Reasons to Keep Your Cat Inside

Do you let your kitty go outdoors? If so, you may want to consider making your pet an indoor-only furball. While your adventurous pet may love fun outdoor activities like chasing butterflies, hunting mice, and refusing to come in when called, she will actually be both healthier and safer living indoors. In this article, a local Lakeville, MN veterinarian lists some reasons to keep Fluffy indoors.

Parasites

Kitties that are allowed to go outdoors are much more prone to picking up harmful parasites, such as fleas and ticks. These disgusting critters are not just itchy nuisances: they can carry dangerous diseases, and can transmit other parasites. Keeping up with Fluffy’s parasite control is very important, but keeping her indoors will also help.

Dangers

Your cat may have a larger-than-life purrsonality, but at the end of the day, Fluffy is very small and vulnerable. Kitties that go outdoors are exposed to many serious dangers, such as cars, weather, chemicals, and predators. Your pet could also get into a scuffle with another feline. Sadly, cats that go outdoors are much more likely to be lost, hurt, or even killed. Your furry pal will be both safer and healthier as an indoor cat.

Protect Local Wildlife

While some housecats wouldn’t know what to do if a mouse ran right in front of them, others are very skilled hunters. In fact, Fluffy kills as many as 55 million birds a year! If your kitty has a habit of leaving ‘gifts’ on your doorstep, you may want to consider curbing your ferocious furball’s hunting habit. By keeping your adorable little predator indoors, you’re helping preserve delicate wildlife populations.

Shedding

Did you know that keeping your kitty indoors can also reduce the amount of fur she sheds? Cats that go outdoors usually shed more than indoor kitties. This is because they experience seasonal weather changes that trigger shedding cycles.

Bonuses

While these are all great reasons to keep your feline buddy inside, there are also some secondary benefits. While we can’t promise you’ll never again find paw prints on your freshly-washed car, at least they won’t be your own cat’s handiwork. Keeping Fluffy indoors will also stop her from digging up your flowerbeds and climbing up your screen.

Is your cat due for vaccinations or an exam? Contact us, your Lakeville, MN animal clinic, today! We are here to help!