> and watch their diet (often people let them get too fat and it takes awhile for cats to lose weight).
Given the crap that barely passes for industry pet "food" it's hard to keep an indoor animal slim (it's easier for dogs though since us can openers take them out for walks regularly). Pet foods are made to look and smell appealing primary to us can opener humans, not the pets. And dry foods are even worse for cats and dogs - they are used to stuff like grain as small part of the mice and other rodents they naturally eat, not as filler material.
PSA: Get your pets high quality food that is similar in composition to what they'd eat in nature and not highly processed crap. You don't diet on frozen pizza, burgers and full sugar soda all year, so please don't feed your pets the equivalent.
I agree that you should get them good quality food and not the cheapest, but that doesn't mean "let them hunt and kill birds and mice." Not only does that lead to the decimation of bird populations (cats kill for sport) but your cat will have more health problems as they are much more likely to be exposed to worms, fleas, parasites, and fights. The life expectancy of an outdoor cat is significantly lower than that of an indoor cat.
And you are encouraged to take your cats on walks. My friend runs a line across his backyard and attaches the cat's harness to it. She gets to run around and the bell makes birds very aware of her presence. Telling people to keep them inside doesn't mean you don't play with them (I explicitly said the opposite). I should refine that you shouldn't let them roam outside. On a leash is fine.
People don't realize this, but you can in fact train cats. My cat does tricks.
Given the crap that barely passes for industry pet "food" it's hard to keep an indoor animal slim (it's easier for dogs though since us can openers take them out for walks regularly). Pet foods are made to look and smell appealing primary to us can opener humans, not the pets. And dry foods are even worse for cats and dogs - they are used to stuff like grain as small part of the mice and other rodents they naturally eat, not as filler material.
PSA: Get your pets high quality food that is similar in composition to what they'd eat in nature and not highly processed crap. You don't diet on frozen pizza, burgers and full sugar soda all year, so please don't feed your pets the equivalent.