Indoor Cat or Outdoor Cat?

betti911

My fiance and I have two indoor cats, both sisters. They are between 6-8 years old and we adopted them from a cat and dog home last year. We live in a flat at the moment so its not practical for them to go outside. We may consider letting them outside when we get a house as the vet said we should however I think its likely we won't as they would be so ill equiped for life outdoors. I don't think its cruel as its all they have ever known and they are very well looked after/spoiled!

spike7451

Daisy is an indoor cat,partly on the advice from ASSISI where I rehomed her from & partly to where I live.She escaped once into the back garden but quickly went back inside...
We also have badgers & foxes coming into the garden due to the building over the way from me (I live right on the outskirts of the town & where they are building now used to be farmland) & my neighbours puss was attacked & hurt badly.
Daisy's quite content being a house cat.

bratz81

My cat Quackers is an indoor cat and always has been. Partly because of health issues and partly because of recommendations from various vets and animal shelters who say indoor cats live longer, have less disease and obviously can't get run over!

He's totally blind in one eye and partially blind in the other, due to his previous owners abusing him, and so has trouble sometimes jumping, where he'll miss ledges and stuff. He also sometimes misjudges door frames and runs into the wall rather than through the door.

He's never been outside and doesn't have any desire to go outside even if he could. He did escape once when he fell out a low window and I've never seen a cat so desperate to get back inside!!!

I used to have a cat called Cleo, who was indoor/outdoor cat. The ex got her in the breakup, hence used to. But she went out in the morning and came back in a dinner time and was happy enough. We rehomed her when she was about 1year old and she's been used to being outside and wanted outside. So would be cruel to keep her in. Mind you, the ex has informed me that as she's gotten older, she seems to like staying in more.

rita-rabbit

wilykit wrote: »

You can put fences up but most cats will climb over them. I find it odd that my cat doesn't want to go outside...but it's more 'unnatural' for me to force him to go out. He is given the option and decides that sleeping on my duvet is more appealing that going outside in the cold!

I have never wanted a cat flap as I have dogs and my doors are doubled and the outdoor ones have glass in so I couldn't have one anyway. And like I said - he won't go outside!!

My sister's cat is even worse - put him outside and he goes beserk!!!

Just wanted to let you all know. When I get enough money to change my door it's likely to be double glazed & I will have a catflap put in it for my two.

Girlpantsx

I have two outdoor cats, and they love it!

puppy999

I have had siamese all my live and they hav all been indoor cats I lost my 15yr red point 16mths ago ... I now hav a ragdoll,siamese and a tonkanises they go out with me when the weather is nice but never on there own they hav a large climbing frame they run around the house with my 2yr Akita all my cats hav lived long, happy and health lifes.......... when people say ohhh my cat got run over Sorry no sympathy as they sud not be out wondering the streets....... Ok having catflaps if you liv out in the sticks but they sud be in at nite.......... and from looking on here ther are more INDOOR than OUTDOOR

spike7451

Daisy's an indoor puss as was Orbit before here.With Orbit it was because I lived right on the main road in a rear apartment now I live in an upstairs apartment.He never wanted to go out,I took him into the back garden a few times but he wanted back indoors.With Daisy,she was kept in a pen all the time as she was a fighter around other cats so all she's ever known is indoors.Believe me,she's perfectly happy being an indoor cat.
People say they don't like/think/agree with cat's being kept indoors...OK then so then why keep mice,snakes,rabbits,rats,spiders ect indoors then? They weren't meant to be kept indoors either by that argument.Seems to me those applying that argument against indoor cat's have double standards....

Girlpantsx

puppy999 wrote: »

I have had siamese all my live and they hav all been indoor cats I lost my 15yr red point 16mths ago ... I now hav a ragdoll,siamese and a tonkanises they go out with me when the weather is nice but never on there own they hav a large climbing frame they run around the house with my 2yr Akita all my cats hav lived long, happy and health lifes.......... when people say ohhh my cat got run over Sorry no sympathy as they sud not be out wondering the streets....... Ok having catflaps if you liv out in the sticks but they sud be in at nite.......... and from looking on here ther are more INDOOR than OUTDOOR

That is cold. How about if your Akita got run over? Would you like it if someone said "Welll it shouldn't be out wondering" I don't supposed you would.
There is no wrong way to keep a cat. I wanted my first cat to be an indoor cat, but she had other ideas. I think it's a decision that should be decided on how the cat reacts to your home, unless you're living somewhere that you couldn't possibly let them out.

AnnaMonkey

Girlpantsx wrote: »

I think it's a decision that should be decided on how the cat reacts to your home, unless you're living somewhere that you couldn't possibly let them out.

Perfect

I think people that are totally against indoor cats generally haven't got much experience of it? I didn't like the idea ... before i got one! And my little mog is very happy and never tries to even get outside! if she was howling by the door every day we might think about how we could work it even though it wouldn't be convienient in an upstairs flat, but she's not fussed. and she has plenty of scratch posts and heights, loving her spot on top of the wardrobes and on all the high window sills too.

Every situation is different.

lostinrates

Our cats used to be indoor cats in our flat in London, then at the weekends we'd go to my family home in the countryside and they'd be allowed out. This happened for a long while. When we couldn't get out of cities (we moved with the cats a fair bit) or when we'd moved, I'd take them out on leads so they could get some fresh air, explore and chase things. At home we'd make their environment less bland for them...food in places they had to climb, lots of games and Da Bird etc. Now we have bought somewhere I think is safe enough for them to go in and out and one chooses to, one doesn't much unless she's helping me garden. I hope she will with time, feel braver, but there is a feral colony here and I think she's nervous of them, I just make sure to tell her when I'm going to be in the garden so she gets as much opportunity as possible to get fresh air and outdoor space and keep her fit with indoor games and toys.

There is no doubt in my mind the cats favourite home was my family home where they were always allowed out, but they have adjusted to other circumstances well and are fantastically sociable and easy cats to live with.