everybody keep their cat inside!!!

Cats can live to be 15 -18 inside. Our oldest cat right now is 15 1/2. My neighbor's cat was 20 when she died and I have known many people who have 18 year old cats.

people that are evil kill cats, especially black cats on halloween. this is why some shelters refuse to adopt out any cats during halloween season. and cats going outside face many dangers... i gave u a minus!!!

yes catofmany but cats can go outside. it depends on the area, lots of cars? lots of wild animals? not good. but cats can go outsude. it is not against the law/

johnisgood is actually right on his comment. i got an e-mail from catage about it

I do not know why I got so many minuses on my question. I am correct on this, and everyone else is not correct. People in fact DO kill cats on Halloween, and I have seen dead cats with the throats slit open. Thanks to catsofmany and Tippercat for helping me out in my defense. Even though I think Warriorcat is wrong on this question, I would still like to be friends with Warriorcat.

Johnisgood2, I wasn't one of the people to give you a minus but it's not because your answer was wrong, it's because you gave warriorvat11 a minus, which is kind of unfair

actually, if you have a black cat it might not be seen on hallowen night. the day after halloween their were two flat black cats on the road outside my house, I'm not trying to be gross, I'm just being honest.

hahahahaha keywords millions of years ago

No. I didn't give you a minus because you wanted to know something. I gave you a minus because I belived you did not provide good information.

Your cat may be an outdoor kitty, but there is a three year old average for cats that go outdoors because they are often killed by cars.

Ya but even some strays live longer then 3 years and they have no vaccines or medical care.

You can't teach a cat to stay in his own yard if he sees something he wants to chase - squirrel, bird, mouse .... out of the yard.

I agree with your answer. If your cat absolutely wants to take a stroll outside, i agree that you should get a leash and walk it around. Another suggestion is to push it around in a closed stroller, or build/buy an outdoor cat inclosure.

i totally dont agree with you. there are many bad things a cat can face outside. if your cat is not spayed or neuteured it can add to the over populated cat population. it can get into fights with other cats, get killed by cats and etc etc etc

All my cats are spayed and neutered. Also their are no aggresive cats or dogs around our neibourhood. My friend has a cat who lived as a stray (thus outside constantly without healthcare) almost his entire life, and he is about 10 years old and healthy. And I used to have a cat who was neurotic and diabetic and she spent most of her time outside, and she lived to be 13.

Consider these hazards and then decide if it’s worth the risk to let your cat out…. Traffic. Collisions with cars and other vehicles are common cat killers. It is a myth that cats are "street wise" about cars. Cats are intelligent and alert but, like most other animals, stand little chance against fast-moving vehicles. Diseases. Rabies and other diseases that can be transmitted to humans are a serious public health concern. And free-roaming cats are far more likely to come in contact with other animals who commonly carry rabies, like raccoons. In fact, cats are more than twice as likely to become infected with rabies as dogs.* There are other serious diseases that affect only cats. According to the American Association of Feline Practitioners, as many as 15% of sick cats are infected with feline leukemia or feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)—and many cats have both. These viruses are fatal and transmitted through contact with other cats. Disease is one reason that two out of three veterinarians recommend keeping cats indoors. Diseases for which we currently do not have vaccines for (Feline Aids), or vaccines that are not reliably effective (Feline Leukemia, Feline Infectious Peritonitis). Heartworm. Yes, it is true that a cat can get heartworm, through mosquito bites. Shorthairs are at higher risk than longhairs. Skin cancer. Light colored kitties (especially white) are at risk for skin cancer of the ears due to exposure to direct sunlight. Toxoplasmosis. A single celled organism that cats can ingest while eating prey that has been exposed. Not only can it kill a cat, it is contagious to people and can result in severe birth defects to human babies whose mothers are exposed during pregnancy. Wearing rubber gloves while handling litter pan duties and gardening is highly recommended for pregnant women. Finding another home for your cherished pet is NOT necessary. Poisons. Poisons exist on chemically treated lawns, in bait left out to kill rats or mice, and in auto antifreeze—which has an appealing taste—that leaks from cars. Fleas. Free-roaming cats inevitably pick up fleas and ticks and then bring these pests into the home. Fleas can cause anemia, skin irritations, and allergies in cats—and transmit diseases to humans through their bites. Outdoor cats suffer from ear mites and worms that indoor cats are generally not exposed to. Other Animals. Cats, dogs and wild predators such as coyotes, raccoons, and foxes are potential enemies of cats and often engage in fights that leave cats injured or dead. Outdoor cats can suffer torn ears, cut eyes, abscesses, and other injuries requiring expensive veterinary treatment. (an untreated abscess can kill a cat) And it's not just tomcats. Female cats also get into fights because the very nature of cats is territorial. Cruel People. Shelter workers see cats who have been tortured by children and disturbed adults. Cats are often the victims of burning, tarring and feathering, and other tortures. Animal dealers may collect outside cats for sale to research facilities. Outside pets are at the mercy of the people they encounter. Cats do not observe property lines by any means. To them, a fence is something to climb on, not a barrier. Your neighbor may not have a problem shooting, trapping or poisoning your family pet. Traps: It is estimated that over 100,000 cats are caught in traps each year. Those who aren't killed may suffer for days before being released and often lose limbs fro the injuries. Hanging/choking. Those neat little cat collars which do not provide breakaway or stretch releases have killed many a cat. Loss of Home. Fewer than 5% of "found" cats taken in by animal shelters are reunited with their families. Having your cat microchipped provides a valuable ID system. Pet Overpopulation: Unaltered cats allowed to roam and mate at will account for millions of the cats that must be euthanized each year because there aren't enough homes for them. Allowing unaltered animals outside is irresponsible and at the root of the terrible pet overpopulation problem. Cats can be completely happy inside if you provide them with toys, good care and most importantly, lots of love and attention. If you have a kitten, start it out right by never letting him or her outside. Older cats that are used to the "great outdoors" can make the transition to being indoor cats with time and attention. Spaying and neutering cats will also help you keep them indoors. As if that is not enough food for thought, consider our wildlife. Cats kill many songbirds each year, plus rabbits, squirrels, mice, chipmunks, reptiles, etc. Most areas are not overrun with these creatures, and cats are not performing a necessary service by killing them.

Wow that took a long time to read. Anyway, I already know all of that. We don't have foxes or cyoties around here. I have only seen a racoon in our neigbourhood once and none of ours cats or our neigbours cats have ever been attacked by one. Most of our neibours have cats themsleves. All my cats have easy-release collars and ear tattoos. They're all altered. To me the risks are worth it for my cats to live a fullfilling and wholesome life. I know there are risks and I equip them the best I can.

Yay for warriorcat11!!!!!

This actually is a fact warriorcat11. Everybody answers this question by talking about two different cats, how they got lucky and lived long. Please note: All five of the longest living cats lived inside for their whole lives.

"How they got lucky?" I don't think so. That "fact" has been proved wrong 500 bazzillion times. You can't deniy this, because there are a bazillion cats indoor/outdoor cats that are way older teh 5 years.

If any member of your family was allergic to a cat, why would you even have one? If the person was allergic to the cat, then the allergic person wouldn't be able to interact with the cat, or take care of it.

Well there woudl be other family memebers to take care of the cat. My mom is allergic to cats but she can put up with it because they're partly outside cats.

Um, eating grass is good for cats.

Cats use grass as a laxative to enable them to pass hairballs lodged in their intestines. Cats eat grass to make them vomit up hairballs. Cats eat grass because they are feeling sick and this makes them vomit, getting rid of poisons. Cats eat grass to relieve inflammation of their throats. Cats eat grass to relieve stomach ache. Cats eat grass to add roughage to their diets.

good idea. mischieft cat.. i have a little comment for you. i think fefe was talking about unclean cat grass, like cat grass with pesticies on it. not like cat grass from the pet store

catsofmany. some grass has petticides on it and are bad to cats

You can buy grass at your local pet store for indoor cats. Grass outside can be dangerously contaminated with fertilizers and pesticides.

Yes, John, you are right. For some reason part of my answer didn't post.

I was explaining why cats EAT grass.