I have an indoor cat who gets an 1 hour walk a day, on a leash. I do my best to make him happy.
However, I live in the Nordic countries and indoor/outdoor cats vs. indoor-only cats debate is going strong here. I have also read some studies that suggest letting your cat roam free because it is just better for their mental health. Even some vets recommend you to let your cat roam free. I get so often comments like "wHy dO yOu imPriSon yOur pOoR cAt" and "hArnEss wALkS aRe jUsT nOt eNoUgH."
And yeah. I sometimes just feel like getting a cat was a mistake, because I obviously cannot let him roam free because I live in the city. He isn't even 1 year old and he already seems so bored; just eats and sleeps and begs for food. He is sometimes interested in the playtime but it takes a lot of work. We try to play with him every day, though. We hide and throw treats as well, but we can't do that as much because he is already a bit overweight. Puzzle feeders are used almost every time he eats.
I really don't know what to do. Should I just rehome him and give him to someone who lives in the countryside so that he can live life more suitable for cats? Or should I just take him outside more often or get him a friend?
However, I live in the Nordic countries and indoor/outdoor cats vs. indoor-only cats debate is going strong here. I have also read some studies that suggest letting your cat roam free because it is just better for their mental health. Even some vets recommend you to let your cat roam free. I get so often comments like "wHy dO yOu imPriSon yOur pOoR cAt" and "hArnEss wALkS aRe jUsT nOt eNoUgH."
And yeah. I sometimes just feel like getting a cat was a mistake, because I obviously cannot let him roam free because I live in the city. He isn't even 1 year old and he already seems so bored; just eats and sleeps and begs for food. He is sometimes interested in the playtime but it takes a lot of work. We try to play with him every day, though. We hide and throw treats as well, but we can't do that as much because he is already a bit overweight. Puzzle feeders are used almost every time he eats.
I really don't know what to do. Should I just rehome him and give him to someone who lives in the countryside so that he can live life more suitable for cats? Or should I just take him outside more often or get him a friend?