Should cats be kept indoors to protect birds and other animals?

Let's face it. Cats are killers when it comes to birds and small animals. Experts say domestic cats are a major threat to many small bird species. Yet, as human societies evolved, domestic cats played a valuable role in keeping rodents in check. Some people believe that to deprive a cat of its natural birthright as hunter is a form of torture.
How should we look at this problem? We love birds. We love cats. Should cat owners be forced by local governments to keep their cats indoors? If so, is it fair to have them de-clawed to keep them from destroying furniture? Are there ways to give indoor cats the opportunity to express their natural hunting instincts without a tweety-bird in a cage? How do we balance the rights of different members of the animal kingdom?
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It depends on the circumstances and your feelings. When I moved to a small apartment with traffic outside I could not bear to have them gone and worry whether a car might run them over. I kept them in. I never had them declawed because it would render them helpless from most outside predators and less secure in their nature. I cut their nails instead which was brutal-since they were not ready to sit for a pedicure. For $10 I discovered I can take them to someone else to cut. Declawing cats is denaturing them. If you want to protect other wildlife cut their front nails this gives them less of an edge and allows them to climb trees for their own protection.
Cats teach us to behave. They live to be in our good graces. Like children they act out when they are angry or upset. Recognize the inconsistencies in their behavior, it tells you something. Than look at the way you are behaving. Cats help you to behave in a manner that belies consistency, if you are not they will show you.
Hannah's comments make a lot of sense. I like her "on the one hand"- "on the other" approach. Isn't that what so much of our lives interacting with the animal world entails? Balancing risks and rights among the planet's inhabitants.
You can let out your cat, but a good idea is to attach a bell to your cats collar so the birds and small animals will be alerted and can run away if they want to:)
Cats are no nolife gamers that should be keep inside. Why should you hold cats inside when there is enough place outside and enough birds etc.
It is the nature of cats to kill other animals. Not against animals like birds. It is the nature, also in wild
I think that cats can live in or out. I would have my cat fixed so that he or she cannot produce more cats. But I have seen cats that live inside and outside and the cats that hunt do not kill that many birds anyway. It not our business to stop a cat from doing what is normal for him. If you do not want cats to kill the wildlife do not have one but leave the cat lovers alone. depending on where I would live would depend on whether the cat would be outside or not. You have to watch that they don't get runover by traffic. they are great for keeping the rodent population down.
I think all DOMETICATED cats should be left inside the house. All WILD cat one should never try to approch or keep as a pet, but the reson all cats should stay inside is not only that they are endangering animals (small) is that it is safer for the cat as well. The proven fact that and cat kept indoors lives longer and exsperices less pain through their life. And when you get a cat it is best to de-claw the cat, think about it keeping them indoors they dont need their claws, but they use them to destroy your funature also they can get their claws caught on something and pull their paws away so quickly they rip their own claw out! There would be blood every where. Another reason cats should be kept indoors if domesticated is that they are loved by all the family right? Well here are threats that regullarly happen to out door cats,
1. Some one thinks their a stray and keeps them
2.some one could feed them the wrong kind of food and make them sick
3.many fatal diseaes and pericites affect an outdoor cat
4.they can get hit by a car
5.they could eat something that can easily kill them
6.some one could kill if they mistoke it for a wild animal(in the contry)
7.They could be killed by a wild animal
8.they will probbly be killed by a sickness
They are DOMESTICATED so people can keep them in thier house! Keep ypur cat inside if you want them to live a long healthy happy life! There are even special fences to keep ypur cat inside the back yard so it can go out side and be safe but just dont let it go out side as it pleases! Please for the sake of your cat keep it inside!
Hannah makes an excelint point but how ever the reason people spent thousands of years to demestacate cats is so we could keep them in our house. It is better to keep the cat inside to protect it from, bad people, cars, predators, illiniss, and bactiria. De clawing them will help pervent an acendint that often ocurs where they ruin funiture with their claws or getting their claws stuck and then ripping them out so fast they rip off their claws. If you keep them inside they have no need for thier claws. That is why my cat is fixed and declawed, and always stays inside the house.
I COMPLETLY DISAGREE with you Iee. i am a cat lover my self and yet i never let my cat out because its not just about where you live and traffic! Its a proven fact that indoor cats live longer then out door and it is best for a cats health if you keep them inside, fixed (unless you breed cats) and declawed. If some one really loved their cat they would keep it in side so that they are away from all the dangers that are out side, they are domesticated so that they can stay inside the wild cats are ment to be out side.But still i dont go telling people that when i see them let thier cat out i just think what a stupid idea its like they are trying to kill their own cat.
Honestly speaking I don't trust cats. These animals are so irrational so it is not possible to predict what they are going to in the next moment of time. So I'd vote for keeping them in for sure, in this case birds are in safe position.
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This is definitely part of nature. The cats need to be outside. It so much part of nature to get birds. I see not problem with it at all. Gastric bypass
keeping cats indoors because of that is one of the most ridiculous suggestions i've ever heard. oh, and here is an idea, - let's keep lions and antelopes in natural parks away from each other.
I am completely against them who say that cats should be kept indoor. They are natural predators of birds. We are not to disturb the food chain. Plus no matter how you try to tame a cat it is always wild in the heart and it needs to be free.
Regards,
Miss Linda
Cats should still be kept outdoors,I just think it's cruel to keep animals indoor all the time.And the birds and other little creatures,I don't know.People should tell their cats not to kill any animals,because they already have food! Fish! And once in a while maybe mice!
I think that cats should be kept mostly inside but sometimes outside. Because cats should have the right to be outside for a while to get some fresh air. I love animals very much but if we didn't have cats mice would pretty much take over the world.
I like to kept the cat indoors and i have lot experience with her and she is playing role to catch insects and birds so i don't worry about that.
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In rural area there are many benefits from cat when kept indoors and protect from insect,small species.
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