Keeping a cat indoors - cruel?

CharlieRabbit01

Person_one wrote: »

My dogs are no bigger than lots of cats, they have toys and play fight and potter around my flat, but it would be incredibly cruel for me to never walk them, never take them for a good run in the park.

Do cats just not need this? My hounds would be stir crazy and driving me up the wall within about 48 hours of no walks!

no cats don't need to be walked.

My cat doesn't like the outside so I'd be a bit stuck really if I had to take him out, I did try a couple of times and he just screamed at me and climbed up me.

missprice

My Missy (god rest her) I had for17 years. When I first got her she wandered all over the neighborhood. As time passed she was more for sitting in the garden on nice days. And when she finally left me she was pretty much indoors only, mainly by choice. Although she had to be kept in after the ear operation, she did not seem to mind.
Personally I could not make a cat stay in, but if they showed no signs of wanting to be outside I could live with that.
If you really wanted to have indoor only, you could ask at the shelter for one when it came up.

Person_one

CharlieRabbit01 wrote: »

no cats don't need to be walked.

My cat doesn't like the outside so I'd be a bit stuck really if I had to take him out, I did try a couple of times and he just screamed at me and climbed up me.

I wasn't asking if they need to be walked specifically, but if they need to 'stretch their legs' outside the confines of their house/flat.

pawsies

Cat harness and lead. What every responsible cat owner should use.

CharlieRabbit01

Person_one wrote: »

I wasn't asking if they need to be walked specifically, but if they need to 'stretch their legs' outside the confines of their house/flat.

I think with a cat you'll get a variety of answers, but mostly I believe its down to the individual cat. Mine wont go out for anything, where as a friend of mine doesn't see hers all day as he's out hunting.

The larger cats like mentioned before should really get a bit of exercise outside of the house simply down to their size really but most responsible owners will use a harness and lead.

My MIL had a maltese dog and he never wanted to walk far, he'd go for walk then stop and refuse to walk further.

savemoney

My daughter keeps two house cats in here 2 bedroom flat. She found a stray English short hair turned out real owner didn't want cat so she kept it. Cat was a house cat before and was very nervous. She recently got a kitten a rag doll too, to keep cat company. Both are opposite sex and have been neutered. They get on well together and have plenty of toys to play. They seem quite happy and she is very careful what she feed them with always getting best food for them

Pippin12

Just wrote a long reply and lost it - grr. Anyway the jist of what I was saying was to thankyou for your views all as it has given me a lot to think about. I wonder if it's possible to train a cat from a kitten to walk on a harness and lead? I guess this would really depend on the personality of the cat. It would be the ideal solution if it could be done. Otherwise I think rehoming an indoors cat who has to stay in for medical reasons etc would be the way forward... Hmmm....

adouglasmhor

I think breeding inbred freaks with multiple health problems like ragdoll cats is cruel though.

CharlieRabbit01

Pippin12 wrote: »

Just wrote a long reply and lost it - grr. Anyway the jist of what I was saying was to thankyou for your views all as it has given me a lot to think about. I wonder if it's possible to train a cat from a kitten to walk on a harness and lead? I guess this would really depend on the personality of the cat. It would be the ideal solution if it could be done. Otherwise I think rehoming an indoors cat who has to stay in for medical reasons etc would be the way forward... Hmmm....

I started off by putting just the harness on my kitten and left him walking round in it at first he bit it and rolled around on the floor but he seemed to get used to it quite quickly and then took no notice, once on the lead he was more concerned with being out side than being on a lead.

anon123456

I wish my cats would go out! Thy look outdoors sniff it and say no thanks and go back upstairs.

We have two very happy healthy indoor cats. i dare anyone to look at my shelly purring her head off in my arms saying she is unhappy only being indoors

The suggestion it is cruel is just people with big houses looking down their noses at you