Can a cat get used to indoors?

[Bonkersworknonsense]

A family member decided their cat should live with me. Cat and I adore each other, so this is fine. He is about 11 years old, has always been able to go outside. I am renting a flat and planning to buy one soon. Despite my best efforts I cannot find one in my price range that has outdoor access, and even balconies are rare. So far the cat is okay-ish with being stuck indoors, but he’s also bored. He asks to have the kitchen window open for an hour or so twice a day (it’s screened, he hasn’t tried to push it out). He just wants some interesting smells.

I want the best for him, but of the 2 places I could afford right now that are not on busy roads or dark and horrible, the one I prefer by a wide margin has no balcony. The other does. Can this be his life?

is the place on the busy road on the ground floor so he can have a catio?
I think it would be cruel for him to be confined to inside after previously having access to outdoors.

If he isn't pestering to go out, he will be fine as an indoor cat.

I was brought up to believe, as many people are, that cats have to go out in order to be happy. If they are the adventurous kind this is probably true.

From experience it depends on the cat. I have had wanderers who insisted on going out, often would come in once they had done their rounds, and stay in, some went out at the same time every day, and back at the same time every day. All were fine with staying in at night.

I have had cats that had been outdoor cats and became happy to be indoor cats with a catio, they got used to it.

Current cat was on the rescue site as wanting access to a garden (and fine to live with other cats). She only sets a paw in the catio if I go with her, and comes back in straight away, doesn't want to go out at all (and hates all other cats).

I have had more that were happy to be indoor cats, that I have cats that wanted to go out. As long as they have company, and get played with, diet adjusted if necessary, they tend to be fine indoors, and are much safer.

I’m not buying on a busy road as the traffic noise would be too stressful for both of us. So the choice at the moment is lovely flat with 3 aspects but no balcony (3rd floor, a little garden that possibiy he could go down to), or a 4th floor much less lovely place with a balcony. There’s so few places in my city for sale right now that I can afford.

Thanks @CatAssTrophic He had previously been the sort who’d go out for a few hours but also spent a lot of time sleeping inside. I feel bad for him, but I’m likely to outlive him so leaving to choosing the one I like and know he’ll be very loved indoors. There are lots of trees outside both flats, so lots of views for him.

Catification is your friend! Basically you need loads of cat furniture about to keep him happy, as well as regular play sessions - have a look at a few Jackson Galaxy videos on YouTube for catification suggestions like how to build a cat superhighway in the flat with levels & so on.

You may also want to have a look at <a class="break-all" href="//www.www.flatcats.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Flat Cats for cat safe window screens. They come n a series of standard sizes, but they can make them to your spec too.

My 2 were feral until a year old, then were trapped & spent a whole year at the rescue as nobody wanted a bonded pair of shy black cats (perfect for me). A condition of adoption was to keep them indoor as some ex ferals will go feral again if they go out. They are both very content as indoor cats. I have a decent sized house but they are slightly limited in where they're allowed to go. I have a cat tree over 5ft tall in a corner by the window which Girlcat likes as she lies on the highest perch to watch the birds outside & the world go by. They have hiding places around the house, and lots of things they can get up on if they want - Girlcat is a tree dweller, Boycat more a ground dweller so they have to have lots of interest at different levels. See a pic below of Girlcat's most daring bit of climbing - on the conservatory door pillars, which are so tall I can't reach the stop even if I stretch!

Thanks @Allergictoironing I’ve been looking at cat hammocks and thinking about those sort of steps you put in the walls for them to climb. He used to live his big cat tree, but it went when he moved in with me and I haven’t got a new one as it’s one more thing to move when I leave here.

I’m crap at playing with cats, I wasn’t even good at playing w my kids when they were little. But I’m hoping with lots of views and perches maybe that’ll help.

Try a fishing pole type toy, Da Bird or something similar are good - a long fine "fishing line" and something that moves a lot on the end, mine like feathers.

It depends on the cat. My previously outdoor cat went to live with my son in his flat as she wasn't happy living with our other cats. She's perfectly content lounging around indoors and catches a bit of sun on his balcony. Losing outside was certainly a fair trade off for being an only cat to her.
Of the two cats I now have one never goes outside, even though she has free access. The other would literally be climbing the walls if I kept him in. He's Mr Mouser and loves being out and about doing cat stuff. I'd never considered an indoor home for him.