After losing my little Oreo, who was barely a year old—he was run over on the road just 200 yards from my house—I’m scared to get another cat.
I absolutely adored the little thing; I even hand-reared him with a bottle.
The whole family is devastated, including my old Labrador, whom poor Oreo used to love snuggling up to.
He would come when called and slept indoors every night; we only ever opened the cat flap at dawn.
But sadly, all it took was that one time.
I’ve seen adverts for those containment fences; are they actually any good? Have any of you installed one in your garden?
I can’t imagine life without a cat in the house, but on the other hand, I feel so guilty thinking I'd just be sentencing the poor animal to ending up under a car's wheels eventually.
That's the third cat I've lost this way in 20 years, and I can't take any more!
Translated from French
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I’m 100% with @mike64 on this.
Of course it’s horrific and shocking to lose a cat to those bloody cars, and I really hope that one day we can manage without them, or at the very least, that there’s a real push to make drivers respect animal life.
I know accidents happen and most drivers who hit an animal do it by mistake, but I also think we’ve all been conditioned to think that when we’re on the road, it’s the animals that should move out of the way. We think it’s their fault if they don’t, or that hitting an animal isn’t as big a deal as being late for work—even though we could have just left ten minutes earlier.
My colleagues take the mickey out of me because I slow right down when I see pigeons in the road, because I used to avoid toads during the breeding season when I lived out in the country, because I slow down when I see a cat by the roadside, and because if I could, I’d try not to squash ants either...
It’s a matter of priorities, philosophy, and respect. For me, all living creatures—animals at least—have one thing in common: we’re all aware that we’re alive and we want to stay that way. A car is a way of getting around, not a weapon of mass destruction.
Since they went mainstream, you’d think they were a sign of progress that revolutionised the world, but in fact, in less than 70 years (it was around the 50s that cars became affordable for everyone), we’ve completely trashed the planet to the point where we’re asking cows to stop farting. We’re melting the ice caps so fast that the world’s largest land carnivore (the polar bear) and walruses are disappearing. We’ve ruined our own daily lives by always having our foot to the floor—and not just when we’re driving—and we’ve lost our humanity by turning into serial killers; killers of humans and, even more so, killers of animals.
And the worst part is, we think it’s normal! If that’s progress, I don’t want any part of it—or at least, I don’t want it anymore.
In this thread, we’re talking about putting shock collars on cats; people actually manufacture these things and sell them, making us believe it’s for the cat’s own good...
We talk about keeping a cat cooped up indoors when we know that, in the wild, a cat has a territory with a 3-mile radius—that’s about 30 square miles—and then in the next breath, we’re told we have to give them grain-free food to respect a cat's natural diet...
I really think we’re asking the wrong questions. Cars have only been a part of our daily lives for 70 years; for the rest of history, humanity managed just fine without them, and the world kept on turning—and more importantly, it could still breathe.
Mike64
"And those containment collars seem very barbaric to me as well; if they're bad for dogs, then what about cats!"
It doesn't just seem barbaric to me, it is barbaric!... 😂
Oréo64
Hi,
I've read your post... I didn't quite catch what you meant when you mentioned an anti-escape collar... It was only when I saw the reply from Provéto Junior Conseil that I understood... It's really not ideal, to be honest... Especially if it gives them electric shocks when they go outside the set boundary... That's the sort of thing that causes behavioural issues... You'd be better off with a GPS tracker if you're worried about your kitty wandering off too far...
I totally understand your dilemma, we get so attached to our fur babies... Unfortunately, those are just the risks that come with letting cats outside (cars, dogs, other cats, wildlife, poisoning, traps, malicious people, etc.). Alternatively, you could get an indoor-only cat or kitten—you’ll just need to be careful they don't escape and make sure windows and balconies are secure, especially in the summer. Another option is only letting them out when you're with them on a harness and lead. And yes, those so-called "containment collars" are really just shock collars, let's be honest. A friend of mine once tried an electric collar on himself that he’d bought for his dog (who weighs about 14 lbs); even on the lowest setting, it really hurt! He sent it back straight away. It’s the same story with vibration collars, too...
It’s perfectly normal that you’ve been left somewhat traumatised by this experience. You might find that adopting an older cat from a rescue centre, one that doesn’t really want to go out much or won’t wander further than the garden, would suit you much better.
For instance, I took in my cat when he was 3 years old; he’d been a stray. When I first started letting him out through the barn door into the garden, I noticed he’d just stay in the alleyway behind my house. I think he was worried I’d shut the door on him (there’s a window he can use to get back inside, but it’s a bit of a tricky jump that needs a lot of focus). Gradually, he started staying out a bit longer. Eventually, I felt more confident and so did he, so I’d let him out, close the door, and go back to open it for him half an hour later. Sometimes he’d just come back through the window anyway. Then one day, when he was 9, he was attacked by two stray dogs in my street (they were aggressive strays, but I hadn’t realised). A lady saved him, and it took a whole year for his injuries to heal. I honestly thought he’d never want to go out again and that he’d be too scared—which, honestly, would have suited me fine! But no, he associated the fear with the dogs rather than the outdoors itself. So he still goes out, but now I wait for him. He doesn't stay out long, usually less than 30 minutes, and he's happy with that. I really had to steel myself to let him go out again. My point is that former strays often seem less keen on wandering off. Maybe look for a real "homebody" rather than getting a cat and trying to force a lifestyle on it. Also, a cat that’s lived on the streets knows the dangers better, which might prevent another tragedy. Spayed females also tend to be more stay-at-home types. You have to tell yourself that even though your cat’s life was cut short, it was a wonderful life where they weren't just cooped up. I also find collars can add an extra layer of danger as they can get caught on things. I hope this helps. Have a lovely evening! :)
I live out in the countryside and my cats go outdoors too... letting them out can definitely be risky and it's a personal choice whether you let them roam or not. Besides the risk of road accidents, there’s the danger of them getting locked in someone else’s house, fights with other animals, hunters (I’ve actually had a cat riddled with pellets), poisonings, and the list goes on...
It’s a choice you have to make. I’ve lost two cats over the last twenty years or so. My current cat is now just over 4 years old; I found him outside when he was only six weeks old and I could never keep him indoors... he just wouldn't stand for it. He even goes outside to do his business... I tell myself it’s his life and that the outdoors, despite the dangers, is a fantastic playground for him... so I accept the possibility that one day he might not come home.
One thing's for sure, an adult cat is less flighty and much more aware of the risks outside.
Thanks for your reply. I agree, I think it's barbaric to give a poor animal an electric shock, especially since cats rarely tolerate wearing collars anyway.
Putting up a fence isn't going to be possible, as I've got trees right along the boundary of the garden.
Short of selling my house and moving somewhere completely isolated, I just can't see a solution.
Hi there,
Electronic containment collars work in a similar way to electric horse fencing: when your pet goes past a pre-set boundary around your home, the collar delivers an unpleasant electric shock. Their effectiveness isn't always great, though; there’s no guarantee a cat will understand that they’re receiving the stimulus specifically because they’ve crossed a certain line. Plus, it does involve physical pain, even if it’s minimal, so the impact on animal welfare is definitely something to consider.
There are other solutions available: you could install high, cat-proof fencing all around your garden so they can only explore within that specific area.
Alternatively, you could let them out only when they are on a long lead with a harness—make sure to avoid using a standard collar for this due to the risk of strangulation.
One final option would be to adopt an adult cat from a rescue centre that doesn't feel the need to go outside and is perfectly happy staying indoors. This would allow you to do a wonderful thing by rehoming a pet in need, while giving you total peace of mind regarding your cat's safety.
Hope this helps,
Have a lovely day,
Mathilde
