House Cats vs. Yard Cats

When it comes to where our feline companions should live there is a bit of debate. some say always indoors, others say forever outside, and others are somewhere in between.  

Being a life long ailurophile, and someone who has done a bit of study on the subject,  I say there are two kinds:  House cats and Yard cats.

Image: my own, all rights reserved

Here's a photo of two cats.  The one on the left belongs indoors, and the one on the right can safely live outside.   They both happen to live inside at my house, though.

There are plenty of really cool kitties that you can buy, some shown on this page, that are made for your lawn, patio, or garden.  

Real live kitties fare better inside, however.  

Inside cats live an average of seven to twelve years longer than outside ones.    The lives of those who who live outside are shortened and diminished by a multitude of things, including:

• Diseases contracted from feral cats
• Being hit by cars and trucks
• Exposure to dangerous chemicals and other things in trashcans
• Injuries from attacks by snakes and wild animals
• Ingesting plants that are poisonous to cats
• Poorer general health due to constant exposure to weather
• Constant risk of infestations of fleas and ticks can make them miserable

There's an informative article posted on Petco's website that makes a good case for the fact that house cats really are just that.  Reasons to Keep Your Cat Indoors argues that, having been domesticated over 4,000 years ago, the species is now dependent on US, with the indoors now having become their 'natural' environment.

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Ok - maybe not all, but a whole lot.  

Put These Kitties to Work in Your Outdoor Spaces!

• Turning an Outdoor Cat into an Indoor Cat

  If your cat has always lived outside, but you'd like to change that, here are some helpful hints from the Cat World website.

• Keeping an Indoor Cat Happy and Healthy

  Take your time with this one - it's longer than average, but well worth the read

• Bathing a Cat for the First Time

  This article, by JoAnne, gives you not only tips, but also directions for safely bathing your cat. 

• Cats in Your Bath

  Kitty themed bathroom decor, plus videos of actual cats in actual bathtubs.

Photo Credit:  my own, all rights reserved

Meet Walker, Florida Feline.  Yes, he's an indoor cat, but sometimes we take him out and he decorates the yard for a bit with his presence.  Have a look at that picture... he's good looking, and he knows it.  Isn't that obvious?  So, for that moment, anyway, he was a yard cat.

He does get some supervised yard time each day. He really perks up his little ears when he hears one of us say, "Let's go outside, Walker!"   And then, he runs to the door.

He loves his yard, too.  He knows the rules, and - amazingly enough - follows them willingly.  He is allowed outside only under the following circumstances:

1. During daylight hours.
2. In the back yard only.
3. Under our supervision, never alone.

He enjoys laying in the warm sunshine, taking 'grass baths,'  and has fun chasing butterflies and grasshoppers. But, what really excites him are the birds, lizards, and squirrels.

One squirrel in particular seems to be fascinated with Walker, too.  It often scurries down from the tree, and runs along the fence top, chattering at him.  Walker chatters back, tail twitching excitedly.

So, you see, our boy gets plenty of stimulation from the outdoors, but with minimal risk.  When it's time to come in, he comes back in with us to the safety of his home.  And, he's a happy, healthy  kitty.  Statistically speaking, if he lived outdoors, we probably would have lost him by now.

Unlike the ones in the first grouping of feline yard decor items, these cats don't come with a particular function - except for one that all ailurophiles appreciate - an aesthetic one.  That's right, they add a bit of fun and/or beauty to the environment, just like the real thing!

Here are some fun front yard cats that will be admired by visitors and passers by alike.