If the child is not old enough to understand what a car is and that it’s dangerous and moves fast and what roads are and to keep off them then yes, don’t let the kid outside unless supervised.
Mostly cars, but it’s also how they end up getting lost or grabbed by people thinking they are lost, and also wildlife like coyotes or owls and raccoons often can kill them because they don’t have a natural sense of fear for predators anymore. As well as transfer of disease from mingling with other outdoors cats. Or getting pregnant by meeting up with other outdoor cats while not being fixed themselves.
I get that they can harm the environment (especially when there is an overpopulation); that’s not what I’m asking. The question was how is it bad for the cat?
Their natural habitat is outside in the near-east and egypt, not anywhere else. That’s not to mention, most people live in urbanized areas with a lot of hazards that aren’t natural.
If you think it’s wrong to keep a cat inside then you shouldn’t have a cat. They’re an invasive species in most of the world and it’s unethical to put them outside regardless of what justifications you come up with
As moral agents that understand the impacts of letting species go extinct due to human activity ruining native habitats and transplanting invasive species, we need to weigh the odds of reducing their freedom for the sake of conserving the population. Think how the California Condor was revived after being declared extinct in the wild in the late 1980s.
What ends up happening with zoos however is that capitalism sinks it’s claws in and influences these zoos to prefer profit over the well being of the animals, even going so far as to ignore scientist/veterinarian advice in favor of their trainers.
So long as it remains profitable to restrict the freedoms of animals (and humans), it will happen. At least until we do something about capitalism
How many animals live longer in a zoo compared to the wilderness? Is that a valid reason for keeping them enclosed?
I’m not pro letting cats outside (in urban areas, anyway), but your argument is a bit lacking. Maybe mention that the hazards are things like cars and people actively trying to kill cats, because otherwise it’ll seem like you’re just against animals being animals (I.e dying because other predators)
Your rebuttal is worse. We shouldn’t let cats wander outside for the same reasons we shouldn’t let zoo animals wander outside the zoo. They are not wild animals and they are not native to the environments we keep them in. It is bad for them and it is bad for the rest of the ecology. If someone thinks cats should be treated like wild animals they have no business keeping a cat in their home at all.
Woah, is lemmy pro letting cats outside? It’s so terrible for the cats and local wildlife why would you be in favor of it?
How is it terrible for the cat? Their natural habitat is outside!
Cats do not have cars in their natural habitat.
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If the child is not old enough to understand what a car is and that it’s dangerous and moves fast and what roads are and to keep off them then yes, don’t let the kid outside unless supervised.
Cats don’t and can’t understand any of that.
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Do you let your 3-year-old toddler outside on supervised for hours at a time???
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I’ve seen a lot more cats flattened on the roads than I have toddlers. In either case, I keep mine inside.
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How do you know?
cat, in line at the drive thru to grab a whopper
No it isn’t. Cats are domesticated. They have no natural habitat because they aren’t wild animals.
The house cat’s natural habitat is a door jamb.
My cat’s natural habitat is on my shoulder
Mostly cars, but it’s also how they end up getting lost or grabbed by people thinking they are lost, and also wildlife like coyotes or owls and raccoons often can kill them because they don’t have a natural sense of fear for predators anymore. As well as transfer of disease from mingling with other outdoors cats. Or getting pregnant by meeting up with other outdoor cats while not being fixed themselves.
“fixing” is such a weird way to describe breaking something
It’s fixing a problem.
That we created in the first place.
A cat’s natural habitat is not North America. They are very destructive to our local ecology.
I get that they can harm the environment (especially when there is an overpopulation); that’s not what I’m asking. The question was how is it bad for the cat?
cats can easily get FIV and other viruses, and outdoor cats live shorter lifespans
Yup. The hard truth is that we shouldn’t have pet cats at all over here.
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Their natural habitat is outside in the near-east and egypt, not anywhere else. That’s not to mention, most people live in urbanized areas with a lot of hazards that aren’t natural.
This is why I think that people shouldn’t get pet cats.
I disagree with that. As long as they aren’t harming the environment they aren’t an issue. Keep them indoors and they’re fine.
This is why vegans think that people shouldn’t get pets.
No, it isn’t. Domestic cats do not belong outside. The exposure to numerous hazards literally cuts their average life expectancy by half.
Lots of animals live longer in captivity. That doesn’t mean it’s right to restrict their freedom.
If you think it’s wrong to keep a cat inside then you shouldn’t have a cat. They’re an invasive species in most of the world and it’s unethical to put them outside regardless of what justifications you come up with
I agree. I don’t you should have a pet cat in places where they aren’t native.
Sounds perfectly reasonable to me
As moral agents that understand the impacts of letting species go extinct due to human activity ruining native habitats and transplanting invasive species, we need to weigh the odds of reducing their freedom for the sake of conserving the population. Think how the California Condor was revived after being declared extinct in the wild in the late 1980s.
What ends up happening with zoos however is that capitalism sinks it’s claws in and influences these zoos to prefer profit over the well being of the animals, even going so far as to ignore scientist/veterinarian advice in favor of their trainers.
So long as it remains profitable to restrict the freedoms of animals (and humans), it will happen. At least until we do something about capitalism
How many animals live longer in a zoo compared to the wilderness? Is that a valid reason for keeping them enclosed?
I’m not pro letting cats outside (in urban areas, anyway), but your argument is a bit lacking. Maybe mention that the hazards are things like cars and people actively trying to kill cats, because otherwise it’ll seem like you’re just against animals being animals (I.e dying because other predators)
Your rebuttal is worse. We shouldn’t let cats wander outside for the same reasons we shouldn’t let zoo animals wander outside the zoo. They are not wild animals and they are not native to the environments we keep them in. It is bad for them and it is bad for the rest of the ecology. If someone thinks cats should be treated like wild animals they have no business keeping a cat in their home at all.
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America-centrist I see
The hell does America-centrism have to do with this?
Because cats do not disturb ecosystems in most parts of the world, most notably not in the Americas
Australia - https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/nov/12/from-beloved-pet-to-biodiversity-villain-what-now-for-australias-cats France - https://www.lemonde.fr/en/our-times/article/2023/02/18/the-common-cat-has-become-an-environmental-scourge_6016379_39.html A paper that lists other locations besides United States, like United Kingdom - https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pan3.10073
Bruh I’ve lived in Japan, Germany, and Qatar, and all those places had birds.
You fool, those are government spy drones!
Fuck! They fooled me AGAIN!
Cats are native to Northern Africa. They’re an invasive species literally everywhere else.
Sure they don’t.
How do the cats know which country they’re in?