I would really like a cat, but...

[canwehaveacatchat]

I have been considering getting a kitten. My DS16 is also now desperate for one.

But... we currently live in a small two bed flat. I don't even have a discreet place to put a litter tray, and we don't have garden.

It feels unfair to get a cat that can never go outside. But this must happen? I had two cats as a child, and eventually we moved house and the second one was able to get out, but until then, they were house cats.

Does anyone here have a similar living situation?

If I was to buy an automated cat litter tray, would it be nasty to put it in the living room (in a corner, under a table, for example?

We are hoping to buy somewhere bigger in the next 6 months or so, but no guarantees it won't still be a flat.

Also, although currently WFH, I'm usually office based. Maybe it's not fair to have a cat and be out 8 hours a day.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Having had cats over the years, there was never an issue that they didn't go out. It helped that we got them when they were kittens so it suited them fine, they were just delighted to have a warm loving home with food on tap😁 but l've had older cats who have apdoted to indoor living too.

We used put their litter tray in the bathroom with the odour neutralising flushable cat litter, so there was never an issue with that.

They really don't take up a huge amount of space and make fantastic, loving pets. You definitely won't regret it.

Best of luck, you already sound like an ideal candidate for ownership, someone who is thinking about the animals needs first

Would you consider getting a rescue cat that needs an indoor lifestyle? Some friends were in a similar position to you and they adopted an adult deaf cat who gave them so much joy.

You will need to think about how the cat will exercise and entertain itself if it doesn’t have a garden to explore.

I would personally hold off getting a new pet if I was planning to move in the next 6 months, because it will be very disruptive for the animal. However, I do understand your desire to have your own cats. I grew up with cats too and had to wait several years before I could have my own.

I wouldn't.

I think it's cruel. Cats are hunters, territorial, inquisitive, so clever and need to expend energy.

No animal should be so restricted in this way.

Lots of rescues have cats that need to be indoor only so that's not a problem.

We have 2 litter trays, one in the hallway and one in the living room, they're covered and we scoop out the poo as soon as its been done and spray some air freshener

Rescues often have cats that need to be kept indoors that need to be rehomed. A cat, particularly an older one, will be fine while you are out at work as long as they get plenty of attention when you are around. You couldn't leave a kitten for that long.

Do consider a rescue cat that needs an indoor home. It doesn’t mean you’re restricted to an older cat. We took in a young cat from rescue that had epilepsy, she was a lovely cat and very healthy other than experiencing occasional fits that meant it wasn’t safe for her to be outdoors.

Another vote for an indoor rescue cat! Senior kitizens are particularly character-ful!

We both have our hearts set on a kitten and the breed

Maybe I'll sit DS down and have a look at our local rescue centres page on Facebook. I don't recall seeing very many cats posted though.

Ignore what they post online - our local rescues only tended to advertise the ‘harder to home’ cats. Register your details with local rescue and explain your circumstances and they should be able to match you with suitable cats.

There is a certain type of docile tabby cat that is better suited to indoor living, so look for one like that.

Or.... Just wait 6 months until you move?

If you have your heart set of a kitten of a particular breed - potentially cruel. Yes; the average cat needs to roam, to explore etc.

BUT there are many cats in rescues that need to be indoor only (deaf, amputees, FIV, cats with cerebellar hypoplasia) who need loving homes. My girl is indoor only due to disability - she'd desperately love to be an outdoor cat, but has to be kept in as she has no way to quickly move away from cars, predators or other aggressive cats. Knowing how hard it is to keep her indoors I couldnt keep a cat in without good reason to

Yes, I do think maybe waiting until we move just makes more sense. Less unsettling for any cat or kitten. Plus if we manage to move by July, it will be school holidays and I'll be able to work flexibly to settle it in.

When we spoke about it, I did tell DS it would be when we move, and that the type we like is expensive. He told me the next day that he had been looking to see if he could buy it with his Christmas/birthday money ❤️ But he'll understand.

Don't get a cat before moving.

It's not good to keep a kitten inside, but you can definitely get an older rescue cat who needs to be kept indoors. That way, you're giving them the best life, and not depriving them of anything.

We have two covered little trays in the lounge, cleaned regularly they are fine. Our older rescues can go out but choose to come back for the loo!

That still leaves the issue of if we move to another flat though.

But, I'll see what's what over the next few months, I guess.

Thanks all! Hopefully I'll be back to pick your brains

We have a cat and hardly see her. She's a rescue but was only 6 months old when we got her. We were actually going to try and keep her in but she wanted to be out. Last summer she was out 90% of the time.
Comes in wet with mucky paws and fills her face then disappears up to whoevers bed she fancies lying on. Will come for a stroke now and then. Pointless pet really 😂

Contact the welfare and rescue branch of the pedigree you are interested in. There may be retired queens looking for homes that have only been inside cats etc.

There are advantages to keeping them indoors - don't get stolen, knocked down, eat poison, get in fights, pick up diseases, bring back gifts etc etc

Many breeders specify their kittens are indoors only.

I did hate when I was child and our cat went out at night. My mum had died and my dad didn't like the cat. I was so scared he wouldn't come home one night and I knew my dad wouldn't be bothered looking for him. I'll need to work on my anxiety before getting an outdoor cat

Hi, OP. It's fine to have an indoor cat, though a little unfair to leave a kitten alone all day - an older rescue cat (2+ years) will be more suited to some time alone. And, if you are still in a smaller flat without an obvious place for a litter tray, maybe consider something like this which you can have in a hallway or corner of the sitting room:

Litter tray furniture

Lots of rescues don't advertise all their animals, for various reasons.

What breed do you both want?

Personally if I didn't have somewhere better than the living room for a litter tray, I wouldn't get a cat. But that's just personal choice.

We got a kitten in September, she hasn’t been out because she is not big enough to be spayed. A female kitten wouldn’t be able to go out the first 4-6 months anyway because she shouldn’t go out until she is spayed.

A British Shorthair.

Shouldn't let cats out overnight anyway far higher chance of being in a RTA,

Have a read of this

www.southernbritishshorthairs.co.uk/rehoming.html

@canwehaveacatchat

I did hate when I was child and our cat went out at night. My mum had died and my dad didn't like the cat. I was so scared he wouldn't come home one night and I knew my dad wouldn't be bothered looking for him. I'll need to work on my anxiety before getting an outdoor cat

Get your cat back in at night- that’s what I have done to all of my cats! Train them with a little whistle when they are a kitten - a couple of beeps at every feed and they will always return when they hear the whistle- it carries far more than a voice calling

@Littlewhitedove2 mine are whistle trained too, they even appear half asleep as it's in their sub consciousness! Half the time they don't know why they've come 😆