Outdoor pet Recommendations needed!
We're really hoping to add a pet to our family, the only thing is that for cultural reasons we can't have pets or any animals inside the house. Other than chickens, what pets can live outdoors? I've seen a few outdoor cats in our neighborhood, but I heard that that's dangerous to wildlife.
We'd love your suggestions! Thx! : )
NOTE: Even though our pet is going to live outside we have a decent sized yard and will interact with the animal a LOT. Someone will also always be home, as we work from home/digitally. We have a highschooler and a middle schooler.
Aug 24, 2022
Parent Replies
Bunnies can live in an outdoor cage.
Rabbits. Build a hutch. We have some.
We had an outdoor dog growing up. As long as you make sure to get a dog who is suitable for your climate, that might be a good solution for you
I love the suggestion of rabbits! In addition to chickens, you can also raise quail, ducks, etc. Just check your city or HOA (if you have one). Also realize that outdoor hutches can attract rats, as that happened to us. Another suggestion I have are "Garden cats". I recently adopted a kitten through Island Cats (icraeastbay.org) and I saw that they are looking for homes that will take in a feral cat who has been spayed and neutered, but who is too wild to live indoors. The new "owner" just feeds the cat and keeps an eye out for its safety. I imagine some cats will be less friendly than others, but I also hear that people have won the friendship of feral cats. I've never done this, but it sounded intriguing, as you're not bringing home a domestic cat and making it live outdoors, you're helping a cat who is already outdoors and can't move inside. At least this way, if you're concerned about wildlife, you're not adding another cat to their ecosystem, as the cat was already living there.
Moderator: can you please add my ps to my previous reply to this post? Thanks!
ps. I should add that I don’t encourage you to get a domestic cat and make it live outdoors (I can tell you weren’t going to do that anyway but just in case). All my cats, including the new kitten, are indoor only. Also ICRA was very nice to work with, they are all volunteer run, foster home based, and everyone I talked to was lovely. Good luck!
I just read the other responses you received and feel compelled to write. PLEASE do not get an "outdoor dog." Unless you live on a farm and it's the dog's job to guard a herd of sheep or goats, this is a terrible idea. Dogs are pack animals who live tragic lives filled with grief and sadness if they are excluded from their people.
I second the idea to get a half-feral cat. There are plenty of organizations who have cats not tame enough to live indoors but still desiring some small amount of interaction with people.
Hi, if you’re looking for small sized and gentle bunnies, we have 2 (sisters) 1.5 yrs old, in need of a new home. We got them from a local breeder in Pinole who breeds for smaller size and gentle temperaments which these are. They are have been mostly outside (fenced enclosure) except in the winter when they stay in a fenced area of our garage.
We got them primarily to eat extra garden greens and provide organic fertilizer for the garden, they exceeded at both!
The reason we’re looking for a new home for them is we plan to travel since now retired.
If interested or questions lmk, I can send more details and photos.