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Call her a pawm reader! Esteemed comedy actor Wendi McLendon-Covey doesn’t need a crystal ball to know that her companion cat Butters is safer indoors—but a little feline intervention never hurts. Ahead of the premiere of her new sitcom, St. Denis Medical, McLendon-Covey is reminding guardians that allowing cats to roam outdoors could very likely cut their future short.
In a PSA for PETA, McLendon-Covey gives Butters a tarot card reading—and reveals the many ways in which fortune favors cats who stay safe and warm inside.
‘Outdoor Cats’ Are Not So Fortunate
Cats allowed to roam outdoors unsupervised are at risk of ingesting poison, contracting fatal diseases, succumbing to weather extremes, being attacked by predators, being hit by cars, or falling victim to many other dangers. Across the U.S., cruel humans shoot, poison, mutilate, drown, torture, strangle, stab, and trap unsupervised cats or even set them on fire or use them in ritual sacrifice.
“Isn’t it fun to be an ‘innie’? No extreme weather, no cars to run over you, no creepy neighbors doing anything weird with you,” McLendon-Covey says. “Just pure love and joy all up in this place.”
While indoor cats generally live for about 12 to 20 years, cats left to fend for themselves outside have a life expectancy of only one to five years.
“Oh, the longevity card! Because you have an extra decade on this sweet Earth since you live indoors and not outside in a bush,” McLendon-Covey says.
Letting Cats Roam Freely Does Not Bode Well for Wildlife
In addition to facing many dangers themselves, roaming cats terrorize, main, and kill billions of birds and other small animals every year in the U.S.
“The lifesaver: We are saving over 40 animals a week by you staying the f*** inside,” McLendon-Covey adds. “You’re welcome, birds, squirrels, chipmunks, and lizards!”
Enrichment Is in the Cards for Companion Cats
In another PETA video, The Goldbergs star takes viewers on a tour of her home’s “catio”—full of perches, climbing structures, scratching posts, toys, and kitty-safe plants—where Butters and her other cats can enjoy fresh air and sunshine without endangering themselves or wildlife.
PETA offers a free catio-building guide as well as a “cat guardian’s bible” written by PETA President Ingrid Newkirk, available for purchase here. Learn more about keeping cats enriched inside:
