[skyguy79]

Originally Posted by runnermi

Gracie and Katezbox, I love the pregnant cat stories. Very funny!

I have always let my cats outside. As long as I am home, I am okay with them going outside. If I am leaving the house, I herd them back inside and they also are inside at night. I know a lot of people disagree with that but I haven't lost one yet in over 27 years of owning the little fur faces.

They stick very close to home and also know where home is. If they escape outside, I know they will be back just as soon as they are tired, hungry or cold. One of my babies lived to 21 and another to 20. My Vet told me whatever I was doing to keep it up as the oldest one she ever had was 18.

It has given me some interesting encounters with other critters. Frogs, chipmunks, birds, etc. in the house. You never know what they might drag in and drop. The frogs were the most interesting. Some days it can be like a 3 ring circus. I am usually able to rescue the victim and return them to the wild unscathed.

Gail in Michigan

Gail, you are quite fortunate that there have been no incidences that have made you sorry that you didn't decide otherwise about letting you cats out of the house.

Many many years ago we used to let our cat out. We would let her out of our upstairs bedroom window and she would climb down a tree like shrub and back up to meow at our window when she wanted back in.

Twenty some years ago there was a serious racoon rabies scare in our area and that was the last we ever let her out and have never let any subsequent cats out. We have no regrets for that decision.

What I guess I'm trying to say is that anytime we let our pets out there is always a risk, and we all have to consider and judge that risk for ourselves before deciding to let out pets out.