Just between you and I, I’m posting this column a week after its deadline. I’m hoping for two things, at this point: 1. that my editor won’t notice my lateness, and 2. that you won’t tell on me. There’s a reason why this month’s column is late, and that is because I couldn’t decide what to write about. I was leaning toward a piece about my horse aging, and another stab at the subject I’ve been struggling with for a few months, now – that of the untimely death of Street Cat Bob. Ultimately, Bob won. Please bear with me.
To learn that I was gutted by the news of Bob’s death might surprise some of you. Those who feel a deep affection for animals will probably understand. Every time you invest yourself in another’s life – and if you’ve read so much as one book about an animal, you’ve invested yourself in its life – the death of that animal can feel much more personal than you expected. Much more painful than you anticipated. So it is with me, struggling to come to grips with Bob’s death.
The thing I’m unable to fathom, the sticking point in my struggle, is that Bob was hit by a car. But here’s what you might not know: owner James Bowen kept Bob on a lead, and he also invested in having a catio built for Bob – a safe outdoor structure in which Bob could bird-watch to his heart’s content. So how did Bob get outside? I can only conclude that he either ran out an open door, or he was let out.
If you’ve paid any attention at all to my columns, over the years, you’ll know that animals are my life. I rescue them. I rehab them. I adopt as many as my husband will allow. I built my world – and my writing career – around them. I feel deeply for animals I’ve never met, including Street Cat Bob. Which is why, when I learned of his death, my heart fell into a black abyss. How could such a thing happen? Hit by a car? Why was Bob anywhere near a road?
Last month, I spent my column inches telling you that in my considered opinion, all cats should be kept indoors their entire lives. I outlined some ways to keep your cat happy and healthy, and I urged you all to consider my words. Between then and now, I sent off an email to the RSPCA, fully expecting that they would back up my contention about indoor-only cats. Except that they didn’t.
Nicola Walker, the Senior Press Officer for the Southeast England RSPCA, had this to say in answer to my inquiry: “We don’t recommend that a cat which is used to going outside is kept as an ‘indoor only’ cat (except for health reasons) as this could be very stressful for them. Cats with outdoor access benefit from more opportunities to exhibit natural behaviours like climbing, exploring, roaming their territory and communicating with other cats in the area. Keeping them indoors will help keep them away from busy roads, but some indoor environments can become predictable and boring, which can lead to stress, inactivity and obesity. It can be particularly hard for cats to cope with living indoors if they have lots of energy, love to explore and have previously been allowed time outdoors. However, cats can adapt well to an indoor life if they are kept indoors from an early age.”
What Nicola Walker didn’t mention was the estimated 630 cats who are struck and killed by cars every day. Every day! How can that possibly be an acceptable number – particularly if one of those 630 is your cat? Are you really going to feel alright about its death – its no-doubt painful and gruesome death – simply because of an extremely misguided recommendation on the part of the RSPCA? Who thinks up these recommendations, anyway? A dog owner?
I can understand recommending things that will provide your cat with stimulation, but as I wrote in last month’s column, you, the owner, can provide stimulation that’s just as good, but entirely safe, without ever letting your cat outside. If you could prevent the violent and senseless death of your cat, wouldn’t you? The answer seems obvious.
