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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think having an indoor cat is cruel?

696 replies

Catnope · 16/08/2024 14:31

I was looking after my mother’s cat last week - feeding him while she was on holiday and changing the litter tray - and I felt so incredibly sorry for the cat. It’s not the first time I’ve looked after him for her, and not the first time I’ve thought that.

What a shit life for the cat.

Of course I don’t like the idea of cats killing wildlife out there, but to be a prisoner indoors 100% of the time your whole life?!

It’s cruel. Right?! Just me?

Of course I was nothing but lovely to my mother and took good care of the cat. My mother doesn’t let him out because she fears he’ll get stolen or run over. She lives on a quiet and safe street, so I don’t think anyone will want to steal him. At this point, I also think he wouldn’t have a clue how to kill a bird.

OP posts:
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8
Sounreasonable · 19/08/2024 13:41

Dreamskies · 19/08/2024 13:35

What? 🤣 ok now I’m really worried for your comprehension skills 😬

If I tag you in a post, I am talking TO you not necessarily ABOUT you. What a strange conclusion to come to.

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🤦‍♀️ yes, I said to or about.

Sometimes you quote me and talk to me- you tell me your opinion about cats for example-

When you do that you are talking to me, not about me.

Sometimes you quote me, specifically reference points about my life I have explained, and talk about what you think of them - for example when you said my housekeeping was selfish etc-

When you do that you are both talking to me and about me.

mbosnz · 19/08/2024 13:45

Blimey.

That kicked off, didn't it?

So, is this thread still about cats, or is it more about dishwashers now?

HRTQueen · 19/08/2024 13:49

I was wondering the same

as if any cat in the history of cat having servants ownership give a fuck about dishwashers or how dishes are cleaned

Sounreasonable · 19/08/2024 13:57

HRTQueen · 19/08/2024 13:49

I was wondering the same

as if any cat in the history of cat having servants ownership give a fuck about dishwashers or how dishes are cleaned

Mine thinks he is a dishwasher and should be given all plates to lick ‘clean’.

Sounreasonable · 19/08/2024 13:58

mbosnz · 19/08/2024 13:45

Blimey.

That kicked off, didn't it?

So, is this thread still about cats, or is it more about dishwashers now?

Sorry for the de rail everyone @Catnope!

HRTQueen · 19/08/2024 14:04

Sounreasonable · 19/08/2024 13:57

Mine thinks he is a dishwasher and should be given all plates to lick ‘clean’.

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What a thoughtful cat he is 😇 🐈

Dreamskies · 19/08/2024 14:05

Sounreasonable · 19/08/2024 13:41

🤦‍♀️ yes, I said to or about.

Sometimes you quote me and talk to me- you tell me your opinion about cats for example-

When you do that you are talking to me, not about me.

Sometimes you quote me, specifically reference points about my life I have explained, and talk about what you think of them - for example when you said my housekeeping was selfish etc-

When you do that you are both talking to me and about me.

Show quote history

Not in here, I haven’t mentioned your usage of household appliances in here. There was a separate post where that was discussed and is over with. In here I talked about ME. Absolutely no mention of you at all. Which I’ve pointed out at least three times now, not sure how many times you need that repeating. Perhaps go back and read it again rather than me having to keep saying it over and over again. 🙃

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 19/08/2024 14:15

Label me what you want, what difference do you think that makes to me exactly? 🤣

The feeling is mutual 😹

Dreamskies · 19/08/2024 14:19

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 19/08/2024 14:15

Label me what you want, what difference do you think that makes to me exactly? 🤣

The feeling is mutual 😹

You labelled yourself accurately already, I didn’t need to 🤣

ObelixtheGaul · 19/08/2024 14:38

My cat could totally operate a dishwasher, or in our case, as we haven't got one, do the washing up. He just chooses not to. Lack of opposable thumbs, my arse. It's weaponised incompetence 😜

Purplebunnie · 19/08/2024 19:08

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 19/08/2024 12:50

I'm not sure I dare ask this but what's wrong with running the dishwasher every night. I'm getting one soon and as I only have 4 decent plates, bowls etc. it'll be going on every night...

Waste of planet's resources. It costs water and electricity to run which is also not good for your pocket.

Have a look in Tescos/Sainsburys/supermarket of your choice at their range of plates/dinner services etc. M&S have some nice plain white dinner services.

What I will say is you will need millions of teaspoons.

Canthave2manycats · 19/08/2024 19:30

Dreamskies · 19/08/2024 07:28

It’s abundantly clear that you keep your windows and doors shut because of your choice to store cats in your house (which is absolutely fine!)

that, however, is very different to causing another person to have to have their windows and doors shut because of other people not taking responsibility for their pets actions.

It’s not reasonable to say one person must go to extreme lengths to try to mitigate the impact of a cat, while the owner can just shirk all responsibility. No, sorry.

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If you fail to take responsibility for your pet's safety, then don't come crying when something like this happens! Exactly what you have been saying to other posters about their cats. Double standards much?!

BTW I do not "store cats" - they live in my home very happily!

Canthave2manycats · 19/08/2024 19:34

Dreamskies · 19/08/2024 07:34

It isn’t nature when an invasive pet, who has been put there by a human, kills a wild bird.

It’s nice to hear that as a cat owner you make sensible choices and actually care about the wildlife, but please don’t continue to excuse the owners poor behaviour by thinking this is “nature”. It isn’t.

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Don't be silly. Cats have literally killed birds forever - the hunting gene is very much in their nature!

Canthave2manycats · 19/08/2024 19:45

ObelixtheGaul · 19/08/2024 10:51

To return to the OP's point:
Cats in doesn't have to be cruel but as @grapesstrawberriesplease said, it means you have to make some effort to ensure your cat is stimulated. That doesn't mean spending a bomb on fancy big wheels and massive cat trees necessarily, as many cat owners will tell you they bought this or that and cat ignored it.
It means paying some attention. Even if cat does go out, inside should still be somewhere they are happy to be if you want to see them at home occasionally.
Get to know your cat. Some want interactive play. One we had loved her completely unfancy bit of cork on an old shoelace dangling from a bit of bamboo cane. Tried that with our current cat and he looked at us with utter distain. He likes batting random things round the floor. If you get balls or felt mice, or even good old corks for this, get several, only have a couple out at a time, then periodically move the settee to get them out from under it.
If your cat is a climber, get them something to climb on. Again, doesn't have to be fancy, just sturdy. Fitting shelves to the wall for them can work. If they don't seem interested, tell them they aren't allowed on it. Some cats like to go where they know they shouldn't.
Make sure they can see out if they want to. If you have wide window ledges, leave an ornament free space for the cat to perch on. If not, put something by the window tall and sturdy enough.
Scratching posts or a mat you don't mind them clawing is a good idea. Neither of my cats ever went for the furniture, but our first had a thing for the bannister post, so we put old carpet round it for her.
I do think there's a sensible point to be made about how people perceived cat ownership. Our current cat was a rescue. He clearly wasn't feral, he had been owned at some point. At the time, we lived in a tourist place with seasonal workers and the lady at the rescue centre said it wasn't uncommon for seasonal workers to have cats and simply leave them behind at the end of the season. Far fewer people would even think of doing that with a dog.
Yes, cats are different in some ways to dogs. Domestic cats aren't pack animals. They genuinely don't require as much interaction and usually want it on their own terms. They sleep a LOT more. Harder to train, but it can be done. When comes to being stuck inside, most wouldn't think it's acceptable to leave a dog stuck inside with nothing to do in a tiny flat for eight hours a day. But with cats, because they do seem to need less interaction with us, and they sleep more, people think it's acceptable. It isn't, but that doesn't make 'outside' the only answer. They need a stimulating environment. They need space to charge up and down in, many (but not all) like access to high places, etc.
Dogs have toys. Cats like toys too, just not always the ones you buy for them. Doesn't mean they are content with nothing to play with at all.
You can give a cat a good indoor life. But it involves some thought. More thought than putting in a flap.
Bottom line, cats get bored indoors if you don't do anything to make indoors less boring.

Mine love cardboard boxes! They also love to play with the strong white plastic tape you sometimes get on packages. They play with little pieces of cardboard too. They have solid scratchers and cardboard ones all over the house. The bonded pair has just slept opposite me on my dining table while I work. Sometimes they take a notion for something random! We swap the toys around too as they lose interest in the same ones all the time.

Sallyingon · 19/08/2024 19:52

Our road is full of outdoor cars who like to use my flowerbeds as a toilet. It drives me mental. I'm all for people keeping them in and dealing with their own shIt.

Canthave2manycats · 19/08/2024 19:52

RickyGervaislovesdogs · 19/08/2024 11:30

If it’s by choice then fine.

But I think it’s cruel if the cat wants to go out.

I agree with you. I'm very glad that mine are so settled and content indoors but it would be cruel to keep them in if they were begging to go out.

Canthave2manycats · 19/08/2024 19:54

Dreamskies · 19/08/2024 12:29

I wouldn’t know, it doesn’t tell me anything is deleted. Your post did have “like fuck” attitude, you even worded it like that or similar and made no reference to number of people etc. But this is done to death, I was taking about ME.
ME, ME, ME - which is my new attitude thanks to you! 😄 I don’t need to run mine every night, but I will do because it means I don’t need to empty loads of dishes every time!

It’s so liberating this new attitude of not caring what impact I have, so many new things to do! I’ve joined the gang now, “squad goals”! All of us out just “doin’ it for ourselves”! (And fuck everyone else, of course. Not to forget that bit!) 😃

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That's just childish.

Dreamskies · 19/08/2024 20:12

@Canthave2manycats of course I take responsibility for my animals, which is why others need to take responsibility for theirs. Mine are safe in my home, not out causing bother to anyone else. To suggest it’s in no way the cat owners fault is, frankly, ridiculous and you know it.

Look it up if you still don’t believe me - cats are not wild, not native and are therefore invasive. It’s very simple fact, you’re making yourself a look a bit daft by outright refuting easily provable facts.

Aww boo-hoo, can’t take a bit of sarcasm?

Canthave2manycats · 19/08/2024 20:16

I don't think I'm the one making myself look daft tbh with your unseemly little scraps with anyone who doesn't agree with you. It's pretty pathetic.

I like my sarcasm to be, you know, actually sarcastic, not petty, juvenile attempts at point scoring.

Dreamskies · 19/08/2024 20:29

Canthave2manycats · 19/08/2024 20:16

I don't think I'm the one making myself look daft tbh with your unseemly little scraps with anyone who doesn't agree with you. It's pretty pathetic.

I like my sarcasm to be, you know, actually sarcastic, not petty, juvenile attempts at point scoring.

No, you’re totally right. Of course it’s my fault, it’s all definitely my fault. I should live in a non-ventilated, mould-ridden, hermetically sealed box to make sure other people don’t have to take any responsibility for their pets. Yes, sounds completely reasonable that.

You may want to update the cat owners on here who think that if a dog was on their property causing and damage or death, it would be the dog owners fault. As it seems they are similarly deluded, just like I was.

Keep clutching at those straws…..

Cattery · 19/08/2024 20:56

@Dreamskies I think you’re slightly mad…

Dreamskies · 19/08/2024 20:58

Cattery · 19/08/2024 20:56

@Dreamskies I think you’re slightly mad…

At least I’m only slightly mad, I’m actually genuinely concerned about some people on here 😬

Cattery · 19/08/2024 21:00

I’d worry about yourself if I was you.

VimtoVimto · 19/08/2024 21:00

I love seeing all the neighbourhood cats out and about, and having conversations with them.

Cattery · 19/08/2024 21:01

@VimtoVimto Me too. Love them 🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛

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