10 reasons Detroit cat owners should keep cats indoors

(Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images)

DETROIT – The Michigan Anti-Cruelty Society offers the following 10 reasons to keep your cat indoors instead of allowing them to wander outside.

1. Life span for outdoor cats is 1-5 years. Life span for indoor cats is 12-20 years.

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2. Outdoor cats are at risk of being struck by a vehicle.

3. Other animals can seriously injure or kill outdoor cats.

4. Thieves have been known to steal outdoor cats and sell them to research laboratories for experimentation.

5. During cold weather, cats seeking shelter in the engine compartment of a vehicle can be injured or killed when the vehicle is started.

6. People who don’t like cats might torture, poison, shoot, or trap outdoor cats to kill them.

7. Outdoor cats are exposed to more illnesses and diseases, like rabies, upper respiratory infections, feline leukemia, feline AIDS, and feline infectious peritonitis.

8. Outdoor cats have an increased risk of parasites, like fleas, ticks and worms.

9. Outdoor cats seeking shelter from inclement weather can accidentally get trapped in a garage for days without food or water.

10. Outdoor cats might get lost and cannot find their way home.

The Michigan Anti-Cruelty Society (MACS) recommends getting a microchip for your cat. MACS recommends that even indoor cats be microchipped in case the cat slips out an open door or window.

To microchip your pet and for routine veterinary services, the MACS walk-in veterinary clinic is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. All services are first come, first served. 

MACS is located at 13569 Joseph Campau, Detroit, MI.Â