Did you know it is very dangerous for your cat to be outside?

Cats left outside are attacked and killed by dogs, coyotes and other predators. They frequently get in fights and are scratched, bitten, maimed, infected and even killed. Cars can hurt or kill them, and people may torture, poison or shoot them. They can also catch several fatal diseases.

Just by doing a few simple things any cat can be happy indoors. Give him a fun and interesting environment by setting up perches where he can see outside from the safety of inside.

For other tips on keeping kitty happy indoors, see Entertainment for Cats: 5 Ways to Keep Kitty Happy (www.petfinder.com).

For litter box training tips, see Transitioning an Outdoor Cat to Indoors (www.petfinder.com).

Protecting native birds and wildlife is another reason to keep your cat indoors. Outdoor and feral cats kill billions of birds and mammals each year in the U.S. and are the number one cause of death of both according to the US Fish & Wildlife Service and Nature Communications.

Cats are among the top 100 worst invasive species in the world. The shorthaired domestic cat spread across the world from Egypt while longhaired cats came later from Turkey and Iran. They instinctively hunt, and are super predators. Even a well-fed cat will hunt. Globally, they have caused the extinction of 33 bird species (www.ecology.com).

NEVER deliberately, release cats outside. Abandoning or leaving cats outside is mean, cruel, and inhumane, it harms our native wildlife, and it is against state law.

If you really love your cat, if you care about birds and wildlife, please keep your cat indoors.

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