Is this really a cultural difference?

[gwenneh 7]

oh and by the way has he told you most americans De-claw cats. personally i think thats awful.

What on *earth* are you talking about? I have NEVER seen a declawed cat, ever - and we are friends with many, many cat owners.

I certainly wouldn't go around suggesting that declawing is the norm - it's not. It's seen as just as cruel a practice here, and I know several vets who won't even perform the procedure.

[Gemmie 142]

This has been a very enlightening read. See, when I was growing up, we always had a cat in our house, and we let it out whenever it wanted, day or night, because it's natural for them to be outside. Cats are one of Mother Nature's finest natural hunters: haven't you all see the way they crouch down low, and wind up their hind legs before pouncing on some poor unsespecting bird, mouse or squirrel? Keeping them indoors just isn't right.

But having said that, after reading this, I now understand why 'er indoors looked at me like I had 2 heads when I told her we should let our kitten outside just as soon as she was old enough. I guess "house cats" is an American thing.

That's exactly what happened with us!

"Why would you let your cat outside..."

"WHAT??"

We've come to an agreement now, to keep the cat indoors. I hate the thought of them being bored or unhappy but we'll see what happens. He says that he's never seen a cat that behaves that way.

[Captain Oates 911]

Round here it seems that few cats are allowed out

You need a cat license here and a chip to let it out - can you believe it !

out of town people let their cats roam free but some are taken by coyotes/mountain lions and bears

Seems most town americans keep their cats in

I thought it was stinky idea so i built a tunnel through to the garage with cat flaps on each end - and we have cat trays in there - the tunnel exits into a 4 foot by 4 foot pen with a wire netting lid and magnetic catches to hold the lid up for cleaning out

I built the whole thing in 107 degrees of heat last summer

luckily the cats are mentally well adjusted and there has never been a poopin accident in 9 months

[Hannah+Vito 0]

and scratch your posh sofa and claw your hands and legs, though if you dont want a pet to do something dont by a speices that does it imho

never did get the mutialtion thing where not nessersary, we only had one dog who was surgically docked but she was taken shooting and that would have shreaded her tail and caused amjor problems for her had it not been done. but to save a sofa

Well exactly!! I mean, sure, spay the gals and cut the toms' nuts off (that's being a responsible owner) but ffs, leave it at that!

while we are on the subject of weird pet related differences, does anyone think it's weird to have a cage for your dog?

i have seen crate training in the uk once, but i think it was just for behaviour and when i saw the cage it was just left open to use like a bed.

[Ellie-and-David 38]

oh and by the way has he told you most americans De-claw cats. personally i think thats awful.

What on *earth* are you talking about? I have NEVER seen a declawed cat, ever - and we are friends with many, many cat owners.

I certainly wouldn't go around suggesting that declawing is the norm - it's not. It's seen as just as cruel a practice here, and I know several vets who won't even perform the procedure.

I had never seen a de-clawed cat before I met my friends cats in September. Both are de-clawed. The first was from a shelter and had been de-clawed by the previous owner. The second had claws, but the kitties would fight and the one with claws would kick the butt of the one without them....so they had him declawed. Apparently that practice is very common in Florida.

I personally would never de-claw a cat. I've seen a couple of rentals where they only accepted de-clawed cats. So i would never move there.

I have had outdoors cats all my life. Never an indoor. Doesnt seem right to keep them in. But we have a gators here and other predators like snakes. So i might have to re-think the outdoor cat idea.

[Bill and Hayley 0]

Ok so i worded that abit wrong....maybe not most Americans, but i know a few cats that have been declawed, even the one i rescued is declawed. Living in england for 36 years i could have said i had never seen a clawed cat...i cant say that after living here. It was my husband who told me most americans have it done.

[Mags 112]

Ok so i worded that abit wrong....maybe not most Americans, but i know a few cats that have been declawed, even the one i rescued is declawed. Living in england for 36 years i could have said i had never seen a clawed cat...i cant say that after living here. It was my husband who told me most americans have it done.

Well, as I mentioned beforehand, it is illegal in almost every other country, so you wouldn't have seen a declawed cat in the UK.

I help out at an animal shelter and we have around 40 cats waiting to be re-homed. Of them, only 3 are declawed. Some people value their furniture more than their animals - I say if you're going to have a cat be aware that they scratch. If you can't handle it, don't own a cat.

[snowfrostedlashes 0]

I'm not saying that it always creates problems but I do know that some cats that are declawed then develop problems with using the litter box because their paws are more sensitive and they dislike the feel of the litter. A cat without claws may also be more likely to bite. I think the assumption that ALL cats will claw furniture to shreds is wrong... I've had many cats in my family over the years and a good proportion of them have shown little to no inclination to claw anything other than their scratching posts or one particular spot that they like (such as the corner of the bed, or a favourite chair). I have never had any furniture destroyed by a cat, but I know that some cats can be very destructive... but you don't remove the teeth from a dog that chews up your best shoes, so why declaw a cat?

Happily my rescued kitten still has all his claws and has been neutered and vaccinated and seems very contented being an indoor cat. I had a cat who preferred to be indoors when I was a teenager, so the idea of a litter box is not repugnant to me. My Mum has two cats - one who stays close to home, and one who roams more - and both go outside but come home and are shut in at night to protect them from some of the more aggressive cats in the neighbourhood.

I have seen a woman in our apartment complex walking her cat on a harness and we are considering trying our cat with something similar - even if only to get him to and from the car since he absolutely detests his carrier. He is very well behaved and relaxed in the car when sitting on my lap, but is not a cat that likes to be picked up and held for any length of time.

Our apartment complex said we had to declaw our cat... we said NO, they responded that they would overlook it. And frankly, that's what we pay a $300 pet deposit on top of the normal deposit for - to compensate for any damage that may occur to their property.

[mawilson 2,133]

[TBoneTX 45,308]

Stumbled onto this thread and will contribute, not as a Brit but as a USC cat-owner & -lover.

I'll simply say this: In 2002, my former girlfriend (a Canadian, living in rural Ontario, and intellectually brilliant) had 7 cats. I had one. We argued intensely and bitterly about the wisdom of letting cats outside. She explained in impassioned and highly articulate terms that it's a cat's nature to roam and explore, and that one kept inside (to wit, mine) was being "stifled and abused" (her words). Within 3 years, FIVE of her cats were dead -- of illness, attack, ingesting something, and accident -- and, despite her efforts toward health and grooming, the others looked horrible. Conversely, my 100% indoor cat survives and thrives today, fluffy and spoiled.

The indoor-vs.-outdoor question is perhaps less of a cultural difference and more a matter of how long we wish to keep our pets alive, plain and simple.

Edited January 24, 2009 by TBoneTX

[Stinky Monkey 1]

Stumbled onto this thread and will contribute, not as a Brit but as a USC cat-owner & -lover.

I'll simply say this: In 2002, my former girlfriend (a Canadian, living in rural Ontario, and intellectually brilliant) had 7 cats. I had one. We argued intensely and bitterly about the wisdom of letting cats outside. She explained in impassioned and highly articulate terms that it's a cat's nature to roam and explore, and that one kept inside (to wit, mine) was being "stifled and abused" (her words). Within 3 years, FIVE of her cats were dead -- of illness, attack, ingesting something, and accident -- and, despite her efforts toward health and grooming, the others looked horrible. Conversely, my 100% indoor cat survives and thrives today, fluffy and spoiled.

The indoor-vs.-outdoor question is perhaps less of a cultural difference and more a matter of how long we wish to keep our pets alive, plain and simple.

Your cat may be spoiled but is it allowed on the bed yet hahahahahaha

[Big Papa Zone 93]

Stumbled onto this thread and will contribute, not as a Brit but as a USC cat-owner & -lover.

I'll simply say this: In 2002, my former girlfriend (a Canadian, living in rural Ontario, and intellectually brilliant) had 7 cats. I had one. We argued intensely and bitterly about the wisdom of letting cats outside. She explained in impassioned and highly articulate terms that it's a cat's nature to roam and explore, and that one kept inside (to wit, mine) was being "stifled and abused" (her words). Within 3 years, FIVE of her cats were dead -- of illness, attack, ingesting something, and accident -- and, despite her efforts toward health and grooming, the others looked horrible. Conversely, my 100% indoor cat survives and thrives today, fluffy and spoiled.

The indoor-vs.-outdoor question is perhaps less of a cultural difference and more a matter of how long we wish to keep our pets alive, plain and simple.

Sorry TBone, but I'm inclined to agree with your ex. You are of course correct about the cat's life expectancy being far greater if you keep it indoors, but for me, having seen them outside in what is clearly their natural, instinctive habitat, then you just go with it and let them out. If they die, they die. My old mum has had 3 cats since 1983: one was run over by the next door neighbour aged 11; the second one disappeared into the woods by her house one night (as it frequently did) and never came back aged 5; and the 3rd is still going strong aged 10. Yes, 2 of them met premature ends due to their outdoor roaming, but that's the risk you take when you have a cat.

As I said earlier in this thread, one just has to observe their spectacular hunting prowess to be in no doubt that they are outdoor creatures. Having said that of course, the little buggers will also find the cosiest, warmest spot in your house to sleep for hours on end. On the off chance that reincarnation is a goer, I want to come back as a spoiled, pampered cat - what a life!

Edited January 24, 2009 by Damian P

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Since this is a cat thread of sorts, and I'm thinking about my Muffin this morning~~~

This is 11 lb. Muffin at 8 years old waiting to see if she got any email...

Yesterday morning at under 4 lbs, she spent her last day in the sun, a very weak old lady at 13 yrs, 8 months.

And by evening we had a little funeral in the back garden.

This morning I am still sad

She was a rescued kitten we found at a busy highway intersection. She lived indoors and out. She had claws. And she lived a good life.

[Stinky Monkey 1]

Oh honey I am so very sorry for your loss, I know what it feels like..my Tosh (dog) died a few years back and I have still not got over it

My heart really goes out to you honey, sending you tons of loves and hugz, just remember muffin had a great life and a great mom and was loved

[Mags 112]

((((((Nich-Nick))))))))

She had a good life and she was loved.