Indoor Cat or Outdoor Cat?

Bunnie1982

Timmy is very much an indoor cat, by his choice really. We give him the option to go outside but comes straight back in should so much as a drop of rain or puff of wind catch him.

With him being inside we were worried about him getting lonely. We recently rescued Rosie who had been abandoned by some previous tenants and although she is inside at the moment whilst she heals from spaying, she is only a very young cat so has lots of energy so she will be going out to burn some of that off. Although the do of them do like to chase each other round the house!

puppypants

I have two rescue cats, the CPL said that they had never been outside so were ideal for indoor cats which is what I wanted as I lived on a very busy road at the time. The only time one of them got out by accidnet was when she fell out of the kitchen window! She liked to sit on the crosspiece of the open window, fell asleep and fell off!! She was yelling for all she was worth at the backdoor to come in. I moved in July to a garden (basement) flat with a walled garden and both cats now enjoy going out into the garden but come in when I call. Best of both worlds in my case.

manda1205

Our 6mnth old kitten is both I suppose, he was really scared to go out for quite a while, but now seems to love it, he spends a good few hours in the morning and then again in the afternoon and last night I let him out in the dark for the first time, it seems he's going to the toilet more and more outside (his tray is hardly getting used) so once he's been neutered tomorrow and is all better we're going to put the cat flap in and then he'll be able to come and go when he wants. We live in a quiet village so Im not bothered, sure he'll be fine having fun outdoors.

KxMx

We got Lily at 6 months when she was allowed to roam freely. She goes outside spring/summer, when one of us is home for the day, so door/window can be left open, and then in overnight at her dinner time.

In the autumn/winter she hibernates and doesn't even ask to go out so she stays in!

bacardi66

I hink it’s a matter of personal choice, as long as a cat is loved and well looked after surely that is the most important thing, especially when you read about the appalling way some people abuse animals and you see all the unwanted cats in rehoming and rescue centres.

I have always had a cat flap and given my cats the choice to come and go as they want, when I got my three kittens 16 years ago they had already been outside as the lady I got them from had let them out, and from the day I got them they were obsessed with getting outside! They always loved being outside especially in the summer and I must admit I have always felt sorry for cats who never get the chance to go out as mine enjoyed it so much. Obviously there is always the worry that something will happen to them and I have spent many hours in the midddle of the night worrying and pacing up and down the street calling naughty cats who have gone missing only to have them come swanning home a few hours later!

I think the stimulation they get outside also makes them less likely to show destructive behaviour indoors, in 16 years my cats have never messed in the house, clawed any furniture or bitten or scratched anyone. My remaining cat is 16 now and still likes to go outside although the recent cold weather has for the first time made him resort to using a litter tray rather than venture out!

But as I said its down to choice and circumstance, I have friends living in a flat who have rehomed FIV cats who can only live indoors and have given them a lovely life full of love which otherwise they would never have had.

People are so quick to judge other people when they are only thinking about what is best for their pet.

FelinePrincess

My 2 cats are indoor cats. We live on a very busy main road and don't have a garden so indoor is the only option. Eventually, when I move to somewhere with a garden, they will have supervised outdoor time - I'd be terrified of anything happening to them!

moggies

I have 7 moggies not one of them is offensive to no one,they are indoor/outdoor moggies,I have a very large cat cage plastic wire enclosure built onto the the whole lengh,height of the back of my house,they can not get out of this very large enclosure as I live on a main bus route,and they can not get into any neighbours gardens ,and are free night and day to come and go into the house via catflap.

My moggies are happy moggies,and currently indoor moggies and hogging the heat,but during the summer I never see them they sit bird watching or what ever they watch at night ,local moggies climb on the enclosure to visit but can not get in.

PRINCESSX87

I think cats will do what they want so to speak, I have 5. Each one of them is completely different.

2 are outdoor cats, Hate to be stuck in, The only time you see them is at grub time.

The other 2 only every go as far as our back garden or ally way!

The last one, hates the outdoors! She spend a few mins in our garden doing her business then she's in for the rest of the day.

little_evo

I have two indoor cats, our boy Moe who is 5 yrs old we call him the 'radiator cat' as that's where he can be found most times of the day during cold weather.:D But he does go outside to sit when the dog goes out and our girl kitty Mog is absolutely terrified of outdoors, we are her fourth owner and think something must of happened to her to cause such a reaction. However, they are both happy heathly cats who love living indoors and that's all that matters to us.

DansMum_2

I'm the same as moggies. My brood have a catflap and an enclosure outside where they're fed and have their trays. I do have a dual carriageway 25 yards away so couldnt risk them going out. They've never been streetwise anyway. Sometimes one will escape, but he always cries to come back to the fold within a few minutes.

In the winter they spend most if their time on either mine or DansDads laps anyway [STRIKE]being affectionate[/STRIKE] keeping warm!