CONTAINING cats in the home around the clock saves them from going missing or, worse, being baited, one Forest Hill cat owner believes.
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Ellie Inman owns four cats, three of which are house-bound at all times so she can be sure they stay safe.
The fourth, which she picked up from the pound, has always been an outdoors cat and is sometimes allowed to roam.
The debate over whether cats should be contained around the clock has been sparked by Australia’s threatened species commissioner, who said this week owners should keep their pets confined 24 hours a day.
Wagga vet Mark Sayer told the Advertiser on Wednesday keeping cats in the home at all times wasn’t necessarily good for them, with containment potentially leading to vitamin D deficiencies from a lack of sunlight.
Ms Inman said she used to let her cats wander the neighbourhood until a visit to the vet revealed one of her pets had its claws ripped off.
“She didn’t know whether it was purposely done, or whether he got stuck down somewhere and they got ripped out trying to get out of somewhere,” Ms Inman said.
“She told me things like that do tend to happen to cats, especially if they get into people’s gardens.”
Ms Inman keeps an outdoor enclosure at her home to allow her cats to enjoy the fresh air in a safe environment.
“They can go outside, but I know they can’t wander and they’re not going to be any hassle to the neighbourhood or other cats,” she said.
“They’ve got the best of both worlds, but for me it’s my peace of mind.”
Eric Barrow, a Central Wagga cat owner, has come up with an innovative solution to ensure his Russian Blue cat gets sunlight, despite being contained.
Much like you would with a pet dog, he puts his cat on a lead and walks it around his neighbourhood each morning. He admits that draws some strange looks from people.
Back at home, Mr Barrow says he can leave his front door open and his cat won’t roam the neighbourhood – it just sits on the front step and stare at people passing by instead.
For Ms Inman however, cats roaming the neighbourhood isn’t a huge issue. She’s more concerned about wandering dogs.
“For me, I’ve got two young children, when I go out on a walk with my kids and see a dog, that frightens me more,” she said.
“Dogs can be so much more unpredictable.”