Is it normal for a cat to not be that bothered about going out?

[Besom]

Our 10 month old kitten has had a cat flap since 6 month old. Only wants to go out for 20 minutes at a time max. Doesnt seem that bothered generally. I know staying in is the new going out but is this normal? Is he likely to get more confident?

I've had four cats - three were/are very much the outdoor type and would go out hunting (), however Dcat4 would nip out for a wee then come back in again. If it was very sunny he might sit in a plant pot for five minutes but soon found his way back inside.

They really are all different, it might just be normal for your dcat! At least you won't have parts of birds or mice to clear up!

Mine’s the same. We felt guilty about keeping her in for the first month we had her (rescue cat). Then let her out and she’s out there maybe 5-10% of the time max. Feeling less guilty now!

It may change as it gets warmer maybe?

My cat! We live on ground floor flat and during the summer had the windows wide open. She would sit on the windowsill and that was about it. Jumped out a couple of times and immediately miaowed and jumped back in 😂

Some cats start off this way and eventually begin to go out more and more. They're all different.

My latest mog, a big, strapping lad, who spent roughly 10 years as a stray boy, barely goes out these days, since moving in about a year ago

They're all different. We got 2 kittens aged 15 weeks last year. One was desperate to go outside from day 1 (and still gives us grief now about being locked in at night). The other, not so much.

Our tom is the same, he goes out for 20 minutes a couple times a day and the rest of the time he stays indoors. He doesn't like to be alone and will always find one of us to sleep next to. If I am home alone, he follows me around like a dog.

Mine might pop out for 5 mins, 10 mins max. She's happiest looking out the window, where the fresh air can't touch her

My cat has no interest at all in the outdoors. She was living in a park when I found her. She has had her fill.

My Persians don't care. They are rarely out for more than 20 minutes. It does differ in the summer at dusk though, so I make sure I get them in before then.

Mine has the back door open all day when Im home.

She walks out in the garden for 5 mins, must think "riveting"
Then comes and annoys me lays on her back for tummy tickles

She's 12 years old! We only got her 4 years ago though. Her previous owners got a puppy, and gave the cat away, because 'she didn't like the puppy'

My parents cat rarely goes out. She might go out with you when you're hanging up the washing or something but then she will come straight back in. In the summer she might pop out for a sniff around but approx 2.34 minutes is her limit. My Dad accidentally shut her outside for about an hour or so and she didn't speak to him for about a week!

Haribo is nearly 9 months old and has only just shown interest in going out but:-
a) Only if I'm outside too and he can see me
b) It's not windy
c) it's not noisy
d) it's not raining

The 'kittens' (2 years old) are out for hours on end and regularly out all night.
Basil is frequently out all night but in most of the day.
Sybil rarely goes out and when she does usually miaows to come back in after about 20 minutes.

Depends on the cat.

We had one that was just not bothered, they have different personalities just like us.

I wish my cats felt that way 😂 mine cannot wait to get out of the door!!

Yes, and you are very lucky! Much safer than having a cat who roams a lot.

My cat was really outgoing as a kitten. Going out in the garden and exploring etc. Her brother was the opposite. As they got older she got more and more agoraphobic and wouldn’t go out unless I left the door or window open some that she could run back in. Her brother then decided to go out more and often spent the night out. I used to go searching for him at bed time and get up in the night to let him in. So they are all different

Mine hates being outside. She runs if I have a window open and the wind blows in. 😂

He's clearly self-isolating. Leave him be.

DCat loves the outdoors, she can sit on a window sill and look at it all day. She can pretend to be brave when she's sitting where the nasty birds can't challenge her.

She'll go out for an after-breakfast potter so long as it's sunny and she has a grown up with her. When she needs a wee, she runs back in with a look of panic on her face and that's outdoors done for the day.

One of my former cats very rarely went out - and when she did it was literally to sit just outside the door in the sun. The current three love going out, and the oldest of them can't be shut in - for all she mostly inhabits her duvet with electric heat pad these days

If he's happy staying in, all the better. Both of mine are rescues and are out most of the time. It's really hard to keep my 'indoor' cat inside for any length of time. If he isn't bothered about going out, much easier to know he's not in trouble!

Mine goes out for 5-10 mins and comes back in, repeat approx 50 times a day
He sunbathes in the garden in summer but otherwise he's just nosying around the neighbours garden and doing big eyes at the Bengal a few houses down

Thanks all for telling me about your cats. I'm quite glad mine is a homebody really! We have two dogs which he loves and I think he thinks he is one of them and would rather be where they are. He presses his face up against the front window when I take them out.