Happy Cats: Indoors Or Outdoors

Until my recent visit to my sister’s home, I have always felt sorry for cats that are never allowed to go outdoors. It just seems to go against the intentions of Mother Nature. My own two cats really enjoy their cat door we had installed just so they can go in and out as they please. And it gives me so much peace of mind knowing they can get in when I am gone, especially if they aren’t in when I go. Before having the cat door, if they weren’t in when I left for work, I would feel so bad knowing they had to spend the day outdoors waiting for my return, even though I knew there were places they could hide from bad weather.

However my sister has expensive, adorable cats, especially chosen to minimize allergy problems, and they are as happy as any cats I have ever encountered. Why? Well start with all the crazy and imaginative toys she has for them. This long tunnel thing they run around in; the circular toys with the balls they bat around. Various perches and hideaways. She even got a very nice bird cage and put several parakeets in it, made sure it was constructed so as to keep the cats out and sturdy enough to not tip over as they are checking it out, and it’s like their own personal TV show. Same with the aquarium, with colorful goldfish. They can’t get in but they sure enjoy looking in.

And here’s the clincher. They go out for