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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

About my cat?

77 replies

Esmeismyhero · 18/07/2015 10:30

I have a kitten he is 13 weeks old. I haven't had his injections yet (will do soon) and I want him to be an indoor cat.

My sister had two kittens and she lives next door and this morning has let her cats roam around the garden.

I'm being pressured to let my cat outside with her cats (they are all from the same litter) and I've said no but they are all making me feel guilty.

It's my cat and I don't want him outside, aibu to tell my family who is here to "back off"?

It's like I'm holding the cat hostage or something :/

OP posts:
iamdivergent · 18/07/2015 10:32

Yanbu. I'd get him his jabs before letting him out. There's a risk if cat flu etc.

Icimoi · 18/07/2015 10:33

What do you mean by "indoor cat"? If you mean just till he's had his injections, fine. If you mean forever, not fine.

wolf14 · 18/07/2015 10:34

Get his jabs done first car flu can be fatal.

pictish · 18/07/2015 10:35

Hmm...I can understand you not wanting to let him out until he's had his jabs, but admittedly I do think keeping a cat indoors indefinitely when there is the option for it to go out is a bit weird.

wolf14 · 18/07/2015 10:36

Also I have cats who are indoor only. These cats are my pets and I love them. We don't let dogs and children run around the street to play with traffic so not sure why a cats life is deemed lesser than a dogs.

wolf14 · 18/07/2015 10:38

Why pic. Why should cats be let out to traffic disease and fights with other animals.

Why do people not think cats should stay in. Dogs are pack and hunting creatures too why are they not allowed out to roam.

Silvercatowner · 18/07/2015 10:43

I suspect your cat may well make the decision for you, unless you are going to keep all your doors and windows closed for the rest of its life.

susiedaisy · 18/07/2015 10:46

Our local vets recommend keeping kittens inside until at least 6 months old. We kept ours in until then, now he spends a lot of time day and night outside and he loves the garden and basking in the sun and exploring so there's no way I could of kept him as an indoor cat forever it would of been tantamount to animal cruelty

countryandchickens · 18/07/2015 10:46

I have a cat who spent a long time - over a year - in a rescue centre and was described as an indoor cat. He is, in winter, but in the summer he loves to sprawl out in the garden.

I know a lot depends on where you live but they do get bored and unhappy. I would seriously consider having two if they had to be kept indoors especially young cats - they are curious and love to play and explore.

code · 18/07/2015 10:47

He's too young to go out and so is your sisters kittens. They need to be neutered and vaccinated. Most recommend not letting them out until 6 months of age minimum and sensible owners will keep them in until 10-12 months of age. After that it's up to you.

pictish · 18/07/2015 10:47

Because indoor cats never get out whereas dogs and children do. They're like prisoners or possessions shut inside forever.
I can understand it in a flat where the cat can't get out (though would argue a cat not the best choice of pet for a flat) but where the cat has reasonable access to the outdoors but is denied it - weird.

stairbears · 18/07/2015 10:50

YANBU, she is BU by not respecting your informed choice. If your cat is to reap the benefits of being an indoor cat, it would be cruel to let it out and then shut it in again! It's best for it to not know otherwise..

CrabbyTheCrabster · 18/07/2015 10:51

Well, having just nursed a blackbird fledgling for two days, which died in my hands last night from an infection caused by a cat bite... no I don't think you are being unreasonable at all to want your cat to be an indoor cat.

BabyFeets · 18/07/2015 10:52

A 13week old kitten should not be outside the foxes will get them.

stairbears · 18/07/2015 10:53

So tell them politely to mind their own business! Or you could look into harness training later perhaps...

wolf14 · 18/07/2015 10:57

Pic if a cat is always indoors indefinitely that's fair. but most indoor cat owners cat proof the garden or Harness train or have cat runs built in the garden so they are indoors but have access to a garden otherwise windows are doors would always have to be closed and that would be horrible in the summer.

wowfudge · 18/07/2015 10:57

Cats are much happier if they can please themselves where they go. It isn't natural for them to be kept indoors and they can wreck the place through boredom and frustration.

OurDearLeader · 18/07/2015 10:59

12 weeks is much too young to go out. A lot of rescues won't even rehome them until 12 weeks. And they should stay in for at least 6 weeks so they know it's their home and return.

Dog's do get to satisfy their pack instincts. They're taken out to parks to play with other dogs. Keeping a cat in (unless there is a need) is just as cruel as getting a dog and never walking it.

Your cat will be bored and unhappy and will probably trash your house. It'll end up spraying and ripping the furniture (unless you get it declawed, which is cruel too).

It's cruel. There are blind, deaf and infirm cats who need to be rehomed indoors. You should have researched it properly and got one of them rather than subject a healthy cat to this.

KatnissEvermean · 18/07/2015 11:03

YANBU. I have four cats and they all stay indoors. We do have three cat trees and millions of toys though. Three of them will occasionally hop out the window and have a sniff around for ten minutes now but they stay where I can see them and they come straight back.

They are all very happy! If they were desperate to go out it may be different, but they're not really bothered and I'd rather them stay in so they don't get killed/stolen/kill the birds.

AliceAlice1979 · 18/07/2015 11:04

Yanbu to have them inside niw, dangerous to let them out this young. Keeping cats inside is unfair on them in the long run, it's no life for a cat. no animal should be caged up indefinitely.

RainbowFlutterby · 18/07/2015 11:07

You can take your cat outside on a lead. I did. You can get proper cat ones. It's not like walking a dog - to a certain extent you have to follow the cat and spend a lot of time standing around like an idiot while the sniff at something. But it does give the cat fresh air, exercise, a change of scenery and access to grass.

wolf14 · 18/07/2015 11:08

Birds are normally caged Alice. Indoor cats are happy. I know outdoor cats that are not and scared and stressed being put out as another local cat keeps taking over their garden.

Bumpinthenight · 18/07/2015 11:09

Our cat used to live in a house where he always went out hunting, he moved to our house and he won't leave it despite us leaving all doors and windows open! When taken outside he runs back in.

Oue cat doesn't seem to have a problem with living indoors!

AliceAlice1979 · 18/07/2015 11:11

Wolf caging a bird is cruel too. I don't get the logic of your argument?

pictish · 18/07/2015 11:12

I think having caged birds as pets is weird too.