the killing fields

We live in a valley (natural reserve) and very large fields are being harvested.So the rodents get in movement towards or very little village.
He is just waiting for them.He never eats the "victims" just plays a little bit and then kill's them.
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/IMG_2235.jpg

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/IMG_2236.jpg


http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/IMG_1947.jpg


Even on the roof no one is safe
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/IMG_1947.jpg

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r.../Photo2938.jpg

loving it!
hey how come Maine Coons are said to be so bad outside, yet they are obviously quite good hunters! (proof: my husband's shredded leg every morning when he isn't quick enough to feed Neevie!)

The USA had no national " cat" like the siamese, Angora aso.
The MC was a real working class cat in the farms and barns in Maine.The farmers loved this big independent hunter. It is no so long ago that the standards for this beautiful cat were made.
Here in Belgium they are quite rare and most catteries will not sell the kitten if he stays not inside.
But he is so cute and "educated" that he stays out of the street
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r.../Photo3006.jpg
one of our streets

Quote:

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Originally Posted by deovolens

Here in Belgium they are quite rare and most catteries will not sell the kitten if he stays not inside

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In the US, any reputable breeder has in their contract that the cat is indoor only or outdoor only on a leash or in an enclosed structure like a cat run.

After reading a lot of stories someone saw some scum bag/bags doing horrible things to a cat; beat, throw against a wall, etc, I will never have an outdoor cat. Not to mention accidental deaths like eatting some kind of rodent poison or getting hit by cars. Plus if I'm spending big bucks on a pure breed cat, it's staying inside where it's nice and safe.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by brims

In the US, any reputable breeder has in their contract that the cat is indoor only or outdoor only on a leash or in an enclosed structure like a cat run.

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I have to take issue with the implied criticism in your response. Conflating the term reputable and indoor-only contracts excludes any breeders without these contracts from being reputable. While that may be your opinion it's far too sweeping an accusation to make. I am sure there are plenty of reputable MC breeders in the US who stipulate no such thing but perhaps advise it as a sensible precaution especially in urban areas.

I understand Brims but the decision to let him go outside depends on your situation. There are parents who will never allow there children to go on a bike to the school.It is of course dangerous.I for instance would never allow my child do drive a motorcycle but I drive them for over 40 years.
I calculated the risk and that is less then 1%, if he stays inside and get depressed or too fat this will be harmful for his life too.

yes, I agree with Brim that there are a lot of ... unbalanced people out there - and that's also part of the reason why I decided to keep Neevie indoors. But that's my own decision, not my breeder's. I would not take kindly to anyone telling me how to keep my cat (unless what I do hurts her, then by all means, ADVICE and opinions are appreciated).

In a lot of cases, and like with raising kids, there is no real way to tell for sure if what you're doing is helping or hurting.

I think also that that's why this kind of forums are set up, so we can exchange opinions, experiences, and make as informed a decision as possible. Knowing that in a lot of cases there is not really a right answer.
At the end of the day, I guess you know and love your cats, you know what they are capable of, you know what risks you're comfortable with...

Our breeder had no declawing and indoor or leashed only in her contract. This was OK with me. Fifteen years ago I thought our DSH, Hank, was inside for the night. Sadly a fox got him right under our bedroom window. I still hear his cries. Really couldn't take the guilt and pain of loosing another outdoors. So, I am for sure in the over-protective category. We live on a golf course with plenty of wild life - coyotes, bobcats, large owls etc. I would not let them out even if I knew they wouldn't leave the yard. Had a friend who was in the hot tub with her husband and watched as a coyote came into the yard. In broad day light, it snatched her cat and ran off with it. Buzz and Baxter have a huge tree in the house, halters and leashes and this spring some sort of enclosed catio. Everyone has to make their own choices.

Oh, and I love pictures of Maine Coons in the snow. Beautiful area you live in Deovolens. Beautiful cat!

In the beginning I controlled him.The chow was there and kills immediately every wild intruder.
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r.../Photo1756.jpg


And another snow
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r.../Photo2978.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Peter Galbavy

I have to take issue with the implied criticism in your response. Conflating the term reputable and indoor-only contracts excludes any breeders without these contracts from being reputable. While that may be your opinion it's far too sweeping an accusation to make. I am sure there are plenty of reputable MC breeders in the US who stipulate no such thing but perhaps advise it as a sensible precaution especially in urban areas.

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I've searched out and read close to 50 Maine Coon breeder contracts online, mainly from the US and not one of them did not state something like "indoor or outside on a leash". You can take anything I say anyway you wish, but the facts are what they are. Granted there are many more breaders that 50, but when that line shows up in every one of them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by deovolens

I calculated the risk and that is less then 1%, if he stays inside and get depressed or too fat this will be harmful for his life too.

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I don't see how a number of 1% risk can even be attained, sounds like an arbitrarily picked digit. There are plenty of things that can keep cats happy and healthy inside.

The problem for most of us that we humanize our beloved pets (Me too)
A maine coon was a semi wild farm cat that had to survive in an harsh environment.I know when you place them in a city it's impossible to let them run free.
One has to judge with his very special own situation and mostly they will have to stay inside.
When I was young we were in an recon unit and had to sleep outside with - 20° C: no tent, sleeping bag. But in our houses we had no central heating and isolation . If you would ask the same things at the seal's know most of them would have problems.
I just mean mean every situation is so different that's almost impossible to make a judgment .
He is sleeping every night in our house.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by brims

I've searched out and read close to 50 Maine Coon breeder contracts online, mainly from the US and not one of them did not state something like "indoor or outside on a leash". You can take anything I say anyway you wish, but the facts are what they are. Granted there are many more breaders that 50, but when that line shows up in every one of them.

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Again, I have to respond. Just because you found N breeders with similar if not identical contracts - which are in all probability based on similar source documents - does not imply either that those N are in themselves reputable or that only breeders that are reputable have those contracts. What you have found is that normal practise in your location is to include these terms in a contract, nothing more, nothing less.

To me, living in the UK, a reputable breeder is one that both conforms to my expectations of animal welfare and good practise and also has gained a reputation with their peers and previous clients of the same.

There is far to much sloppy "A means B therefore B means C" going on in people's writing to justify their own opinions nowadays.