Regarding the whole US Indoor vs UK Outdoor debate

[slvrwhispr]

I apologize for the heart attack I'm sure you had, Traci, when you saw this post. And let me say something straight out: I am not trying to start, further, or encourage any sort of in-fighting or arguing or debate. This is not a discussion of whether indoor or outdoor is best. All I have is one interesting thought that I wanted to bounce off all of you smart folks here.

I was really bothered by the post from someone in the UK where they got so deeply offended by Traci's suggestion that keeping her cats indoors would prevent them from outdoor-only dangers like wild animals and getting hit by cars. It seemed like SUCH a perfectly reasonable argument, and the woman's reaction was so strong that it struck me as incredibly bizarre. I didn't understand.

I was talking to a very good friend in the UK this morning, and I brought up the whole indoor vs outdoor thing. He, like most people I've had the conversation with, strongly believes that cats are so independent and so desperately need to be outdoors that it would be cruel to deny them their freedom and keep them inside, despite safety concerns.

My initial instinct was to blow up and start rattling off facts, but as this is someone I'm particularly close with, I didn't want to fight. So I asked him to present his side of the argument in the manner one would while, say, teaching somebody a new skill: important facts only, not opinions.

Eventually, we came to a point in the conversation where something dawned on me. The cats he was describing that he had owned throughout his lifetime didn't sound like any cats I'd ever owned. They, in fact, sounded like wild animals. None of the cats I've known, save for rescue ferals, have ever been anything close to wild animals.

And now I wonder: could it be that because we, in the US, have kept our cats indoors for so long that they've evolved into a more domesticated species than their overseas counterparts? Is it possible that cats in the UK, having always had their freedom to roam, are simply more accustomed to this lifestyle, and that's why it's so much harder to keep those cats happy indoors?

I brought it up with my friend, who is a fairly intelligent person; he agreed with me, but neither of us are any sort of animal specialist; the best we know was what we learned about evolution in high school biology. It certainly seems like a feasible hypothesis, and it would CERTAINLY explain the canyon-sized gap in views on indoors vs outdoors that exists.

So, for the more educated among us: Is it possible that our cats in the US have adapted to indoor life because that's what they've known for generations, while the cats in the UK have only ever known their freedom to roam?

[k9Karen]

I think you have a point for discussion, but the 'evolution' is for the most part man-made - as it is with almost all our domesticated animals. This is largely due to selective breeding. You also get into the 'nature vs nurture' debate. If any species is left totally to their own devices, natural selection will come into play. That being said, however, the 'selection' with our pets is not really natural. We feed them, provide medical care, and (hopefully) control their breeding - that circumvents 'survival of the fittest' and natural selection. For the outdoor cat, humans that don't like cats and cars are only a few of the 'non-natural' reasons that can affect survival. If the UK cats have never been truly tamed, it is possible that they would retain some of their wilder side since those that are not 'wild' would be less likely to survive long enough to breed. However, I think any kitten raised entirely indoors would probably not know what they missed and would be perfectly happy. By allowing the cats to be outdoors, they encourage the wilder behavior as opposed to the tamer behavior. You can put this in the perspective of a human being who is in the military and is sent to war. When they are home and not in danger, there is no reason to be wild. When their survival depends on using every instinct, sense, and ounce of brain power they have during combat, they are not the same person. While cats aren't people, it stands to reason that the cat would be just as happy as the human to be clean, dry, warm and well fed and able to use his natural wiles in a way that does not put himself in danger. So, with this logic, my argument would be that by allowing the cats to stay outside, they prevent them from becoming the true individual they were meant to be.

[slvrwhispr]

Very, very interesting, Karen. You have some very good points there. I especially liked the comparison with someone going off to war.

I'm not sure that it's that UK cats haven't been tamed, but that, like you said, they're simply allowed to retain their wilder traits. My friend kept arguing that the domestic housecat is just a tiny lion, and I kept arguing that that was ridiculous because they're domesticated! But he would describe the things that his cats had done in the past as far as stalking and survival instinct, and I LAUGHED, because then there was MY cat, curled up on the arm of the couch next to me, rolling over, purring, and wanting me to rub her belly! If that doesn't illustrate the differences, I don't know what does!

Whether it's genetic instinct at this point, or simply nature versus nurture, I really am beginning to think that the differences in the way we view our pets in our different countries affects the behavior of the pet in regards to how they're accustomed to living. Very interesting!

[Traci]

Very articulate post, Karen, and I totally agree.

slvrwhispr, you could be right on one account, that being since they allow their cats outdoors on a regular basis, their natural instincts will prevail, as Karen explained. That would be true if you or I started letting our cats outdoors (duh). But what they fail to realize is that cats are easily adaptable to an indoor environment, and since the owners are too lazy to attempt acclimation, they are never going to know (or agree) that an indoor cat is in fact, a healthy and happy cat, as long as the owner is mindful of their needs (interesting environment, attention, activity, etc etc). You've heard it a million times from these people, they are anthropomorphizing, it's as simple as that.

I suppose there are no cars in the UK, nor any outdoor hazards, nor any risks, nor fatal disease, these people simply are either in denial or uneducated, or simply want to argue on baseless facts. There is in fact, a strong indoor-only cat initiative in the UK, but change has always been and always will be slow in the UK, as it is in medicine as well. It's only evolution on the human's part, that being ignorance and refusal to implement change for the better.

[JUDY S]

It could also be a fact that that's the way things are out there. I grew up with outdoor cats, my father couldn't stand the hair in the house. We had two cats, one did get into a vehicle and had to be put down. It was a very sad day. The other cat also got his tummy cut open and was fixed by the vet, he lived to be fifteen years old and I had to make the choice to put him down as he was my "baby" at that point.

It didn't strike my as wrong to put my cats outside when I moved on my own and had my own cats. They were inside, but had access to the outdoors. When one of my cats disappeared I was frantic. He never came home, you'd like I would have clued in, but I didn't. We moved to an acerage, still within town. A second cat disappeared and a third one got run over within a week. It was like getting hit by a car myself. It's hard now to think that I could have saved them and they could still be with me. I find it hard to forgive myself for it. I know they loved it outside, but it's not worth their loss of life.

My cats now have an outdoor cattery, but they cannot wander out and about on their own anymore. I guess what I am trying to say is that for some people outdoor cats is the way it has always been. Cats do love it outdoors, that is true, but it's not safe for them.

[k9Karen]

The way we treat our animals is definitely a result of the way we were raised - the same is true with the way we treat our children, our co-workers, and our parents - even strangers. We, like our pets, are the product of our upbringing. Some people realize their parents were wrong and make the necessary changes, others never do. Many never even realize they should.

[mamabear]

I believe in indoors only , but I am glad this was brought up. I liked this discussion and further insight on this when I talk to people I will bring up the war scenario, i think that is an excellenct explanation.

[ginnah]

My old cat, Simon, was indoor/outdoor. He ended up dying due to kidney failure. We have a cat right now, Gabby, she's the sweetest thing, she loves, snuggles, and ADORES us. She even will talk to us, hence the name 'Gabby'. She is strictly indoor. The funny thing though, we adopted her from a shelter. They had found her outdoors in the winter and the tips of her ears where frostbit off. I have tried to take her out onto the porch/deck with us in the summer so she could get some fresh air and just sort of hang out with us outside, she doesn't like it. I'll even leave the screen door open while we're sitting out there and she wont even step outside. She'll just sit at the door sniffing the air and watching the birds.

So this will bring up the idea of is it wrong to keep a cat indoors if she wont go outdoors? To me that seems cruel to force her outside if she's scared and doesn't want to be outside. It's like taking a child in a boat and they're scared of drowing... It all depends the cat, I suppose. Really, this debate is like an indoor cat and an outdoor cat fighting with each other discussing the same thing. There will be good points and bad points on both sides.