Keeping a cat indoors - cruel?

aileth

geoffky wrote: »

Please,Please bell your cats if you let them out..
Tens of Millions of our native birds are being killed each year because of irresponsible owners not putting bells on their cats...
It costs a few quid and gives the birds a chance to escape.

The most recent figures are from the Mammal Society, which estimates that the UK's cats catch up to 275 million prey items a year, of which 55 million are birds. This is the number of prey items that were known to have been caught; we don't know how many more the cats caught, but didn't bring home, or how many escaped but subsequently died

Or if you're finding a bell ineffective, there are siren collars etc that can be better, but also quite a bit pricier. My parent's cat was the local bird murderer regardless of how many bells (she had three on her collar once) so they bought her an alarm collar, which beeped loudly when she made a sudden movement (such has bum wiggle or a pounce). She hasn't killed a birdie since.

Lilyjade

I have 4 indoor cats of various ages and they are all fine with it. We have built them an outdoor run that they can access any time. The only time they seem keen to get in the garden is in the sumer if we are out there. We do take them out in the garden with us in the summer, and only one has decided he would like to leave the garden. Even this cat doesn't ask to go out the rest of the time though!

Mine have all been indoor cats from very young, I am not sure how it would work with an older cat who really wanted out.

Mine are chipped so don't wear collars, but even if they did I would not use a bell on them. I would hate to have a bell ringing in my ears all the time so I won't subject my cats to that either!

calicocat

adouglasmhor wrote: »

Mercola has been warned by the FDA in America about claims on his products and use of equipment.
He also thinks HIV does not cause AIDS, Avian flu and swine flu don't exist and that sunscreen increases the risk of skin cancer (unless it's his special ones that he sells).
Quack.

I have never bought anything from him, just read the emails I get sent sometimes.

Sounds well dodgey then.




I have to actually tell my cat to go outside at times as I think she should get some fresh air (but my back door is always open so I guess she gets it anyway). She is clearly happy indoors, it's me the human who wants her to get fresh air.

She will go out when I do as she follows me. She 's dying to see what happens outside the front door as she only goes out the back. But this will not be happening by me letting her as cars are out the front.

The summer however is a different thing and will sunbathe for hours, although now I have a conservatory she just uses that. I plan to probably lawn the back next year as one thing she does like is too eat grass and here is all gravel or boarders. I think she probably misses having grass, both to eat and underfoot.

House cats can most definitely be happy cats.

22cuddles

Both my two have been house cats for the last eight years. They came from a rescue centre and I explained I lived in a flat (first floor, communal front door that I couldn't guarantee the other residents wouldn't shut). They felt my boy was suitable as he was a fighter with any other cats so it was either an indoor life or a really remote home far away from other cats. Over the years I did worry if I was being cruel and did attempt to let him out for about six months or so - he started fighting with another cat in the area, lost all his fur on his belly and back legs. Despite biopsies and various creams it didn't improve until I decided to make him an indoor cat again, then cleared up fairly rapidly. Sadly he was diagnosed with FIV 18 months ago and I lost him a few weeks ago (cats with FIV are recommended to be kept as indoor cats to avoid spreading the disease). My girl, who I got at the same time, is also indoors only. At 18 she's deaf as a post and I live by a very busy road and I feel she'd soon be run over if she went outside as she couldn't hear cars approaching. It doesn't seem to bother her.

meritaten

my pampered Barney has always been an indoor cat. He comes outside only on his harness.
and to illustrate why - he was outside with me and the Westies next door started barking and growling, did he run for the house? nope - the stupid cat tried to jump the fence into their garden! They could have torn him apart! trouble with Barney is he thinks everyone and everything loves him! he is way too friendly (another reason for keeping him indoors, he is obviously an expensive cat (Flat face Persian) and this isn't the most crime free area!) another is, is that he apparently isn't afraid of traffic!

LondonDreamer

meritaten wrote: »

my pampered Barney has always been an indoor cat. He comes outside only on his harness.
and to illustrate why - he was outside with me and the Westies next door started barking and growling, did he run for the house? nope - the stupid cat tried to jump the fence into their garden! They could have torn him apart! trouble with Barney is he thinks everyone and everything loves him! he is way too friendly (another reason for keeping him indoors, he is obviously an expensive cat (Flat face Persian) and this isn't the most crime free area!) another is, is that he apparently isn't afraid of traffic!

He has no reason to be afraid. In his mind, the cars would all stop to admire him, obviously!

My cat (a CP rescue) is indoors only at the moment. He likes relaxing by the front door sometimes as he can see all the rooms from there, but shows no signs of wanting to go outside. Will reassess in spring but right now with it being so cold and dark, I'm very happy with him staying indoors. CP had no issue with him only having limited and supervised outdoor access long term, as we can't install a cat flap. I don't live on a busy road but he is easily spooked so I wouldn't want him stuck outside, scared and not be able to get back in.

So I don't think it's cruel as long as it's not affecting the happiness of the cat. But it very much comes down to their personality, as with any animal. I've even had a dog (and a working breed at that) who hated being outdoors. A walk was a cruel punishment in her eyes, she would run for home as soon as she could.

lisajane8482

I have 2 indoor only cats. Neither have shown any real interest to go outside. Salem has sat at the back door and watched me put rubbish in the bin and will come and have a look outside when I answer the door but has never made any attempt to go outside. Gizmo runs upstairs when I answer the door, he sits by the door when we come home and he's never made an attempt to go outside.

We have lots of toys for them both and play with them every day (although Salem usually watches and joins in occasionally as he's a lazy cat), we have a ceiling high tree which they both climb and swing from and Gizmo has several mad half hours a day where he runs randomly from room to room or amuses himself with his pom pom balls or nub balls. Salem has 1-2 mad half hours per day where he chases one of the toys around the sitting room.

I think it all is down to the cats personally and although I would prefer if they were indoor only cats if they did show signs of wanting to be out I would let them.

As for the harness and leads they both do crocodile rolls when they have them until you take them off, that is of course if you can manage to actually get them in them, and yes I have tried the slow introduction of harnesses and lead on them both.

redfragglebiker

We have two indoor cats from the same litter any they have always been indoor cats as we lived very close to a main road when we first got them as well as next to a busy dog walking area. They have 3 climbing trees (we have a 3 storey townhouse thing so one on each level) and plenty of small furry toys to chase and they don't seem to suffer from not going out. I did once ask the vet about keeping them indoors and he admitted his own two cats are indoor cats so it can't be that bad for them. The bigger one of our two will now sit by the open door if you're bringing shopping in etc from outside but has never ever shown any inclination of wanting to go out (they are both chipped just in case but I think that's be being overly cautious!)

I think as long as they don't have the chance to get bored then they are pretty unlikely to get stressed about not being outside. Ours certainly don't seem to care either way and they're happy healthy little monsters!

CaptainAmerica

lisajane8482 wrote: »

Gizmo has several mad half hours a day where he runs randomly from room to room

My three house cats also have similar tendencies.....I call it "The Siamese Grand Prix"


You would think I had a herd of elephants rampaging around if you didn't know any better.

gunsandbanjos

I have 2 indoor cats, they seem perfectly happy, don't show any signs of wanting to go out.
Boy cat we had from a kitten and he has never been out, girl cat was a rescue, she was a stray and terrified of the outside apparently! She also has a heart condition and rescue had her down as indoor only so she was perfect for us.