One of the most important questions on our adoption agreement asks if the kitten will be indoor only or indoor-outdoor. We ask this not because we are being overly cautious or controlling, but because we know all too well the dangers that lurk outside of the home.

Many cats are perfectly content staying inside 24/7, while others try and slip through any open door or beg to be let out. It is a wonderful world out there, full of birds and bugs, trees to climb and plenty of fresh air and sunshine.

While fresh air and sunshine are definitely necessary for a healthy cat, birds and bugs are not. Cats are natural hunters and can make a dent in the local songbird population around your home along with the not-so-popular rodents. However, the hunter can itself be at risk.

Both birds and rodents carry disease and parasites, and gophers may have rabies. The feline may in turn be attacked by a raccoon which have been known to kill cats and also carry rabies in some parts of the country. Even the sun poses a danger of skin cancer if your pet has pink skin.

Other small creatures and parasites also need to be considered. The risk of contacting fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, spiders, snakes, and worms (intestinal, heartworm and ringworm) are faced each time your cat leaves the safety of your house. Some of these may be brought back inside to infect your family and home along with the dirt he probably rolled in. Is this what you want lying next to your sleeping child?

Cars and coyotes are the big two dangers that spring to most people’s minds. The latter one is the main reason barn cats need replacing periodically, unless they have been encouraged with regular evening meals to stick around and provided with adequate safe shelter when they do. Hungry and unneutered/unspayed cats wander off to hunt and then become prey themselves for larger lurking predators.

In town it’s the cars that are the main threat, and also dogs running loose. Sometimes it will be a combination of the two if a cat is chased into the street. It is heartbreaking for a child to watch a pet be killed in this manner, and a sobering lesson for the parents. If the cat is injured, costly vet bills will be incurred.

Young kittens should never be allowed to roam freely in the great outdoors as they have little sense of danger. Their natural curiosity may get them into trouble, and they make easy targets for coyotes and large birds of prey. At night owls will take them and during the day hawks. One of my own cats and his sister were saved five years ago from one such predator circling above them as they played in a Buellton backyard.

Other felines in the neighborhood also must be factored in, especially if they are feral and/or if they have not been spayed, neutered and vaccinated. Cats are very territorial and will beat up or run off one they feel threatens their domain. The loser often suffers painful infections and abscesses, the results of bites and scratches from dirty teeth and claws. Your pet may also be infected with FIV or FeLV (Feline Leukemia) from fighting with a carrier.

My whole life has been filled with cats, most of them indoor-outdoor ones. I hate the idea of caging an animal, but I also deal first hand with the hazards outside so I keep my cats indoors unless closely supervised.

I have tried to create an interesting home for my four with toys, cat trees, and a safe outdoor catio attached to the house accessed through a cat door. I’m presently designing a skywalk that will lead from the enclosure across the yard to a tree house, and inside a series of overhead ramps and perches to utilize the otherwise wasted space of vaulted ceilings and high dormer windows.

Please keep your cats inside if you can, especially at night. By providing a stimulating and interesting environment within, your pet will have little or no desire to even venture across the threshold.

Product of the Week: The NVR Miss Litter Box is a unique and brilliant design for those cats suffering from poor toilet manners. The extra high sides keep the litter contained while at the same time block a feline from hanging his bum over the side and “depositing” on the floor instead of in the litter. The best part is that the entrance is in the side of the box rather than the end, forcing the cat to turn when he enters and therefore be completely inside during use. It is also an open container, essential for those kitties who don’t like to feel trapped when using the facilities. It’s a bit pricey in my opinion, but I do believe it may be the answer for some of you and therefore worth the cost. Order online at www.nvrmiss.com.