Your Cat: Why Indoors is the Place to Be
A healthy indoor cat can live to be over 20 years old. The average life span of an outdoor cat is 3-5 years.
Here are some common excuses offered by people who let their cats outdoors, and our responses:
Excuse Number One: It’s cruel to keep a cat indoors.
You can change a cat’s behavior. It will take time and patience, but it might save his life. When you implement your “closed door policy”, give your cats lots of extra attention and entertainment. He may cry at first, but don’t give in. Soon, he will be happy to stay safely indoors with you. He will become accustomed to being kept indoors. If you have patience and you provide your cat with plenty of activity, he will live a much happier and healthier life than ANY outdoor cat.
Excuse Number Two : Cats are instinctual survivors
If you allow your cat to go outdoors your pet is being subjected to a wide variety of life threatening situations. These dangers include being hit by a vehicle, fan belt injury when they seek the warmth of an engine, infection from contact with diseased animals, burns or death due to contact with lawn and garden pesticides and anti-freeze. As well, neighbors do not want cats on their property. This is supported in many by-laws which state that cats may not trespass. Cats can be a particular nuisance with a neighbor’s new shrubs and plants. People also don’t like paw prints on freshly washed or painted vehicles.
Rabies poses a great threat to a cat’s life. Contact with a wild animal is bound to happen sometime in a cat’s life. Cats are great fighters but eventually they will meet their match in a raccoon or skunk or fox. Backyards are wild and can boast a variety of wild animals within it’s borders. Many are never seen because they keep to themselves but eventually as these animals search for food, they will come in contact with a cat that is permitted outdoors.
Excuse Number Three: I have a six-foot fence.
Don’t fool yourself; no fence will hold a cat in.
Excuse Number Four: I can’t keep him in.
Close the windows, or put up screens. Don’t leave doors to the outside standing open. Teach your children to close doors when they go in and out.
Excuse Number Five: The litter box smells.
Keep your cat’s litter box dean and deodorized and it will not smell. If you scoop daily, it will reduce the odor.
Excuse Number Six: My cat knows how to avoid cars.
This point is very debatable, but even if it were true, all it takes is another cat, dog, mouse, a shiny object or blowing paper to lure your cat into the street and into the path of cars. It need only happen once.
Excuse Number Seven: He needs exercise and likes to play with other cats.
Provide your indoor cat with stimulating toys, windows to look out of and interactive playtime.
Consider adopting a second cat as a playmate. If your indoor cat occupies himself with clawing furniture or drapes, provide him with a sturdy scratching post as a substitute.
Excuse Number Eight: He likes to sun himself.
Tyke
He can sun himself by any window indoors just as well. After all, it isn’t a tan he’s interested in.
Featured Dog Tyke
Tyke is a Chihuahua blend. He is very friendly and loves attention, people and to sit with you and be petted. He is doing well on a leash.
Other available dogs
Buster- 1 year old male cattle dog/border/shepherd blend. Great dog. does well on a leash. Very gentle for a large dog. Likes to be with people
Reilly- 1 year old male min-pincher blend. Full of energy and loves playing with toys. doing well on leash training.
Avery- 9 month old female black Labrador. Nice girl with lots of energy. would do best with lots of energy and a place to run.
Kruz- 4 month old male pit bull terrier. Typical puppy lots of energy and loves to play
Petey- 2 year old male Bichon/poodle blend. Very friendly. does well on leash. gets along with other dogs.
Featured cat.
Three little kittens plus one. Chase, Charlie, Claire and Olive
Chase, Charlie and Claire are 3 month old kittens that came to the shelter as strays. They are full of energy and love to play with each other and toys. They are very friendly. Olive also came to shelter as a stray. She is about 10 weeks old and is a loving little girl. She can hold her own playing with the other three kittens. All kittens are eating kitten chow and know how to use the litter box.
Other available cats
Zachary- 6 year old male Buff and white. Quiet friendly cat. Loves people
Buddy- 5 year old male Russian Blue. Declawed in front. He is a large cat. Very friendly
Sissy- 2 year old female. Black and white. Very shy. Needs a quiet home.
Other animals- Boy Blue- parakeet
All animals will be spayed or neutered prior to leaving shelter and receive 1 year rabies vaccination and city license. Ages are approximated.
The City of Mesquite Animal Shelter located at 795 Hardy Way is open for adoptions from 11am until 1 pm, Monday through Saturday, Sunday 1pm -3pm. Please call 702-346-7415 during these hours to speak to the front desk. Animal Control may be reached by phone or voicemail at 702-346-5268
The animals submitted to the media may have changes so please visit our Petfinder website for a current listing and more detailed information on the animals. www.mesquiteanimalshelter.petfinder.com
Please also check our Facebook pages for lost and found animals along with pet information. https://www.facebook.com/MesquiteNVAnimalControl and https://www.facebook.com/FRIENDSOFMESQUITENVANIMALSHELTER
