AIBU to say that no one should own a caged pet?

[Time2change2]

My parents loved animals and hated to see caged pets ie rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs etc. I did end up having one or two of these as a child but they always hated it really.
Now I have DC and they ask regularly for a rabbit, hamster etc. I just can’t agree. I think it’s so cruel. Hamsters gnaw on the bars all night to try in vain to get out.
Rabbits stuck in hutches or small runs all day.
Many people claim to love animals but how can they when they are caging animals? I can’t even stand to see fish in a tank!
Hate house cats too. Also think it’s cruel.

Also ok with cat ownership as long as they are allowed outside where they like and well fed and cared for

So do you think I'm cruel for cat proofing my garden to prevent him going where he likes, i.e. to keep him safe?

I haven’t read the whole thread but it’s possible to have very happy rabbits. We have a rescue that didn’t get on with other rabbits, he is now a house rabbit. He has a big hutch inside for at night but otherwise he has run of the downstairs in the day. We also have a small enclosed garden he goes in and out of as he likes when the weather is good. He loves people - absolutely loves them! He comes for fuss whenever he can and is more like a dog in some regards (if you sit on the floor he will lick you like crazy!) he is the most chilled rabbit I have ever seen and even loves cuddles from our two year old and will run over to him for fuss! Also he is litter trained which is actually quite easy to do with rabbits 😊

Pink- so you mean to keep him in your garden or to keep other cats out? Is he a rescue?

@Nottherealslimshady Cat collars are dangerous, they are a major cause of serious injury in cats.

It was actually easier to litter train my rabbit than to house train a dog!

My cat won't go outside for longer than half hour and doesn't go out the garden- I've tried! She is 13 and we rescued her 7 months ago. Some cats like lounging around indoors 24/7!

I also don't think cats need to be outdoor cats.

My cat has zero sense of danger. He is the dopiest feline alive. He will walk quite happily towards a car and he has unfortunately been hit before.

Inside he has hides, towers, beds etc and he is as happy as can be, as well as still alive!

Yeah my rabbits have such a terrible life, free roam house rabbits with a cat flap in the back door going to a fully enclosed run. I digging box if they did want to dig (which they don't.... they get mad when they get soil on their feet ) .... they have eachother for company (and soon a 3rd if bonding goes to plan) and a grass area to nibble on.

They are all rescues with underlying health conditions.... I'm sure they would be much better off if I didn't have them 🙄

Don't make generalisation about people who have "caged pets" direct your opinions to only those who have them and don't give a shit because some of us would spend their last penny making sure they never have to live a life anything close to what you describe ever again.

I agree with you. I bought budgies and also a hamster when I lived by myself and realised how cruel it was after I brought them home. Bought them the biggest cages I could find and let them out a lot but I vowed I would never buy a caged animal again.

We now have an old rescue cat who prefers to stay in doors. She occasionally sits on the step outside backdoor.

@TippledPink I don’t think that’s what the AoP is saying, if you read the entire thread. There will always be extenuating circumstances. Rescue animals and cats that are used to being indoors from a previous life or just timid cats full stop. They are usually given the choice though and have access to the outside...?

It’s the rule in my house simply because I was raised with so many animals, many of which were caged, that I know how cruel that was looking back. I don’t mind owning animals that are free roaming but anything else is a no

I agree op

I think it's absolutely cruel

I don’t like it.

We used to have guinea pigs and i didn’t really think about it before getting them. When we had them it seemed horrible they were restricted to certain spaces. But if we’d released them they’d just have died - they don’t belong in this country anyway.

Buzz. I am not talking about rescue pets as I have said lots of times on here. The majority of people will not be able to let their rabbit freely roam around the house. The majority of caged pets are not rescue. People get caged pets for their own enjoyment or their kids enjoyment. Sacrificing the whole life of an animal because you want to ‘look after and play’ with something. I don’t really agree with keeping rabbits / hamsters / rodents etc at all in captivity but at least if they have the run of the house and garden they have a better life than if in a cage and small run. Most people won’t have space / ability / want to do that though

Wouldn’t get them again.

I've had 3 hamsters in recent years. None of them chewed the bars of the cage because they were housed in the recommend size (100cm x 50cm) and with plenty of enrichment in the cage and daily handling.

I can't stand the tiny cages and wheels sold in pet shops as suitable for hamsters, and would agree with you if that were the only option, but there are plenty of owners who do properly research and provide for their pets needs.

@SimonJT so are cars, other animals, and nasty people who want to do horrible things to animals, and cats are easy targets. We had cats when I was young, 3 out of 5 got hit by cars, one disapeared. And that's our fault, for letting them roam the streets alone.

The average lifespan of a cat that goes out is 2-5 years, compared to 10-20 years for a house cat

Any evidence for that statement?

@Time2change2

But what do you think about dogs who are “crated” (polite word for caged) intermittently?!

Having house cats is no different to having dogs. Dogs would have roamed the wild in the same ways cats would have. One or two walks a day doesn’t make up for that - if that’s your line of this, I’m not against dog ownership!

My cats are very happy. My entire house is dedicated to them, we have wheels, cat shelves, a catio. Their happiness and safety is my first priority. I’ve had my soul cat hit by a car and left to die, it was the most awful thing and no way would I ever put myself or my current cats through that.

I agree with caged animals. Pet shops don’t help, the vast majority of cages sold in pet shops are way below the minimum guidelines for animals and people just blindly follow pet shop advice

@YappityYapYap you could literally do five seconds of research and find out I’m right. But don’t worry, the welfare of domestic animals will always come before that of wild and native species, your cat isn’t going to be criminalised any time soon.

@Nottherealslimshady I suggest that you should have learnt your mistake at one. Having cats when you live near busy roads is not advisable but also having house cats is not fair. Rescue charities will not home to cats that don’t provide access to the outdoors nor to people who live near busy roads or in extremely built up areas.

@HarlinRay we must be exceptions then. Growing up we had over 10 cats at different times and they all lived well into their dotage. One hit 20 and another 17. All outdoors.

I agree. I have a rescue cat who has been a house cat for the last year since we got her as advised by the vets as she has severe nerve damage in her paw and can’t feel it.

We are in the process of sorting out the garden with a soft lawn and cat proofing it so she can safely play out there supervised without damaging herself. The joy in her little face when we take her out there for play time!

@Kittenlicker cats protection would only rehome to us if we would have an indoor cat! As did RSPCA they said it's safer for them to be indoors and it means they won't stray