Every Cat an Indoor Cat: Part One

Momcat

Momcat could be a poster girl for the Cats Indoors campaign. We’ll never know who her caregiver was when she was a kitten, but whoever they were, they should never have had a pet. Poor Momcat! Barely a kitten herself, she was allowed to roam the neighbourhood, and as her caregiver had failed to have her spade, it wasn’t long before she was pregnant. Although this event was a result of her caregiver’s negligence, it was Momcat who paid the price. After her kittens were born, her caregiver bundled her and her new family into a cardboard box and drove them out to a country road. The little family was dumped unceremoniously by the roadside. You can read Momcat’s story here.

Momcat has lived inside with us now for a year. All winter she was content to laze away the days, sleeping in the sun, happily gazing out the window, watching the world go by. I thought that when the spring came, a touch of wanderlust might overcome her and make her restless, but such was not the case. She has continued to contentedly while away her days inside. Although she never allows us to approach within a few yards of her, and has in no way grown to appreciate human attention, Momcat is no fool. She has led a hard life and she knows when she has a good thing going. No more outdoors for her! No way! Momcat has come inside to stay.

When Momcat’s son, Arthur, managed to slip out one evening through a hole he discovered in a screen, his curiosity quickly turned to terror. Poor Arthur! He was so frightened, he wouldn’t respond to our calls. He hid himself away and we couldn’t find him anywhere. However, that night, after the house was still and dark, he tried his best to return home. We jumped up repeatedly on the windows, trying to find his way back into the house. In the morning, we found the screens ripped to bits. But no Arthur. With the light of day, he returned to his hiding place. Finally, the next evening, he crept in a window we left open for him in a closed-off room. Although he enjoys sitting on the screened porch, he has never left the house again.

Holden

The Canadian Federation of Humane Societies has promoted keeping cats indoors for more than a decade now. Indoor cats live longer, healthier lives, free of injury and disease. They don’t get run over by cars, carried away by coyotes, or pick up fleas and worms. They don’t dig in the neighbour’s garden or haunt the bird feeder. If you don’t want a cat living indoors with you, 24/7, for the next 15 years, don’t get a kitten.

Cheddar

Contrary to signs you see that read FREE KITTENS!, kittens are definitely not free. They come with a responsibility to have the kitten spade or neutered and vaccinated. If you can’t afford the several hundred dollars it will cost, you can’t afford a free kitten.

Diamond

All across North America, shelters are full of cats and kittens like Holden and the other cats featured here. Holden and friends were seeking homes at the Toronto Cat Rescue. Toronto Cat Rescue is a “no kill” shelter, but perfectly healthy cats and kittens, unwanted and unloved, are euthanized by the thousands across North America every year. Thousands and thousands more live short, hard lives as feral cats.

Austin

The cats and kittens that are euthanized, the cats and kittens that live hungry, tough outdoor lives, are the result of irresponsible pet owners. Don’t let your pet become a statistic. Keep your cat inside where it will be safe and can get on with its job: being a much-loved pet.

Arthur and Tonka, safe inside.

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Capone

Capone’s name was inspired by his appearance. He has hooded eyes that imbue him with a malevolent look, and he is dressed in a grey striped suit. Any similarity with a gangster ends there, because Capone is one shy, sweet, gentle guy. He was one of the kittens that was deserted with Momcat on a country roadside and accompanied her to our house. He wasn’t too hard to catch because by the time that kitten had been roughing it in the bush for a few weeks, he was one sick little fellow.

Capone, soaking up the sun

He had a runny nose and needed a trip to the vet for treatment of a respiratory infection. He also had a strange lump right at the center of his chest. The lump turned out to be a cuterebra larva. Cuterebra are a species of fly that lay their eggs at the entrance to rabbit and animal burrows. The eggs are picked up by the animals sniffing around the den and when they hatch, the larva burrows into the animal. On a cat, they can form a cyst-like lump with a small breathing hole at its center. The larva can grow up to half an inch long. The vet was able to remove the larva from Capone. Another kitten had a larva growing in his nasal cavity that was removed through his nostril. Gross! Check here for more information.

Because cats can be very independent, people often mistakenly think they can look after themselves outside. But there are many dangers in the outdoor world. Cats belong indoors where they are safe. Here are recommendations from the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies for indoor cats.

Capone is easygoing and gets along with everyone. He is often curled up with one of his fellow cats. Here he is with younger brother Mikey.

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