Do You Have An Indoor Or Outdoor Cat, And Why?

[Tabbytha]

I'd love to hear from you about whether your cats are indoor, outdoor or a bit of both It's a situation I feel really conflicted about so would love to hear from other cat owners.

Basically our two cats, aged 2 and 4, are fairly timid rescues. They've been mainly indoor cats (except for when they were kittens, living it hard on the streets) but have been allowed to go outdoors for supervised periods.

They both love being outdoors, to the point that they'll try to bolt out the door when we come in and out, yet they do get scared if there is a loud noise or a gust of wind (!), so we leave our door open so they can safely come in. They have collars with our numbers on it, council tags, plus they are microchipped.

Having been involved with animal rescue, I've heard so many sad stories about cats that have been hit by cars, hurt by other animals and people, or gone missing. Suffice to say I am a real helicopter parent and want to know that they are safe at all times. This is annoying as it means asking my partner a million times if he can see the cats (while he's in the garden) and fretting that they'll run away. We have a fairly big yard yet my boy still prefers wandering over to the neighbours yard or our driveway instead of spending time in our own garden.

They have jumped the fence before and wandered, but they've never gone AWOL for a substantial time. My boy is getting more confident and today went into the front yard, and seeing as we have a big dog that lives opposite who is often running loose, it really freaked me out. I swear I wasn't this grey until I got cats

Then again, it's so lovely seeing them enjoy the grass and sunshine outside, and get to exercise and run around. I'm worried that they're bored indoors, and they fight more with each other when they don't go out. My boy has some weight he needs to shift as well!

Besides the dog opposite the house, we live in a pretty quiet suburban area with no major roads nearby. We're renting so we can't install a cat door and a cat run is out of our price range. We have a lead but neither of my cats likes being walked on it.

I'd love to hear what you do and if you have any suggestions

 

[JamesCalifornia]

~ I have both . I was told "All cats want to go outside ! " But for me that is actually not the case . Some seem content staying indoors . Others go in and out . If you have a yard with safe surroundings I think going outside is 0K . Just remember cats can get exposed to more danger outside .
Good luck ...

 

[danteshuman]

Both my boys are technically allowed in the backyard during the day. However the truth is Salem rarely goes out. Dante only goes out in the afternoon for an hour or two. Part of it is our semi feral has claimed the backyard and naps indoors during the afternoon. You know how cats are.

 

[Norachan]

Most of my cats were born feral, so it's been really difficult to make them indoor only cats. However, as I was caring for a feral colony I saw all the terrible things that can happen to them out there. I've lost count of the amount of cats I found dead on the road. At least three I know of were killed by foxes when they were around 6 months old. One of my neighbour's cats walked through long grass that had been sprayed with weed killer, licked her fur and died of liver failure a few days later.



There is no way I'd let my cats roam around outside now. I have a big garden with a cat proof fence and plenty of trees for them to play in. They're content with that and I don't have to worry quite so much.

If you can't afford to make a catio how about getting a cat tent for them to use in the garden?

 

[JamesCalifornia]

Norachan said :
I have a big garden with a cat proof fence

~ Is this a chain link fence ?

 

[vyger]

Not very long ago, back in July there was a question asked about cats being outside. I was a bit surprised by some of the response as it appears the majority of members don't like the idea of letting their cats outside, some being very passionate about it. I was pretty new then, which is funny to say since I still am pretty new by most standards. Anyway the thread is here : When Is The Right Time To Let My Lovely Norm Outside?
Now I made 2 comments in that thread, one is about my cats situation in which I said:

"I live in a rural area. I have several cats that like being outside. In fact I brought one of them in the other day for a treat and within 2 hours she was in front of the door wanting back out. I see them every day several times a day, sometimes all day because when I am outside they come looking for me. If I am watering the garden they come over and enjoy being with me. But they want to be outside. Since I am surrounded by farm field the only real vegetation is what I have planted on my acreage. The cats will often lurk in the grass and trees at the border of the field. They almost never go any farther except to try and grab something that wanders out in the open. I have several cats that mostly stay inside all the time. They don't want to go out. And I have several that go out in the day and come back in at night. I let them do what they want. We have in effect formed our own colony and the members stick around because its their home and territory. I have almost no mice, none that survive that is, no squirrels, no gophers. My colony keeps them all under control. So, they can be outside but it really depends on the circumstances and on the cats. I would hesitate to let them out if we were living in a city."

In response to a number of the concerns and comments I said this :

"If you look at it historically being able to keep a cat "inside" is a pretty recent thing. So is central heating and plumbing. Of course cars and transportation are recent threats also. Medications and testing and x rays are also all new. When you consider how long cats and people have been associated the vast majority of the time the cats came and went as they wanted. In the end, the result has always been the same. Being a live cat is 100% fatal, as there are none of those cats that have survived. In spite of everything we have done and do, that has still not changed. Being alive produces a 100% chance of dying. However as a species they have done quite well considering the vast majority of their history has been that of living outside. Does being outside increase the probability of their dying? No, inside or outside it's still 100%. All we really do is extend the time that they get to be alive. The point of that should be giving them as much joy as they can have for the time that they have. For some, being able to be outside, like all of their ancestors, is what makes them the happiest. If the point of keeping them alive longer is to make them happy then the question answers itself. Do what brings the most joy to the animal."

I still believe that, that one of the whole points to being a cat friend is to be able to bring them joy. Otherwise what we are doing by or actions is mostly just for bringing joy to ourselves. The cat becomes a secondary concern and can truly be spoken of as being OWNED just like our other possessions. I have often heard comments about how terrible it is when people just discard their animals and people find it hard to understand that mentality. I believe that mentality is founded in the basic attitude of ownership as opposed to friendship. When something is owned and you tire of it then you either store it out of the way or discard it. It is an inconvenience and a burden. So you ditch it. You won't do that to a friend. Also with a friend you will try to look out for it's best interests. Going outside is one of those types of things. But some cats are really only happy if they can go outside which means that as their friend and caretaker we need to strike a balance between what we think is best for them and what brings them the greatest joy.
You will probably get a lot of opinions that you should just keep the cats in all the time. But from your description it sounds like they, the cats are of a different opinion.

 

[Kat0121]

My cats are indoor only. This is non negotiable. I would not let them outside unsupervised for any reason. There are just too many bad things that can happen and at the end of the day, they are my responsibility and it is up to me to decide what is best for them. Both were rescued from an abandoned house in town so they did have to fend for themselves for awhile and I think they hated that. They do not try to go outside. They are quite happy observing the world through the windows.

 

[Norachan]

Norachan said :
I have a big garden with a cat proof fence

~ Is this a chain link fence ?

Nope. Nylon deer netting, wooden posts and a wire mesh overhang. This picture is the original fence, but having the fine nylon mesh on the overhang part didn't work in the snow. I've replaced the top overhanging part with a wider wire mesh, that will hopefully allow the snow through and not collapse this year.

 

[Tabbytha]

I still believe that, that one of the whole points to being a cat friend is to be able to bring them joy. Otherwise what we are doing by or actions is mostly just for bringing joy to ourselves. The cat becomes a secondary concern and can truly be spoken of as being OWNED just like our other possessions. I have often heard comments about how terrible it is when people just discard their animals and people find it hard to understand that mentality. I believe that mentality is founded in the basic attitude of ownership as opposed to friendship. When something is owned and you tire of it then you either store it out of the way or discard it. It is an inconvenience and a burden. So you ditch it. You won't do that to a friend. Also with a friend you will try to look out for it's best interests. Going outside is one of those types of things. But some cats are really only happy if they can go outside which means that as their friend and caretaker we need to strike a balance between what we think is best for them and what brings them the greatest joy.
You will probably get a lot of opinions that you should just keep the cats in all the time. But from your description it sounds like they, the cats are of a different opinion.

That's an interesting perspective, and one which I hadn't thought of before. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Tabbytha]

Nope. Nylon deer netting, wooden posts and a wire mesh overhang. This picture is the original fence, but having the fine nylon mesh on the overhang part didn't work in the snow. I've replaced the top overhanging part with a wider wire mesh, that will hopefully allow the snow through and not collapse this year.View attachment 208458 View attachment 208459

What a cool set-up!

 

[Tabbytha]

I appreciate the replies - I know this is an issue people have different opinions on, so it's interesting to learn what people do for their own cats.

 

[nala88]

Hello! Thanks for starting this thread. I have to say, I am also very conflicted about this... I got a kitten a month ago and before 3 months I am not intending to let her go outside as she still needs to get her final vaccines, but I am very conflicted.

I live in a city, so I know it is very dangerous, and going out for a wander in general is not really an option. But I am moving flat in January and am thinking of getting a fence or a rail for the balcony so she can at least go outside. She is def getting more curious and bolts out the door as soon as I open it (she is also alone around 10 hours a day while I am at work) and she has started wandering down the stairs in the apartment block I live in. I am just always very scared she will dart away or fall down (I live on the fifth floor) and would prefer her to stay inside, but then I also understand that perhaps its unnatural for a cat to be closed in all day? I bought her a harness to try and have a go but she was having none of it! I also feel that most people here are pro keeping their cats inside, and that's what I will probably end up doing, but is it natural??

 

[Neo_23]

I keep mine inside. He was born in a foster home and doesn’t really know the outside world. I’d like to take him outside on a harness from time to time, but the last time I tried it he was shivering and growling and terrified out of his mind. It may have been also that the weather was too cold... I’ll probably try again once spring rolls around. But otherwise he seems content inside. He has a lot of windowsills that I have secured with screens that can’t be pushed out and he likes to sit and look outside and get some fresh air when the window is open. He never tries to dart outside. I probably feel worse about him being inside than he does.

 

[jcat]

Our cat is indoor only, though he has a catio (a balcony secured by netting). The reason is that we live just 60 meters (197 feet) from a very busy street. Our last cat was harness trained and went for walks every day. I don't do that with Mowgli because he has IBD and allergies and therefore I'd prefer not to get him all the vaccinations an indoor/outdoor cat requires.

I work at a shelter and have had to scan too many dead cats that have been allowed their freedom despite the heavy traffic around here. People also don't realize how many cats go missing.

 

[betsygee]

We're transitioning three indoor/outdoor cats to indoor only. There have been too many predator sightings around our neighborhood the last couple of years. It hasn't been easy since they're used to having their freedom but we do have a couple of closed in catio areas that we're getting them used to. I'm also spending a lot more time playing wand toys with them and brushing them when they start getting antsy and wanting out.

If I were to ever get another cat, it would be indoor only.

 

[prairiepanda]

I have always had indoor cats, with some closely-supervised outdoor time. But the main reason my cat's have been indoor-only is that I have always moved around a lot, and many of the places I've lived in have been apartments, so I don't want to let a cat get accustomed to outdoor life and then be forced to take that away from them if we move to a place with no yard or a place that is unsafe outside. If I ever settle down permanently in a place that I feel is safe, then I won't have any issue letting my cats choose whether they want to be indoor or outdoor cats. I would never allow total free roam, though. I would set up cat-proof and predator-resistant fences as others have, and would actively treat against fleas, ticks, worms, etc.

But for now, indoor life is the best choice for any cats I may bring into my life.

 

[UnderGroundK]

I have 5 cats so obviously I can't keep them all in the house, but I can't let them sleep in the cold either, especially in winter. But we have a room adjacent to the house that is used mostly for depositing things and now that is my cats home. The room has a radiator too, to keep them warm. Recently we bought them a pet door so they will be able to still go outside in the winter but I am having a REALLY difficult time trying to teach them how to use it. Only one of them has gotten used to it after one week, the others are still having a hard time and are scared to use it.

 

[duncanmac]

This is going to rub some people the wrong way, sorry: My cats are indoor cats for a very selfish reason - they are my cats and I got them so that I could enjoy their company and playfulness. I have invested quite a bit of money in them for shots, vet visits not including food and toys. I don't let them outside for the same reason I don't put my TV outside - its mine and I don't want anything to happen to it. If the boys went outside, they could get lost or hurt or killed. I would feel awful and miss them. They are safe, and apparently happy, inside, so inside they stay.

Before anyone starts worrying that I'll stop loving them if they stop making me happy, I spent a lot of time getting both cats comfortable and confident and therefore well-behaved. I knew it was going to be a lot of work especially with one of them, but I knew that (mostly) before getting each cat and knew I would be in it for the next 15 or so years.

 

[tink89]

Both my cats were indoor kittys.. how ever my male (hunter) always wanted to try escape, he used to constantly meow at the window.. try to go to the door etc so i let him out and he now comes and goes as he pleases as my other got older female (Saffy) she wanted to do the same so i allow her out now, we dont live near a busy main road and its a quiet area so its not so bad but i always make sure they are in at bed time!!

 

[mightyboosh]

Oliver and Chubchub are indoor cats but Chubchub really wants to go out and Oliver will if given the chance. I'm scared that harm will come to them if I let them out.
Betty simply won't be kept in and will dart out whenever she gets the chance. She was a stray/semi-feral before we got her and it now seems to be hard wired in her head to go out. I do worry though.