Does anyone have a cat who chooses to stay indoors?

[BogHead]

We live on a fairly quiet street with some absolute idiots who drive far too fucking fast. A year ago we lost our beautiful young cat who was hit by one of the idiots. It was horrific.

A year on, my teens are desperate for a new cat friend and are looking at rescues on Facebook again. I would have another in a heartbeat if I thought I could keep them inside or could cat-proof the garden, but unfortunately due to the layout of our house/garden, neither is possible.

I'm just wondering if there are cats out there who are genuinely happy indoors and choose not to go out?

Every time I think about a cat going out on the street it turns my stomach now and I'm worried I will live a state of perpetual anxiety!

Just wondered if anyone had a cat like this, if they've always been like that, etc. Or am I just kidding myself? 😅Thanks!

My old girl only went out to toilet and sun bath within 15 feet of the house, her brother was out most of the time and it's how he met his tragic demise.

Most girl cats instinctively stay close because they would usually have kittens to feed. Boys instinctively have a bigger patch and wander further.

We have a ragdoll boy cat. Was told by the breeder he could only be indoors, ragdolls can’t cope outside etc. he got to 6 months old and I couldn’t keep him in, he learned how to open the front door by hanging on the handle 🙈
He definitely has quite a character (I would say aloof at times) but he is just as intelligent as any other cat. We live rurally on a farm with very few passing cars. He likes to be outside all night in the summer hunting, spends lots of time indoors in the winter, he doesn’t like the cold, wind or rain.
Although I expected my kitten to be an indoor cat he would be extremely miserable if I HAD to keep him indoors. I think your best bet is to ring a few cat rescue places and see if they have a cat to fit your family’s needs. The right cat will definitely be out there, good luck 🙂

I had 2 sisters.

One loved the outside, was pestering us to go out, as soon as she was allowed out was dancing on rooftops.

The other had to be carried outside as she was petrified and has never progressed much beyond the patio.

Of course it's patio cat that is still with us as rooftops was hit by a car when she was very young. It's not good for patio cat's mental health to be 100% indoors but she never goes far and frankly prefers just sitting outside with us.

I'd get an older rescue with a known personality so you know they will be happy indoors, you can't tell with a kitten as our siblings were so totally different. Something like my patio cat would suit you down to the ground.

I have a re-homed ragdoll and she has not desire to go outdoors other than with me on a sunny day. There is a car flap and she knows how to use it, she just doesn't much care for the outside world!

I also, a long time ago, went to a local rescue and asked to see any they had who could only live in. They had a few with a variety of reasons lived inside only. I adopted a lovely black cat who was just terrified of the outside.

I’ve always found the opposite, our male cats are always more sociable and stay around, while our females have been out hunting. Our current female roams quite a bit (it’s very rural), and is a hunting machine.

My 2 are indoor. Didn't want to let them out

It's not cruel at all

One of ours will only go out if the door is left open, and there's no wind, other animals, aeroplanes, neighbours in their own gardens...
The other tries to get out in the wind and rain 🤷

Get an older rescue. Older cats usually don't care as much. My 10 year old girl can go out but chooses not to 90% of the time.

Go to a rescue and get an adult cat- they will have a good idea of what cats will be happy indoors.

Mine (massive ginger Tom who was a stray all his life) has FIV and therefore was being rehomed as indoor only. I queried it as a massive Tom who was used to the outdoor life, but they assured me they thought he would be happy indoors or they would have put him down.

They were 100% right. He’s completely content watching the birds out the window, LOTS of cuddles and play with us. It’s like he understands that he lives the comfortable indoor life now, with warm beds and regular meals and prefers it to the outdoors. I could leave the front door open and trust that he would not go out- he has 0 interest!

We were always prepared to build a catio/cat proof the garden if we thought he would benefit from it but never have as he seems perfectly content as he is.

the only thing I would say is that indoors cats require much more attention that outdoors! I grew up with cats who could come and go as they pleased and never seemed to need much except regular meals and the odd fuss. My boy needs at least 30 mins play each day or he gets grumpy and he’s definitely verrrry attached to us- we can’t leave him for more than a day really whereas previous cats have been independent enough to leave for a weekend (timed cat feeder + weeing outside- coming and going as they please).

However, he is the best, most loving cat I’ve ever met- his personality and connection to us is absolutely fab and I ADORE him- he’s the best thing we’ve ever done!

Mine doesn't like going out and appears quite happy indoors, she a British shorthair, she has always had the option to go outside but really doesn't seem to like it. We have loads of stuff for her in the house to keep her amused, she does like looking out of the window but even when windows doors open she rarely ventures out.

Yup. Mine. Before we lived here, she was an exclusive outdoor cat. Now she’s an indoor cat. She can go out if she wants to, and she may go and lay in the garden in the summer but that’s about it

I have lots of cats. I've found now they are getting older they choose to stay in much more. They've gone from being out 8 - 12 hours per day to popping out (for the loo presumably) and then coming straight back. Not even interested in snoozing in the sun anymore l. I'd say the change happened when they got to around age 8 or 9 so lol for cats around that age

My female moggy Harley ever goes outside except to a nearby flower bed for a wee. She comes straight back in. She occasionally sits out in the back garden in the summer but rarely ventures off the porch. When she was younger she would climb around the fences but I never saw her leave our garden.

i think we used to discourage her going out the front door when she was a kitten and shoo her away from it as there a busy road at the end of the drive. But there's nothing to stop her coming round from the back garden if she wanted to and she has a cat flap. She just doesnt want to - much ever but not at all now she's older. Maybe an older rescue cat?

I have a ragdoll (male). Was told never to let him out. We can keep the front door open and he literally stands on the door step looking out, but doesn’t cross the threshold. I took him in the garden with me last summer but he wasn’t interested anyway. He’s just over a year old. He seems quite happy being indoors.

I gave Siamese and Balinese and they have no desire to go out side . Well one of the girls likes to sit on our bay roof and scream at people and then jump back inside my bedroom window !!! Her brothers just sit inside the window watching her being weird . They go as far as the door step if the front door is open but that’s it . I had too many of their forbearers killed on our road so decided when I got the eldest that was it they would be house cats they all seem happy and healthy and I worry so much less

Have a look at older cats, tell the rescue you want an indoor cat and they should match you.

Mine is almost an indoor cat when it's cold but in summer she likes to go out and sunbathe and visit the neighbours.

Oh you sound so lovely, it's really heartwarming to know you'll rescue a cat in need rather than get one from a breeder etc.. From my own experience I think it will be so rewarding. I rescued my cat from the streets (had been living wild for months and not neutered or chipped) and although he was terrified at first, he's now the cuddliest most loving little companion.

We have 2 cats who go in and out through the catflap, and the niece of one of the cats, who stays inside. If the door is open in the Summer, she'll come outside for a 10 minute roll in the sun just outside the door, before going back in.

We've had them all since they were kittens, so we know that it's just down to their different personalities.

We had two cats consecutively as a child. The first was a feisty, street-wise hunter who basically ran the neighbourhood. Imagine TopCat with menace. He was the kind of cat who made you feel cool just being in close proximity to him.

Our second cat was taken to young from a breeder on a farm and basically learned to be a human. We had to install a cat flap (first cat obviously went in and out of a tiny old window in our house and leaped to the ground). New cat wouldn’t use cat flap until it was replaced with a transparent one so she could check out the weather before she went out! she was delightfully affectionate and playful, incredibly content and clingy. Her favourite bit of the day was being combed, she would purr until the dribble spilled onto the floor.

so yes some cats prefer the indoor life!

good luck in finding one

My cat is allowed outside but really doesn't like it. She goes out for 10 mins at a time and then runs back in, seemingly panicked.
She does like to sit on the patio,of we are out there in summer.
She definitely spends most of her time/prefers indoors!

Thanks so much for all your stories, it's really made me feel hopefully that there is a cat out there for us.

I had a great conversation with a local rescue this morning and we are on their list for an older cat. Exciting!

Thanks again and chin rubs for your furry ones 😸

I think it would be quite an unusual cat who, on seeing the front door open, didn’t want to have a look. How far they’d go and whether the novelty would wear off is another matter. They often seem to set their own geographical boundary.

You’d be best off with an adult cat known not to have lived outside and who also hasn’t shown interest. Worst case scenario is a cat who has only lived indoors having access to the outdoors as if they do get out they don’t have any ‘street smarts’.

Aww lovely! All the best!

I have a Birman and would recommend this breed to anyone. She does go into our small yard sometimes but just to sit on the garden table for 10 mins and then comes back in. I don’t think she’d be bothered if we didn’t let her out.