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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Are there breeds suitable for indoor only?

35 replies

Isadora2007 · 05/01/2017 00:04

Or is this a myth?

We have had three cats so far in 12 years here near a busy road. Two have been killed on the road and the third we re homed to my parents when we realised he wasn't the scaredy cat we believed and was heading over the road to the local park/wooded area.
I would really still love our home to have a cat... maybe a dog at a push... but couldn't bear to lose another Moggy to that bloody road. Are there any cats truly happy to remain indoors or is it quite cruel really to keep them indoors?
Thank you.

OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 05/01/2017 06:36

Persians tend to be indoor. Mine go out in the garden for about 10 minutes then come back in again. They just aren't bothered. One of mine accidentally got out the front door the other day and spent 5 hours hiding behind my next door neighbours bins. So she didn't go far. They don't climb so I can leave my windows open and they are fine. Very affectionate, sweet and docile. Not very cat like at all. (Well mine aren't) but mine are rescues and had a rough start. I've not found their coats to difficult to manage. I brush them every other day and they don't shed In the same way short hairs do. It doesn't stick to your clothes! My friend has a chinchilla exotic and she's a real feisty madam but very pretty!

Fluffycloudland77 · 05/01/2017 06:52

Our Persians went out bar the ex queen.

An adult rescue is the way to go, you need one like our ex queen who just couldn't see the point of outside.

Kirstyinnorway · 05/01/2017 06:57

Ragdolls aren't meant to go outside, I believe. They're too daft - they'd get into trouble. SIL tells me the breeder she got her ragdoll from specifically told her that she wasn't allowed out unsupervised. Her cat is certainly more like a dog (and therefore definitely my kind of cat); will play fetch and you can pick her up and cradle her like a baby. She purrs like a Harley.

I stand to be corrected RE: the going out thing, as this is second-hand knowledge.

RubbishMantra · 05/01/2017 07:29

You could adopt a cat who's FIV+, they are supposed to be kept indoors.

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 05/01/2017 07:34

DSis has a Ragdoll which isn't allowed outside and I think she had to assure the breeder that she would honour this before she could buy the cat. Ragdolls are very trusting of people and not at all streetwise, thus have to be kept in for their own safety.

He does get walked on a harness/lead! He is very gentle and affectionate, an excellent family pet by all accounts, but his coat needs quite a lot of care.

crrrzy · 05/01/2017 07:51

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for privacy reasons.

Potentialmadcatlady · 05/01/2017 08:01

I have a Devon who hates going outside unless she's going out into her run that leads off kitchen window but she rarely even goes out there, one rescue moggie ex feral who hates going outside- will stand at an open door with me and not go out but she loves her run and another rescue moggie ex feral who would love to be out exploring but due to lots of major health reasons he can't- he loves sitting in run in all weathers just chilling...
All three of them are 'happy' content cats who get plenty of attention/cuddles/games...I have various 'beds' hidden around the house so everyone can get their own space if wanted and a litter tray downstairs/upstairs and in run...plus a massive basket of toys that are rotated.
Personally I have lifted too many dead/injured cars off the road after somebody else has hit them and kept going ( one right Infront of me) to allow mine to go out so I specifically foster ones that need an indoor home/have special needs.

SleepFreeZone · 05/01/2017 08:02

Ragdoll.

Potentialmadcatlady · 05/01/2017 08:02

Cats not cars...

Lunar1 · 05/01/2017 08:03

I had ragdolls and they are perfectly happy as indoor cats. They'd never make it in the wild! Prepare for everything to be covered in their hair though.

Toddlerteaplease · 05/01/2017 08:09

Fluffy, yes mine are both ex queens. My friends who isn't fired gonout a bit more but never ventures far.

Toddlerteaplease · 05/01/2017 08:09

Mine don't have the brains to go outside anyway!

YesItsMeIDontCare · 05/01/2017 08:10

I had a FIV+ cat from a rescue, they were asking for an indoor only for him. He'd been dumped because he has FIV. I take him out for walks on a lead. 😸

Are there breeds suitable for indoor only?
Toddlerteaplease · 05/01/2017 09:36

The rescue I had mine from mostly has indoor/ enclosed garden cats. Advantage of Persians is that they can't climb fences.

Soubriquet · 05/01/2017 09:39

My nan has a ragdoll

She was told not to let him out but he does go out. He's turned into quite the proflific hunter. But he's just a cat really. He doesn't like people apart from those he knows

Original poster
Isadora2007 · 05/01/2017 10:47

So maybe I could register interest with local rescues for older indoor cats then? If a cat is FIV +ve though aren't they hard to insure?
I don't think I'd want another long haired cat as we had a Siberian (two) who were gorgeous but long haired that got matted easily (though both were outdoors which didn't help matters)

OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 05/01/2017 10:56

My friends exotic Persian gets more matted than my long hairs!

Mouseinahole · 05/01/2017 11:26

My two British Shorthairs are indoor cats and this was recommended by the breeders. They are very happy as is their little Oriental sister.

Are there breeds suitable for indoor only?
Wolfiefan · 05/01/2017 11:31

I don't think certain breeds are definitely ok to be kept in. I would go for a cat who couldn't go out due to deafness or FIV or something. Or cat proof the garden or provide a big run.

OVienna · 05/01/2017 11:31

Persian. St Francis Rescue. Ideal candidates for you there. Ours is the apple of our eye.

mistermagpie · 05/01/2017 11:43

I've got two bengals who are indoor (well, they have access via the house to a large outdoor run but they don't roam about outside by themselves). Most pedigree breeders request that you keep 'thier' cats indoors but I think that's to do with discouraging breeding as much as anything else.

Whether the cat likes it really depends on the cat. One of mine has no interest in going out, if I leave the door open he won't go, but the other quite likes going out so we built the run. I would have let him out fully but by the time I had proper access to the outdoors (was in a flat before) and he showed an interest, he was seven and has no road sense at all.

Rescue centres are usually desperate for indoor homes for FIV cats.

cozietoesie · 05/01/2017 12:39

My mother had Seniorboy as an indoor cat after losing 5 or 6 young cats on the trot to cars. (She lived in the country but on a back road which was, unfortunately, used by local roadsters for high speed 'showing-off' at night time due mainly to lack of constant police presence.)

When I took on Seniorboy - at 14 - it was on the grounds that he'd be an inside boy and he's been a happy cat. Having said which, he's lived in roomy old houses and had people around most of the time. (We work from home.) As a bonded Siamese, his best thing is being with his people, so I'd have no hesitation about having another inside Siamese as long as I could give him the space and attention he needed.

Why not try for an older cat or a cat with special needs of some sort? I'd have thought that there might be some cats out there who would love to live with you. Smile

ImNotReallyReal · 05/01/2017 12:55

I have a BSH, she never goes out. Never uses the cat flap. She's a nice cat but very aloof.

I've tried to rehome her as she just doesn't enjoy our busy life (we have two small children and two dogs).

No one was ever interested in rehoming her because she didn't go out! She's 9 now so I guess she's stuck with us. I wish she'd go out in the garden for a sniff around, she just flat out refuses. She's far too posh to leave her perch (radiator cat bed) Grin

ryderandthepups · 05/01/2017 12:57

I have a Maine Coon who's indoor. He's so daft he'd last about 10 minutes before he got run over or went off in a delivery van.

Floralnomad · 05/01/2017 13:02

My mum has an indoor Ragdoll , he shows no interest in going out but then he likes the house at a constant temp , summer and winter so has to have heating overnight / fans in summer or he just drives you mad . Needs brushing every few days to stop matts and there is hair everywhere !

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