Is it fair to have an indoor cat?

[Goingtobeoldearly]

This isn't a judgy question, it's a genuine , is it fair?
The reason why I'm asking is because I think I would like a cat, but it might have to be indoors. I grew up with cats, my cat unfortunately passed away when she was 18 years old, I had her from a kitten when I was 5 years old. But all our cats went out doors, they had free rein during the day but came home whenever they wanted, but were always home for the evening. However, where I currently live, I'm not sure that's possible.

My cats go outdoors. The latest two were making every possible effort to escape before I started letting them out at about 5 months.
If a cat wants to stay in then that's fine but to my mind keeping a cat in against its will is cruel.
I'd prefer an animal to have a shorter fulfilled life than a long boring one.

I have two cats. One of them loves outside for a nose around. The other one can not be persuaded to go anywhere near a door or window. She scurries up the stairs and under a bed as soon as she sees you open a door. She is a rescue cat and I suspect that at one stage she had a home and then she was taken to the door and thrown out, so she is making sure it doesn't happen again...

I’ve currently got this dilemma. I have a 6 month old cat who seems desperate to go outside. But he’s an expensive pedigree who looks very fancy, I’m scared he’d be stolen within minutes. Never mind the being run over potential as he also seems quite dim.

My ragdolls are indoor only though one does like a walk on the lead. When I bought them I had to sign a contract that they are indoor only.

@VivaLeBeaver

Can you create a cat run that attaches to the house so he can come and go as he pleases?

That way he can go out without the chance of getting taken or killed

Have two indoor cats ragdoll and ragdoll/siamese, they have the run of the house, are very contented, lots of toys to play with plus climbing frames, favourite sleeping place is my bed.

I don’t think we can fit a Catio on the back of the house as it’s such a narrow house and we have patio doors taking up most of the back.

I’m considering cat proofing the garden but the garden is massive and I think it will be expensive.

I think cat proofing would be the only way really

I also have 2 indoor cats. We had them as rescue kittens & they were very timid. We were recommended to keep them indoors for a good few weeks.

During that time, there was a large number of cat thefts in our village. Virtually not a day went by without a new missing cat post on the local FB page, or posters on a lamppost. So we decided to keep them in a little longer.

They turned 3 in October and for quite a long time now have shown absolutely no interest in going outdoors. We can leave doors & windows wide open & neither goes out. They do sit at the windows & sniff the air but never try to get through it 😂.

I think if ever they do show signs of going out I will get a catio put in. Our lounge is on the back of the house so access could quite easily be through a lounge window.

I have 3 indoor cats, none of them have ever gone outdoors, we do now have a cat proofed garden which they love, personally would never have an outdoor cat again

I had a rough, tough rescue tom cat. Huge, macho, street cat for years.

He loathed going out. He had a private balcony with cat grass and plants for entertainment, complete with misbehaving pigeons, but he really didn't want to know unless it was over 30 degrees.

Our cat is indoor by her choice - she very occasionally goes out for 30 minutes in which she sits a metre from the door coming back in with any noise. Gets separation anxiety when separated from radiators. She is 15 and purrs all the time so definitely happy like that but very much her choice.

Some rescue cats are stipulated indoor only.

Also outdoor cats meet danger every day cars, people,dogs and other cats or like ours before teen with a dog. They catch mice and birds and have to be wormed all the time and catch fleas and bring them home and have to be defleaed all the time. Our Bengal has never caught a flea or worm though he had treatments after a stint in a Cattery last summer I do make sure he's had all injections as diseases can be brought in by others from outside and he has had no problems in 10 yrs. my outdoor cats went to the vets so many times they were known by sight one had an infection after a mouse she had caught bit her on the gum and she started sliming at the mouth and had the vet making a joke about the hunter becoming the hunted and the mouse roared on and on but she cost a small fortune at the end.

We have two cats. One likes to be out from dawn to dusk. We live on a quiet dead end road and have a good garden. Other one will only go out in the summer if it is warm and dry. Even then comes in at the first opportunity. She would be quite happy living indoors. She isn't even too fussed about toys, she entertains herself trying to open doors, pull out pens which have fallen under the sofa and generally dossing around.

I’ve got 3 indoor cats. They are very happy, have everything they want and do not miss anything at all not going outdoors.

I think it’s cruel to have an outdoor cat considering all the risks they are exposed to.

My cat was a 15 year old rescue and the home advertised him as an indoor only cat because he is little and old. He is very, very happy 6 years later and still going strong!

I think it depends on the cat. Plus some breeds are more content than others at being an indoor cat.
Two cats live next door to me, brothers from same litter. One loves to go out, the other one prefers to be indoors.
Some rescues have medical issues that mean they can't go out - deafness for example.

Some cats love being indoor only but it has to be there Decision. You can catproof a garden.

Our cat refuses to be anything other than an indoor cat
We try and encourage him to go out but it only takes a gust of wind and he's back in.... he's been this was for 8 years so far and he seems happy enough!!

I've got Persians. They just aren't clever enough to be out in the big wide world unsupervised. They go for a potter around the garden but are more than happy inside. They often don't go out even when they can.

My parents adopted a cat that they were told was indoor. He definitely isn't!

We had an indoor cat, she would go out and sit in our back yard, with high walls, but not into the front garden. One day she climbed on the shed roof and jumped into next doors yard, couldn't get back and yowled hysterically till we could go and get her. (the shame of knocking on a door to ask if you can get your cat back!) That was too much adventure for her, and she spent her life very happily in our house with an occasional summer trip into our yard