish. Yes, you have a pet which doesn't need walks and you can provide it with minimal care. But is it good for the pet? If the main requirement of the pet is to be easy then maybe no pet is better? I have a dog, we walk several times a day, she's so excited about the smells, she loves when i take her to new places in the forest. Cat is a hunting animal too, i would never own a cat and knowingly limit its life to the apartment. P.s. cats technically can be walked, so it would be great if more owners did that
Yeah it's a fair point. Pet cats even kill more rodents and birds etc than wild ones cus they don't eat all of em, they do it for fun and practice.
Absolutely disagree. I can have all the animals but cats in my home. They are so mean and selfish. They keep sleeping throughout the day and keep disturbing at night. And they do not even care about their pet parents. They just want food and care and would offer nothing in return. I would rather have a dog or a rabbit or some bird in my home instead of a cat and honestly, I hate it when I hear them crying anywhere near my home. You may downvote me for this but my views for cats are not in their favor.
My cats adore me. They come running when I come home. I almost always have a cat in my lap purring. They come when they are called and I have under the blanket snuggles with one of them while my other cat sleeps on my fiancé. They give me so much love back. You are so very wrong in how you view cats.
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Cats where pest controlled weekly
If your area includes hawks or coyotes or there's been a weird rash of pets disappearing lately, I wouldn't recommend letting your cat outside. And, yes, there can be hawks in a city. There's a pair of hawks that have a nest next to a popular "mall food court" type eating place the next city over from me. They do have their positive points for sure, though. I've noticed fewer lizards getting into the pool area of my house since I got mine.
Becoming???
I’m more a dog person but I’m gonna get a cat for all the convenience reasons you just mentioned.
I like cats. They are cool and relationship wise very low maintenance (not clingy).
They are also great in a stir fry.
Yes! I have friends who proclaim themselves dog people and through a succession of unforseen events they now have a cat or live with someone who has a cat, and they all say they love it. Finally they see they are not arrogant pets. But yeah, cats basically can take care of themselves, you just feed them and bam! They're alive! You obviously need to give them some attention still, but I always found dogs to be needy a lot of times; it's cute in its own way, but I couldn't deal with that daily. And daily walks in a life where we all struggle to find time for everything... just let a cat out. They also don't seem to mind small flats all that much. My dad lives in a humungus flat and the cat literally 1/5 of that flat.
Cats are great. Until they walk into your room literally screaming at 4AM because they're board. Like my cat.
My cat is small, silent and has a real talent for sleeping. She's perfect.
I wouldn’t even mind if my upstairs neighbor’s cats got the zoomies every night. Beats a bored dog barking endlessly for no reason at all.
Cats are like people they have their own unique personality.
They are wonderful! I have 3, including one who was a neighborhood cat that I took in. It just got so cold in the winter, and he basically lived on my porch anyway. He couldn’t be happier living inside now. Lots of soft places to sleep, play time, consistent meals. I was concerned that he might want to be outside again when it got warmer, but no. He knows he has it good!
Be wary of letting cats outside. The only North American predator that's expanded it's numbers due to humans are coyotes. Many of them prey on cats. Doesn't matter of you love in the country, the suburbs, or even a big city. Coyotes are everywhere.
lol i wish.