Should I Let My Cat Outside?

[Mallorie's mommy]

So I recently adopted a stray kitten from a shelter back in December. Her name is Mallorie and the vet thinks she was born in August. Mallorie has been spayed, is caught up on all of her vaccines and is microchipped. My problem is that I always planned for mallorie to be an indoor cat but lately she's been itching to go outside and lay in the sun. I live in an apartment with lots of trees that block out the sun during most of the day so there are very selective hours in the day when the sun can shine through the windows. As a result, Mallorie doesn't get as much time as she'd like to sunbathe next to the windows. I've ordered a harness so I can take her to the park where there is direct sunlight but I'm hesitant to let her outside (even with the harness) because I'm afraid of how she'll react to being constrained by a harness when her natural instinct is to be free and roam about. At the same time I don't want to let her loose in case something happens to her and I can't reach her in time. Also, I don't have a backyard or space to create an enclosure for her to roam free (I'm a college student with a negative net worth to my name).

So my main concern is, am I being cruel by preventing her from going outside and laying in the sun? Should I just risk it and take her out and see what happens? If so, what would be the best way to go about it? Also, i should mention that mallorie is my first cat so I'm pretty inexperienced. I've mostly been following cat forums, asking the vet and reading up on other people's experiences with cats on how to care for mallorie. However, I've been finding a lot of conflicting responses from people with different experiences so I'm kind of undecided on what to do. Any personal experiences or advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

 

[catman513]

An outside cat has a life expectancy of about half that of an inside cat.

They all want to go out. But should they?

 

[dustydiamond1]

Hi First off congratulations on saving your dear little Mallorie. There are a lot of threads with lots of photos and folks and their kittys personal experiences. We take our ex neighborhood stray Gypsy out on a harness. She would rather go solo but we don't allow. I started out by letting her wear the harness indoors under supervision so she could get use to it. I'll be back, break is over so back to work. Do a search for harness on this site for some great photos and stories.

 

[dkb817]

I'm with catman513 - Just because a cat can go outside doesn't necessarily mean that they should.

First, you'd have to take into account the type of neighborhood - Is it a rural/country/farm setting or is it a busy urban neighborhood with lots of noises or animals that could frighten your kitty?

Then you have to consider the potential for fleas and ticks, for the cat coming into contact with the feces of other animals (It's my understanding that Raccoon poo can carry Leptospirosis, which young cats are apparently at higher risk to get)

My cats have all originally been strays (One we took in as a stray, Ally was adopted from the humane society after they found her as a stray) with some desire of wanting to go outside - but they've typically all adjusted to being indoor-only kitties just fine as where I live tends to have a lot of dogs, raccoons, and coyotes (joys of living in the country, I guess)

 

[sargon]

Indoors is best, IMO. with that said, you will want to give your indoor cat more enrichment than an outdoor kitty (interactive play time, toys, window perches,cat trees, etc.)

 

[raypinciotti]

Back when my rescue "tryout" kitty was an actual kitten, some 13 and something years ago I had the exact same dilemma. Our solution was once the lease was up to move to an apartment with a patio enclosure and put lots of plants. WE LOST THE CAT for like terrifying 3 hours. We still don't know how she got out.

Now we own a house in the country with a HUGE yard which has 9 feet walls all around and a huge covered iron gate to prevent her escaping, basically a fortress, and she is still not happy, every time that gate is opened she sprints to try and see the wild outdoors! Like she could survive two seconds out there!!

Bottom line, the cat will want to see what's out there no matter what you do. Teach her to go out on a leash and have tons of windows and plants and places to sleep available. She'll be happy.

 

[dustydiamond1]

Back when my rescue "tryout" kitty was an actual kitten, some 13 and something years ago I had the exact same dilemma. Our solution was once the lease was up to move to an apartment with a patio enclosure and put lots of plants. WE LOST THE CAT for like terrifying 3 hours. We still don't know how she got out.

Now we own a house in the country with a HUGE yard which has 9 feet walls all around and a huge covered iron gate to prevent her escaping, basically a fortress, and she is still not happy, every time that gate is opened she sprints to try and see the wild outdoors! Like she could survive two seconds out there!!

Bottom line, the cat will want to see what's out there no matter what you do. Teach her to go out on a leash and have tons of windows and plants and places to sleep available. She'll be happy.

 

[Tobermory]

Outdoor Contests*:

• Cat vs. Dog. Score: Cat 0, Dog 1
• Cat vs. Car. Score: Cat 0, Car 1
• Cat vs. Coyote. Score: Cat 0, Coyote 1
• Cat vs. Hawk. Score: Cat 0, Hawk 1
• Cat vs. Diseases. Score: Cat 0, Diseases 1
• Cat vs. Raccoon. Score: Cat 0, Raccoon 1
• Cat vs. Cruel Person. Score: Cat 0, Cruel Person 1

* Depends on where you live

Cat wins none of them. And you would be amazed at how quickly some of these contests would be over.

But how do I really feel about it you ask?

All of my cats over the years, whether I got them as kittens or older rescues, thought they wanted to go out. They got over it. They’ve all had long, happy lives, loved and sheltered. They do like window shopping for birds at the feeders!

 

[rubysmama]

Growing up my family had indoor/outdoor cats. Miraculously, one lived till nearly 20, and another till about 16.

But, one was killed by a car before he was even 1 year old. My Dad found the cat's body on the street. Dad never said much about it, but thinking about it now that I'm older, I can't imagine how horrible a discovery that must have been for my Dad. And the "good" thing was, we knew what happened to the cat. It would have been worse if he'd just disappeared and we always wondered what happened.

I'm so grateful my Ruby shows no interest in going outside. I know I'd worry sick about her if she did.

When you say Mallorie is "itching to go outside" do you mean she is always trying to run out the door? Or just that she's always looking out the window? If it's the window, most cats stare out the window. It doesn't mean they want to go outside.

Taking your cat out on a harness is a possible compromise, but one thing to keep in mind is that once some cats get a taste of the outside, they are constantly at the door wanting to go out.

Here's a couple TCS articles that may be helpful:
How To Keep Your Cat Safe Outdoors
Harness And Leash Training For Cats

 

[Merlin77]

I personally think that living indoors with stale air, no lovely trees, no prey to chase, no chance to explore is no proper life. Having said that, the outdoors is not for every cat and some cats need to stay inside, but I'm sure that with proper training and a good harness your cat would greatly benifit from some walks outside.

You should start by using the harness inside and see how she reacts before taking her outside though.

 

[Merlin77]

Outdoor Contests*:

• Cat vs. Dog. Score: Cat 0, Dog 1
• Cat vs. Car. Score: Cat 0, Car 1
• Cat vs. Coyote. Score: Cat 0, Coyote 1
• Cat vs. Hawk. Score: Cat 0, Hawk 1
• Cat vs. Diseases. Score: Cat 0, Diseases 1
• Cat vs. Raccoon. Score: Cat 0, Raccoon 1
• Cat vs. Cruel Person. Score: Cat 0, Cruel Person 1

* Depends on where you live

It does depend on where you live but also the cat in question. Personally, I know a lot of cats who would have that hawk for supper and give the dog a scar it won't forget in a hurry.

 

[LTS3]

A pet stroller is another option if you feel that your cat needs outdoor time. I'd still use a harness and leash on the cat just in case the cat tries to escape from the stroller. Some strollers have a hook inside where you can clip a leash to. If not, just thread the leash through the zipper and hold onto it.

Most cats are content to spend their time strictly indoors. You mention lots of trees outside your windows. That's prime bird watching for cats You can attach a bird feeder to your window for more entertainment. They just attach with suction cups.

 

[Tobermory]

A pet stroller is another option if you feel that your cat needs outdoor time. I'd still use a harness and leash on the cat just in case the cat tries to escape from the stroller. Some strollers have a hook inside where you can clip a leash to. If not, just thread the leash through the zipper and hold onto it.

We have a stroller for the cats at the animal sanctuary where I volunteer. A couple really enjoy it. The others, not so much. But the kitties in general population and the FIV+ kitties have access to lovely large catios--probably 10' x 12'--with shelves and scratching posts and chairs that are available to them during the day year-round. Occasionally, an unwary (and doomed) squirrel will come through the wire. Best of both worlds!

 

[sabrinah]

My cat was indoor/outdoor for 10-11 years and indoor only for the last 4-5. She was content being indoors for the most part at all the other places we lived but at our current home, a rural little town surrounded by redwoods on all sides, she wants out. Badly. But she's not allowed out. A major freeway runs right next to the town, coyotes, foxes, black bears, tons of outdoor cats, too many loose dogs, and various large birds of prey (I've seen one carrying an opossum!) are all around. A mountain lion recently attacked 2 dogs in a town a mile or two away and has made itself comfortable at a nearby river. A cat in the town recently went missing, probably to the mountain lion. I'm worried it may have been my favorite kitty on the street since I haven't seen it in weeks and the sign description was vague. There's a handful of tailless cats in the neighborhood so there's still a little hope my favorite is ok. Under no circumstances is my cat's furry little but allowed to roam around out there. She frequently tries to escape and if she ever succeeds in making it out of the backyard I'll die of a heart attack.

In the last couple months, we've worked on leash training and she gets to walk around the yard. That's the extent of her freedom. She prefers to go out at night and will only walk in the harness outside. Indoors she's positive she can hardly move. Once her toes hit the grass her legs suddenly work again Whether indoor or outdoor she's sure she can't jump while wearing the harness so that keeps her from trying to bolt over a fence for now. She used to hunt regularly when she was indoor/outdoor but I don't think she's missing out on life by not being able to hunt anymore. Besides, cats wreak havoc on small species populations. I must admit though, if she somehow caught the darn mole I can't get rid of, I wouldn't be too mad.

 

[EspiKvlt]

I can assure you that an outdoor cat can become an indoor cat.

My first cat, Freeble, was an outdoor cat until she was roughly ten years old. Then one day our neighbor informed us that some kids had been chasing her around with sticks.

We never let her outside again.

With proper enrichment, she got over it super quickly.

I am going to advocate for indoor only cats with my dying breaths.

They live so much longer on average, and as long as you provide plenty of exercise and stimulation, they are going to be just as happy.

And there is one type of cat that will never be as happy as an indoor only cat, and that's a dead one.

Now, I tried harness training my current cats and it was a massive fail. They didn't like it one bit. So I gave up. But it's always worth a shot.

Another option would be to create an indoor-outdoor environment. Does your apartment have a patio/balcony area? Because then you could make a catio:

And as LTS3 said, you could also get a stroller.

And I also want to ask something similar to what rubysmama did. Are you basing her desire to go outside on looking out the window?

Because every single cat does that. It's Cat TV, and it is SO NOT an indicator that your cat wants out. All three of my cats are absolutely terrified of the outdoors, hence why the harnesses were such a disaster.

Unless your cat is actively trying to constantly get out, I think it's more human projection than anything.

 

[Tobermory]

Another option would be to create an indoor-outdoor environment. Does your apartment have a patio/balcony area? Because then you could make a catio:

Wow! Did you make this? It’s gorgeous! And, of course, the kitty is too.

 

[dustydiamond1]

Here are some great threads to check out.
Abandoned Kitten (happy ending)by @bengalcatman
Buddy - The Making Of An Adventure Cat?
Post Your Outdoors Shots Of Your Cats/dogs/etc.
First Time On A Leash.
Leash Training.
Walkies Welcome, Photos And More, With Or Without Leashes.