Re: America loves its feline friends!
>Yes, I agree about neutering obviously, both of mine are.
Declawing however is a different matter entirely.
If God had meant for cats to be born without claws, they would have.
I'm sorry, you are just messing with nature to suit your lifestyle.
As for PETA, I presume its an American organisation and therefore viewing the life of the cat from one angle only.
As I stated earlier, we really do not encounter such cruelty.
As for the statement "The average lifespan of a free roaming cat is just over one year". My God, what a cat-unfriendly place that must be, I would ban anyone owning one.
At the moment my cats are aged 9 and 7.
Cats here live up to the age of 20 years and believe it or not, they are all allowed to roam free.
Both mine are http://www.nhes.org/articles.asp?article_id=197§ion_id=90 Keep Your
> Cat Indoors
> Traffic, traps, poisoning and cruel people are just a few of the dangers
> that can kill or injure outdoor cats. Disease and parasites are much
> easier to avoid when a cat stays indoors. Cats that are not spayed and
> neutered and are allowed to roam will mate and create MORE cats that will
> either die agonizing deaths on the street or be killed in shelters because
> there are not enough homes for them. Outside dangers are so prevalent that
> the average lifespan for a free-roaming cat is just a little more than one
> year, whereas an indoor cat’s average lifespan is fourteen to twenty
> years.
> More reasons to keep Tabby inside:
> o Animal control personnel pick up stray animals – don’t allow your pet to
> become an added burden to this agency
> o Your cat may come in contact with a rabid animal
> o Free-roaming cats are natural predators to certain wildlife
> Cats are quite content and happy indoors. To help them adjust, provide
> them with:
> # a scratching post or cat tree
> # a few safe toys
> # a window perch
> # an empty paper grocery bag or empty cardboard box
> # a radio tuned to a classical music station – volume low
> With these items, you will find that you have easily created a built-in
> kitty playroom!
> You may also want to try one or more of the following sprouts in a pet
> garden to provide some greenery for your feline:
> o oat grass
> o wheat grass
> o rye grass
> o parsley
> o plain grass
> o catnip
> o leaf lettuce
> Nibbling on leaves and grass helps remove hairballs and aids in the
> digestive process. Remember, however, to keep all other houseplants out of
> reach, since many plants may be toxic, such as dieffenbachia, ivy – all
> varieties, lilies of the valley, poinsettia, caladium, cala lilies,
> oleander, primroses, philodendrons and rhododendrons. This list is a
> collection of common toxic plants. It is NOT a list of ALL poisonous
> plants. In some vegetation, only certain parts of the plants are toxic. In
> others, all parts are poisonous. If your cat ingests a toxic plant, do not
> delay in getting your pet to a veterinarian. Death can occur from nibbling
> even a small portion of a poisonous plant.
> Screened porches make excellent play areas for cats. Some people even
> build large, screened enclosures for their cats, but you don’t need to go
> to that extent to make your feline a happy indoor inhabitant. Cats can
> learn to enjoy a safe, indoor life with a little encouragement from their
> friends.
