Letting My Inside Cat Go Outside?

[Gravy]

So I adopted a kitten about 3 years ago, they found her outside and brought her to the shelter. I take her home and keep her inside for a month or two, and then I let her go outside as she pleased throughout the day, but she would be inside over night. Then I moved into an apartment, and kept her inside only for 1.5 years. We recently moved into a house with a backyard, and I’m conflicted over letting her go outside again like she did as a kitty.
Her behavior is not good, she meows constantly at the windows and doors, and always has since we first brought her inside. Lately she’s been mean to our other cat who’s been around for about 6 months now. They used to play, but now they stay away from each other. I want her to be happy and less aggressive, but I obviously have my reservations. What do you guys think?

 

[bonepicker]

Too much danger in cars, coyotes, feral cats. Plus an invitation to bring in fleas and worms.

 

[kashmir64]

Harness train her and let her out (on leash) supervised. This is the only safe way. I would not let her roam around unattended. Like bonepicker said, too many dangers.

 

[abyeb]

Indoors is much safer for cats. Cats who are let outside can get into fights with other cats, or dogs, foxes, bobcats, coyotes, wolves... whatever large predators roam in your area. They can also pick up diseases including feline panleukopenia, FIV, FeLV, And heartworm. Outdoor cats can also be hit by cars, or even poisoned or shot at. That’s why the life expectancy for a free-roaming cat is only 4 years, compared to 15-20 for an indoor cat. There are plenty of ways to make an indoor environment exciting for your cat, by setting up perches, toys for them to “hunt”, as well as food puzzles for some mental stimulation.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Are your cats spayed and neutered? How did you introduce the two?

 

[orange&white]

I would also get a harness and take her out to see what she wants to do outside. My senior cat has always like to dash out the door, but then he just sits soaking up some sunshine and rolling on the patio. He's never roamed off the property and a few minutes outside satisfies him. I previously had a cat who pushed out my window screen (twice) and went roaming for 24-48 hours. He worried me sick while he was missing, so after the second adventure, I cat-proofed the windows and kept him indoors. So my answer is that it depends on the cat, whether she's a roamer or not.

 

[Merlin77]

I will second those who said try the harness--that is the best way to go. Either that or you can just go with her in the backyard with some treats and call her back with one if she starts running away. It really depends on the cat. If she hates it outside, there's no point, but if she really wants to go outside, why not? I would definitely keep an eye on her while she is out there, though.

 

[Nacho and Lucys Mom]

So I adopted a kitten about 3 years ago, they found her outside and brought her to the shelter. I take her home and keep her inside for a month or two, and then I let her go outside as she pleased throughout the day, but she would be inside over night. Then I moved into an apartment, and kept her inside only for 1.5 years. We recently moved into a house with a backyard, and I’m conflicted over letting her go outside again like she did as a kitty.
Her behavior is not good, she meows constantly at the windows and doors, and always has since we first brought her inside. Lately she’s been mean to our other cat who’s been around for about 6 months now. They used to play, but now they stay away from each other. I want her to be happy and less aggressive, but I obviously have my reservations. What do you guys think?

so we had the same issue. however you could build her a catio like we did ours, and she or he will be safe and love it! Best money we ever spent

 

[Dacatchair]

I don't think this is as black and white of an issue as many people seem to think, and the dangers a cat faces being allowed outside vary greatly depending on your particular area and the personality of your cat. I suspect the various statistics people site to show how dangerous and short outdoor cats lives are, tend to blend feral cats with cats that have access to a home and vet care, and urban areas with rural, and areas with few predators with areas where there are many.

Is there any local predators which have been known to go after cats in your area?

Are there nearby roads with substantial traffic?

Do your neighbors let their cats out and if not, why not? If they do, how many have been injured or killed or just disappeared?

Are there wandering feral cats in your area?

Do the cats your cat is likely to encounter frequently carry serious and hard to treat diseases?

Are there any parasites in you area that are not easy to manage with regular treatments?

Are rodents frequently poisoned and if so, does your cat hunt and eat what it hunts?

If you consider all of this and none of this is a major concern, I think the suggestion of allowing a cat to show us what they want to do outside while they are on a harness, and letting them build up a familiarity with the area while on a harness is a good idea. After a couple months of that if they seem like they just want to do low risk activities in a low risk area, in some places the dangers of keeping a cat inside against it's will are probably just as great as letting it out. Freak accidents happen to both indoor and outdoor cats.

Cats that are forcibly kept inside often get injured or killed doing something foolish to escape like jumping out a window or off a balcony or get crush injuries door dashing, or get lost or injured when they accidentally get out with no experience and no idea how to stay safe. Cats that are gradually introduced to the area around their home make much better decisions to keep themselves safe than a cat that suddenly finds itself outside. Indoor only cats are also more likely to be bored and eat weird things that block their intestines, and this is less common in cats that can be outdoors chewing on the occasional mouse.

So I would weigh all the pros and cons and decide based on that...I don't think there is a one size fits all answer that is right for every cat and every environment.

 

[Willowy]

Did you buy the house? If so, or if you're renting but your landlord doesn't mind if you build stuff, you could build a nice enclosure for her. That way she gets to go outside but most of the risks will be eliminated.

 

[daisyd]

So has she been okay indoors for over a year in the apartment ? Maybe it’s being in a new house that made her agitated . You need to access the risks as the others say . I wouldn’t let mine out as we are next to a highway , plus she has no desire to go out - if we open the door she runs further inside to hide !

 

[midnightsun]

That’s why the life expectancy for a free-roaming cat is only 4 years, compared to 15-20 for an indoor cat.

Those statistics certainly aren't true for all outdoor cats everywhere in the world, so I'm not sure why some people here act like they're universal. I live in a country where almost everyone has outdoor cats and their life expectancy are the same as indoor ones. So to answer the OP, I think if you know you live in a safe area then you should definitely let your cat back outside. It definitely seems kind of cruel to me to keep it indoors if it seems unhappy there.

 

[daisyd]

Those statistics certainly aren't true for all outdoor cats everywhere in the world, so I'm not sure why some people here act like they're universal. I live in a country where almost everyone has outdoor cats and their life expectancy are the same as indoor ones. So to answer the OP, I think if you know you live in a safe area then you should definitely let your cat back outside. It definitely seems kind of cruel to me to keep it indoors if it seems unhappy there.

A lot of people on here do live in a country / region where it is dangerous to let your cat out . I’m in the UK and it’s certainly the norm to let your cat outside so yes those statistics can’t be universal ; however cats allowed out are more likely to have an accident and catch infections. I had a meeting with one of my suppliers, she has 2 cats allowed out I have one who I’m happy has no interest in going out . We had another meeting last month and she was very upset as her cat had unfortunately been run over and died (she was only 2). Her other cat just stays in the garden so she’s okay .

 

[midnightsun]

A lot of people on here do live in a country / region where it is dangerous to let your cat out . I’m in the UK and it’s certainly the norm to let your cat outside so yes those statistics can’t be universal ; however cats allowed out are more likely to have an accident and catch infections. I had a meeting with one of my suppliers, she has 2 cats allowed out I have one who I’m happy has no interest in going out . We had another meeting last month and she was very upset as her cat had unfortunately been run over and died (she was only 2). Her other cat just stays in the garden so she’s okay .

Yeah I realise a lot of people here live in the US where there are apparently a lot of dangers (although to be honest, I highly suspect some people exaggerate the dangers). I see you live in London, I'm sure the very big cities have a lot of dangers too. OP didn't mention where they live though. If it's a quiet area without many cars, predators, etc then I don't see any problem with letting cats out, at least not if it's a country where it's the norm.

 

[dustydiamond1]

Those statistics certainly aren't true for all outdoor cats everywhere in the world, so I'm not sure why some people here act like they're universal. I live in a country where almost everyone has outdoor cats and their life expectancy are the same as indoor ones. So to answer the OP, I think if you know you live in a safe area then you should definitely let your cat back outside. It definitely seems kind of cruel to me to keep it indoors if it seems unhappy there.

With diseases and accidents there is no way the life expectancy for outside is as long as inside cats. Even if there are no dangerous animals on the ground, hawks and owls have been known to attack cats. Also mean people are everywhere.

 

[midnightsun]

With diseases and accidents there is no way the life expectancy for outside is as long as inside cats. Even if there are no dangerous animals on the ground, hawks and owls have been known to attack cats. Also mean people are everywhere.

Well like I said in my country it's different. I mean I don't have any study to show you or anything, just personal experience. I've obviously met tons of cats my whole life and most of them lived to ordinary indoor cat age. We don't have hawks or owls where I live either, or "mean" people. Most people treat animals very well here. Also it's not like indoors is completely safe, there are many accidents cats can get into indoors as well.

 

[dustydiamond1]

Well like I said in my country it's different. I mean I don't have any study to show you or anything, just personal experience. I've obviously met tons of cats my whole life and most of them lived to ordinary indoor cat age. We don't have hawks or owls where I live either, or "mean" people. Most people treat animals very well here. Also it's not like indoors is completely safe, there are many accidents cats can get into indoors as well.

Your choice, however you can always cat proof your house, you know like you would for a child... Outside there are always strangers passing through, cars, ticks and loose dogs, but as I said, your choice.

 

[Merlin77]

Your choice, however you can always cat proof your house, you know like you would for a child... Outside there are always strangers passing through, cars, ticks and loose dogs, but as I said, your choice.

And I suppose inside there's boredom, obesity and stressors? Of course, those can happen, but not always, just as it is with all the factors surrounding outside cats. Allow me to outline my point:

Not all places have cars, not all places have loose dogs, not all places have ticks. Never once have I seen a tick on my farm cats, nor felt one. Plus, even indoor cats can get ticks and parasites (of course the risk is lower). We get two dogs running through the acreage every now and then, and they pose zero threat to the cats, trust me.

Now, not all cats/owners are fortunate enough to live on a acreage far from the big cities. The only cars around out place are on a far away highway, where there is one car every... 45 minutes or so? The cats don't even go there. But, there are cats who live by roads where there are always cars. Those cats should stay inside, or go outside supervised or on a harness, or in a cario or enclosed fence.

A cat is not a child. Unless it is a kitten.

Since this is a very controversial topic and opinions flare with a lot of vigor, I just want to say that I respect everyone's viewpoints and I hope no one takes anything too seriously or ges offended.

 

[midnightsun]

Your choice, however you can always cat proof your house, you know like you would for a child... Outside there are always strangers passing through, cars, ticks and loose dogs, but as I said, your choice.

My current cat is actually indoor only, since I live in an apartment at the moment. And I honestly think people here should stop judging people who live in actually safe areas and choose to let their cats out. I've seen people here literally say that you don't love or care about your cat if you let it out. I don't think that's very fair, since like I said, places other than the US exist where outdoor cats live normal lifespans. If you or other people don't believe that, you're more than welcome to move here and see for yourself. Most places here actually won't even allow you to adopt cats if you plan to make them indoor only. I don't think that would be the case if the outdoors were so dangerous.

 

[dustydiamond1]

And I suppose inside there's boredom, obesity and

All inside cats aren't obese just look at some of the members posted pictures. and as abyeb said "There are plenty of ways to make an indoor environment exciting for your cat, by setting up perches, toys for them to “hunt”, as well as food puzzles for some mental stimulation."