Is it cruel or kind to keep a cat in?

[nc8975]

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?

We lost one of our boys to the road. Had no idea he wandered as far as he did. But we had him 9 years. My current three boys have access to the outdoors when I'm home. Two just pop out for a wee and a mooch. One can stay away for a day which worries me. But I know they enjoy the experience of playing outside.

My cats have always been outdoor cats. They hunt, climb, roll in the sun, and have had a high old time.

Darling cat died naturally last Saturday. He was 15. His heart gave out on the mat by the cat flap. He lived the life of Riley to the end. We miss him so much.

He had a wonderful life and I don't think being kept in would have extended it.

Cats like people need to do what cats do. Humans aren't meant to be locked down either.

Such a good way of putting it. Thank you.

Cruel.

We catproofed our garden so ours can go out there. Not sure if that’s an option for you? They do seem to prefer just popping out to look around then coming back in though. Some charities where we are in London will now only rehome cats to indoor homes because of what can happen to them - I couldn’t forgive myself if one of mine was subjected to a horrific and painful death because I failed to keep them safe. If you choose to keep her inside, I would recommend getting another one to keep her company. My two love playing together and it keeps them occupied.

The cat won't know any better.
It's not a human fgs.

I live in a flat on a busy road and for now my cat stays inside. But I think he does need to go out, as he seems bored.

However, for his own safety and for that of the wildlife, I will go for the middle ground and get him a catio, when we move to a place with a garden.

I have indoor cats, we have a cat proofed garden though and a busy household where there's always someone home. I was a vet nurse for 10 years and saw too many run over, poisoned or go missing and I just can't have outdoor cats again

I think it’s fine to keep a cat as an indoor cat if that’s all they have known , but as your cat does already know an outside life it does seem a little unfair. But if you have enough space and stimulation in your house and take the time to play with her often then she will probably be fine. Our cat is an indoors cat but that seems to suit his temperament luckily, he will occasionally poke his nose outside but doesn’t seem interested in actually going out.

I have cats who are mother and her 2 daughters, mum loves to be outside, so does one sister the other looks out of the window and watches the birds but never ventures out her personality is so different from her mum and sister, she’s quite highly strung and the others are a bit more mellow and adventurous. The sister who goes out does not like rain though she’s right back on the windowsill if there’s rain ☔️ Not all cats are the same, my old pedigree fancy girl is happy sleeping somewhere cosy and staying inside too

It totally depends on the cat. I've owned 5..

2 needed to go out. Would have been impossible to keep in and it wouldn't have been fair whatsoever

1 would have been hard to keep in, but probably would be happy in a big enough garden they couldn't escape from

1 possibly would have been ok if kept on from a kitten. Doesn't go far now and never out for long but very much likes to be outdoors

1 honestly wouldn't mind a single warm room, bed and food.

@Luana1 I did wonder how much she "remembers", interestingly her brother who was homed are the same time is happily an indoor cat, the owner can't get him to stay outside ha, mine is showing an interest though (when it's not raining!)

Our garden is very enclosed so we can try that more, we've done it occasionally.

Sorry 6!!! She was a feral rescue. You would have lost limbs trying to keep her contained.

Mine have stayed in their entire lives. They are fine! And very well looked after 😍

@TheThirdKit
That's such a broad comment to make... my cat was allowed to go outside right up until the weekend just gone, then she got ill, with pancreatitis, and now she HAS to be an indoor cat because If she eats ANYTHING other than a specific and strict diet she will have another flare up of pancreatitis and she will be back in vetinary hospital on strong pain relief and IV fluids and more antibiotics, because she will eat something she shouldn't (food left lying around by people/small rodents/birds etc) some cats need to stay indoors for their health and safety, am I a bad owner for 'forcing' my cat to be an indoor cat? She will have a catio built in the spring but she won't be free roaming again.

I see so many comments saying it's cruel but you don't know the reasons why some cats are housecats, owners who want to keep them safe are 1 reason but alot of cats become housecats due to their ill health. Am I cruel? What would you suggest? Let my cat out so she can get ill again or would you rather me have her put down because she can't possibly have a happy life being stuck indoors?

Where is the line drawn?

It doesn't feel right to me, to keep them indoors. And that's the main reason (Central London flat) that I no longer have one. But if you have the resource, it is apparently possible to cat proof a garden/part of a garden. Is this doable for you?

I adopted a 7 month old kitten and let him out as his previous owner had. He lasted 3 months before he was run over and killed.

I then got 2 cats (same litter) as I had no intention of letting them out and thought they'd be good company for each other. I lived in a ground floor flat at the time.

When I moved to my house I thought I'd let them out in the garden and hoped they wouldn't wander too far but one jumped the fence and disappeared. I was sick with worry. Eventually managed to get him back and he's been under house arrest ever since. I do feel a bit guilty as I know my male cat would love to roam around outdoors but he's almost 13 now and has never been an outdoor cat so I think that ship has sailed.

I won't be getting another cat once my 2 go as I'd feel guilty keeping them in but I'd worry letting them out.

Let it out so it's gets crushed to death like my precious boy?

OP - cat proof your garden. It kills me every day that I could have prevented my gorgeous gorgeous boy being killed. Check out protect a pet netting that goes on top of your fences. Or build her a catio attached to your house so she can come and go for fresh air as he pleases.

www.catssafeathome.org/catio-info

This isn't my catio, but mine is very similar (albeit bigger) Husband built it for £300 (he's quite handy) . My two cats absolutely love it. I love that I'm never going to have to watch them being crushed to death.

Seriously people. Pack in with the 'it's cruel' not to let them out. So many reasons why it's actual cruel to let them just roam - would you just open your front door and whack out your cockerpoo for a quick 4 hr roam when they felt like it?!

oh you can also lead train - one of my mine goes outside on a lead - only in the garden in the summer, but he loves that too. You need a proper harness though.

She needs to go out. It is all she's ever known, so yes, you're being cruel to keep her in.

42 years of owning (several) cats. All had access to the garden and neighbourhood

this

I think it's really cruel to keep cats inside I have two rescued semi- feral cats and they have never wanted to come in. They might be less risk of them being indoor but it's really no life

When we decided we didn't want Harry going out of the garden any more we decided to cat proof. We thought about a catio but I don't like them, our garden is small and I wasn't sitting in a catio! We also thought about keeping him indoors but the flat isn't really big enough and I didn't want the doors and windows closed all the time. DH did the cat proofing himself as he was a handyman and it seems to have done the job.

It's cruel to keep cats inside they want to roam and explore but when it's freezing wet snowy or superhot fair enough. How close is the railway/motorway? Really you should have thought of that before getting one. If you live directly next to a railway or motorway then I can understand thinking about keeping it in. If you have a garden can you catproof it so they can explore and climb and do cat things but not actually escape?

@bellswithwhistles

So by that token do you never do anything that's a risk to you, such as fly in a plane to go on holiday. Or get in a car?

Your putting your emotional needs of loving that animal before the animals needs to be an animal.

Cruel