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AIBU?

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Original poster

Indoor vs Outdoor cat

112 replies

sunshineandkindle · 04/10/2025 18:31

Would it be cruel/unreasonable to get 2 cats and have them as indoor cats?
We have 2 children who would love love love a cat but we live near a main road and I worry it would get hit by a car.

OP posts:
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5
Stompythedinosaur · 04/10/2025 18:35

It's not unreasonable, but indoor cats need lots and lots of stimulation. As long as you're willing to make changes to the house around their needs, then it sounds like a plan!

Femalemachinest · 04/10/2025 18:35

I have an indoor cat. I harness trained him when he was little so when im doing something in the garden he comes out with me. Id let him further on his harness but he's a wimp and won't go far 😂. I also have a catio.

Swiftie1878 · 04/10/2025 18:37

For me, a long time cat lover and owner, it’s cruel to keep them indoors.
If you don’t live somewhere you are happy they’d be safe, please don’t get them.

DorothyStorm · 04/10/2025 18:37

My female cats never wandered. They would go in the garden and that was pretty much it, One would follow us if we set off on a walk to the end of the cul-de-sac and then turn back. As they got older they never left the garden. Ive one left now and she only goes out when the weather is at least 25 degrees and dry with so wind. And only if i an also outside. My boy cat did wander a bit more and get into trouble.

Can you cat proof your garden?

Takersgonnatake · 04/10/2025 18:37

Why don’t you choose one of the breeds that are happy to stay home? They are usually more placid and accepting of children’s affection too, win win

Femalemachinest · 04/10/2025 18:39

He also has 4 cat trees. Window shelves in the conservatory. Endless toys. Puzzle feeders. A big wheel, he uses this intermittently thought tbh.

Indoor vs Outdoor cat
Indoor vs Outdoor cat
Indoor vs Outdoor cat
Indoor vs Outdoor cat
Leeds157 · 04/10/2025 19:00

I have two indoor cats, and our last cat, a senior rescue who came to us at the age of 10, had also been an indoor cat his whole life and we carried that on.
Our last cat had 3 x big cat trees around the house and his own armchair & sofa in the conservatory 😂. Our windows and back patio doors were and are still secured with Flat Cat window mesh, so our cats have always had fresh air safely.
In an ideal world yes, I’d love to let my cats outside, however the world can be a scary and dangerous place
for animals and I just know I’d worry all day long.
My two little 1 year old cats now, were born under a shed in Feb last year, where they lived in the cold outside for the first 2 months of their lives, they now live indoors, and they have plenty of toys, fresh air through the window mesh, and we play 45 mins of the Jackson Galaxy Simmer and boil method most nights so they can run around. If you want your cats indoors, see what works for them and how they feel, our girls are fine. There will be plenty of people who will tell you either way, but you trust your instinct and know you’re doing your best with your cats’ best interests at heart x

PashaMinaMio · 04/10/2025 19:04

Swiftie1878 · 04/10/2025 18:37

For me, a long time cat lover and owner, it’s cruel to keep them indoors.
If you don’t live somewhere you are happy they’d be safe, please don’t get them.

This ^
Cats need to do what cats naturally do. Climb trees, sleep under a shrub in the sun.

You’ll soon get fed up with stinking litter trays. Just don’t, it’s cruel.

Think about a hamster instead.

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 04/10/2025 19:04

I think the problem is that if your cats decide that they do want to go out, you may end up with stressed or unhappy cats. Our 'kittens' started trying to escape from about 4 months old. It was actually a relief when we started letting them out.
We've always had outdoor cats and I do think that cats with outdoor access have a more fulfilled life - but recognise that there are risks with them going outside. My view is that a short happy life is better than a long bored one.
(Having said that - all the previous cats we've ever had have died of old age/illness rather than accident anyway)

You could possibly look at catio options or cat proofing your garden?

O00ps · 04/10/2025 19:15

Could you build a catio or cat proof your back garden (and never let them out of the front door)?
Our cat has a catio off the downstairs toilet, a harness and sometimes has supervised garden trips.
A main road is not ideal and may exclude you from getting rescue cats.
I used to live on a main road and didn't let my other cat out the front and he was OK for many years, until he went missing.

Tigerthatcametobrunch · 04/10/2025 19:20

Some rescues have cats that must be indoors cats and are used to living like that. Maybe worth exploring?

KittenKins · 04/10/2025 21:11

Some reputable rescues insist on indoor only homes. I have a cat that only goes into the garden with supervision. He also has an outdoor space he uses, like a small catio.

He has a large selection of cat trees inside, with plenty of toys & interactive things to do. He gets lots of human company.

Indoor cats do quite well, but I would approach a rescue for many reasons, especially as they can find you cats that will be more suitable to your lifestyle.

helpfulperson · 04/10/2025 21:17

Indoor cats need alot more interaction and work. If you are willing to do this most rescues have cats that need to be indoor only, maybe because of FIV or disabilities. Countries where cats have to be indoor only are where there is a significant risk of them getting eaten by something further up the food chain. In the UK I firmly believe the risk of them getting run over is far outweighed by the benefits of them going outside and living natural cat lives.

34ransum · 04/10/2025 21:22

Many Americans view letting cats outdoors as cruel. They see it as too high risk.

I'm camp "outdoor only". As a vet I see so many behavioural issues in indoor cats - toileting outside their box, anxiety, clinginess.
They tend to be bored and frustrated.

Medical issues like cystitis and obesity are also more common.

Sometimeswinning · 04/10/2025 21:24

My moggy isn’t allowed out. He’s fine. He’s loved. He won’t be run over or bring dead birds home.

edwinbear · 04/10/2025 21:27

I‘m also in the ‘outdoor camp’, our cat goes out the back into our relatively secure garden - although does jump over the fence to visit next doors cat, in their garden. She’s not allowed out of the front door, although obviously, once she’s out, we can’t really preventing her going where she likes. She’s not much of a roamer fortunately.

With rescues overflowing with cats needing homes however, I still think they would be happier in a loving, indoor home as opposed to living in a rescue centre though.

GallifreyGirl · 04/10/2025 21:36

I live rurally surrounded by fields. Have 3 cats now. I lost a cat on the only road near me, it was utterly heartbreaking. I spent ages obsessing about why it went on the road not the fields but this cat was a hunter and wanderer and loved being outside. My remaining cats are still outdoor cats. It’s in their nature to be outside, hunting and doing cat things. I feel it’s unfair to stifle them by forcibly keeping them in. I still worry if one’s not back for a while but I know they are happy. Cat protection are happy for me to foster and adopt as my property is deemed as safe. It was awful and heartbreaking but I know that my cats have a happy life however long it may be.

ETA when I was a child we had many cats and lived very close to an A road. We didn’t lose one cat to the road. I guess I’m saying you don’t know what will happen. Cats can die young of disease or then can live near busy roads and live for 20 years!

MoominMai · 04/10/2025 21:38

Swiftie1878 · 04/10/2025 18:37

For me, a long time cat lover and owner, it’s cruel to keep them indoors.
If you don’t live somewhere you are happy they’d be safe, please don’t get them.

That would rule out virtually 80% or more of the population though. Vets and animal protection organisations seem to widely endorse keeping indoor cats for their own safety (as well as local wildlife). As long as they’re stimulated and played with and in a reasonably sized home and that’s all they’ve ever known I don’t think it’s as massive an issue as people think otherwise there’d be an epidemic of indoor cats howling at the doors/windows, depressed, not grooming themselves, eating etc. Also better the cats in rescues go be indoor cats in a loving home than minimal attention forever in a holding pen.

I’d only say it’s cruel if it’s a rescue cat with circumstances where the rescue advise it be an outdoor cat because of its existing history and experiences.

LadyFlumpalot · 04/10/2025 21:39

I have two indoor cats. They have a huge cat tree, a massive variety of toys to play with, places to hide, comfy places to snooze and things to scratch. They don’t have to be flee’d, they won’t get worms, they won’t get run over, attacked, get into fights, manage to poison themselves or be catnapped by a stranger taking a fancy to them.

I put in a lot of time playing with them and trying to keep them from getting bored.

I also live very close to an A-Road that seems to have a new dead cat on it every week :(

As long as you are willing to put in the extra work to keep them enriched (and can cope with the litter trays) then it isn’t cruel to keep them indoors. You can always lead train them as well. I tried with mine, but they hate it 😆

Sometimeswinning · 04/10/2025 21:41

My spotted town page is filled with dead cats on the A roads. All of you letting your cats out are dicing with their lives.

1984Winston · 04/10/2025 21:42

I have three indoor cats, have an enclosed garden so they can go out there, mine have never been outside, they don't show any interest in going outside (other than the garden). There's arguments for both but personally I wouldn't have outdoor cats again

Middlemarch123 · 04/10/2025 21:47

GallifreyGirl · 04/10/2025 21:36

I live rurally surrounded by fields. Have 3 cats now. I lost a cat on the only road near me, it was utterly heartbreaking. I spent ages obsessing about why it went on the road not the fields but this cat was a hunter and wanderer and loved being outside. My remaining cats are still outdoor cats. It’s in their nature to be outside, hunting and doing cat things. I feel it’s unfair to stifle them by forcibly keeping them in. I still worry if one’s not back for a while but I know they are happy. Cat protection are happy for me to foster and adopt as my property is deemed as safe. It was awful and heartbreaking but I know that my cats have a happy life however long it may be.

ETA when I was a child we had many cats and lived very close to an A road. We didn’t lose one cat to the road. I guess I’m saying you don’t know what will happen. Cats can die young of disease or then can live near busy roads and live for 20 years!

Edited

I totally understand and sending you hugs.
Cats are different to other domestic pets.
I firmly believe, after having more than 30 cats over many decades, that they would choose a shorter life, doing their own thing, than a restricted life that suits their owners, not them. And cats don’t see us, the people who house and love them as owners, they choose to stay with us. I had two gorgeous ginger kittens, Ronnie and Reggie. Ronnie stayed with us, Reggie moved on, Both treated exactly the same. Reggie decided life with a neighbour a few doors down suited him better. I don’t know why, but cats do what cats do. He’s happy, so we are happy too.

GallifreyGirl · 04/10/2025 22:33

Middlemarch123 · 04/10/2025 21:47

I totally understand and sending you hugs.
Cats are different to other domestic pets.
I firmly believe, after having more than 30 cats over many decades, that they would choose a shorter life, doing their own thing, than a restricted life that suits their owners, not them. And cats don’t see us, the people who house and love them as owners, they choose to stay with us. I had two gorgeous ginger kittens, Ronnie and Reggie. Ronnie stayed with us, Reggie moved on, Both treated exactly the same. Reggie decided life with a neighbour a few doors down suited him better. I don’t know why, but cats do what cats do. He’s happy, so we are happy too.

Show quote history

Thank you.
we had a cat when I was a child who moved to a neighbours too! That’s why I love cats I think the are so independent. Dogs pretty much love you unconditionally but cats you have to work to get their trust and love. It means a lot when a cat chooses to love you. One of mine actively attacks me often yet adores my daughter. Their personalities just make me laugh. Some cats are naturally indoor cats and the OP may find one in a shelter. At least with an indoor cat you won’t wake up to a mouse’s head on your kitchen. Floor as I often do!

tinyspiny · 04/10/2025 22:38

Perfectly reasonable if you provide the right environment and enrichment . Our Siamese does have a large catio but indoors she also has floor to ceiling poles to access wardrobe tops , a few different cat trees and wall shelves and walkways . We did try a wheel but she wasn’t keen . She gets played with a lot as well .

willstarttomorrow · 04/10/2025 22:45

I am a cat fosterer and also have adopted quite a few. I personally like to let cats roam and it is a risk I take, but many I have had actually have never wanted to go far. If you are getting cats, please look into rescue, they are all over flowing as people do not neuter their cats! Smaller rescues, like the one I foster for, tend to be more flexible (I know people complain that many make adoption impossible). If you are on a busy road, I am sure most will be looking for you to take indoor cats, but to be honest when they are in your care it is your decision.