Bird, wildlife conservation. Outdoor cat enclosures

Safe Cats. Safe Environment.

Enclosures Bring the Outdoors In.

While each of our cats has unique personalities, it is instinct that makes them purr, groom, find their way home from great distances and hunt. While most cat instincts are a joy, the latter poses problems. The bird, fish and small animal population is seriously affected by the hunt that goes on throughout North America everyday. Even the sweetest cat participates and often the owners know nothing about their predatory ways.

Studies show that if prey is presented when cats are eating, they will stop, kill, and return to their food. Cats hunt, not because they are hungry, but because it is instinctive. Yet many cat owners find it unacceptable to force their cat to stay indoors. How do we reconcile our cats’ needs and concern for the environment?

Outdoor cat enclosures are becoming a common solution for cat lovers who want to give their pets all the benefits of being outside while protecting the environment. Modular designs can be adapted to your cat’s preferences and your home. Cat enclosures can include awnings, hammocks, areas to explore, high places to perch and tunnels in which to run and exercise. They are exciting places for cats to spend their outdoor time.

A cat enclosure is not just about keeping other animals safe. It is also about keeping your cat safe. When your cat goes outside it can be vulnerable to more aggressive, territorial animals and get hurt in fights. Despite their instinct to land on their feet, they are also vulnerable to falls. If you live in a high rise you may think that your cat, having returned from the balcony a thousand times, is safe. All it really means is that your cat has not yet fallen. A cat enclosure, designed for a home or an apartment, can protect your pet while protecting the environment.

With approximately 100 million cats in North America, their threat to birds and other small wildlife is, indeed serious. It is estimated that only 35% of the cat population is kept exclusively indoors leaving a huge number free to roam and hunt. And, given that house cats are not native to North America, they don’t have natural predators. The inevitable has happened. Cats have upset the ecosystem.

Their environmental threat is so significant that in 1997 the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) launched the ‘Cats Indoors! Campaign’. Their goal is to inform everyone that cats, wildlife and people all benefit when cats are kept indoors or managed outdoors. Care for your cat. Care for the eco-system. Consider keeping your cat indoors or using the outdoor cat enclosure solution.

Copyright 2006. The Cat’s Den. Reprints and re-publishing of this article will gladly be granted.
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