Cats are America's most popular pets, but they are also the pets most likely to die prematurely from diseases, poisons, attacks by other animals, abuse by humans, or speeding vehicles. The reason is simple: Owners often don't realize that allowing their cat to roam outdoors can be a one-way ticket to trouble. Millions of cats suffer and die because their owners give them free reign to roam the neighborhood. The vast majority of these owners aren't cruel or thoughtless; many love their animals as much as the rest of us. They just believe that cats are happiest outdoors. In fact, many cat caregivers acquired their felines by "taking in" or caring for someone's cat who was allowed to stray.
A Dangerous Tradeoff
When cats are left outside unsupervised, their freedom to roam comes at a cost because they have a vastly increased chance of being injured, becoming ill, or even dying. The estimated average life span of a free-roaming cat is less than three years—compared to 12–15 years for the average indoor-only cat. Even the cat who only occasionally ventures outdoors unsupervised can fall victim to automobiles, predators, disease, and other hazards. In fact, two out of three veterinarians recommend keeping cats indoors, most often citing dangers from vehicles and disease.*
Even cats in "safe" suburban neighborhoods can meet untimely fates and never return home. Fewer than 5% of "found" cats taken in by animal shelters are reunited with their families. That's why many shelters now require potential adopters to commit to keeping their cats safely confined and strongly recommend that cats wear collars and ID tags, and even be implanted with an identifying microchip. Some communities are adopting ordinances aimed at encouraging owners to confine their cats—just as they do their dogs.
Home Is the Best Habitat
So what is best for your cat? The HSUS's Safe Cats campaign was created to help you keep your cat safe and happy by making the great indoors both interesting and comfortable. The campaign can teach you how to "bring the outdoors in" and enrich the life of your cat. There are lots of things that you and your cat can do together for fun—and you will have longer to enjoy one another if you keep your cat safely confined in his natural habitat: the home you share.

Puppy Scams & Cons
Buyers Beware: Debunking Puppy Scams
Luckily, many animal lovers are becoming aware that purchasing a dog—or any animal, for that matter—from a pet store is a big no-no. Almost all puppies sold at pet stores come from backyard breeders or puppy mills, where dogs are housed in cramped, filthy conditions without sufficient veterinary care, food, water and socialization. Furthermore, the breeding stock at puppy mills—the moms and dads—are bred as often as possible, for as long as possible, in order to increase profits. But a growing trend among commercial puppy breeders is to cut out the middleman—the pet shop—and use online retailing to get their dogs directly into your homes.
Internet Puppy Scams Consumers trying to find dogs from reputable breeders or breed rescue groups often turn to the Web for advice. But they soon find themselves bombarded with elaborate websites offering the offspring of “champions.” With a host of fancy terms—certified kennel, AKC registered, pedigree, health certified—and picturesque photos of tail-wagging terriers, doe-eyed Chihuahuas and every other adorable breed, it is easy to become overwhelmed with choices. Don’t be fooled: the Internet is a vast, unregulated marketplace allowing anyone to put up a website claiming anything. Scattered among the websites of reputable breeders and rescue groups, Internet puppy scammers attract potential buyers with endearing pictures and phony promises.
The Loophole Under the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA), commercial breeders selling directly to pet stores must be licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture. However, the AWA does not regulate breeders that sell directly to the public. The AWA was passed in 1966, prior to the Internet boom—lawmakers couldn’t foresee that commercial breeders would someday have the ability to sell directly to the public via the Internet. This loophole allows some puppy mills to operate without a license and without fear of inspection—meaning they are not accountable to anyone for their breeding and care standards. According to a recent ASPCA survey, 89 percent of all “breeders” selling over the Internet are unlicensed by USDA.
The Scams An informal online survey conducted by the ASPCA reveals that just as many Americans are now purchasing their dogs over the Internet as buying from pet stores. That said, according to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, hundreds of complaints are filed every year from victims who were scammed when buying a dog online. Here are some of the most common scam scenarios predators use on consumers:
•The Bait and Switch In this classic scam, the website depicts dozens of photos of cute and cuddly, happy and healthy puppies. What the consumer doesn’t realize is that these are stock photos taken from a clip-art file—or simply stolen from other websites. In this scam, virtually all contact is done via email, and the puppy is typically shipped without the buyer ever seeing the dog in person. The scam is revealed when the dog is delivered and the buyer is faced not with the adorable puppy from the photos, but a sickly dog, often of a different color or with different markings. Scammers count on people feeling guilty or compassionate and choosing not to send the puppy back.