Outdoor cats becoming indoor cats

[Northey]

My cats have grown up having free access to the outside, but my partner now has the possibility of a new role which comes with free accommodation and no bills, but this accommodation is a flat with no garden.

Financially it would be such a boon that I think he has to go for it. But it feels a terrible thing to impose on the cats. It would be for two years max.

Has anyone any experience of suddenly stopping a cat's outdoor access like this? How did the cat cope? Is it do-able, or should we just give up the idea altogether?

i work for a rescue center and generally speaking its not easy to get outdoor cats to adapt to indoors, an indoors cat can become an outdoor cat,

the flat you have been offered is there a balcony that you could net so the cats would have access to fresh air, if you do it you would need to provide lots of climbing equipment such as large platform scratching posts, and a grass tray is a good idea,

and also remember that you would have to have a permanent litter tray inside the flat,

one of my cats who loved going out had to stay indoors for 5 weeks due to a foot injury and by the time she was nearly ready to go back out she was head butting the windows and howling to go out

Hello Norf.

We did this with our female cat. We used to have a house with a garden on an estate with few cars and she seemed happy. We then had to move to a smaller house with only a small yard on a busy road, which she didn't like so she decided herself to become a house cat. She has since become extremely neurotic timid and agoraphobic, but seems happy enough - eats well and uses her tray with no problems etc. You will definitely need to watch their weight, especially neutered cats, which I imagine they are. The weight can pile on without you noticing it, and then suddenly you are in possession of an obese cat and forced to attend Fat Fighters at the vet's every fortnight for their weigh ins and made to feel like a terrible owner. And forced to purchase highly expensive Food For Fat Cats.

I think it depends on the cat. I could see some cats being very disturbed by this, whereas some adapt ok.