When it comes to cat owners and vets, there is one topic that is particularly touchy –should a cat remain indoors or can it go outside? While there are most certainly many compelling arguments for both sides, it can still be pretty difficult to reach a conclusion.
With striking blue eyes and sleek bodies with a fine and glossy coat, Siamese cats are famous for their unique and unmistakable appearance. Siamese cats are very loyal, intelligent, energetic, loving, and playful pets that will easily become the highlight of your home. Even though the outside world has a lot of offer to Siamese cats, it’s often loaded with danger. From fleas to other cats and other animals, there are many things a Siamese is exposed to when it is left outdoor. However, at the same time, Siamese cats can also benefit from the natural stimulation that outdoors offer.
So, the question that remains is: can you let a Siamese cat go outside?
Can You Let a Siamese Cat Go Outside?
The short answer is: yes, you can let Siamese cats go outside. However, there are many considerations that need to be made when letting a Siamese cat go outdoors.
Firstly, Siamese cats are often bought from a breeder. When you get a Siamese cat as a baby, you should let it go outdoors at all, at least until it receives all its proper vaccinations. During this time, you should also limit its contact with other cats and animals because some people don’t vaccinate their animals.
Siamese cat parents need to find a way to allow their cat outside while ensuring that they aren’t in danger. One great way to deal with this is to let your pet enjoy the sun or walk on the grass without letting it roam freely outside. If your Siamese is left unsupervised, it may flee, get stolen, or catch some disease.
Why a Siamese Cat Should be Taken Outdoors
Here are a few reasons to take your Siamese cat outdoors.
To Get Ample Physical Exercise
Cats don’t require as much physical stimulation as dogs, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need it at all. Indoors cats are typically lazy that makes them more prone to obesity. Letting your Siamese cat out encourages them to engage in physical exercise as they have more space to climb, run, and explore.This makes your Siamese less prone to become overweight, helping in the avoidance of obesity-related illnesses.
To Keep them from Damaging Furniture
As cats grow, they experience an intense need to scratch. If they’re aren’t provided with a proper scratching post, your Siamese may start scratching up the furniture and other household objects, creating a nuisance for you. Letting your Siamese cat go outdoors gives them the opportunity to freely engage in natural cat behavior, such as scratching.
To Allow them to Satisfy their Curiosity
Siamese cats are extremely intelligent and curious creatures. While there are other ways for a Siamese to satisfy its curious nature, the best way to let them explore is by letting them go outdoors. You must keep an eye on your Siamese while it explores new smells and textures outdoors. Allowing your blue-eyed feline to indulge in such experiences will satisfy its inquisitive nature, and have a positive impact on its overall wellbeing.
To Enjoy the Sun
It’s good to let your Siamese cat enjoy the fresh air and bright sun rather than making them sit inside with only a window to look out of.
To Make Going Outdoors a Habit
Taking your Siamese outdoor frequently will make it pretty normal for your feline to go outside. This means that you have to forever worry about your cat escaping each time you leave a door or window open.
To Avoid Cleaning the Litter Box Everyday
Having to clean a litter box every day can be quite stressful and tiring. Letting your Siamese go out in your backyard will reduce the need to get a litter box. Moreover, you will also save quite a lot of money as you won’t have to buy cat litter.
Why a Siamese Shouldn’t be Let Outdoors
As good as it can be to let your Siamese outdoors; there are many potential dangers lurking around every corner. Since Siamese cats are incredibly inquisitive, they may wander around in search of things that interest them, leading to many dangerous effects.
Here’s why you should keep your Siamese cat indoors.
The Risk of Parasites and Worms
Humans are very careful when it comes to avoiding dangers lurking outdoors. Cats, however, are very different. Your Siamese cat can often try to get into things that you would never imagine touching. Besides that, they also tend to lick their fur and paws. It is very easy for cats to catch parasites, especially when they dig through trash cans or walk in contaminated soil.
Additionally, if you let your Siamese roam outdoors unsupervised, they may ingest spoiled meat or some other dangerous food that can cause worms and make them very sick.
Increased Vet Bills
If your cat has received all its vaccinations and is generally in good health, you won’t have many vet bills to sort through. However, when you let your Siamese roam outside, your vet bills will increase. You will require emergency care for your cat since Siamese cats can be quite territorial, leading to fight breakouts. Moreover, strays cats aren’t typically vaccinated, and can end up giving your cat infections by scratching or biting it.
Health Threats to Your Family
Letting your cat roam freely outdoors can end up bringing diseases back home to your family. When you let your cat out the door, you probably don’t know where it goes, and what it will bring into your home. Since your Siamese is much loved by the family, it probably snuggles with everyone in the house. Even if you clean your home regularly, your cat can bring in a lot of germs. It is your responsibility to keep your family’s health in check, why is why you need to keep an eye on your cat to see where it goes.
Traffic Dangers
Car and road traffic pose one of the greatest risks to a cat on the loose. If you live in an area that generally experiences quite a lot of traffic, it can be extremely risky to let your kitty run free for a while. It is also important to know that more than half of feline deaths outside of a home are caused because of being struck by motor vehicles.
Danger of Running into a Fight
Siamese cats are very territorial pets that can start a fight with any animals that invade their space or try to come into your yard. There’s a high chance that you won’t even realize a fight is taking place in your backyard. If your Siamese gets into a fight with a larger cat or dog, there’s a chance that they may not survive.
In case your Siamese does survive a fight, it may be left with injuries, infections, and permanent scars. Additionally, fights can also have a severe mental impact on your cat. A Siamese can become so traumatized from a fight that it will become fearful and hard to handle. Keeping your Siamese inside your home is the best way to keep it from getting into any fights.
Other Potential Dangers
You can never know what people do outside your home. The more homes in your neighborhood, the more the danger. If you leave your cat unattended outdoors, it can run into poisonous substances, dogs, and other potential threats.
Many people put poisonous substances, such as pesticides and insecticides, to keep pests away. Some people also put yard chemicals and rat poison in their backyards. This is a huge health hazard for your cat. Even if you trust your cat not to eat these items, there’s a chance that it may lick its paw after walking through them.
Also, many flowers and garden shrubs, such as lilies, can be toxic for your cat. Cats that roam freely outdoors also face the possibility of getting trapped in sheds and garages with no way to escape.
Moreover, you can’t expect those in your neighborhood to be as kind to your Siamese as you are. You have probably heard multiple stories about people harming animals they don’t like, children playing with animals roughly, etc. There is no way to know for certain that your Siamese will remain safe outdoors.
To Keep Your Cat from Going Missing
Siamese cats are extremely inquisitive and adventurous. Their nature encourages them to wander freely outdoors, which puts them at a risk of getting lost. Since Siamese cats are a unique-looking breed with beautiful eyes and stunning fur, some people might try to steal and sell them.
The Bottom Line
While your Siamese cat is safer indoor, it wouldn’t hurt to take your cat out for a stroll from time to time. If you want to let your Siamese play in your backyard, make sure you install a protective fence and put on a micro-chip collar on your cat to ensure that it can easily be tracked.
