To think having an indoor cat is cruel?

[Catnope]

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.

I do too, and tbh you get more sense out of them than some posting here!!!!

No need, but thanks for your concern 🙂

Same here.

We've had to sign a contract, when buying pedigree kittens, agreeing not to let our cats out unless in an escape proof garden.

I wouldn't have an outdoor cat unless I lived in a rural or safe area. So many are killed on the roads here, or annoy neighbours by using their gardens as litter trays, which is a real shame.

We did have a neighbour who used to let their Birman and Siamese cats out. One was killed and another was stolen. Another neighbour had a lovely chinchilla Persian stolen, but that got out by mistake.

At this point, I also think he wouldn’t have a clue how to kill a bird.

My Persians have made short work of mice and won't stop until they catch them. Instinct kicks in I think.

@pinkhare

Same here.

We've had to sign a contract, when buying pedigree kittens, agreeing not to let our cats out unless in an escape proof garden.

I wouldn't have an outdoor cat unless I lived in a rural or safe area. So many are killed on the roads here, or annoy neighbours by using their gardens as litter trays, which is a real shame.

We did have a neighbour who used to let their Birman and Siamese cats out. One was killed and another was stolen. Another neighbour had a lovely chinchilla Persian stolen, but that got out by mistake.

I have a Burmese that is an indoor cat for the same reason. We also live in a country with protected wildlife that cats could easily kill for sport, and I don't want to see that. The wildlife could kill her, too - that's what happened to my neighbours' (pedigree) cat. I do take her for walks outside on a lead regularly, though.

Oops - bold fail!

My ex-BFs parents had British Shorthairs about 20 years ago. They were indoor cats. One wasn’t bothered, the other was desperate to go outside, used to scratch at the patio doors and try and climb to any open windows. They kept them in as they thought the cats would be stolen as they are obviously different from usual moggies.

I did think it was a shame for the one that wanted to go out. They had got them at about 3 months from a breeder in rural Shropshire, wanted cats who would snuggle on the sofa with you, both refused to do that too!

Yep, cardboard boxes. Moving house was entertaining.

@caliga We've had to sign a contract, when buying pedigree kittens, agreeing not to let our cats out unless in an escape proof garden.

How would they have known if you broke the contract by letting them out? What did the contract say would happen if let them out?

@Caliga This is what I always wonder.

I had a friend who was a breeder and made people sign one of those contracts- I asked her how they were remotely enforceable and she couldn’t answer.

I'm fairly certain those contracts are unenforceable by law. Once you buy the cat, it's yours and you can do what you like with it (within reason, obviously!).

That is my thinking. Plus, you would never know anyway- it’s not like you can follow the buyers round for the next 15 years!

Well, exactly - it's just silly.

Can well imagine! You can see their eyes light up and the word "mine!" flash across their little minds! 😃

He was lucky he didn't end up sealed up and on the lorry.

A cat did that recently in the US! Was parcelled up for days if I remember rightly, but was chipped so got reunited with her owners!

www.nytimes.com/2024/04/29/us/amazon-package-cat-utah-california.html#:~:text=Then%20the%20cat%20was%20transported,apart%20from%20mild%20dehydration%2C%20Ms.

When we adopted our cat one of the conditions were that we let him out.
We live in a really quiet area car wise and we have a tracker on him so could find him if he doesn't come home of a night. He would go crazy if we didn't let him out!
I think it's only far to have an indoor cat if they have a condition like feline HIV or ate one of the breeds that don't do well outside.

Not all cats are equal. One of mine sustained brain damage at birth. He's not confident in life generally, other than when at home smuggled with his siblings and with his people.

He's free to leave the house most of the day, doors to the garden are usually open, but he chooses to stay inside. With the very occasional sojourn into the garden for an extremely cautious sniff. He has terrible eyesight and is very runty 😅 Boy needs his house. Very much so. He wouldn't give a shit if he never went out, he goes out literally about twice a year despite the door being open perpetually from March to October.

An unhappy indoor cat would be so obvious, it would piss and shit and destroy stuff lol. He never does that, and always has a sunny disposition.

These posts always bring out the judgypants.

Cats will let you know if they’re unhappy, believe me. Some cats like outdoor space or they get stressed, others are happy being indoors. Cat rescues I know are happy to home kittens to indoor homes, and organisations like PDSA all say it’s fine to have house cats. They probably know more than people on here to be fair. Like, as in they are actual experts on cats.

That was another poster, not me. But the area I live in does have a covenant that all cats - regardless of breed - must be kept inside to protect the local wildlife. There are some endangered species here.

Unfortunately I do see plenty of cats out and about, including one that attacks my cat at her own window.

That's true. They are unenforceable, but they list reasons why it's not a good idea somewhere in the contract.
It also mentions things like contacting the breeder if you wish to rehome for some reason, and that sort of thing.

They wouldn't know either as they don't tend to keep in contact.