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You Should Keep Your Cat Indoors
The Hidden Impact: Unveiling the Environmental Harm and Risks Caused by Outdoor Pet Cats
“You really need to keep that cat inside, you know”
“I know, I know! It’s just, she’s so happy when she’s running around our yard. And she’s always scratching at the door to go out.”
I was in the middle of the back seat of a beat-up Sedan, as two friends in the driver’s and passenger’s seats debated passionately about the driver’s new adventurous kitten. We were stopping by her family’s house to pick up forgotten snacks and were immediately greeted with meows as we parked.
The passenger turned back with an expression begging me for support. “Aren’t you, like, a bird person? You should know about how bad outside cats are.”
“Oh, yeah,” I said, a little reluctant to take a side, “they do definitely harm a lot of the little species around here for sure.”
“Not to mention, you live in coyote territory, girl. She’s coyote-snack-sized”, said the passenger.
Our driver shrugged, unconvinced.
This little conversation left a residual curiosity about the effect of outdoor cats around the U.S. With so many acquaintances spouting anecdotes of dead birds being brought to their doorstep and coyotes carrying housecats in their maws, I…
