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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

Would you get a cat if you lived close to a busy road?

39 replies

Figure8 · 31/05/2019 22:22

So.... I've always had dogs, but thinking of making the change to the other side..

I live, not next to a busy road, but close. Like, 50 yards or so?

I had thought of getting a cat that needs rehoming, one that doesn't wander far. Do such cats exist?

Does anyone have any experience with this?

OP posts:
MyNameIsCharlesII · 31/05/2019 22:25

You could get an older cat from a rescue that had previously been a house cat so wouldn’t want to go outside. Personally I wouldn’t consider letting a cat out near a busy road but nor would I get a cat and keep it inside unless that’s what it wanted if you see what I mean.

Bunnybigears · 31/05/2019 22:30

Get a senior or special needs cat who has to be kept indoors. Our cat has epilepsy so has to stay indoors.

ExpletiveDelighted · 31/05/2019 22:43

We are about 50 yards from a busy main road and have cats. The rescue advised us that female cats don't tend to roam as much as males, so ours are female. We never let them out of the front door (they slip out occasionally but always come back within a minute or so, we get them in with Dreamies if necessary. They are allowed into the back garden which has high fences and gates, they can climb these but rarely bother. I don't think they go far at all, it is very rare that you can't see them from the back door or by peeking over into next door's garden.

Probably a good idea to get a rescue to come and do a home visit and then they can advise on your particular setup.

OldAndWornOut · 31/05/2019 22:45

I love cats, but live near a long, straight road which attracts idiots to speed up and down it at times, so I won't have a cat.

Babdoc · 31/05/2019 22:50

I’ve had cats for the past 40 years, and for 35 of those I’ve lived less then 50 yards from a busy dual carriageway. None of my cats showed any interest in the road- they much prefer the barley fields, trees and stream outside the back garden, where there are plenty of field mice and voles to hunt.
My last (male) cat was 21 when he died, my present (female) cat is 8.

Northernlurker · 31/05/2019 22:54

No I wouldn't

theconstantinoplegardener · 31/05/2019 23:00

There is a theory that busy roads are actually less of a danger to cats than quieter roads with moderate amounts of traffic. The idea is that most cats (especially past kittenhood) won't go near a busy road with cars hurtling past, whereas a quieter road lulls them into a false sense of security and they will cross it regularly but might not always judge car speed well...

I don't know if this theory is supported by facts, but a rescue should be able to advise you.

ExpletiveDelighted · 31/05/2019 23:28

It also depends on what sort of busy main road it is - ours is in a 30mph zone, is straight with clear wide pavements and no parked cars so visibility for drivers is very good. I'd be more wary if there was a higher speed limit, worse visibility etc. Also our cats are shut in at night.

Baloonphobia · 31/05/2019 23:31

No. Too many sad memories as a child.

MiniMum97 · 01/06/2019 00:17

We live on a fairly busy road. Our cat is not allowed out the front, only the back. We don't have side access though which makes this easier.

caranx · 01/06/2019 05:37

As PP said we just let the cat out the back rather than the front. Large garden and field beyond so plenty to keep her interest away from the road.

Aquamarine1029 · 01/06/2019 06:07

All of my cats have been indoor cats. Problem solved.

Original poster
Figure8 · 01/06/2019 08:54

Thanks all....
I like the idea of a rescue, or a cat with heath needs.
You've given me lots to think about- I thought it would be a resounding "no".
Interesting that female cats may be slightly less wander-y
😊

OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 01/06/2019 10:12

I have Persians, who are indoors/ garden only for this reason.

MissPollyHadADolly19 · 01/06/2019 10:20

I have a cat and live right next to a main road, it's so busy in the day he tends not to bother with it but as soon as it starts getting dark I bring him in. Most accidents with cats happen at night as the roads are quieter so they take the risk more.

viccat · 01/06/2019 11:54

You can definitely make it work if you are willing to be flexible. Many adult ex strays for example are quite streetwise (having survived outdoors for months/years in some cases), or a cat that's used to a busier location. A senior cat may be happy pottering in the garden and won't be interested in wandering far.

Alternatively, catproof your garden with fence top netting - that way your cat will not be able to leave the garden. I've heard friends did it themselves for as little as £200 but depends on the size of your garden and existing fences as well.

wheresmymojo · 01/06/2019 12:00

A rescue wouldn't let you adopt outdoor cats that close to a busy road.

That being said we tend to have a lot of older cats or Cats with health problems that need a loving indoor home.

It's hard to get homes for cats with health problems - there are usually Cats needing homes that are FIV positive for example and that may be still quite young but not allowed out so they don't transmit it.

daisypond · 01/06/2019 12:06

I’m on a busy road and have a cat. But I’m in a terraced house so the cat can’t get out at the front. To get to the front the cat would have to clamber over loads and loads of side fences in neighbouring gardens until it reached an end of terrace house. It doesn’t.

AnnaMagnani · 01/06/2019 12:13

Do not rely on advice that females don't roam as far! My neighbour and I have had 2 female roamers between us, and 2 females and a male that barely move. Totally depends on the cat.

I've lived on a busy road and been fine with cats - never let them out the front door and there was plenty to entertain them out the back.

And now I live on a quiet road and lost a cat the very first time she stepped out on the road (went to view a neighbour's fishpond which is all the rage among the local cats).

So there is sadly no telling what will happen. A more streetwise rehomed cat would probably have been much better off, or an elderly cat that didn't want to walk far.

With cats you just take your chances and love them. They all live their best lives.

YesQueen · 01/06/2019 12:23

I'm on a road that leads to a busier road. He was rehomed to me as indoor but turns out he doesn't have the condition that meant he needed to be indoor, so now he goes out
He was stray for 4 years and is very, very aware of traffic so I feel fairly comfortable with him going out. TBH he tends to stay on the house side of the road and wander the neighbours gardens

SimonJT · 01/06/2019 12:27

I live on a very busy road, I don’t let the cat out, stops her getting run over, attacked, poisoned, stolen etc.

WinterWife · 01/06/2019 13:31

Male cat here and live on a busy road. Mainly kept as a house cat although do allow him in the garden but he's quite happy just sitting in the grass watching the world (cars) go by

allthegoodusernameshavegone · 01/06/2019 13:34

Don’t

pinkhousesarebest · 04/06/2019 22:14

We love at the top of a lane 50 mètres from a busy country road.We lived in fear of our darling boy getting run over on the road but he was killed right at our gate, where only a few neighbors drive. We still haven't got over it. But we couldn't live without a cat so we got one that hates the outdoors.

MereDintofPandiculation · 05/06/2019 11:39

A rescue wouldn't let you adopt outdoor cats that close to a busy road. Many won't. But some will take your personal circumstances into account - eg is there more to attract a cat out the back? would you be able to have an indoor cat? And some may take the view expressed above that a consistently busy road is safer than one which is intermittently busy.

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