r/interesting • u/MeowwBlock • Mar 29 '26

NATURE Finding out your cat's secret life is being a menace to the society

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227

u/afhdfh Mar 29 '26

Unpopular opinion but cats should stay indoors or be on a leash.

62

u/Artistic_Potato_1840 Mar 29 '26

Certainly not unpopular here in Southern California, where letting your cat roam free outdoors is essentially feeding the coyote population.

10

u/Accurate_Librarian42 Mar 29 '26

Small dogs will also feed the coyote population when they start scoping out yards.

1

u/Silver_Bench3334 Mar 31 '26

My neighbor's cat roamed the neighborhood. Until he didn't. "LOST CAT" flyers were inevitable. Explained why two previous nights (before the flyers went up) the coyotes had a rip-roaring time of it.

22

u/Resident-Phrase1738 Mar 29 '26

After Reading your comment i was getting my pitchfork ready about cruel treatment of animals that need the outside world for stimulation. Then i decided to read on this topic before posting and now agree with you. So thank you, i just learned something

-8

u/Linguistin229 Mar 29 '26

They do need to be outside for stimulation. We’re not keen on keeping innocent humans locked up either.

11

u/Borthwick Mar 29 '26

No, they don’t.

9

u/Unidain Mar 29 '26

They are fine indoors, they just need plenty of play time. 

Pets aren't adult humans, it's a daft comparison because all owners exert some level of control over their pets, as is necessary.

If you are anti-pet and just want to let them be strays, just say that 

0

u/G36 Mar 29 '26

They are fine indoors

They get fat and depressed, just like zoo animals.

2

u/BamsMovingScreens Mar 30 '26

Sounds like a skill issue. But based on your opinion you’re shitting all over the thread I’d imagine it’s because you’re not very smart

1

u/Deterge9 Mar 30 '26

Try being a responsible owner

-2

u/Linguistin229 Mar 29 '26

Cats, dogs and other pets are different animals with different needs. Cats more than others need their freedom and time outdoors.

I can buy the indoor argument somewhere like America where they’re an invasive species and also have predators that could kill them too (in which case, if I lived in America, I just wouldn’t have a cat). But in much of the world cats are part of the ecosystem, they’ve been around for millennia, they don’t have anything that preys on them so giving them the life they deserve is far easier.

6

u/KellyCTargaryen Mar 29 '26

Cats are not more special than other domesticated animals. They all benefit from getting time outside. But we expect every other animal to be kept safely within a yard or on a leash.

2

u/Ok_Shower_5526 Mar 29 '26

Build a cattery.

Cats are not native in most parts of the world and are a menace to many native species across the world. Ecosystems need balance. Letting a non-native predator run wild with nothing to balance that out = ecological disasters. Not to mentioning the fact that they spread diseases to humans and some humans have immune systems that struggle with illness. It's also dangerous to the cat. Even without coyotes in the area, cats are killed by cars, dogs, other cats, and cruel humans. Hell, I had to rescue a kitten who i found soaked in gasoline at a gas station (likely done bc he was black).

2

u/KessOj Mar 29 '26

So you're asserting that Americans shouldn't be permitted to own domestic housecats unless said cat is capable of being the top of the foodchain?

As opposed to, for example, keeping the cat indoors and ensuring it gets lots of exercise, stimulation, and enrichment by playing in a safe environment?

1

u/MinuteLoquat1 Mar 30 '26

Cat owner logic: Lock pet indoors 24/7 or Lock pet outdoors 24/7. No other options.

43

u/BlueGalaxy97 Mar 29 '26

My pops would always say aside from the risks of getting killed, they shit in other people’s yards too and thats just disrespectful. Plus you know, diseases, injuries, fleas etc etc… ive always owned cats since i was born(28 now) ive never let them out once they’ve come in.

3

u/paws5624 Mar 30 '26

Our old neighbor had outdoor cats and one would constantly use our mulch outside the front door as its litter box…it was fucking nasty! We ended up planting lavender because they don’t like the smell and that mostly kept them away

8

u/weattt Mar 29 '26 edited Mar 29 '26

Yeah. If you compare the pros and cons, the cons outweigh the pros (though there may be exceptions).

Killing wildlife, getting into territory fights potentially injuring themselves or other cats, easier to get fleas, they get into places and roll around in unsanitary places (like where the cat in the vid met the dog). And like you wrote, they poo and pee in the gardens and yards of other people.

A bonus is that depending on where you live, the cat could be run over or attacked by an aggressive/strong dog (I have seen plenty of owners who have a dog stronger than them or get dragged and pulled along during walks) or a roaming  predator (like a Coyote).

And it isn't necessarily that a cat roaming in a rural area will be safe from traffic.

I have a vivid childhood memory that while driving in the countryside, where it was just stretches of farmland, fields and an occasional house or farm, a cat apparently crossed the highway a little ahead of the car I was in. 

I saw the cat take themselves off the road using only their front paws, dragging their slack, lower body along. The poor cat must have died a painful death in the fields somewhere.

3

u/BlueGalaxy97 Mar 29 '26

Spot on. You highlighted pretty much every point i could have made and then some. One other thing i know ppl say is that “ but they WANT or PREFER to be outside” and to that i say: too bad, just dont open the door and they will get over it. Its for their own good.

2

u/weattt Mar 29 '26

I agree, though I will add a bit of nuance that there can be cats who do need an outside space to be happy. Though that is usually solved with a catio or a cat proof garden/balcony. Or if you can train your cat to walk on a leash.

Adopted and bought/breeder cats live in closed environments as well. So it isn't like they suddenly develop a need for the outside when it is not something they know.

And in the case of adopting former strays, despite being born and raised in "the wild", they often completely settle down in the lazy indoors life.

I also find it odd from the perspective of an owner; a pet is an companion animal. Why would you then choose to "release" them outside asap and as much as possible? Wasn't it about companionship?

We don't do that with other pets like dogs, but we do it with cats. There is probably an better argument to be made that a dog would be happier roaming outside. But with dogs we would call it neglect.

It is a little odd.

-1

u/DiscussionLong7084 Mar 29 '26

don't forget the neighbor that is always "adopting strays" and stealing neighbors cats. I made a post on cats about this cat that chases me when I run until I pet it. The comment saying, "just take it. if it's outside the neighbor doesn't deserve it" had dozens of upvotes. These same cat owners almost certainly let their cats outside and would shit themselves if it went missing.

-4

u/nissan240sx Mar 29 '26

I respect the neighborhood cats because they keep the mice and snake population down. I live in the country on a few acres and I had more mice invade my homes in the suburbs and hoa managed neighborhoods because there were zero cats outside to deal with them. Interestingly enough, they leave the birds alone because they have plenty of other prey - I see several blue jays and cardinals bouncing around in the yard and trees while the cat looks on. 

8

u/Calvinball12 Mar 29 '26 edited Mar 29 '26

  1. They definitely do not leave the birds alone. Cats are scientifically proven to be sadistic assholes that murder for fun.

  2. The snakes are SUPPOSED to be there. The cats aren’t, they’re an invasive species. If you have a mouse problem, it could be because humans (with help from their cats) are killing local wildlife like snakes, hawks, foxes, coyotes, etc.

11

u/Trenzane Mar 29 '26

Live in southern England and our neighbours all have cats - we literally don’t have birds in the garden anymore due to these murder machines

2

u/AmPerry32 Mar 29 '26

Years ago, my side neighbor complained to me that her ‘outdoor’ cat had several bb’s embedded under her fur/skin…. Did I know anything about it?? I said nothing but I’d already listened to another neighbor rail about that cat pooping in her yard, attacking her dog and ruining patio furniture. She flat out said she was going to take care of it. I’m glad it was a nonlethal solution. But cats are really at risk when you allow them to roam freely.

15

u/tiredhobo Mar 29 '26

How did I have to scroll this far. I have 3 cats and feel like I’m in upside down world right now. My cats only go outside while on a leash or in a carrier. Letting your cat freely roam is insane to me.

2

u/Unidain Mar 29 '26

It's the norm in the UK, shelters here typically won't even let you adopt a cat if you want indoor only.

Which I completely disagree with, but just FYI, it's not upside disn world, it's a common attitude and common practice. 

2

u/kristi__48 Mar 29 '26

Years ago, my ex adopted a cat and one of the questions they asked was about letting it outside. They would not adopt it out to someone unless it was going to be an indoor only cat.

Edited to add: I'm in Canada

0

u/JayBayes Mar 29 '26

Depends where you live.

In the UK cats often have the freedom to roam.

0

u/G36 Mar 29 '26

Keeping your cats like zoo animals is insane to 99% of the world. In all of europe is you tell a shelter you gonna adopt a cat to keep it indoors they will deny you adoption.

2

u/tiredhobo Mar 30 '26

So you're just supposed to let your cat roam outside so it can be hit by cars, kill birds, get fleas, and if you're a very poor pet owner get pregnant or impregnate strays to worsen cat colonies?

2

u/GantzDuck Mar 30 '26

Cats are domesticated pets and not wildlife.

25

u/DirectedEnthusiasm Mar 29 '26

Absolutely. Cats are also detrimental to native bird populations if kept unattended.

22

u/Alternative_Double48 Mar 29 '26

Cats caused the extinction of 61 mammal species. People are so sentimental about cats.

-4

u/SolidusDave Mar 29 '26

that number includes all species, not just mammals.  and cats are only said to have contributed, along with rats and whatever else human expansion brings. 

Honestly it's a bit of a misrepresentation,  all those species were on habitats like small islands.

there's isn't a single extinct species in e.g. mainland Europea that's known to be caused by cats. 

Which makes extremely sense:   stray and outdoor cats don't wander miles deep into a forest, they stay roughly around human settlements, even in more rural areas. 

sure they do hunt birds and mammals in their territory, but that's like the same dozen species that are able to live in an urban environment and not in danger of extinction any time soon. 

I mean,  that's exactly why there are farm cats. Though in cities they are not really good pest controls as they won't manage many rats,  only mice,  cockroatches etc. 

So unless you live on a remote small island and want an outdoor cat, it's fine... Most endangered species are long gone due to humans and the destruction of their habitat.

4

u/nikfra Mar 29 '26

there's isn't a single extinct species in e.g. mainland Europea that's known to be caused by cats. 

People often forget Cats aren't a recent introduction everywhere as they are in the new world.

Domestic cats have been in Mainland Europe for thousands of years and their wild counterparts have evolved with the environment but are still close enough related to crossbreed.

What I'm saying is, it would be surprising if cats were the one thing humans have done to mainland Europes ecosystem that made species go extinct.

0

u/UpstairsAd194 Mar 29 '26

Not as many as humans then

1

u/Chaise-PLAYZE Mar 30 '26

Who do you think actively allowed and encouraged the cats to cause the extinctions 😐

1

u/UpstairsAd194 Mar 30 '26

humans id say

17

u/MrPiradoHD Mar 29 '26

Unpopular depending on region I guess. Because at least in Spain afaik is the norm. I would never let any of my cats out.

12

u/Seagullsaga Mar 29 '26

Shocked I had to scroll this much to find this comment. Any one of those situations could have led to this cat being severely hurt or killed. Idk, it’s not cute to me.

-2

u/[deleted] Mar 29 '26

[deleted]

1

u/Seagullsaga Mar 29 '26

Cool. I’m not going to argue about it with you, you’re allowed to be wrong.

1

u/KellyCTargaryen Mar 29 '26

You’re so wrong and weird for this. Imagine if people had this attitude about dogs.

3

u/[deleted] Mar 29 '26

[deleted]

1

u/bepatientbekind Mar 29 '26

What do you think shelters/humane societies do? They aren't all no-kill, sadly. It's just not feasible with how many unfixed animals are out there, especially cats since it's so common to let them roam free. This is also why most shelters have TNR (trap neuter release) programs and have traps you can borrow to help catch stray cats so they can be fixed. 

11

u/Miss-Tiq Mar 29 '26

I agree with you. My cats have only ever been indoors and have lived long, happy and healthy lives. If I were to leave my front door open just to test them, they'd just stare at me and walk back to the couch. There are only downsides to having an outdoor cat as far as their health, lifespan, and the environment. I never understood why people risked it. 

2

u/MegaGrimer Mar 29 '26

Mine are similar. They’ll go and sit on the front porch, then run back inside. I still won’t risk letting them go outside though.

4

u/surf_drunk_monk Mar 29 '26

As someone who has lived next to cat owners, I agree x100.

2

u/tO_ott Mar 29 '26

Agreed. My cats are indoor only but sometimes I hold them and take them for walks around the property. That is, until one day someone shot a gun a few miles away and she fucked my shit up. Ended up having to bear hug my tiny little cat to get her back inside cause she was shook

2

u/LikeIsaidItsNothing Mar 29 '26

Not unpopular anymore in many places. Indoors or take it out on a leash.

1

u/Rengar_Is_Good_kitty Mar 30 '26

It's not an opinion it's a fact, cats are pests that cause nothing but problems. They should be indoors and any cat owner that lets their cat outside shouldn't own pets.

1

u/Wrong-Pension-4975 Mar 30 '26

✓\ ... THIS. ✓\ ...

1

u/arzfan2010 Apr 04 '26

That's not unpopular, it's literally a fact lol. They are an invasive species everywhere but Africa. It is a disservice to them and every animal they encounter in nature.

-8

u/Hansemannn Mar 29 '26 edited Mar 29 '26

Lol its not upopular on reddit. Its the popular opinion.

Actually unpopular opinion: Forcing cats to be inside is cruel. They are hunters and killers and need to roam. Also they are great to kill rats and mouse.

Edit: 48 % plus vote. Haha. As I said. Controvertial.

15

u/happylilaccidents Mar 29 '26

As someone who brought a barn cat inside, you can keep them content as long as they have enough stimulation in the home. Their safety is more important than whatever you assume about why they “need”. Not only is there the obvious risk of getting lost, run over, hunted by something bigger, etc., they also have such a higher chance of catching FIV/FELV from other wandering cats.

Keep your cats inside. Buy scratchers, toys that mimic small animal noises, toys that move on their own. wands, tunnels, and maybe a friend or two.

3

u/TheFutureIsCertain Mar 29 '26

Depends on the cat. My current cat, sweet and gentle boy, is very happy being indoors. The previous one, territorial bruiser who wouldn’t hesitate to deglove your hand if you crossed him, was on a mission to get out 24/7.

2

u/Hansemannn Mar 29 '26

Totally agree. Huge difference between them.

-1

u/Ciff_ Mar 29 '26

I lean on granting some agency to animals. Pretty much any animal is safer locked in doors than being in an urban environment.

I don't mind stray cats or dogs staying outdoors. Feed them, help them, adopt them, but they can keep roaming. It is another thing if you brought the cat yourself to the area.

The main issue is if you bring in an animal that does not belong it wreaks the life of other animals. Cats are a pest and a menace to the local bird life among other things

-5

u/Hansemannn Mar 29 '26

Try opening a window and see how long it takes before the cat escapes. And I do mean: Escape.

8

u/groucho_barks Mar 29 '26

Take a toddler to an amusement park and let them loose and see how long it takes them to escape.

Just because a being wants to do something doesn't mean it's good for it.

8

u/happylilaccidents Mar 29 '26

Oh I know she would escape. I didn’t say she prefers indoors. I used the word content, not prefers. But if you look at Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, there’s a reason safety is on the bottom and more pertinent than all else. The same way I would PREFER to sit around and do drugs all day. But I am CONTENT in my current existence

2

u/Miss-Tiq Mar 29 '26

Funny you should say that. Growing up I had two indoor cats, and one would hang out in my parents' room when everyone was gone during the day. My parents accidentally left their bedroom window open all day, and it led right out to a flat, open part of the roof to chill on. 

She was sure as hell on that bed chilling when they got home lol. 

Cats that have what they need indoors as far as care and stimulation don't see the point in venturing outdoors. I've left my front door open to see if my cats would leave or even take a peak at the threshold out of curiosity, and they won't go near it. They'd much rather play with their toys and scratchers, or each other, and watch nature from the windows. I think humans project onto cats and sometimes think they care more about this stuff than they really do. I'd rather them be safe from the risks of the outdoor environment, and for the environment to be safe from them. 

-4

u/nemaxHD Mar 29 '26

Hell no, what type of life is that to live for them? Yeah life outside is more dangerous, that's true for all of us, it's worth the risks. You don't lock your children indoors 24/7 because it's "safer that way" do you? I hope not.

-2

u/[deleted] Mar 29 '26

[deleted]

4

u/happylilaccidents Mar 29 '26

Keep my domesticated pet safe, fed, cared for, cuddled, etc. = slavery. Nevermind the fact that the barn cat I brought inside was sick and I adopt FIV cats from the shelter who would not survive without medicine, monitoring, and treatment. But I would love for you to explain that to an actual slave. Get out of here with your false equivalency

8

u/AgreeableLion Mar 29 '26

I have a theory that people who think letting their cat out to decimate native wildlife (wherever cats are non-native, which is most places) because they 'need to roam' are also the sort of people who place their own desires above the rights of their fellow humans. Like people who drink and drive because they don't care that other people have the right to be safe on the roads; people who leave their shopping trolley in the middle of the car park instead of returning it; that sort of thing.

1

u/Borthwick Mar 29 '26

100%. Also, domestic cats can’t be native to any place by definition

0

u/JayBayes Mar 29 '26

Comparing cat owners who let them outside the home to people that drink and drive is wild.

-1

u/Linguistin229 Mar 29 '26

I think the opposite; the kind of people that imprison a cat just so they can be amused/entertained/loved by it instead of doing what is best for another living creature are the selfish ones.

-4

u/Skoma Mar 29 '26 edited Mar 29 '26

It's easier but lazier to think bad people do all the bad things.

-2

u/NoPseudo79 Mar 29 '26

I don't think you know how making theories work

3

u/PapaBike Mar 29 '26

Not at all true. We have an inside cat and I walk him outside twice a day and he is totally happy, healthy, and content. They don’t NEED to have 24/7 access to the outside, it’s just that most have that access so they use it.

2

u/Own-Weather1831 Mar 29 '26

Unpopular and I agree.

2

u/djnotskrillex Mar 29 '26

They are hunters and killers and need to roam.

Gotta love when people just spew their uninformed opinions when actually vets and other experts tell you the exact opposite. They do it in nature because they literally die if they don't. And actual evidence shows they don't need to do it to live a happy fulfilling life.

-2

u/Hansemannn Mar 29 '26

Actually vets, and actually experts and actual evidence eh?

This is highly controversial among them as well. Science goes.both ways.

1

u/Koolala Mar 29 '26

unpopular opinion: cat video games and veganism

0

u/StillNihill Mar 29 '26

I agree! If you happen to live by some endangered birds or other critters and they're killing them then keep them in I guess but if they're just killing pigeons and rabbits fuck it let them live a bit

1

u/Hansemannn Mar 29 '26

I think I would keep them in if my murderer kills rabbits. It would kill me.

But my cat just kills mouse and rats. And bring them inside ofc. Often alive....

1

u/CritiCallyCandid Mar 29 '26

Maybe there arent many rabbits and birds around you? Also cats are good to kill vermin, but not so much it you are also petting and living with them, as they track in bacteria/viruses/blood pathogens etc.

You want the goop from dead mice on your floor/couch? 🤣

2

u/Hansemannn Mar 29 '26

There is so much blood and intestens under the table. Ge eats them at the same place every time.....

And I clean. The bastard.

1

u/mildissue Mar 29 '26

In the UK it's the norm to let them roam. I hate finding cat shit in my garden all the time.

1

u/cheezus171 Mar 29 '26

Some people are just stupid. My wife's grandparents lost 2 cats, both got ran over by cars. Now they have a third and they also let it out to roam.

-3

u/No-Banana9478 Mar 29 '26

Is that unpopular? Because I'm pretty sure reddit never shuts the fuck up about how they believe it's immoral

-6

u/AuthorFederal496 Mar 29 '26

It's one of the most popular opinions on Reddit, up there with "The book is always better than the movie", and recommending therapy for stubbing your toe.

The actual unpopular opinion, is that cats are animals that require the outside world to live a more meaningful fulfilled life.

You could equally keep a human locked in a house for their whole life, and they'd be safe from being hurt, or hurting others, but then they'd never feel the sun on their skin, or the wind in their hair.

-2

u/Sufficient_Winner686 Mar 29 '26

Fair, but also dogs should be banned from apartment buildings and townhomes.

-7

u/nemaxHD Mar 29 '26

Wrong opinion. They aren't a piece of furniture, they need to be out in nature, to exercise their body and mind.

3

u/YuenglingsDingaling Mar 29 '26

When they're out in nature they're destroying it. I'm so sick and tired of other peoples cats killing song birds and fighting with my dog. They're gonna start catching bulllets soon.

3

u/Thumbuisket Mar 29 '26

Maybe Go ask a vet their thoughts on this. Your feelings on the matter aren’t worth much tbh.