Every study I have seen show that indoor cats have a much longer
lifespan and if you provide them with toys and things to occupy their
time plus spend quality time with them they will not be bored.

Below is just one of the many articles I found which is at
http://cats.about.com/cs/catmanagement101/f/lifespan_cats.htm about
cats life expectancy:

Q. How long is the common cat supposed to live?

A. Thats a rather broad question, and I'd have to give a general
answer.
Given proper care, nutrition, and regular veterinary visits, a cat
kept indoors can live as long as 21 years or more. (The average age of
cats is 12-15 years) This is, of course, barring any serious medical
conditions.

Cats that are indoors-outdoors usually don't last to the the average
age because of traffic accidents, fighting with other cats,
intentional acts of violence, poisoning (accidental or intentional),
diseases caught from other cats, being picked up by animal control and
subsequently euthanized if not claimed, and death caused by predators.

"Stray cats" AKA "feral cats" usually don't live more than a couple of
years because of starvation or all of the above.

Mine have so many toys
(http://users.ameritech.net/lestark/image13.jpg) that it seems every
time I take a step I am stepping on the toys plus I have 10 kitty
condos and towers to keep them busy.

My Kitty was a stray until I took her in when pregnant and after
having her babies and being fixed she never wanted out nor teyed to
get out again nor have any of the others.  They set in the windows and
watch birds and stuff but even when the door is open they do not try
to get out.

My furbabies

http://members.aol.com/larrystark/

That's a foolish statement.  The average lifespan for an indoor-only cat is
much longer than for an outdoor or indoor-outdoor cat (based on numerous
studies).  For anecdotal information, my first cat lived to be almost 20.
My second cat died at the age of 16.  Holly is now 11+ and looks like a
youngster.  Duffy is approximately 7 years old and is as active and vigorous
as any cat I have ever seen.  All have been indoor cats and all have been
happy, active, delightful companions.  Of course, I spend lots of time with
them and they have a big supply of toys, scratching posts, and two large cat
trees.

MaryL

Photos of Duffy and Holly:      >'o'<
Duffy:  http://tinyurl.com/cslwf
Holly:  http://tinyurl.com/9t68o
Duffy and Holly together:  http://tinyurl.com/8b47e
Recent pics:  http://tinyurl.com/clal7

It's strange, I had a cat called Billy once about 20 years ago and he was
found dead on a neighbour's front drive. No sign that he'd been hit by a
car or anything, he just lay down and died (he was very old). He's buried
at the bottom of the garden, I often think of his little bones when I'm
out there.

Many purrs from me and my Missy.

Ivor

well you just turned the debate it's wrong to keep
a cat indoors as a prisoner.  So all in all i
disagree with you and kraut, but you both have
good points.

All in all, i am sorry for your loss.

The indoor outdoor debate is bullshit, they've
both been proven to work in the right circumstances.

TO ToadVenomDMT <toadvenomdmt@gmail.com>:

I suppose in a way I am stubborn and hardheaded but maybe that comes
from picking up too many dead cats up off the street or watching to
many strays waste away to nothing or having to have too many put down.

I the last month I have had 3 strays put down now.  One had feline
lukemia and was skin and bones, one had its mouth, nose and tongue
burned somehow and could not swallow or eat and the other I am not
sure but it acted like it was just old and had trouble getting around
so I figured it was better off being sent to the bridge.

On top of that I have neighbors that have cats and just let them run
and do not even bother to feed them whether it is winter or summer.
Right now I am spending almost $200 monthly to feed cats that
supposedly belong to someone else not to mention defleaing and
worming.

Just yesterday one of their cats had what looked like a piece of tar
stuck between his foot pads and could hardly walk.  Where was her
loving owner??  Why did they not take care of it ??  They set everyday
waiting for ME to feed them because their owner claims them but that
is all.  They have 7 cats and 4 dogs which roam the streets.  I even
had to have 3 of them fixed because their owner could not afford to !!

So yes I guess I am hardheaded about letting cats wonder outside.  In
fact give me your address and the next dead cat I clean up I will send
it to you and you can bury it.  The cat with the burned mouth that had
to be put down cost me over $200 to be put down and cremated.  He may
have been someones pet and left to wonder the street or a stray.

Between me and my ex and my ex mother in law we have taken in about 19
cats (My ex mother in law the most)  not to mention the ones we
rehomed or took to the Michigan Humane Society or other shelters.

I will continue to be an advocate of fixed and indoor cats until the
day I die.

Sorry about carrying on everyone but I get very passionate about this
subject.  Enough said for now.

http://members.aol.com/larrystark/