Outdoor Cat Risks: Keeping Your Cat Safe

Simply letting your cat roam about can be very risky. There are many things that can hurt your cat or your cat may even be taken by someone. Many cat owners think that they are keeping their cats healthy by allowing them to go outside, but the risks outweigh the benefits. There is also the harm that cats cause to the environment by killing a large number of small animals for fun.  

Cars And Dangerous Pedestrians

Cats are often hit by cars. There are some individuals who are cruel and will deliberately try to hit cats. Your cat may also encounter a cruel pedestrian who may look for a way to hurt your pet. Some individuals have been known to use guns or arrows to shoot at cats for entertainment. 

Dangerous Wild And Domestic Animals

There are larger wild animals that your cat might encounter and aggressive domestic dogs. Even a playful domestic dog might hurt your cat without meaning to. If your cat is declawed, it is especially important that your cat not be left outside because it will not be able to defend itself and will struggle to climb up trees to escape. If you will declaw your cat, do not remove the cat's hind claws because your cat will at least be able to use hind claws to climb up a tree and escape from an aggressive animal.

Feral Cats

There are a large number of feral cats that your cat may encounter outdoors. These cats may be more aggressive and might cause your cat to become injured. Feral cats are also much more likely to cause diseases and a bite or scratch may cause you to need to take your cat to the vet. A trip to the vet is much more expensive than simply keeping your cat fenced in.

If you want your cat to enjoy the outdoors, one option is to purchase a cat fence. Cats are amazing climbers and jumpers, so it can be difficult to keep a cat in your backyard. However, cat fences are almost impossible for a cat to climb over. However, to make the fence effective, it is important to inspect the fence regularly to make sure that there is no damage that would allow for a cat to squeeze through the fence. Not only does the fence keep your cat safe, but also keeps other animals that might hurt your cat out of your yard.