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Am I an asshole for having indoor cats?

That's great news! Hopefully a happy compromise.
 
Not sure if I have the heart to keep a cat indoors when I know how much they love it outside. As for harnesses, best I not share what I think about the people who use them.
 
Ah, you'd fit right into where I live quiet roar. ;)
 
You're being pretty rational. I mean, it'd be one thing if they weren't domestic (such as a lynx mix or something weird) but seeing as these are domestic animals they have several generations of adaptations to living indoors. They will not survive outdoors unless they are feral.

You know the saying, "the grass is always greener on the other side". You really do have to be a parental figure and consistently reinforce "no Jimmy, you can't do said action because even though it seems fun it's bad for you"

I've got two cats; one feral female that we rescued and one of her kittens. They both live outdoors because they are already used to that environment, but it is not always without drawbacks. The son (Rascal) contracted Bobcat fever from a tick and died within 12 hours from organ failure. TN is notorious for Bobcat fever, and is just one example of how today's domestic cats cannot be guaranteed safe.

If you really feel bad you could always walk them like others have recommended lol
 
My cat is indoor/outdoors. I started off in a rough neighborhood and had him locked in for about 2/3 years. Then I moved to a place with a yard and less human ruffians at the curb.

He is 15 and still going pretty strong.

There are a lot of critters around here. He has come running to me followed by a racoon more than once.

Friendly dogs love him.

I've been locking him indoors considering the heat index this week.
 
I used to love those random doof dogs back in the day.
 
I love having dogs around. I'd probably have a dog but my cats hate dogs so I don't. Many of my friends have dogs... my girlfriend really wants to get a dog and she's moving in with me soon so I may end up with a dog before too long and my cats will have to get used to it. I grew up a dog person, but once I got my cats I fell in love with cats. Can't say I like either one better.
 
I do like dogs, it's dog owners I tend to have an issue with. You know, the ones who feel everybody should like their dog and adjust to their needs/wants. Very similar to parents of small children. The amount of people walking their dogs down the street seems to have multiplied to a ridiculous degree, too, which is also bothersome as most of these people don't know (care?) about how to control a dog.

I'm currently looking after a friend's dog and he is a fantastic dog - well adjusted, listens, doesn't bark - but the amount of patting and general attention he requires is doing my head in. It's this neediness that that I don't want and why I prefer to own a cat. The responsibility of feeding, walking and keeping company means that you are basically tied to home or need to take them with you, or arrange someone to look after them. It's like having a kid and now that my own kids are all but grown, the last thing I want is to go back to having things relying on me.

There's also the smell that all houses with dogs have to a lesser or greater degree. Not horrific but definitely not pleasant.
 
Heh, my boy cat is more needy than any dog I've ever met. Although he's an unusual cat. He's obsessed with me and at all times wants to be in my lap, or, preferably, draped across my chest with his face pressed against my cheek and sleeping. And he gets pissed any time I'm not paying attention to him. He basically only cares about me, everyone else he could take or leave. He's extremely annoying sometimes, I work from my home office and sometimes during phone meetings I have to lock myself in the room because he makes no much noise at me. I raised him from when he was born because his mom is my other cat, and we were always really connected from the first time he saw me. He got spoiled pretty bad and fawned over from birth so that's probably why. If I could go back I wouldn't spoil him so much, but I love him very much.

But yeah some dog owners are that way, for sure. Around here a lot of people have their dogs off-leash once they're out of the city and most people and dogs are really cool. Occasionally not. Little dogs tend to be the really annoying ones, and often their owners too. At least more often than with big (real ;)) dogs.
 
Agree about the little dogs being the most annoying - I guess dogs have their own small man syndrome issues.
 
That's exactly what I call it, short guy syndrome. =D Short dog syndrome.
 
Its easy to read a cat by how it reacts. If you have a house broken cat and toss it outside, you might be an asshole. If the cat likes being inside and going outside when it wants and you let them, then thats cool.

Certain things a cat needs to just get used to, like a leash. they may throw a fit, but it's for their own good. Not an asshole.

Pointing a laser pointer on the ground and making a cat chase it until it pants,....possible asshole, depends on the situation.
 
quiet roar said:
Agree about the little dogs being the most annoying - I guess dogs have their own small man syndrome issues.
Click to expand...

My defintion of a creature worth punting is a small vociferious dog.

The big ones I would prefer to put down at close range with a high caliber pistol.
 
Guide dogs are so up themselves though.

I'd have to say cats over dogs despite only having a cat for the last 3 years and owning dogs all my life prior. I just admire cats independence and that self-assuredness. My girl just announces her presence whenever she enters a room, who gives a fuck if its 3am. They are so comfortable in themselves and its both confusing and relieving after the needy insecurity of dogs (a trait we bred into them- we must like having subservient beings around us, perhaps it validates ourselves in some way).

As I've said, cats should not be let outside if you have concerns for the millions of pointless kills of native animals that roaming cats are responsible for. Cats can have a very fulfilling life indoors, you just need to keep it interesting. I move furniture in rooms my girl hangs in and she seems to enjoy finding her way through changing environments. She does sleep at least 20hrs a day though, a part of me feels sad about that though she seems happy enough. She just told me to fuck off via teeth and went back to sleep :D
 
My ex is one of those obnoxious dog owners. She has a dachshund that really needs to go to obedience (fucking thing killed my cat) and she just writes off his bad behavior as being a dachshund and that they're stubborn and untrainable. Maybe she's right but I'm not thinking she is. I have a rescue dachshund and she obeys basic commands. And she doesn't take off and run after other animals. But at her age I will concede she's a little stinky but I can deal.

I also had a cat (not the one her dog killed) who was extremely clingy and had to be all over me when she was inside and it might have been an asshole thing to do but I had to start putting her out at night because she would loudly purr and do that kneading thing ALL fucking night. I have a sensitivity to sound so the purring was bad enough but given she still had her claws the kneading was too much. And if I left her inside and shut the bedroom door she'd just claw at the door and meow all night.
 
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