Cat in a 2 bed flat and communual garden

[crouchingtigeress]

is this possible? If so, where would the litter tray do. My back door is next to the kitchen, would this be ok?

thanks (in advance) for advice.

[crouchingtigeress]

'do' is supposed to be 'go'.

[mazzystar]

i wouldn't. i like cats but have only lived with them in big old rambling houses.

[crouchingtigeress]

Thanks Mazzy, forgot to add there's a very large communual garden round the back.

[crouchingtigeress]

Think I'll get gerbils

[SparklyGothKat]

I had a cat in top floor flat, he never went out (unitl we moved). He was happy. but I did have him from a kitten while in the flat.

[winnie]

crouchingtigeress, I have had a cat in a 2 bed flat with communal garden. I was on the third floor. It was fine although I had to make sure I remained on good terms with neighbours and be on top of any 'accidents' on the stairs if the cat got shut in the communal hall way.
I already had the cat before we moved there and there was no question of giveing her up as dd (6) at the time would have been heartbroken. We also had a rodent there too.

[geekgrrl]

sounds like it'd be very nice for a cat. You could get one those litter trays with a hood and flap to contain the smell if it's going to be in the kitchen.

[prettybird]

We had two cats when we lived in a second floor tenement flat. There was already a cat door in the door from the close (the communical stairway) into the communal back garden, so we just had to put a cat door into the door of our own flat. We didn't use a litter tray - the cats went outside.

[crouchingtigeress]

Thanks everybody, no litter tray sounds good. geekgrrl how does the hooded littertray work, that also sounds like a good idea.

Are kittens good with three yr olds and vice versa.

Thanks folks

[Kelly1978]

I did that, dd was pretty mucht he same age. They got on fine, but I had no end of problems with the coming and going. We were on the second (middle floor) and had large communal gardens. The cat ran off for days on end, came back and then dissapeared for good. Cats are incredibly lazy and if they can find an easier source of food, off they go!

[LadyScumofScumford]

We have a flat cat. Er, the sort that lives in a flat that is, not a 2d one. No communal gardens unfortunately but she seems v happy indoors and basking on the balcony when it's sunny. Litter tray is in an out of the way part of the kitchen and not too bad smell wise as long as the shite is regularly cleared. She is a great pet.

[Kelly1978]

I kept the litter tray in the toilet btw. Sep from bathroom.

[crouchingtigeress]

Hmmm, sounds good. I am still working on my dh brainwash programme I am subtley showing him the cutest pictures of cats from the local rescue centres on the net.

Thanks for your info

[Radley]

I was 'vetted' by RSPCA for a cat in a bed sit, with a communal garden and was given the go ahead and she was more than happy

[olivia35]

You can have an 'indoors' cat, which I've done when forced by circumstances to live in a flat, but I have to say when I moved to somewhere where they could go out they did seem much happier.

If you can let the cat into the communal garden that's great so long as no one is going to get upset by it pooing in the borders.

Kittens are actually excellent with 3 year olds because a) they can run away from too much squeezing, unlike eg. a hamster & b) if they get fed up & scratch it's quite minor, unlike eg. a rottweiler...

[muffinmum]

there are plenty of cats at cats protection league that need to stay inside for various reasons and then you cdnt feel guilty about it. I'm a vet and brought home a 10mth old cat that desperately needed a home, we had it 2mths in the flat which was huge and she had loads of toys and puzzle games etc etc but it really didnt suit her and i ended up begging my parents to have her til we move.she is outside running around from morning to night at their house.my friend tho had a flat cat who was very happy and when she moved to a house it hardly ever bothers to go outside.there is a fab website, very trustworthy called fabcats.org.uk which is run by the feline advisory board, there is gd info there about indoor cats. if you have a 3yr old then you need to worm your cat monthly for your childs best health.

[crouchingtigeress]

Thanks for the tips.
I would definitely let him out in the communual garden, I'd feel a little guilty keeping a indoors.

[CarlyP]

ARE YOU GOING TO PICK UP THE CAT SHIT THEN.....................IF ITS COMMUNAL GARDENS, AND I LIVED THERE AND LET MY LITTLE ONES PLAY ID GO MAD IF IT WAS COVERED IN CAT SHITE

[PinkTulips]

we live in a 2nd floor 2 bed with an external stairs up to the front door, also huge communal garden. cat loves it, spends more time outside than in, comes and sits on the windowsill to be let in.

litter tray is under the table as it rarely gets used, only sometimes when he decides to stay in overnight and it gets cleaned straight away.

cats are fine with 3yr olds, have to watch the 3yr old doesn't haul at him though.

[crouchingtigeress]

Thanks, PinkTulips.
CarlyP, no need to shout I can hear you. My neighbour has an outdoor cat, neither me nor my toddler have ever tread in cat's mess. BUT IF MY (future)CAT DID, YES I WOULD PICK IT, NO PROBS.

[PinkTulips]

forgot to add, theres about 10 cats wandering in and out of our communal garden and i have yet to see cat shit in the 3 years we've been here. only one bloody dog though and she shits everywhere!

[prettybird]

Sincve we were the only ones who ever looked after the communcal gardens (or back green, more accurately speaking) and dug over the flower bed, I felt no qulams whatsover that our cats then used the flower bed to crap - they do after all, cover it up again, unlike dog shit, which would be all over the grass and far more easy for children to get covered in.

We lived in the flat in pre children days, so it wasn't an issue per se for ua.