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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 only cat/kitten??? advise please

57 replies

mklanch · 10/02/2022 17:48

hi,
about 2 years ago i brought a ragdoll kitten. i adored this kitten with all my heart, but my husband found out he was very allergic to cats! after 6 weeks of trying everything our doctor told us our only option was to rehome the kitten or have him as an outdoor only cat. we chose to rehome as he was far to friendly and trusting to be an outdoor cat.
it was one of the most heart breaking things i have had to do as i had a real connection to this cat.
since then we have moved to a bungalow with 2 acres where i am running my smallholding. we have some brick outbuildings and it got me thinking that perhaps i can get an outdoor cat. i would insulate the outbuilding and the cat would get alot of attention as i'm outside all the time anyway.
i have spoke to my husband and he is fine with this, as he knows as long as he doesn't touch the cat his allergies will be fine.
the problem is i do not want a feral cat. i have 2 children (10 and 13).
i would like to hear peoples views on this.
has anyone got a friendly outdoor only cat? etc
thank you

OP posts:

Onatree · 10/02/2022 17:52

An outdoor only cat? Which means this cat would just live outside for its entire life? No snuggles, cuddles, warmth on the sofa when it’s raining or cold? It would be “your” cat because you’d give food and an outhouse? I’m sorry but what would be the point of a pet if the pet can never enter your home?

Sprucewillis · 10/02/2022 17:55

Piriton

Original poster

mklanch · 10/02/2022 17:57

@Onatree

i know that's the bit i'm not sure about. i am going to get a caravan this year that will be more like a workspace for me. the kitty would have access to that too, it will be made cozy and comfy. under no circumstances can the cat be allowed in the house. my husband has a very bad allergy so he would have to be separate from the cat.

OP posts:

Original poster

mklanch · 10/02/2022 17:58

@Sprucewillis

Piriton

it didnt work. he was on a really high strength anti histamine and that worked for a few days but then my husband's breathing got really bad again. i was hoping he would gain some immunity after a while but he just kept getting worst.

OP posts:

TheSpottedZebra · 10/02/2022 17:59

A semi-feral cat - ie one that has been rehomed by a reputable charity and judged as being g happier this way - isn't a tiger: it wont attack your children. It just means it is a cat that likes its freedom but also needs an owner - someone to feed it, care for it, give it attention on its terms and take care of vets etc.

Saffy321 · 10/02/2022 18:00

A feral kitten or two (don't just get one) would stay outside but may never be tame enough to be considered a pet - hhmm the only situation where I have seen this in a large animal rescue sanctuary where they had a few cats living in barns.

Allergictoironing · 10/02/2022 18:10

You do sometimes have this at stables or on farms, cats who live outside the house but have their own warm snuggly places in a barn or other outbuilding. A mate of mine had a series of cats over the years at her yard who were born feral and came from a rescue, preferred the hay store for bed time, and were excellent pest control. Never came into the house, but were (mostly) sociable & friendly with people.

Cousin would do the same on her farm, but some cats would end up in the house especially in winter (she adores all animals)

ChatterMonkey · 10/02/2022 18:14

Depends on how built up the area is where you live. If its pretty rural, the. Yes a 'barn cat' sort of animal will be useful, but might not be the most friendly (not agressive necessarily but probably wary of people)

If the area is quite built up, the cat will possibly pick itself some new owners that will actually let it in the house, and move out 😂

Babyvenusplant · 10/02/2022 18:17

I wouldn't personally, how would manage cat fur on you and your clothes too? Surely if your husband is that badly allergic you would need to change/wash before going near him. It's not really fair on a sociable pet cat either, a feral would be fine but they're not always friendly

Longdistance · 10/02/2022 18:24

Get rid of dh
Only kidding. Not really heard of an outdoor only cat apart from farm and ferals.

Mellowyellow222 · 10/02/2022 18:33

Don’t adopt a kitten and leave it outside.

Get a barn cat for a charity.

I have friends who adopted kittens and leave them outside. It’s awful. The poor cats just want to come inside and used to sit on the windowsills crying to get in.

Eventually a neighbour adopted them.

Wolfiefan · 10/02/2022 18:34

No way. A feral or semi feral fair enough.

Yarnivore · 10/02/2022 18:36

My last rescue had lived an outdoor life for his first 8 years until he and his sister were handed into rescue centre as owners had to move and couldn't take the cats. They'd had access to a garage for shelter and feeding, and he'd been kept in the house after an injury, but otherwise they lived outdoors. He had very clearly been well cared for, and was extremely well socialised, though once in rescue it turned out the siblings hated each other when forced to share a smaller space so they were homed apart.

My previous cat (also a rescue) chose to live outdoors in all but the worst of winter.

My latest cat was a semi-feral stray who has decided she much prefers being an indoor cat.

So I guess my advice would be get a rescue or 2 (a bonded pair) that are well suited to what you can offer.

It is also worth thinking about what you will do when a cat/cats get older and frailer and more heat-seeking, would you be willing to have a heat source in the outbuilding for example?

Floralnomad · 10/02/2022 18:39

Have you considered a Sphynx cat for indoors as your husband may be able to tolerate one of them ( with anti histamines ) .

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 10/02/2022 18:39

I had a school friend who lived on a working farm. They had farm cats who lived in the barn (with the cows at night!) and were absolutely fine. They weren’t really pets though, their “job” was to control mice, although obviously they were fed and cared for, taken to the vet etc.

My cat is sitting next to me as I type this, her head is in my lap and her body is on a heated throw. In the summer she would happily sleep in the garden overnight - but isn’t allowed to - but I just can’t imagine her living outdoors. Not even with access to a cosy shelter.

Mayblossominapril · 10/02/2022 18:42

Our local cats protection is always looking for good homes for outdoor cats.
We had a kitten in the past who as he grew up chose to live mainly outdoors. The current cat sleeps in the workshop behind the garage where the boiler is but comes in during the day. She was a farm kitten so is happy outdoors.
We seem to have acquired another cat in the barn that we can’t get anywhere near as well. He seems ok
They do need plenty of places to hide/ sleep and it’s useful if you can catch them for If they need the vet.

Fluffycloudland77 · 10/02/2022 18:46

Has anyone told you you’ve got terrible taste in men? 😀 very inconvenient of him to be allergic to cats.

I’d be worried about predation though at night and bad weather. It might be that cats just aren’t in your future while your dh is around. If the weather gets bad and the cat decides it wants inside you’ll feel awful saying no. It’s upsetting when they want something.

Onatree · 10/02/2022 18:48

Sorry to continue to be sceptical but please do not adopt or procure a kitten and then leave it outside.

Also - you may well insulate a shed etc but there’s nothing stopping the cat from choosing to go to another family to try and see if another family will let it inside their house.

I think sometimes it really is a case of accepting your conditions. In this case the condition simply is that your partner cannot live in the same house as a pet. That really is the end of the matter unfortunately.

caranations · 10/02/2022 18:50

Cat rescues do often have animals suitable for rehoming to farms and stables, so approach your local one and ask.

viques · 10/02/2022 18:55

The Celia Hammond Trust will rehome small feral groups to suitable new homes with outbuildings etc. They might not cover your area, but perhaps could put you in touch with other rescues.

ReadtheFT · 10/02/2022 18:56

Why not OP, cats are not babies, as long they have a shelter, and maybe get two so they keep each other company it would work. You and your lids can still feed and pet and play and bond with them, just not in the house.

helpfulperson · 10/02/2022 18:59

Have a chat with your local rescue, they may have someone suitable for you

You can put a microchip catflat on a shed or outbuilding to make sure it has somewhere safe to run. It won't be cuddly and a lap cat like an indoor cat but it can still be part of your family.

viques · 10/02/2022 18:59

Just saw you don’t want a feral because of your children, but I think they sound old enough to to understand that the cats are happier living away from too much human close contact.

Onatree · 10/02/2022 19:09

Also to add -

What if your car is injured in a road accident/dogs etc - and needs to recuperate and rest?

What when the cat ages and gets frail - or can’t see/hear well?

What if the weather is awful and the cat meows constantly to come in, you don’t let her in, and the cat eventually finds a cat flap into another friendly family home and keeps “visiting” them?

thecatneuterer · 10/02/2022 19:09

My first question is what is the link between not wanting feral cats and having children? Is it that the children want something to cuddle? (In which case get them a teddy bear). Is it that you think feral cats would be dangerous to children? They most certainly would not be. Feral cats avoid human interaction - they certainly don't lunge at humans and attack them.

Of course you can't get a friendly cat and make it stay outside. That's a horrible idea. And you certainly can't put a kitten outside! Even if it avoids becoming fox food it would be so distressed.

A semi-feral (well, they normally come in pairs as they like company) from a rescue would be ideal. You get to look after cats and watch their interactions and you'd be surprised how fond you can become of cats you can't touch. With them they normally become less scared and some eventually become tame, (but it could take many years and you can't bank on it) but they will still be happy to stay outside as it's what they're used to. And you get a warm glow from knowing you are helping cats that are in the greatest need.

PP mentioned Celia Hammonds. I'm with them and we have a whole building full of feral and semi ferals waiting for these elusive homes. Normally when we deal with feral colonies (which we do daily) we neuter and return them. However there are situations when it's too dangerous for the cats to go back to that environment, so we have to keep them until we can find suitable feral homes, and there really aren't that many of them. We provide full settling in advice and equipment, as well as life long care if they cats become sick and need to be retrapped. www.celiahammond.org/index.php/about-us/feral-cats

Our catchment area is from the South coast up to lincolnshire. If you're not in our catchment area I'm sure there are some rescues near you doing something similar.

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