To feel guilty I have indoor cats?

[Mycatlivesindoors]

My DS is autistic and was desperate for a ragdoll kitten. They have been described as being great “therapy” cats due to their calm and devoted nature. DS has had a difficult time at secondary school (he’s 12) and he researched ragdolls thoroughly, showing me lots of articles and videos about how lovely they are and how they really help people with their mental health.

I also researched the breed and read how most of them don’t really like going outside as they are quite “lazy” cats and like to spend their time with their owners. More importantly everything I read said they should NEVER go outside as they are too dumb to navigate roads, will let strangers pick them up, get lost etc etc

I bought 2 sibling kittens from a reputable breeder so they would always have a friend, someone to play with. They have lots of toys, we play with them constantly but all they want to do is go outside. It probably doesn’t help that our house layout is such that they are surrounded by glass overlooking the garden. It’s the only thing they see. As a result they both cry and wail to go outside.

After months of listening to them crying and howling by the door I took them outside, supervised. They loved it. I have been taking them out twice a day and they run up and down, watch the birds and generally have a lovely time. However our garden is not cat proof. It means DS and I have to “guard” the areas where they could escape. Last week one of them shot through a tiny hole in the hedge into next doors garden. Luckily we got her back but ever since the two of them spend all their time trying to escape.

I have had quotes from companies to catproof the garden but it is expensive and we are planning to move in the next year or so, so I can’t really justify the expense. I am now wary about taking them out in the garden as it is inevitable they will escape again! I have blocked the hole in the fence but they have now started on a new area in the garden trying to jump the wall.

I feel so guilty about keeping them indoors. But I’ve been told by so many people that if they get out the garden some awful fate will befall them because ragdolls should never be allowed to roam free.

I wish I’d just bought a cat that can go outside now, listening to 2 ragdolls howling at the door all day is so stressful.

There’s a gorgeous rag doll in my neighbourhood and it’s pretty good by the road. It’s not a main road but I’ve seen her check before crossing.

Mine has a collection of soft toys that he carries around with him obsessively.

There’s also a gorgeous Birman cross in our neighbourhood - it’s one of the most gorgeous cats I’ve ever seen. Guy upstairs feeds them and so we see a lot of them. I’ve become very fond of them both. I do worry about them and the road

I follow a couple of ragdoll owners on Instagram - Bruno the Ragdoll for example, and he walks beautifully on his harness and goes on all sorts of adventures with his owner - she's now got a 2nd and walks them together.

I'd be too worried about something happening and then getting loose

Mine loves "ratty" (toy rat) and will carry him around, howling, proudly telling everyone about her "kill"

It's rather realistic, I was sat on the loo the other day looked down and got a massive fright as I thought it was a live rat!

Current obsessions are the far too small Amazon box (despite having access to anywhere she wants), the yellow laundry skip (as above) and the bathroom. Anyone who goes in there is generally accompanied whether they wish to be or not! She purrs away

Our ragdoll / Birman cross went out, as do the ragdoll brothers across the road. They aren't as stupid as made out; they aren't supposed to hunt or fight, but ours did both.

We've had many cats over the years, mostly fancy rather than moggy, and they've all lived full and happy, and more importantly independent lives doing what cats do, patrolling their territory, making friends and enemies, intimidating the local foxes, sunbathing, climbing, etc. Would you like to spend the rest of your days locked in your house?

This is my dream home.

Mine is obsessed with a balled up pair of winter socks. He carries them around with him miaowing.

His latest obsession is a spiral of (uncooked) pasta which he loves chasing and batting about.

Better indoor cats than dead cats. I've had to pick up more than I ever want to after they've been hit on the road.

Much better than letting it shit in other people’s gardens and murdering wildlife.

Not that’s it’s any of your business but my house backs on to fields, as did my previous property. My cat roams free in the fields My cat isn’t pooing in neighbours gardens. Cat litter trays are absolutely rank in the home.
We will have to agree to disagree, I believe cats should be free to roam. All cats I’ve owned have hated being trapped indoors. I wouldn’t own a cat and live in a busy dangerous road putting my cat In Danger.

So cute!

Cat trays are only rank if you don't keep them scrupulously clean.

It's all well cats being free to roam and in an ideal world - yes. I see appeals daily for missing cats. I also see daily notifications of cats having been killed on the roads. My first two cats as an adult were sister kittens, and we kept them in from the start, so it was what they were used to.

I then acquired two more, that had been used to getting out, so we kept that up. The next DCat was a stray and moved gradually into the house, eventually full-time when he was old and blind in one eye.

As I said upthread, my current three are happy as larry indoors, and I am so glad.