Deciding Where Your New Cat Will Live

Your new girl has gorgeous green eyes, soft shinny hair, and an irresistibly slinky strut; sounds like you’ve found the girl of your dreams; but what you’ve found is a new kitty cat. They say that love comes when you least expect it, and that day at the animal shelter proved them right. It wasn’t like you were there looking for a cat, you were actually on your way to the dog kennel, when you caught a glimpse of that little ball of black fur framing those piercing emerald eyes.

You knew you shouldn’t go in for a closer look, but you honestly could not see the harm a few minutes could do. An hour later you had her named, and you found yourself filling out her adoption papers.

Deciding if you will let your new kitten venture the outdoors at will, or if you will keep her inside where it seems safer, is harder than you expected it to be. Each option comes with its own set of pros and cons that are your responsibility, to weigh and consider, for the safety of your pet, and both of your happiness.

Choosing to make your cat an indoor pet will present some difficult adjustments, and some big rewards. Everything your cat would naturally be inclined to do outside will be things she tries in your home.

You have to be okay with that because you are the one who has chosen this way of life for her. You must also resign yourself to having a litter box in your home, and be willing to be patient with her as she learns to use it. When your cat is new to your home be prepared for her to see everything as her territory, and sometimes her scratching post. Cats also have the physical agility to get themselves up and onto almost everything. There will be no way to keep her off the kitchen counter when that is where she wants to go; she is not being bad, she is just being a cat. Once you and your inside cat get to a place where both of you feel comfortable with each other’s habits, your relationship will grow and blossom. There is nothing quite like the feeling you get when your kitty jumps up to sit atop your lap, content and purring; because you know that there is no other place she’d rather be.

Expect your outdoor cat to live life on her own terms.

You can build fences and put up walls, but these measures are all in vain if you are trying to keep your cat from straying and exploring. When you make the decision to let your cat spend a lot of time outside, you must do so with the complete understanding that she will use this freedom to the fullest. Days may go by when you don’t see her, and you will worry. A cat’s curious nature will have them following anything that grabs their attention, and this sometimes gets them into trouble. You may find yourself at the vet’s office more times than you would like, but being out, exposes your cat to more risks of injury and disease. But if your heart tells you that your cat feels happiest outside it will be hard to say no to her. Soon you will realize that as much as your cat loves her freedom, she loves coming home to you just as much.