Opinions on indoor cats please!

[Anon7777]

Ok, give me your opinions on indoor cats... we had been looking to adopt a cat possibly through rescue to join our family and had been looking for one who had been used to / wanted to be indoors as we are on a busy main road. Didn’t want to be actively keeping one in if they wanted out but thought we could give a home to one that for whatever reason needed to be inside. We hadn’t found anything and are now looking at buying a kitten from a litter on a farm nearby. The mother cat has access to outdoors but chooses to be indoors almost all the time, and the breeder thinks the kittens would make lovely indoor cats and would be happy for them to be that. From the reading I’ve been doing some sources are actually passionately pro-indoor including one rescue near us but some advise it’s not fair.. would you recommend having a cat who’d be kept indoors at least for the first couple of years while we’re in this home? Thanks for all advice!

Our cat is an indoor cat because I've lost too many to the road. Plus she went out once and came back in completely crazy and aggressive and took a chunk out of my hubby's leg. So yea, she stays in. She's a bit fat, lazy but seems happy enough.

She does try to get out if we leave the door open but she goes as far as hiding under the car. That's about it.

She doesn't really know much different to be fair. So can't really call it cruel.

We have a one year old indoor Ragdoll. He has access to a fully enclosed outdoor area where he can sit in the sun, smell the fresh air and watch the nightlife, etc which is also where his litter is kept because it keeps the smell out of the house. He loves his outdoor enclosure, but he also loves his big indoor cat tree and plenty of spots inside the house. So I do think it’s very possible to have a happy indoor cat.

But you do need to start them indoors from the time they are a kitten, many adult cats would not be happy to be made indoor only cats later in life.

@Fancymcpantsy

People who say it’s cruel to keep cats indoors have never had indoor cats. I’ve had cats all my life, and all but two have died prematurely on roads or met some other awful fate outdoors. When I got my current pair (kittens 5 months apart) I decided to try the indoor thing and they’re perfectly happy! One of them has no interest in outdoors at all and is happy to sleep on the windowsill and chirp at the birds, the other now comes out into the yard with me (enclosed but not cat proof) now and then and has a roll around, chases flies, watches the birds then happily follows me back inside. They adore each other and play together a lot, and have a mountain of toys and cat trees and high-up places for them to perch. We work from home so are in most of the time.

It’s perfectly possible to have happy indoor cats if you know how to take care of them. I’m not sure how fair it would be to have a solo cat and be out most of the day if it couldn’t go out, but two together with plenty of stimulation, zoom space and company are quite happy!

It would be cruel to keep cats in that wanted out. Mine all did. If they didn't then no its not.

@TrendingHistory the same can also be said for dogs too sadly.

For me it's like whales in a theme park, and dolphins in a aquarium.

That's a false equivalency.

@AlfonsoTheTerrible

For me it's like whales in a theme park, and dolphins in a aquarium.

That's a false equivalency.

Exactly.

Whales and dolphins swim for tens of thousands of miles in the wild. Cats.. my parents' outdoor cat never ventured further from their street. It's incomparable and irrelevant. Cats interact with us and have a completely different bond to us, it's not at all similar. Do we see indoor cats with stereotypical behaviours like captive whales? My 2 don't display any.

Going to assume that user doesn't own any pets as if that is a similar comparison in their head, then the same could be said for any pet that we keep in our homes (possibly a vegan as they are sometimes again pet ownership)

@Trinacham

You're assuming an awful lot.

The actual post you're quoting would tell you otherwise.

To be honest it seems cruel to have an indoor cat, unless the cat chooses not to go out.
I have two and the oldest one loved being outside, much prefered it to being indoors. As he has got older he is a real homebody now, but when the weather is mild I leave the patio doors open and he either sits on a chair by the door and looks outside or ventures around the garden.
My kitten, who is actually two now was desperate to go out as soon as she came home. I allowed this under supervision of course.
The first thing she wants to do in the morning is head outside to play, more interested in this than food.
It has been a pleasure to watch her enjoy the garden, chasing butterflies and other insects. Jumping around the garden and climbing the little tree.
I think they can adapt though..Come last Winter I was concerned that she would not cope being inside so much, I think the wind, rain and cold sorted that one.

[quote AhNowTed]@Trinacham

You're assuming an awful lot.

The actual post you're quoting would tell you otherwise.[/quote]
I quoted AlfonsoTheTerrible's post.

I know several people who have indoor cats but it is not something I would ever do. Whilst the cats can have plenty of space, lots of affection and are in no way feel neglected, I do think that any cat or indeed a dog should be able to experience the world outside and nature. Imagine how less your life would be if it was all indoors.

There are lots in our local shelters who need to be indoor cats, just be patient. I wouldn't keep a cat in unless it's really necessary especially a healthy kitten.

Thanks again all for advice and opinions.

Can I possibly ask of those who were against the idea of keeping indoors from kittenhood, would you feel the same way if there was enclosed outdoor garden access? We have looked at a 7ft x 4 ft x 5ft catio at back door plus a larger enclosure in a grassy area when a little older or alternatively attempting cat proofing back garden completely (though a bit tricky due to levels). I just wondered whether those who felt less happy with the idea of indoor would still feel this was too much of a restriction or whether with outdoor access would consider this enough?

Thanks so much to everyone talking about their lovely cats indoor and those who wander too, they all sound very happy and it’s lovely to hear about them and their very relaxed lives while we prepare for cat ownership!

A catio doesn’t change my opinion, sorry. It’s not about getting fresh air, it’s about the ability to roam and explore, climb on the roof and walk along the fence top, try to climb trees, finding the very warmest spot in the flower beds, follow their nose and ears. It is not possible in an enclosed space.

My personal opinion is that it must be miserable for an animal never to feel the wind on it's face or to run and jump. If I was never allowed to leave my home I'd slowly go insane and quite honestly I don't see why an animal should feel any different.
My son's pedigree cat who has been in a flat since he was a kitten with his brother for company pulled all of the fur he could reach out and was pressed up against the window all of the time.
They had to move in the end they were so concerned.
My own new rescue cat was a very timid indoor cat for 11 years. I decided when I got her to gradually introduce her to the outdoors and now she is out more than she is in loving every second of the countryside and no longer timid. She has totally come out of her shell.
I think the very least you need is a catio so they can go out and watch birds and feel the sun and the wind.

I have an ex-feral who had to be kept inside initially to prevent him returning to the wild. Since then we've lived in places with varying levels of access to the outside world but always including access to fresh air and sunshine for him.

He used to roam a bit when he was younger and could do now but isn't interested. His favourite spot is lying on the (very deep) outside window sill, soaking up the sun and able to run back in whenever a seagull or magpie passes by and scares him

My latest 'kittens' spent their waking hours trying to escape from about four months old. One of my older cats gets very stressed if he can't go out late at night. It clearly depends on the cat - but mine would definitely not be suitable for indoors only.

I firmly believe that cats live a more fulfilled life (albeit sometimes a shorter one) with access to the outside world.

I have two indoor sphynx....

They have lots of access to climbing spaces and toys but prefer to follow me around the house and plonk themselves on my knee/shoulder for a snuggle at every opportunity.

They get taken out on a harness on walks and into the garden and I will be building them a catio this summer. They're both very happy cats.

Imo as long as they're stimulated there's nothing cruel about it. It's all about what the animal is used to.

I firmly believe it’s not right for most cats. Given the choice would you want to be locked up 24/7 or allowed to roam free. Cats are outdoor creatures. We just want to keep them indoors because it suits us.

I had a Ragdoll cat, who is almost 12 and he's definitely indoor by choice now.
He's always been given access to a garden and has never attempted to leave the garden, despite being able to if he wanted.
He will go out the front door if it's left open, but will go no more than 2 or 3 feet away.
He will go out about once a week to trot around and have a sniff but that's about it.

He is happy, healthy and well loved.

Not all cats WANT to be outdoors and roam....

Mine don’t leave the garden much but they definitely want to go out. I would not deny them that.

Until you’ve picked a cat up dead off the road who had a lot of living left to do, covered in its own faeces and scrapes where the tarmacs cut their skin you can’t imagine how much it changes your view on indoor/outdoor cats. It still haunts me that maybe he didn’t die quickly and was waiting for us to come and rescue him.

I used to be short happy life etc but now I think with the advent of the theft of cats for dog bait, use of poison, cars and batshit neighbours feeding them we should normalise cat proof gardens & save ourselves the heartache.

One of our relatives is very blasé about his cats getting run over, he’s not a good owner at all.

This is such a hugely divisive topic, there seems to be such strong opinions in both camps. I’m kind of coming down on the ideal being indoor with an outdoor enclosure that can be enriched as much as possible, unless it’s somewhere really, really safe - I’m amazed by the statistics I have read of difference in life expectancy being average 5 years vs 14 years outdoor vs indoor, and I completely understand both the desire to allow natural behaviours but also the desire to protect. It probably depends on different owners and different cats what is best in each case, but since I started looking into it I’ve come across so many different points of view and learned so much about the attitudes in different countries, and even very contrasting advice between different rescues and advice charities in our one small areas. Ultimately it comes down to wanting to provide a happy, fulfilled life for our pets, and it’s always going to be a judgment call and be swayed by personal experience whether the safety that comes from limiting roaming adds to the overall happy and healthy or detracts from it.