Page 10 | Is it cruel or kind to keep a cat in?

nc8975 · 2023-01-14T19:38:25+00:00

We adopted our kitten back in the summer, she's now 8 months old, spayed, vaccinated, chipped etc. She was semi wild (on a farm) from birth until we got her at about 13 weeks, living with her mum and litter mates outside but fed by someone. She is keen to go outside; dashes for the door and looks longingly out the window), but we're really worried she won't come back or will get hurt. We live on a housing estate next to a bit of open land, but also quite close to a railway line (not hugely busy one). We have a good sized home but can't help but feel we are cooping her up a bit (I WFH so she has company most of the day and we play with her) Which option is kinder? Will she just adapt to being indoors?

pottydimley · 16/01/2023 08:36

We have a brother and sister, nicknamed The Kray Twins! Anyway, we were scared stiff of letting them out so started very gently, taking them out on harness and leads, which they never really liked. She was never that bothered about going out, but he was desperate to explore. He's very smart, and worked out how to open an outside door, so for a while we used to have to "airlock" them to stop him escaping. Eventually, after a month or two of only letting them out in the garden with us, bringing them back down our long drive if they ventured near the road, trying to dissuade them from hopping over the back wall to the river, my husband (who suffers from dementia and anxiety) felt able to let them out. So now, at 16 months old, she only really goes out for a wee and a potter round a few nearby gardens, though she has to be put inside if I'm going out as she wants to follow me into town. He's fully free: he's off out in the evening and overnight, but generally sleeps on the spare bed during the day.
I think that it's about you learning to be confident that you're giving them their best life that balances with you not being a bundle of nerves, and only you can know how to manage that.

knitnerd90 · 16/01/2023 13:03

If you have space, there's things you can do indoors to help stimulate them and replicate bits of the outdoor experience--for example having things for them to climb and jump on. (Mine are fond of using the junk stored in the garage as a kind of cat play structure!) I do find that indoor cats do better with a playmate; mine chase each other round the house. They're also fond of various toys, empty boxes, bits of paper. One has a particular perch by a window through which he can observe a birds' nest in the shrubbery.

PinkPondQueen · 16/01/2023 19:46

Yeah catproof the garden. I work in a vets and the things I see and hear make me think I never want to let my cats out ever again. I actually get serious anxiety every time they go out! But that's what makes them happy. I have never had an indoor cat.

BigBangSmallBang · 16/01/2023 20:36

How on earth do people cat proof a garden, mine is surrounded by hedges with a bit of wooden fences. My cats jump to the top of the 2m fence in one bound for a start. Then how do you stop them getting to the hedges to climb out?

AllThingsServeTheBeam · 16/01/2023 20:39

BigBangSmallBang · 16/01/2023 20:36

How on earth do people cat proof a garden, mine is surrounded by hedges with a bit of wooden fences. My cats jump to the top of the 2m fence in one bound for a start. Then how do you stop them getting to the hedges to climb out?

It would be impossible to cat proof my garden to

whataboutsecondbreakfast · 16/01/2023 20:40

BigBangSmallBang · 16/01/2023 20:36

How on earth do people cat proof a garden, mine is surrounded by hedges with a bit of wooden fences. My cats jump to the top of the 2m fence in one bound for a start. Then how do you stop them getting to the hedges to climb out?

Not all gardens can be cat-proofed but there are a few different options.

An outdoor "catio" that leads directly from the house to outside. They can only access that area and not the rest of the garden.

Rollers on the boundary line so they can't physically jump up there.

Angled fencing or netting so that they can jump up but not get out.

MyNameisMathilda · 16/01/2023 20:54

I have indoor cats and will not let them out due to proximity of a busy road. My previous cat lived for 18 years as indoor. One of my cats goes into the back garden but he cannot jump up to the top of the fence. Have lived here 2 years and already there have been 2 neighbours's cats killed.

Floralnomad · 16/01/2023 20:56

I agree that not all gardens can be cat proofed and cat proofing is also not completely 100% so if you live near a main road is likely still not worth the risk . Our catio opens from the conservatory which is off the dining room so can be opened most days ( not pouring with rain / too cold as they don’t like it ) . It also helps with getting air flow through the house when it’s hot . You can get catios that connect to windows via walkways if that’s a better fit for the home .

Ludo19 · 16/01/2023 21:56

There are some breeds of cats who are indoor cats like ragdolls. If you spend anything up to £2,000 for a cat you'd be off your head to let that cat roam.

My cats are predominantly house cats because I have mainly ragdolls. My garden is enclosed with protectapet fencing where they will get access when I'm out there too. My cats have shelves, trees, scratchers and i also dedicate play time with a da bird.

My cats aren't miserable and my eldest two lived till they were 18&19.

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 16/01/2023 22:34

If you spend anything up to £2,000 for a cat you'd be off your head to let that cat roam.
I'm extremely uncomfortable with this comment. This sounds more like protecting an 'investment' rather than considering the animal's best interests.

MyNameisMathilda · 16/01/2023 22:39

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 16/01/2023 22:34

If you spend anything up to £2,000 for a cat you'd be off your head to let that cat roam.
I'm extremely uncomfortable with this comment. This sounds more like protecting an 'investment' rather than considering the animal's best interests.

Don't be silly - does it sound like she is not looking after her animals with what she has done?

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 16/01/2023 23:06

No reflection on Ludo19 who I'm sure looks after her cats impeccably.
I was merely making the point that if the amount of money spent on a cat has an impact on whether someone decides to allow it to have outside access or not, then they can't pretend that they have only the cat's interests at heart.

Foilhatted · 19/01/2023 12:05

I’ve seen quite a few of these threads on mumsnet over the years.

There’s obviously two trains of thought when this issue is discussed - those who do let their cats out and those who have indoor only cats.

Unfortunately these threads seem to be fulll of posters who are adamant that their choice is the only correct choice, and anyone who disagrees is cruel / selfish / an unfit cat owner / should be banned from rehoming a rescue cat etc.

There is no definitive right or wrong answer to this question Op, although whichever option you choose you will find plenty of people who will be very vocal supporting or criticising that choice. Realistically there are pros and cons to both letting cats roam / indoor only cats. But ultimately it is your choice and you will need to deal with the consequences of whatever you decide, whether that’s providing a stimulating environment for your indoor cat, or potential losing a cat to a hazard outdoors.

For the record I have had roaming cats & indoor only cats. My current cat is indoor only.

Floralnomad · 19/01/2023 12:12

Unfortunately these threads seem to be full of posters who are adamant that their choice is the only correct choice, and anyone who disagrees is cruel / selfish / an unfit cat owner / should be banned from rehoming a rescue cat etc
I have to disagree , the outdoor cat brigade are doing all the name calling , the indoor cat brigade / catio / cat proofed garden people are very reasonable .

Foilhatted · 19/01/2023 12:39

@Floralnomad I deliberately didn’t specify which side of the cat proofed fence the majority of the more adamant posters appear to be. 😺

LexMitior · 19/01/2023 12:56

Oh cats are made to wander, it's how they domesticated themselves. Equally, you have to be responsible. Owning a cat without a safe area or sufficient space to go out is very unfair on the cat. Cats do get hit on roads, toms wander look for the queens, people speed. If you are going to have a cat, if you do not live somewhere where it can roam in safety, consider it again. You have responsibility to the cat.

BungleandGeorge · 19/01/2023 14:38

well no animal is ‘made’ to live in doors, no domestic pet is living as nature intended. Many of them are, however, quite happy with it! theres lots of breeds and temperaments of cat who are not naturally roamers. Cats are all different just like people and other pets. There’s always a risk. If you let a cat out in rural areas there are still generally cats and trains and farm vehicles. There’s also predators and various poisons. Risks are different but still there. Like everything in life it’s an evaluation of the personality of the pet and the risks etc. our neighbours cat is frequently sat outside their front door waiting to be let in- including in minus temperatures, snow, rain… presumably they think the cat wants to wander but I think cat is saying something different😆

LexMitior · 19/01/2023 14:45

Well maybe but your big standard moggie will have been loaded with genes on roaming, catching things, approaching strangers for a better billet. It's one of the remarkable things about cats.

Legally, they belong to themselves. Dogs you can own. But in law, the best you can do is strongly indicate that the cat in question stayed at your house a lot. It appears to be allowed to change its mind if you let it out, and we know cats do this all the time. They leave if they don't like their home!

piliomachaon · 19/01/2023 14:50

LexMitior · 19/01/2023 14:45

Well maybe but your big standard moggie will have been loaded with genes on roaming, catching things, approaching strangers for a better billet. It's one of the remarkable things about cats.

Legally, they belong to themselves. Dogs you can own. But in law, the best you can do is strongly indicate that the cat in question stayed at your house a lot. It appears to be allowed to change its mind if you let it out, and we know cats do this all the time. They leave if they don't like their home!

You're wrong. The Theft Act 1968 applies to cats as well as dogs.

'Cats are regarded in law as the ‘property’ of their owner. The theft of a cat is treated as an offence under the Act, in the same way as theft of any other property is.
A cat that is lost or has strayed is generally regarded as the property of the original owner.'

https://www.cats.org.uk/media/1024/eg13 catssand theelaw.pdf

whataboutsecondbreakfast · 19/01/2023 14:59

LexMitior · 19/01/2023 14:45

Well maybe but your big standard moggie will have been loaded with genes on roaming, catching things, approaching strangers for a better billet. It's one of the remarkable things about cats.

Legally, they belong to themselves. Dogs you can own. But in law, the best you can do is strongly indicate that the cat in question stayed at your house a lot. It appears to be allowed to change its mind if you let it out, and we know cats do this all the time. They leave if they don't like their home!

This isn't true. Cats are property under UK law.

Emmamoo89 · 19/01/2023 15:05

My cats are kept indoors.

Emmamoo89 · 19/01/2023 15:06

It's not cruel to keep them indoors 🙄

LexMitior · 19/01/2023 15:09

@whataboutsecondbreakfast - maybe you can point me to this UK law

piliomachaon · 19/01/2023 15:11

LexMitior · 19/01/2023 15:09

@whataboutsecondbreakfast - maybe you can point me to this UK law

I just pointed you to this UK Law. It's called the Theft Act 1968.

piliomachaon · 19/01/2023 15:15

LexMitior · 19/01/2023 15:09

@whataboutsecondbreakfast - maybe you can point me to this UK law