Many cat owners let their cat outdoors to explore. But outside is a very dangerous place! Just like dogs, cats need supervision to be protected from traffic, other cats and animals, toxins and poisons, and the many diseases and parasites they can catch, not to mention getting lost.
A guide to keeping birds safe at your feeders, based on the Canadian Wildlife Health Co-operative has technical report, “Strategies to Prevent and Control Bird-Feeder Associated Diseases and Threats.”
If you want to get your cat outside without all of the risks, there are safe outdoor options. Leash walking, catios, kitty tents and cat enclosures are all great ways to give your cat access to the great outdoors without putting them or local wildlife in danger.
Here are some tips to help you retrain your cat to a life without roaming unsupervised. Depending on your cat, it can be tough, but once you’ve done it, you’ll be able to rest easier, knowing that your cat is safe from outdoor perils.
We understand that it’s one thing to say you want to keep your cat inside, but quite another to deal with a cat that constantly, relentlessly tries to get outside. Here are some tips for dealing with those escape artists.
It seems so very unlikely, but experts agree: Cats can be trained to walk with a harness. Your neighbours will get used to the sight! It’s a good idea to avoid dog parks, though. Get step by step instructions from animal behaviourist Joanna Berger.
There are several companies selling cat fencing, offering a way to keep your cat safely in your own yard. You can add a barrier to a current fence, or create an entirely new cat fence. Cat fences can also work to keep neighbour and stray cats out of your yard if you’re trying to create a bird-safe space.
Whether you have a cat of your own or not, you may be a victim of the Dreaded Cat Spray, a potent mix of urine and pheromones. Cats spray for a variety of reasons, mostly to mark their territories and to indicate their availability for mating.
One of the best ways to keep your cat stimulated indoors is to increase the size of their ‘territory’ by creating perches for them, preferably up high. Cats like heights, though we don’t really understand why. Perhaps it’s a sign of status (the top cat!), or because it gives them a better observation point, or because they feel safer from the hurly burley of dogs and people at ground level.
Our brochures and bookmarks are a great way to get people thinking about the well-being of cats and birds. The brochures (pictured above) outline the risk to cats and birds of the common practice of letting cats roam unsupervised. They’re available in English and French editions, and the bookmarks are bilingual, with English on one side and French on the other.
To read more, order copies, or download pdfs, click here.
