貓咪：養在室內還是室外？

April 27, 2016 • yunus

貓咪：養在室內還是室外？
談到讓貓咪待在室內還是室外的問題，許多飼主都會因為把貓咪關在家裡而感到愧疚。畢竟，戶外貓可以自由狩獵、攀爬和享受陽光，生活在心理與身體上都更具刺激性。然而，自由活動的貓咪會面臨室內寵物不會遇到的危險，例如車禍、遭掠食，以及接觸疾病。此外，只要配備合適的用品，室內貓也能過著健康又充實的生活，因此在決定讓愛貓待在室內或室外之前，務必衡量利弊。
 
就疾病而言，室內與室外之爭似乎不難抉擇。專家估計，美國有超過 5,000 萬隻流浪貓，而許多這些野貓攜帶的疾病可能傳染給您的寵物。貓愛滋病、貓瘟和白血病，只是您的寵物可能感染的幾種嚴重且可能致命的疾病。當貓咪外出時，壁蝨和腸道寄生蟲等寄生蟲也是另一項令人擔憂的問題。雖然室內貓也可能感染寄生蟲，但戶外貓的感染風險高得多，症狀可能從皮膚感染到嚴重嘔吐與腹瀉。此外，戶外貓還可能面對繁忙道路、野生動物攻擊，以及接觸防凍液等毒物；牠們每年更導致數百萬隻鳴禽死亡。
 
如果您決定讓貓咪外出探索，可以採取幾項措施來降低牠的健康與安全風險。請讓牠按時接種疫苗，並確保您的寵物已絕育。為貓咪戴上附有身分識別牌的項圈，以防走失；再加上鈴鐺，能提醒鳴禽留意可能來襲的攻擊。若您住在車流繁忙的道路附近，值得考慮訓練貓咪繫著牽繩散步。
 
另一方面，若您讓貓咪待在室內，也有許多方法可確保牠過得健康又滿足。為您的貓咪朋友找個伴—另一隻貓，某些情況下甚至是一隻狗—能讓牠在您不在家時有玩耍、運動、互相理毛和獲得關愛的對象。貓咪也喜歡雷射玩具或貓咪「釣竿」等玩具，這些玩具都能同時提供身體和心智上的刺激。每天花幾分鐘和牠玩這些玩具，能讓貓咪滿足天生的狩獵本能。室內貓也需要合適的抓撓表面，因此請確保家中各處擺放幾個貓抓柱。您可以提供攀爬處、躲藏空間、陽光充足處的棲息平台，以及窗邊可看見的鳥類餵食器或鳥浴盆等居家娛樂設施，為貓咪打造充滿刺激的室內綠洲。

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評論(3)

  1. John Villella

    Excellent article. I've felt guilty, for a long time, about keeping my cats inside. They were all clearly bored and out of shape. At the same time, it was obvious that they (and the birds) would be at great risk if they were let outside. So, my solution was to build a 6 foot high (100' by 50') chain link fence (personally digging one fence post at a time every weekend for a two months). Now, the cats can go outside, sit in the sun, play in trees and chase lizards and each other without running into a deadly outcome . This fence effort and expense was well worth it and the cats are much happier.

  2. karrin

    u, sir, are among the coolest men i have never met, & that's a fact. i hope ur wife (or boyfriend) knows they're lucky to have u...as ur cats clearly do! >(^;^)<

  3. John Villella

    Thanks for the kind words. It will suffice to say that the mother cat (the leader of a pack of 5) is so grateful for the care she gets that she meets me every time I drive into the yard. All were animals that didn't have homes and little, if anything, to eat. Now, they get the best of everything.---Best Regards, John V

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