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The litter tray

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

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Original poster

Outdoor cats or indoor cats?

38 replies

Jenny0787 · 31/05/2018 16:59

I’ve always had outdoor cats, however after having one run over and killed last year I am extremely fearful of letting my remaining cats out.

So much so I have been getting CBT in order to cope with the worry and panic I feel when letting them out. It’s helped but it’s a low process.

If it was up to me I would have indoor cats however my partner does not agree with this and wants them out especially with a LO on the way.

What would your stance be?

OP posts:

Original poster

Jenny0787 · 31/05/2018 17:00

That’s should be slow process x

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MimpiDreams · 31/05/2018 17:02

I'd let them out. But I understand your worry. One of mine was run over recently and I wanted to keep the others in, safe forever. But they were sad as they love mooching through the undergrowth too much.

IHaveBrilloHair · 31/05/2018 17:03

I have four indoor cats.
It was never supposed to be this way but it's how it has to be unless I rehome them which I'm not going to do.
They are very spoiled, very much adored members of the family.
The fact that they can't go out is something I've accepted.

Original poster

Jenny0787 · 31/05/2018 17:04

Mine too! But then they end up doing things like this! And then I get all panicky 😱

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IHaveBrilloHair · 31/05/2018 17:05

That said, I'm hoping to move soon and cat friendly outdoors is on my list when viewing new places.

Original poster

Jenny0787 · 31/05/2018 17:12

We moved from one area to another both quiet cul de sacs, my cat that was run over to be fair had no road sense. She would often sit in the middle of the street and make cars go around her, ok for a big culdesac not so good when you live near roads. I do let them out however I’m always on edge when they are out x

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Allergictoironing · 31/05/2018 17:14

It's not terribly clear from the photo, but would cat proofing your garden be a reasonable compromise? They would get outdoor time, but be unable to get to the dangerous roads etc.

Beeperbird · 31/05/2018 17:19

I have two indoor cats, though to be fair they had to be due to them being positive for FeLV.
If you’re looking for new cats or kittens you could ask a shelter as we rescued ours as kittens and they specifically said they needed a home where they’d be inside.
No problems at all with them being house cats - they’re quite happy but we had to buy a cat tree and some other toys that stimulate them, and make sure we play with them every day so they don’t get bored. They were 3 years old when my son was born and there were no problems with them being house cats. We got a net for the crib just in case they started jumping in when he was little but never used it in the end. They’re all good friends now (my son is now 2) and one of them sleeps outside his door!

Original poster

Jenny0787 · 31/05/2018 17:22

Ones of them is on next doors garage roof and nearly was not able to get down!

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Beeperbird · 31/05/2018 17:24

Just re-read your post where you talk about your remaining cats. I think it really depends on the nature of your cat(s). If they’re happy staying in and don’t show signs of stress than I wouldn’t see it as a problem. However I think if they’ve been allowed outside most of their lives so far they might get annoyed with being shut in.
I agree with allergictoironing - can you cat proof your garden? Can get screens for upstairs & downstairs windows so they can’t ‘escape’ that way too.

Original poster

Jenny0787 · 31/05/2018 17:26

Aww that’s so sweet. It is a concern of mine that they will try to get in the crib with the baby, but I hear that the whole cats suffocating baby is an old wives tale. We will obviously not leave cats alone with baby, unsupervised so hopefully won’t have a problem.

It’s jusy getting over my fear of letting them out, I’m working on it. Unfortunately I don’t have a choice in the matter as my partner insists they go out and they are used to going out especially my older one who will meow at the door constantly until you open it! X

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Beeperbird · 31/05/2018 17:59

Yep definitely an old wives tale! If anything our cats weren’t too keen at all when DS was a newborn due to the strange noises and jerky unpredictable movements that they make!
A good tip someone gave me was to let the cats get used to the baby stuff (crib, play mat, bouncer etc) a couple of weeks before baby arrives so it’s not too much strange stuff at once. Worked well for us

viccat · 31/05/2018 17:59

I do think in most locations it's not really safe to let cats out freely but there are some measures you can take to make it safer. One is to never let them out from the front of the house, and to always have them in from dusk til dawn.

For the most part I consider cat proofed gardens the best of both worlds. My senior girl was adopted as an indoor cat because I lived in a flat. Now I live in a house with a cat proofed garden and she potters around for 10 minutes and comes back in. My younger pair were semi feral kittens and are too scared to go out, the boy will dash into the garden to have a look but returns within minutes.

KittyLover91 · 31/05/2018 18:02

When I was younger we always had outdoor cats and then I got my Maine coon and after being allowed out for a few months he got bit twice and then hit by a car!

A fractured eye socket, fractured jaw and 4 days later my fantastic dad cat proofed the bottom half of the garden so he can go out just not outout.

Then I got him a friend as he seemed a bit lonely but all in all he adjusted really well!

The sheer panic of either of them being allowed to roam just really isn't worth it. Indoor cats live longer and they can still be happy and so will you be ☺️

Original poster

Jenny0787 · 31/05/2018 18:16

Yeah if it was up to me they would all be indoor cats, I think the dead bird one of them brought in on Sunday night would also agree with me!

I have three in total one four year old who roams for days on end (6 days gone is his record) he’s neutered but it still does not stop him! And two one year olds they don’t go out as much as I’ve been reluctant since My other cat died. They stick mostly to the garden however when they go over the fence I’m having kittens (pun intended!)

My partner does not like doing litter so I have had to do 90% of it, I know you should not when pregnant but I have worn gloves and thoroughly washed my hands afterwards so was told I would be ok.

I also asked what he thought about cat proofing the garden and he did not like the look of it :-( so just have to use my CBT techniques and hope for the best! X

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Toddlerteaplease · 31/05/2018 18:24

I've got indoor Persians. I don't think I could have an out door cat again. I'd worry too much. But would only keep them indoors if it suited their temperament

thecatneuterer · 31/05/2018 19:26

I think cat proofing would be your best option. Some of it looks quite attractive (the roller type) and none of it looks that bad. It is quite expensive though.

Surely your partner could get the stick out of his arse about the appearance of the garden if it's causing you that much anxiety.

Allergictoironing · 31/05/2018 22:05

Sounds like your partner doesn't really like cats? He should be prepared to compromise TBH - you will compromise about them going out, if he agrees to cat proof the garden. As it is, he sounds totally disengaged from them e.g. doesn't want them to interfere with his life in any way.

Original poster

Jenny0787 · 31/05/2018 22:15

Hmm I see where you are coming from although they all cuddle up to him at night for some reason. But i think that’s so he can use the rule of cat rule!

He likes cats but not as much as me, think he’s more detached than I am about caring for them. It broke my heart when Freya got run over and killed last year and I don’t think I’ve got over it, which effects how I treat my remaining ones, he was gutted too, I remember getting her ashes back from the vets and I opened the little box and saw that they were in a plastic bag with a pink ribbon round them, I just burst into tears he was with me and he was tearful as well at that point. To be fair that was the first time I saw him cry about it!

Although about a week later he was keen to start letting them go out again. His view was you can’t stop them being cats and doing what they enjoy and the probability of them getting run over is only small. It’s hard though xx

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NeeChee · 31/05/2018 22:25

I lost one last year to a car accident. She survived the initial accident but was so badly injured I had to take her to be PTS. I still can't get it out of my mind.
I also witnessed my neighbours cat get hit by a cat recently (he's injured but on the mend thankfully), and I'm really nervous of letting my two out at the moment. I worry until they're back in again, but they do love being out so much. I've just spent 15 minutes shouting the oldest to get him in just so I can go to bed. My neighbours probably think I'm a crazy cat lady lol.

Original poster

Jenny0787 · 31/05/2018 23:12

I guess it’s not just me then! It scares me. I do send the kittens out (I say kittens they are nearly a year old) but after about an hour I’m rattling their food box and calling them back. They come back and most of the time they are in and out and stay mostly to the back garden! I even call one R2D2 as they have an electronic cat flap that reads their chips and she’s in and out every few minutes it also beeps every times she goes in and out hence the name!

My eldest one is four, him and Freya the one who died were in the same litter. As mentioned before he spends days on end out and I rarely worry about him as he is so used to being outside and being out so long is normal for him, especially this time of year. Although he is like clock work, the minute is starts raining he’s back in, sometimes with a dead bird or mouse that he’s brought back for the kittens! 🤢

I am getting used to letting them out more. My partner is being a bit more understanding at the minute but he’s still adamant that they need to go out, I do agree just trying to work through my fear.

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NeeChee · 01/06/2018 06:13

My two are nearly three and 9 months. The littlest hangs around more, and doesn't really leave the garden.
I stress myself out, the other day DP was fixing the car at the roadside, which meant the cats were hanging around nearby and sometimes walking in the road. I kept putting them in the house, but he let them out again. I just can't watch them, it scares me too much at the moment.

Faerie87 · 01/06/2018 07:00

I hate them being out the front, much prefer them being out the back. My partner does not see the difference because the cats can easily go round.

I’m one overprotective cat mummy xx

Allergictoironing · 01/06/2018 08:50

Every week we see a new post on here about someone's beloved cat being hit by a car, usually with fatal results. So no I don't think anyone is being over protective worrying about the cats being out & about. Going out may be "natural" for cats but cars aren't, modern day poisons like anti freeze aren't, and evil bastards who torture cats for fun aren't. It can be hard trying to balance their natural instincts with our decidedly UN natural world.

Faerie87 · 01/06/2018 09:07

Try to let them out in small burst. I was told during CBT that you have to focus on the times they have come back unharmed and to try to avoid catastrophing. Which means to stop thinking about omg they could be hit by a car, attacked by a dog, attacked by a human, or eaten poison and focus on the 99% if the time when they have come back ok! It’s hard to do very hard and it does take a lot of mental effort x

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