Do cats really need to go outdoors?

[orientalslave]

Amen to that! I will never understand why people think cats need to go outside just to have fun because there are many toys, condos, towers, scratching posts, window perches, and cat food dispensers to choose from and other items for training cats to stop destructive behavior. If the cat goes outside alone, it is not with its guardian, so keeping it in strengthens the human/animal bond if you teach it to love staying inside.

I'm not about to have a lawn in part of the house, or paving slabs, or a lupin bed to chase each other round and through, or birds to be ambushed from it, or bushes to sunbathe under, or birds flying around inside for them to watch.  My back garden, which they cannot get out of, provides things I cannot or will not provide indoors.  It makes their environment richer.  They like it enough to go out in quite damp conditions, and to demand to be let out several times a day - they don't have free access at present as I have two kittens I'm not letting out just yet.  Normally they come and go as they please.

Are they bonded with me?  Well their choice is to sleep with me, on or in the bed, almost every night.  They come when I call, and will make it quite clear when they want to sit on my lap and be petted.  To me that's pretty good bonding.

 

[meuzettesmom]

I put pictures in the forum for photos of my cats in and out of their home.

I still say IF you can let your cats out safely, they would be happier. I use to sit out on my swing under the tree. They would play all around me.

I left the front door open for them to come and go as they pleased. Cat paradise.

 

[emilymaywilcha]

I put pictures in the forum for photos of my cats in and out of their home.

I still say IF you can let your cats out safely, they would be happier. I use to sit out on my swing under the tree. They would play all around me.

I left the front door open for them to come and go as they pleased. Cat paradise.

They would not be happier outside if they always lived indoors. I had Patricia since she was 7 weeks old and she never went outside. Emily, a 9-week old kitten when I adopted her, also had no interest in going outside. I have no reason not to believe if a cat grew up indoors, it will love to stay indoors.

 

[fair2middling]

Ok it's a draw, some cats like to go outside some do not, some owners let their cats outside some don't. Your original post was " do cats really need to go outside " I would think the answer is clearly up to the owners & that is that.

 

[yayi]

Ok it's a draw, some cats like to go outside some do not, some owners let their cats outside some don't. Your original post was " do cats really need to go outside " I would think the answer is clearly up to the owners & that is that.

  Amen, amen and amen. 

 

[catsallaround]

Quote:

"I have no reason not to believe if a cat grew up indoors, it will love to stay indoors".

YOU just said what I have been saying-IF!!! it grew up indoors.

All is good if you get that cat as a kitten.  Live and learn when you end up with an adult and time does not "take care" of the cats obsession to go out.  Not ALL cats will want to go out, but there will be those you CAN NOT "train" to stay in.

I agree with fair2middling and yayi.  Feels like we are beating a dead horse.

 

[orientalslave]

They would not be happier outside if they always lived indoors.

You have absolutely no idea about that one.  It's true, indoor-only cats don't know what they are missing, but that beingt allowed out in a safe environment won't improve their quality of life?  Sorry, cannot agree with that one. 

 

[meuzettesmom]

I had a rehomed ferel cat once. She couldn't go outside and enjoy it. She came from a junk yard, half dead. She wanted to stay in.

But I do have some ex farm cats who love it. Not all are the same, just because they are cats doesn't mean they will like it outside. But if they do, their spirit will lessen alittle bit each day if they don't get out there. Safety first. This is just a insane world for cats.

 

[emilymaywilcha]

You have absolutely no idea about that one.  It's true, indoor-only cats don't know what they are missing, but that being allowed out in a safe environment won't improve their quality of life?  Sorry, cannot agree with that one. 

If the cat does not want to go outside its quality of life inside is obviously good enough. There is no reason to believe cats who run from doors instead of through them would be happier if given the freedom to go outside. You obviously never had such a cat.

 

[emilymaywilcha]

I had a rehomed ferel cat once. She couldn't go outside and enjoy it. She came from a junk yard, half dead. She wanted to stay in.

But I do have some ex-farm cats who love it. Not all are the same, just because they are cats doesn't mean they will like it outside. But if they do, their spirit will lessen a little bit each day if they don't get out there. Safety first. This is just a insane world for cats.

Exactly! Wilbur was a stray for God knows how long and ran from doors just like Emily and Patricia did. He never thought about going outside the whole nine years I had him. So I have no reason to believe just because a cat is a stray it automatically is unwilling to stay inside 24/7.

 

[orientalslave]

If the cat does not want to go outside its quality of life inside is obviously good enough. There is no reason to believe cats who run from doors instead of through them would be happier if given the freedom to go outside. You obviously never had such a cat.

Plenty of indoor cats *do* want to go out - and some who run from the door would start going out if it was left open, which is what I do with my back door in the summer.

 

[otto]

Plenty of indoor cats *do* want to go out - and some who run from the door would start going out if it was left open, which is what I do with my back door in the summer.

This does not mean it is safe for them to be out.

Nor does it mean they are unhappy not going out.

Cats are curious creatures and if they saw a door left opened that had never been left open before, sure many of them would wander out, not because it was OUT, but because there was a door left open.

And many who do, are never seen again.

 

[mani]

Oh, goodness, this just goes on and on.

My boy escaped today, into the garden.. what a joy it was to see him leap around and explore, until I managed to catch him!  Personally, if I could section off a larger area of my garden, I would do it in a flash.  To have a safe outdoor garden would be wonderful (still allowing some space from my precious blue tongue lizards

) 

But it just isn't feasible.  So today I patiently cable-tied the netting to my 3.4 x 1.8 cat enclosure and hopefully by next week my two will have their little outdoor sanctuary. 

But this is what works for me and, I believe, for my cats.  There is no right or wrong to this (apart from truly irresponsible behaviour - allowing cats to wander randomly).  Of course there are people with very strong ideas on what is right or wrong, which stimulates great discussion. But ultimately agreeing to disagree is a pretty good outcome.

 

[otto]

Oh, goodness, this just goes on and on.

My boy escaped today, into the garden.. what a joy it was to see him leap around and explore, until I managed to catch him!  Personally, if I could section off a larger area of my garden, I would do it in a flash.  To have a safe outdoor garden would be wonderful (still allowing some space from my precious blue tongue lizards ) 
But it just isn't feasible.  So today I patiently cable-tied the netting to my 3.4 x 1.8 cat enclosure and hopefully by next week my two will have their little outdoor sanctuary. 

But this is what works for me and, I believe, for my cats.  There is no right or wrong to this (apart from truly irresponsible behaviour - allowing cats to wander randomly).  Of course there are people with very strong ideas on what is right or wrong, which stimulates great discussion. But ultimately agreeing to disagree is a pretty good outcome.

This is a subject that endlessly attracts interest, because people have strong feelings about it.

Yes, I am very happy with my little fenced yard where I take my cats out. They wear harnesses, drag their ropes behind them, and do not try to climb or jump the six foot fence. I work in the garden or read. When I tell them it's time to go in, they come and line up at the door to wait for me to take off their harnesses. Sometimes they want to go in before I do.

There is nothing toxic growing in our little yard.

But they get much more exercise inside, when I play interactive Games with them, and they play with one another.

The cats I know who are allowed to roam at will look awful, compared to my kitties. Of course diet is part of that. The various people I know who let their cats roam, also feed crap food. But I am always shocked when I go to any friend's house who lets their cats out, at how unhealthy their cats look, compared to my happy fit indoor cats.

 

[orientalslave]

This does not mean it is safe for them to be out.
 

Since they can't get out of the back garden, it is.

 

[otto]

Since they can't get out of the back garden, it is.

I was speaking in general terms. Your post I was replying to, with the exception of the last line, also sounded generalized, nor did you state that your garden is enclosed.

Plenty of indoor cats *do* want to go out - and some who run from the door would start going out if it was left open, which is what I do with my back door in the summer.

In general: a door left open, and an indoor cat with no interest in going outside, dashing out, is not a good thing and often ends in tragedy. You leaving your door open for your cats to go out into a cat proof garden is not at ALL the same thing.

 

[orientalslave]

I have said many times in this thread that I have a cat-proof back garden, and that I believe being able to let my cats have free access to it is a huge boon for them.  I might even have said that the somewhat plump one has lost 400g in the year simply through going out there - no change in his good whatsoever.

 

[meuzettesmom]

A cat safe backyard would be what is called for. Then with that, there will be still some that say no thanks to the outdoors. Their care people know what their wants are.

 

[emilymaywilcha]

This does not mean it is safe for them to be out.
Nor does it mean they are unhappy not going out.
Cats are curious creatures and if they saw a door left opened that had never been left open before, sure many of them would wander out, not because it was OUT, but because there was a door left open.
And many who do, are never seen again.

You hit the nail on the head, Otto. This is why people say, "Curiosity killed the cat."

 

[matts mom]

I think it depends on the cat. My Sassy was an indoor only cat until she was 4, when I took her on a leash to let her get some sun and fresh air. It was cooler outside than inside that year and she was having trouble with the heat. she stayed in the yard, and liked to lounged on the patio. 

Matt-cat on the other hand, he's currently yowling at the window because another cat is nearby.(outside) He was a stray before I got him and I don't know if he'll ever settle into being an indoor cat. I can't have windows open unless I am willing to put up with him prowling from one end of the house to the other rowling and yowling, and generally putting up a fuss! I'm just getting sick of having the A/C on all the time, so I had to open windows tonight, and like clockwork off he goes. I take him out on a leash when the weather is ok for me(I can't handle the heat/humidity) but otherwise I have to shut all my windows and blinds to calm the cat down because if he sees outside he wants outside and gets agitated with being shut in. Last week he actually broke a fly screen in the bathroom window and jumped 15feet down to escape, so now I can't even leave that one open. I don't know how long he was a stray for, but I do know he's getting microchipped, because one of these days he'll get out on me and I just hope he likes it here enough to come