We live in the city but sometimes we go to our summer cottage in the country side for a few weeks. There we let our cat (who goes outside in a harness in the city) run around freely. So I would like to know about the problems she could have in the countryside since she isn't used to being there. For example: Will she get in to fights with other cats easily? Will she get lost easily? Can she become "wild" so she wont come back home again?

If she is trained to be an inside cat I don't think you have any fears about her becoming wild in that short amount of time. And cats have been known to have a 14 mile radius around their home so they can find their way back. But I would be leary of letting her loose in the unfamiliar area. Is she chafing at the bit to go out? Because if she is comfortable staying inside why push it? Besides, she can pick up ticks in the country so if you do let her out please examine her carefully when she comes back in.

Could you just buy a long leash hooked to the harness and keep her posted out in the yard? If she is used to indoors I don't see why she couldn't just stay that way on vacation. You never know what might happen to an animal that isn't used to being out, also does she have all her claws? If she is declawed, definitly keep her in or on a leash, she won't be able to protect herself without claws and may wind up hurt or worse.

If you have to let her outside, please continue with the harness and leash. It keeps her alot safer, although will not prevent her from pickin up ticks, fleas or internal parasites.

What could happen to her? Lets see... hit by a vehicle, injured or killed by a wild animal, poisoned, just plain lost.

And the worst part is, she just won't come home and you'll never know what happened to her. You'll wonder if she's laying somewhere, injured and in pain, or worse. But you'll never know.

Ask me how I know. Yea... oh we're in the country, they'll be ok... NOT. The day my cat never returned, was the day I decided NEVER AGAIN to EVER let another cat outside... PERIOD.

And now working at the SPCA and seeing the shape that many of these cats come to us in, only reinforces the decision.

They come in with various injuries from fights, missing parts of ears from frostbite, missing eyes, broken limbs from being hit by cars, dying of Felv, ripped open from being in a car engine when it was started, or burned from being set on fire by stupid people.

Yea... after seeing all that, I want to take the chance by letting my cats out... I DON'T THINK SO.

Besides that, let's get the neighbors angry because the cats poop in their garden, chase away the birds from their feeders, get in noisy fights under their bedroom window, little footie prints on the cars, spreading diseases and parasites, the males are spraying on their house and more.

Anyone who insists on letting their cats outside, should volunteer at the local animal shelter for a week.

I'd go with the long leash thing too. because adding to SPCAgal's long list of things that could go wrong... how about my problem?

People who let their cats roam around come and kill off other people's animals. Especially their poultry. and baby poultry, like chicks, ducklings, and quail. I've been raising them for YEARS, and the most common problem is people who have cabins and summer homes out here is that they bring all their animals and set them loose to run through the woods. They eventually end up at our house and kill all the livestock we just bought, or carefully helped to raise. It is REALLY not cool because the people just appologize (or DONT appologize) and take their pets back... and do it all over again. And they go "its just a chicken."

I raise poultry, and to me that wasnt, "just a chicken"... it was my best hen, a double-blue-ribbon winning pullet that i bred myself.
Maybe its just bitterness that makes me write this way. if I offend anyone I am truly sorry, but I'm trying to warn you that it may not be just letting your animal out to 'have fun'... it may not come back alive.

Because many people are not as forgiving as I am and in the country, we're sick of people letting their animals run or dropping them off. Sick of them coming and killing off all our work. Sick of them doing all the things SPCAgal listed.

Sorry for the following semi-graphic image but its true:

its not uncommon for some people to blow the heads off of dogs and cats and just burn the body. "No, i didnt see Ralph! nope sorry"...

Just a warning, because thats another option soem people dont even think about. PLEASE keep your animals inside, tied up when outside, or leashed when you walk them.. please, for their sake and for yours.

There are no big roads close to our summer cottage. And I really don't want to walk her in a leash because she likes it much better without the leash. And she really shows us that she likes it -whenever she sees us outside she comes up and meows and everything. She also always comes running when we call her so she doesn't go that far. Also the neighbours don't mind her because all the people close by are my relatives and they really like the cat.
There are no other animals close by except a male cat (which doesn't matter because our cat is spayed) and 2 dachshunds which are very friendly and like the 2 cats. And wildanimals: there are only hares, elks and maybe bears in a forest near by but I doubt the cat never even goes there and they probably wouldn't do anything to her anyway. I don't think she chases birds or anything because we feed her well and she's very hungry when she comes from outside. And she isn't usually outside very long.

I'm sorry, but I get so frustrated... people are SO clueless!!!!

Yeah... do you have ANY idea how many DOZENS of times a week we hear those same things from people coming in to look for lost cats?

Do you have ANY idea of many dozens of lost cat reports we have at any given time?

Do you realize that the cat's hunting instinct has NOTHING to do with the amount it is fed? Besides humans, cats are the only animals that hunt for the act of hunting?

Do you realize that an owl will take a rabbit as food - how close in size is that to a cat?

Do you realize that there are predatory animals, such as fox and coyotes virtually EVERYWHERE... including suburban and even urban settings?

Do you have any idea how many baby rabbits, squirrels and birds we have brought to us EVERY DAY due to being injured by cats?

People only see a brief glimpse of the world from their viewpoint, it's like they have blinders on. If it has never been a problem before, it will never be a problem.

Gee... if that was the case, why are there insurance companies?

I'm sorry if I sound very terse, but this subject frustrates the heck out of everyone that works at shelters. Our jobs would be ALOT easier if people would just keep their cats indoors ONLY.