Expert: Brandy - 12/30/2006

Question
can cats without front claws live outside safely? if they can, do you think 7 year old cats will adapt to outside living? we are having urine/defication outside the litter box issues and we are at our wit's end.

Answer
I know I answered this question with the prior question of inappropriate pooing, but I know this is also an important question on its on.

Personally, IMHO, unless the cats have been indoors/outdoors for years, and are used to being outdoors, to go from indoors to all outdoors, might be a stretch, even with claws. When we take cats and keep them indoors, we change their behavior and how they react to things.  They stay at the kitten stage, they are less fearful, less cautious.  

Cars will only frighten them because of the noise, but if an outdoor stray can get walloped by a car, a formerly indoor cat won't have a chance. Same for kids (somewhat otherwise decent kids tend to mutate into cruel creatures when faced with a pet cat that thinks it will be petted), dogs (enough said there), property owners who get very upset if a cat takes an interest in their garden, etc. Injury and disease also may take their toll/

Cats are taught a lot by their mothers, how to hunt, where to sleep, what to keep away from.

If you must move your cats outside (I refuse to judge anyone, since all situations are different), keep them in an enclosed patio, if possible, or having small housing very close to the house. For every cat that cannot manage being five feet from the backdoor, there is another one that loves being outdoors.

I hope you can work at the poo thing and keep your cats inside, but if they need to be outside, please keep a very close eye on them. They may decide to leave the house altogether, too.