A m e r i c a ’s ’s Fa v o r it e Pe t s
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HEY’RE PLAYFUL AND LOVING. Aloof an d m ys ysteriou teriou s. An An d fris risky an d mischievous. They’re also becoming the m os ostt fr frequen t occu occu p an ts of Am Am eric erica’ a’ss an im al sh elter elterss, wh ere ere m il lion s of th em are ar e cared for each year. Th ey’re ey’re cats—A cats—Am erica’ erica’ss m o st p op u lar p ets, bu t also also t h e pets m ost li likel kely to d ie prem atu rel rely from d iseases eases,, po ison s, attacks by o th er an im als als, abu se by h um an s, or speedin speedin g veh veh icles cles.. Cats are as deserving of our protection as do gs gs.. Bu Bu t m illi illion on s of cats cats su su ffer an d d ie n eedles eedlesssly becau becau se th ey are are all allowed to roam . Th e vast vast m ajority ajority of th ese ese cats cats aren aren ’t th e victims of cruel or thoughtless owners; in fact, th eir eir careg caregiv ivers ers often love th em like like ch ildren . In In stead, cats are th e victi victim m s of ou tm oded perc per c eption epti on s th at cas castt th em as in depen den t, n atu ral ra l explore expl orers rs wh o p ref refer to be lef leftt t o t h eir eir own device devicess.
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Th e M y th of The Ou td oo r Cat
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HE GOOD NEWS IS THAT CATS don’t need to wander to lead fulfilling lives. The bad news is that many cat caregivers believe the opposite. FreeFree-ro roam aming ing cat catss get get a dange da ngero rous us trad tr adeof eofff: freedom to roam in exchange for the vastly increased likelihood of a premature, painful death. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that the average lifespan of a free-roaming cat is about three years, compared to 12–18 years for the average indoor-only cat. Even cats in “safe” suburban neighborhoods can meet untimely fates and never never return h ome. Safely confined cats avoid these hazards: q TRAFFIC. Collisions with cars and other vehicles are common killers. It is a myth that cats are “streetwise” about cars. Cats are intelligent and alert but, like most other animals, stand little chance against fast-mo fast-movi ving ng vehicle vehicles. s. q DISEASES. Rabies Rabies and other dis disease ases that can be transmitted tr ansmitted to humans hum ans are ar e a serious serious public public health health concern. According to the American Association of Feline Practitioners, as many as 15 percent of sick cats are infected with feline leukemia or feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)—and many cats have both. These viruses are fatal and transmitted through contact with other cats. q POISONS. Poisons exist on chemically treated lawns, in bait left out to kill rats or mice, and in auto antifreeze—which has an appealing taste— that leaks from cars. q O T H ER AN IM ALS. O ther cats, dogs, dogs, and wild wild predators such as coyotes, raccoons, and foxes are potential enemies of cats and often engage in fights that tha t leave leave cats injured injured or dead. O utdoor utd oor cats can can suffer torn ears, cut eyes, abscesses, and other injuries requiring costly veterinary treatment. q CR UEL PEO PEO PLE. PLE. Many shelter workers see cats who have bee been burn b urneed, pois p oisoned, oned, or othe oth erwise rwise tortur tor tureed by b y dis disturbed tur bed childre children n and a nd adults adu lts..
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O t h e r D a n g e rs Lu r k in g O u t d o o r s
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REE-ROAMING CATS INEVITABLY pick up fleas and ticks and then bring these pests into the home. Fleas can cause anemi an emia, a, skin skin irritations, irritat ions, and an d allerg allergie iess in in cats— and transmi tra nsmitt di d iseases eases to humans hum ans throu th roug gh thei t heirr bites. Unsterilized cats allowed to roam contribute to the high number of cats who end up in our nation’s animal shelters every day. Most veterinarians treat the injuries and diseases resulting from allowing cats outdoors unsupervised. In fact, two out of three veterinarians recommend keeping cats indoors, most often citing dangers from vehicles and disease.* And fewer than five percent of “found” cats taken in by animal shelters are reunited with thei th eirr owners. ow ners. That’ Tha t’ss why outfi ou tfitt tting ing you yourr cat with a collar and visible identification is an importa mpo rtant nt step to keep keep your cat safe. afe. * HSUS veterinarian study conducted in June 2001 by Jacobs Jenner & Kent.
An indoor cat remains safe and content—free from danger and disease.
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The M yth of the In d o o r - O n ly C a t
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EEPING CATS SAFELY CONFINED is not new to many long-term cat lovers. But it is news to many people who grew up with indoor-outdoor or outdoor-only felines. Some cat owners believe that it is unnatural, or even cruel, to keep cats cooped up inside all the time. Unfortunately, this belief is self-perpetuating, especially if the pet caregiver makes no effort to provide the cat with a stimulating indoor environment. While most cats enjoy being outside where they can hunt prey and explore their surroundings, it’s a myth that going outside is a prerequisite for feline happiness. Playing with an indoor cat easily satisfies the animal’s stalking instinct and keeps the cat stimulated and healthy through exercise. In fact, the indoor cat who gets lots lots of atte att ention and playtime is often happier than the indoor-outdoor cat who is generally ignored by human companions. Cat owners can easily create feline-friendly homes that meet all of their cats’ needs. Many innovative and fun toys can help make the indoor life life a great but bu t safe safe advent adventur ure. e. And cats don’t have to be deprived of the great outdoo out doors rs to stay safe safe.. Cats Ca ts can can be trai tra ined to accept a harness and leash, and cat enclosures can all a llow ow them th em to experience experience all the th e pleasures pleasures of the great outdoors without all of the risks.
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Keeping C o m m u n it i t i e s S a fe fe
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ATS ALLOWED TO ROAM FREELY outside not only face potential harm but also also have h ave an unintended impa impacct on our communitie omm unitiess. Local Local government governmentss spend spend hund hu ndreds reds of millions millions of dollars every year controlling stray animals, from neighborhood cats defecating in sandboxes to feral cats living in urban areas. Cats are now a major focus of local animal care and control agenci agencies es,, whic wh ich h in the th e past concent concentra rated ted most m ost of their efforts on dog control and rescue. In fact, animal control agencies were established long ago primarily to control the spread of rabies among dogs in the street. Today, cats who roam, particularly after dark, are likely to come into contact with nocturnal creatures, including raccoons and skunks, the primary vector species of rabies in the wild. As a result, cats are now the most common domes do mestic tic vec vecto tors rs of rab r abie ies, s, with 278 27 8 cases cases reported repor ted in 1999 in the United States. Because of this, increasing numbers of cities and counties have been backi ba cking ng measures to ino culat culatee cat catss against against rabie ra bies. s. In addition, free-roaming cats kill millions of wild animals an imals each each year year.. Stu Studie diess have sho shown wn that th at most mo st of the animals killed are small mammals; approximately 25 percent percent are ar e bird birds. s. Wel Welll-fe fed d housec ho usecat atss kill kill wildlife wildlife because of their instinct to hunt prey, not because they need the food. Cats are not a part of natural ecosystems, and their predation causes unnecessary suffering and death to wild animals. They also cause conflicts among neighbors, pitting gardeners and bird lovers against cat owners who allow their charg har ges to roam r oam..
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K e e p Your Cat Safe
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ECAUSE OF OLD PERCEPTIONS concern concerning ing independ independenc encee and a nd predatory stalking, people have been slow to recognize that cats need and deserve the same kind of protection as dogs. But the transition has begun. Many shelters now require potential adopters to commit to keeping their cats indoors and strongly recommend that cats wear collars and ID tags. In addition, local ordinances aimed at encouraging cat owners to confine their cats, as they do dogs, are being implemented. Cats are healthier and happier when safely confined.
For more information or materials, complete and return the order form in this brochure. Or write to Safe Cats, The Humane Society of the United States, 2100 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037, or visit www.safecats.org.
N G I S N E E N A I D
Generous support for the Safe Cats campaign was provided by The Kenneth A. Scott Charitable Trust, a KeyBank Trust, and the Frances V. R. Seebe Charitable Trust.
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S a f e C a t s C a m p a ig ig n
O r d e r Fo Fo r m S a f e C a t s C a m p a i g n K it it If you want wan t to t o be an advocate for for cats, start with this kit. It includes all the Safe Cats Ca ts items listed listed below. below. PM22 PM 2277 77 1–5/$4.00 each, 6–49/$2.75 each, 50+/$2.40 each
A S a f e C a t Is Is a H a p p y C a t The Safe Cats campaign brochure gives the facts about abo ut keeping keeping cats safe safe and hap py—indoor py—indoor s. PM2276 PM2 276 1–5/60¢ each, 6–49/40¢ each, 50+/30¢ each
C a t C a r e B a sic s A favorite favorite of shelters shelters for th eir eir adop a doption tion packets, this best-selling booklet covers cat care basics—adoption, health health care, care, nutriti nut rition, on, intro ducing ducing a cat to your hom e, and tips for keeping your your cat safe yet yet stimulated. PM2137 1–5/$1.99 each, 6–49/$1.25 each, 50+/75¢ each
T h e Sa f e C a t s G u id e t o C a t L a w This booklet describes local ordinances and programs that protect both cats and communities. PM2139 $1.50 each
Sa f e C a t s B o o k m a rk Mark your page with a Safe Cats reminder! PM 2321 1–99/10¢ 1–99/10¢ each, each, 100/$5.00, 500/$18
Sa f e Ca t s M a g n e t Spread the message that cats are safer indoors. PM2320 PM23 20 1–24/25¢ 1–24/25¢ each, each, 25–99/20¢ each, each, 10 0 + /15¢ each
S a f e C a t s P SA SA s Three sheets of print-ready public service announcements (with three on each sheet) feature messages about keeping cats safe, spaying spaying and an d neutering n eutering,, and an d r espon esponsi sible ble cat care. PM2140 PM2 140 15¢ for for set set of 3 sheets sheets
T h e U n in i n v it e d C a t This brochure explains explains what to do about a bout neighboor neighboor hood hoo d cats visi visiting ting your property pro perty.. PM 2317 1–5/60¢ 1–5/60¢ each, each, 6–49/40¢ 6–49/40¢ each, each, 5 0 + /30¢ each
To order, please use the form on page 8
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Daytime telephone * Residents of these states should add applicable sales tax: CA (7.25%), CT (6%), DC (5.75%), FL (6%), IL (6.25%), MD (5%), OH (5%).
Material will be sent to the address above. Please provide a street address as shipment cannot be sent to P.O. boxes. Allow 4–6 weeks for delivery. All orders must be prepaid. Enclose payment with this order form and mail to: Safe Cats The Th e H uman um anee Soci Society ety of the United United States ta tes 2100 210 0 L Stree Street, t, N W Washington, DC 20037
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The goal of The Humane Society of the United States Safe Cats ™ campaign is to convince cat caregivers that there is truly no place like home for their cats. This campaign provides cat caregivers with infor informa mation tion on creat creating ing fel feline ine--frie friendly nd ly homes ho mes and offers caregivers and public officials information on the consequences of—and the solutions to—letting owned cats roam unsupervis unsuperviseed outdoo out doors. rs.
Promoting the protection of all animals
© 2003 The The HSUS. HSUS. All rights rights reserved reserved.. Printed on recycled paper.
