If your cat is your pride and joy....

[buzz2400]

If you have a cat and you let that cat outside, please read my story and think twice about letting him/her out.

We have always had cats. We love our cats to the point that they are considered our babies. We have coyotes in our area but we always thought they were in some other neighborhood. We have always let the cats outside to roam but they would always come when called and they always came in when it got dark. On 9/8 I came home from work and I started calling all the cats. I was outside from 5:30 until 7 and one cat was not showing up. I just thought he was in the woods busy hunting something. I start getting frantic because he is not showing up. My first and only thought was a coyote got him. To make a long story short, he never came home. It has been over three weeks. My other cats are no longer allowed outside unless they are on a leash. So if you have "babies", think twice before letting them roam. I am sick to my stomach with guilt because I didn't keep him safe. Please don't make the mistake I made. It may be hard at first to get them used to being inside or on a leash outside but all I can tell you is it is the most terrible feeling knowing your cat was something's meal. So please don't let Bandit's death be in vain. Think twice about letting your cats out by themselves.

 

[KimD]

Just wanted to say that I am so sorry for your loss. He knows how much he was loved.

 

[zachnsamsmommy]

I'm sorry for your loss!

But ITA with your post. When I was in HS, my cat got hit by a car right in front of our house...and was just left there. Not moved...just left there for me to find getting off the school bus in the rain. I was heartbroken and horrified.

Now that I am an adult and have my own house, my cats are indoor-only. They are harness-trained (well, one is...the other would rather be inside than be on a harness) and can go outside that way.

(((hugs))) again.

 

[maelstrom]

My kitty stays indoors all the time. There's too much bad stuff outside. We had neighbours several years ago who had one of their cats taken by a coyote.

 

[christiane]

I hope that your kitty is still wandering somewhere or is in the care of someone else. I hope that he will come home to you one day.

My neighbourhood has many coyotes, bears, cougars & a few wolves. Most people know to keep their cats inside, but the number of missing cat posters I see around here is heart-breaking.

Dogs aren't safe either, especially from the coyotes. The coyotes will come into your yard, even when people are there and try to snatch up little dogs.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

I'm so sorry for your loss. Our new kitty is inside only..I would never allow a pet of mine to go outside alone. Besides all the bad things that could happen to them, they cause trouble, too. They kill wildlife and mess in neighbors yards.

I'll never ever forget the little kitty cat I came across in our cul-de-sac when I was out in the morning walking my dogs. I had to go back home and get a shovel and garbage bag because I didn't want any of the neighbor kids to see this poor dead kitty. I have never understood why people have pets and keep them outside. Dogs and cats are social, they need to be with their peeps.

 

[buzz2400]

I have never understood why people have pets and keep them outside. Dogs

When I adopted Bandit along with his brother and sister, I intended for them to be inside cats. However, I live with my parents and my mother believes they need to go out and get "fresh air". She's home during the day and I work during the day so guess who won. They will now be inside cats. But I guess the reason is stupidity and that will never happen to me scenario.

 

[Trish Bessette]

There is still hope!

My cat was missing for over 2 weeks and came home, limping with a broken leg. He is now gone but he was my favorite cat

 

[Darsa]

I am so sorry, will hope for Bandit's return!

We lost our Lola last year because she always, always wanted to GO OUT. One morning my DH left for work, then came right back from the end of the driveway because there she was on the road. Looked like she tried to race a car and lost We buried her in the back yard and made a beautiful stone for her.

Her sister Luna still wants to go out once in a while, but she's pretty cowardly and will only stay around the house. I still try to keep her in if at all possible.

 

[si-am]

My parents always made me have outside cats when I was growing up, and none of them ever lived longer than 4 years because of neighborhood dogs (no leash laws back then where I lived) and cars. It was devastating to see it happen over and over and over.

Once I got my own place in college, I've had strictly indoor cats. I would NEVER let them go outside. Too dangerous.

 

[momrek06]

Sorry for the loss of your kitty.

ITA! I don't own any cats but my DS has a Persian. "Little Girl" is a beauty but DS decided when he got kitty from a shelter (as she was found as a tiny newborn in the woods) LG was not going out at all. Period. DS has 2 other roommates and they totally agree with DS. Everyone is real careful about the doors in the apt when people are coming and going. BUT at the same time LG runs away quick when someone approaches the front door.

 

[MIGrandma]

We live in the country, on a farm, and we used to have a few "barn cats" that always stayed outside. But there was one that had a special place in my heart, and I brought her in the house and she was a house kitty for 10 years. The cat I have now is also a house kitty, she never even offers to go outside if she's by a door that is opened. She backs away. It's like she knows inside is best for her.

I'm so sorry about your kitty, but I'm glad you're keeping your other cats inside now.

 

[tazdev3225]

Sorry about your kitty and maybe he will come home. Cats sometimes wander a little and then rerturn home. It is not always easy to have inside only cats. I tried that with mine and after I broke my ankle trying to catch my kitty I stopped. Some cats are content to be inside and some cats have that natural instinct to hunt. I chose letting them hunt over broken bones, 8 weeks in a cast decided it for me.

 

[sbell111]

My parents always made me have outside cats when I was growing up, and none of them ever lived longer than 4 years because of neighborhood dogs (no leash laws back then where I lived) and cars. It was devastating to see it happen over and over and over.

Once I got my own place in college, I've had strictly indoor cats. I would NEVER let them go outside. Too dangerous.

<This is not an attack against you. Your post merely reminded me of this point>

It always surprises me that people almost uniformly agree that dogs should be kept to the owner's property, but they allow their cats to roam about.

Truthfully, this never used to be a problem for us since we had a GSD that patrolled the yard. Now that she's gone, however, our neighbors cat has come to believe that our yard is but a small part of her vast domain. This really came to a head when she ate the baby bunnies that were living under our shed. Needless to say, my wife was less than amused.

Cats should be kept inside. Ours lived a happy 21 years.

 

[dollydell]

I am sorry you can't find your cat, maybe it found a new home though, think positive.

Just a side note for those that say outside cats don't live long, my cat was an outdoor cat, and lived to be 18 and died of old age and had a long happy life, and I live on a pretty busy street, I guess it just depends on the cat.

 

[buzz2400]

Just a little update. this morning around 8 a.m. one of my cats was going crazy scratching at the door. I didn't want to bring him out (on the leash) because it had rained last night and it was still very wet outside but the cat persisted so I gave in and said I would give him 10 minutes outside. Well I get the leash on and go out on our deck and my father is following me outside saying that he would watch simon for me. While I was saying no, I would just watch simon, I look into the woods about a few feet from our grass and see a coyote walking towards our house. Of course i panicked and then another cat shot outside because my dad had left the door open. I gave my dad the leash, mom came running out, and I ran towards loose cat. The screaming scared the coyote away and the remainder of my cats are safe. but now i know bandit isn't coming home. So again if you still are persistent that you should let your cats (and small dogs) out unattended, you will very much regret it (and have so much guilt).

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I'm sorry about Bandit. When I was younger we had a three legged cat we named Figaro (because other than the fact he had three legs, he looked like the cat from Pinocchio.) Figaro was given to us by a friend who found him on her porch. He would go out during the day and come in at night. I was about 5 when Figgy never came back. We hope that somebody picked him up thinking he was a stray (he never would tolerate a collar.)

Our road used to end in a dirt road so there was little traffic. Once they paved it through, I insisted all of our family cats become indoor cats. We have never regretted that decision and should have done it sooner. Every so often one will sneak out, but once they are used to living indoors, the outdoors scares them and they won't go far.

Please don't beat yourself up over this. We are far from perfect and I'm sure you never imagined in your wildest years that something like that could happen to your beloved Bandit. You gave Bandit a home where he was obviously loved. Remember the good times with him.

 

[Nancyg56]

I am so sorry. When I brought my kittens home my DH thought I was a horrible person because I would not let them out. He agreed to have indoor only cats after I explained tht our vet bills would be higher if we let them out. Well, after 17 years of watching the neighbors lose their pets to the coyotes and the coydogs that roam he agrees that we made the right decision. Not too long ago my neighbor's little DGD was out calling and calling "Muffin". That cat never came home and still they let their remaining two roam

 

[diz8297]

I am so sorry for your loss. I was raised in the country and had several outside cats. They never lasted over 3 years. One took off, one was hit by a car, and one was caught in a trap, survived with a horrible leg injury, and then subsequently disappeared. My father didn't believe in inside animals. I now have 2 indoor kitties, one of whom was a stray used to the outdoors. Does he try to get out? Sure. But let me tell you that he has been with us 12 years, and overall he is happy. OP I'm sending you a . I can tell that you love your babies. Don't beat yourself up. You were only doing what you thought was for the best.

 

[Robinrs]

I am soo sorry to hear this....

I totally agree. I've had indoor cats for years and they've always lived to over 17 years. My doctor told me an indoor cats lifespan is almost 5 times the length of an outdoor one... that's good enough for me!