Cage, or castle?

In the mornings the cats push me out of the way to get out the back door. Actually, they're not really that rude, but you get the idea.  On a sunny morning it's a quick sortie of the yard, then they are straight up the back fence.  My immediate neighbour has both fruit trees, and feeders to attract many birds in the early morning.  My cats sit at the top of the fence on their perches, catching the warming rays of sunshine,  and watching the birds with great interest.

I sometimes see people write about cats' need to roam, used as a reason not to confine their cats.  But, they forget that dogs also naturally roam.  Here it is accepted that good dog owners fence their yards, and keep dogs from wandering freely.  Dogs, being highly social animals, could put the case that they should be allowed to roam rather than being kept for hours on end with no social contact as many dogs are.  Cats being perceived as less social (although I think there is much research still required on that topic) should be better candidates for restrictions,  if we are considering the welfare of the animal (not our convenience).

I think about my cats getting their morning entertainment from behind a fence.  Personally, I think they are getting more 'bang for buck' by being fenced.  They can watch and be entertained for hours.  If they were free to get in there to hunt, they might get a few minutes before the birds flew away. Of course, there are birds in my yard too. And bird feeders, placed high and well out of the way.  The cats love these, and again it provides hours of entertainment.  Noomi, has a real hunters instinct and will gladly dispatch the foolhardy.  But most locally based birds are well onto them, and actually use the cat fencing as a perch, or even a protective shield.  We have a pair of blackbirds so bold that they have been in the house, and frequently pinch the cats food.

So is it a cage they live in, or a castle? A fortified home repelling foreign invaders, while offering all the comfort and entertainment they need.

Safely spying on a roaming cat, or watching a feeding bird... either way Lily is tucked safely behind the fence

catching the first rays of spring sunshine

hunting behind the fence - all the thrill of the hunt with no capture.