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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want my cat to stay indoors for a very silly reason?

207 replies

monkeysafari · 18/09/2012 12:54

I have a 4 month old kitten. My partner wants to let her out soon. I really don't want to let her out at all, ever. Why? Because I don't want her bringing home dead, or living, birds/mice etc.

Is it really wrong to keep a cat inside? Do they have to go out??

OP posts:
Mellower · 19/09/2012 17:42

Gonna hide this as some people just don't get it!

SOME CATS LIKE STAYING HOME ALL THE TIME - I AGREE IT IS CRUEL IF THERE IS ONLY ONE BUT IF THEY HAVE A PLAY-MATE THEY ARE FINE (HONEST) ONE I KNOW IS EVEN 23 YEARS OLD!!!

LST · 19/09/2012 17:46

They should have the choice though!

I have 3. 2 love going out. 1 prefers indoors but sometimes goes out once in a blue moon for about 12 hours.

They have a choice. That's the difference.

seeker · 19/09/2012 17:47

Of course some cats don't like going out. But we're talking about them being prevented, rather than choosing.

LST · 19/09/2012 17:50

That's what I'm getting at seeker it's unfair on them being prevented going out. They could then choose if they like it or not. And most cases would be they would.

Mellower · 19/09/2012 18:08

and get stolen or knocked over. (sorry)

seeker · 19/09/2012 18:16

The cat stealing thing is largely an urban myth. And yes,nif one of my cats got killed I would be heartbroken- but I know that he had had a happy, "cat" life. It would be selfish of me to keep him in to save myself from possible pain.

SchrodingersMew · 19/09/2012 18:20

" I AGREE IT IS CRUEL IF THERE IS ONLY ONE BUT IF THEY HAVE A PLAY-MATE THEY ARE FINE (HONEST) ONE I KNOW IS EVEN 23 YEARS OLD!!! "

Cats really aren't pack animals and most (obviously not all) wont be happy with a "playmate" at all.

I have 3 cats aged 6 and 5, we moved from a flat just over a month ago and I thought mines were happy house cats, I was so wrong! They are like different cats now completely, 1 is really very timid and I thought he wouldn't want to go out, he's the one we can't get back in.

OrangeFireandGoldashes · 19/09/2012 18:21

Or to save him from a potentially drawn-out painful death from internal bleeding or infection? There's no guarantee that any cat hit by a car dies instantaneously, and just because you tend not to see it happen doesn't mean you can close your mind to it and pretend the slow painful deaths don't happen.

One of my good friends used to be a vet nurse and had some horror stories about cats that had been hit by cars and brought in alive and suffering.

monsterchild · 19/09/2012 18:22

I think it's perfectly ok to keep cats indoors. I think it's wrong to feed birds and let the cats out. I also don't want my cats eaten by coyotes, bitten by snakes or injured by cars, other cats, or loose dogs. One of my outdoor cats was mortally wounded by a hawk or eagle. I don't need my cats to be outside. We play indoors, they have a kitty coop, which keeps them contained and keeps birds (not the very stupid bird though) safe and lets them enjoy the sunshine.

Horses are supposed to raom free but no one worries they are kept contained, same with other animals. I do what I think is best, and that means cats stay indoors. It does mean that I proved them with the stimulation they need to not become crazy cats. That's where people go wrong, not letting the cat be a cat indoors.

Also, cats are very good hunters and have had a huge negative impact on local bird populations. Why do cats have more rights to hunt than birds do to not be endangered by non-native predators?

Mellower · 19/09/2012 18:22

What if he wasn't hapy though and was scared everytime he went out - like one of mine, I'm sorry I am being silly.

I had a lovely burmese cat once and was told not to let her out, I did, she rolled in the middle of the road in the sun-shine, most of the time the car just maneouvered around her (quiet street) but she wandered further and she was knocked over, I felt terrible. This could run and run and run and run this thread, another of mine was stolen...or knocked over, I shall never know but mines like to stay in now, apart from Mr Male who goes out to his house.

Cats are man amde a lot these days - quite unbelieveable but they are and some try to make them as small as possible (by breeding certain ways) some cats just do not like going out but yeah I hear what you are saying, my outdoor cat loves doing outdoors.

My mum cats brought them back a bloody rabbit, never mind a bird...

Mellower · 19/09/2012 18:23

Sorry I must say tht I am/was a breeder so am not talking your run of the mill - moggy cats so will leave now, promise!!

seeker · 19/09/2012 18:26

Well I've had posh cats too and they were outdoor cats. They didn't know they were expensive!

LST · 19/09/2012 18:31

Seeker that's just made me Smile

LST · 19/09/2012 18:32

orange my cat has been hit by a car as has my mums. It's a risk you take having cats.

Viviennemary · 19/09/2012 18:37

I think it is a bit cruel to keep a cat indoors. It will have a much happier life inside. Some cats hardly ever bring in dead things. Ours did once or twice but not for quite a few years now. Just show disapproval and hope the message gets through.

Mellower · 19/09/2012 18:37

Erm... and what does expense have to do with cats going out?

Any feelings in there seeker? Not even the tiniest little bit of remorse Hmm

Viviennemary · 19/09/2012 18:37

I meant outside!

Mellower · 19/09/2012 18:41

Some would be upset at the price also especially since breeding cats are twice the price of "normal pedigrees" - not the cat - the owner...

My cats are happy.

and still alive, I'll let you know if mine ever escapes and gets flattend! Just so you can come have a smirk! Smile

gordyslovesheep · 19/09/2012 18:46

she is 4mths old - is she spayed if not do NOT let her out please

if she is and she wants to go out I vote let her - and deal with the gifts - out boy brings me mice on a weekly basis - I bin them - no big deal.

seeker · 19/09/2012 20:27

Does "I would be heartbroken" notncount as a feeling, mellower?

seeker · 19/09/2012 20:28

And I hope "and still alive, I'll let you know if mine ever escapes and gets flattend! Just so you can come have a smirk! " was a joke.....

Mellower · 19/09/2012 20:32

I am sorry, I was joking, ignore me.....

Mellower · 19/09/2012 21:06

I have to kep my outdoor cat in tonight, she is being bullied by other cats but does not like the pedigrees, so goes out anyway, she is covered in bites and scratches so she is kept in her own little room tonight, I feel cruel as she is meowing but sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind. She can go back out in the morning when all the bad bully cats have gone to sleep.

Sorry my comments are a bit off but I am a very tounge in cheek type of person and that does not come across well on here.

RugBugs · 19/09/2012 22:54

Mellower Do you still have burmese?? I have two and a burmilla Grin

Poor kitty being bullied by other cats, it's mostly entire cats that are to blame, you do wonder if owners haven't bothered to neuter then have they gone to the trouble of vaccinating?

bobblehead · 20/09/2012 03:59

geegee I am in Canada (where 6 months of the year it is Winter and too cold for them to be out anyway Grin)