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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Are your cats indoor or outdoor?

103 replies

Spudlover · 12/02/2023 18:28

I know there are pros and cons to both, I’m just so undecided!

I live in a large cul-de-sac in suburbia. No especially busy roads in the vicinity and a 20 mph speed limit. There are plenty of other cats around who all seem to be fine and happy. However, about half a mile away through some woods is a dual carriageway and we have tons of foxes.

They are 6 months and 11 months at the moment and while they are very curious about the outside, they seem very content. Both chipped and neutered.

Someone accidentally let the eldest out when she was 5 months and spent a night under the stars. It was the most stressful night of my life I think and keen to avoid that again but equally, want them to be a bit street smart in case they do get out.

OP posts:
helpfulperson · 12/02/2023 18:40

Outdoors. I'd rather they had a short happy life enjoying the outdoors than kept inside all the time.

Flowerfairy101 · 12/02/2023 18:44

Outdoors now but one was an indoor cat apart from supervised garden time because we had already lost one on the road and this particular cat was very nervy, I was too worried about her taking fright and running across the relatively busy road blind. Now we live on quite a quiet road with fields behind so both ours go out but we do get them in for nighttime, partly because they bring small live beasties in unnoticed that then live in our house!

Camillialane · 12/02/2023 18:44

Outdoors. Seeing her hopping about in the garden chasing and hunting leaves is so joyous! She loves the outside.

Mylobsterteapot · 12/02/2023 18:47

Indoors. There is a railway on the other side of the road.

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 12/02/2023 18:47

Always had outside cats.
I'm afraid this thread will go the same way as these always do, with the debate between indoor and outdoor cat aficionados becoming more and more aggressive.
There are arguments for and against. Personally I think that cats have a more fulfilled life if they go outdoors, but they clearly are at higher risk if they go outside. Your call 😁

ZuckerwatterMaus · 12/02/2023 18:48

Outside . He isn’t happy cooped up . Six months ago he had a minor operation and was not allowed out for 2 weeks . He hated it and sat pining on the window sill . I told the vet and he was allowed out after 10 days as he was so unhappy .

Newnamenewme23 · 12/02/2023 18:53

Many cats make it clear if they are not happy as indoor cats.

my last one absolutely needed the outdoors. He would have gone mental, and probably driven us up the walls as well.

current cat is indoor through choice. She’ll accompany us into the garden at most, but won’t go on her own.

I have to say I much prefer having an indoor cat. Less stress about them getting lost or hurt. But I don’t think I’d keep a cat in involuntarily.

dementedpixie · 12/02/2023 19:00

Outdoors
We have a catflap so they are in and out as they please. Also in a quiet area not directly on the main road. We have a railway at the back but there is a high metal fence that hopefully keeps them away from it.

Toddlerteaplease · 12/02/2023 19:12

Indoors, they are Persians. So not bright enough to go out!

Getir · 12/02/2023 19:13

Outside, sort of. He only ever goes into the garden.

Soubriquet · 12/02/2023 19:14

My cat used to be exclusively outdoors. Couldn’t get her in for toffee.

then we moved house and now she’s exclusively indoors!

She’s allowed outside she just chooses not to

MissVantaBlack · 12/02/2023 19:14

My cat is outdoors, but I do keep her in at night. Also, I try to encourage her to stay in the back garden (although she has now learnt how to escape it).

Goldpanther · 12/02/2023 19:14

Outdoors, but during the day only (we don't have a cat flap).

They have all learnt the routine that I will wake up in the morning, feed them and let them out if they want. When they want to come in they will meow outside the door, or sit on the windowsill outside.
When they come back inside they are rewarded with treats/dinner depending on the time and then in for the night.

I think cats only really have a maximum range of 500m. And you don't need to worry about foxes they aren't really prey, and if you keep them in overnight, foxes aren't particularly active.

SummerSazz · 12/02/2023 19:15

Both outdoor. We have a busy A road about 200m away up a hill but they never go that far - we have fields to the side and below our house so they roam around there

Sindonym · 12/02/2023 19:19

One of each.

we have an outdoor rescue moggie (whose sister was a right explorer, but died). She doesn’t go far now because there are so many cats in the street & she is too old for all the cat wars going on. She largely guards our deck.

We also have a ragdoll kitten. I think he’ll have to be an indoor cat because they are generally too daft to go out. Will be making him a catio on a balcony.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 12/02/2023 19:22

Three indoor cats.

Sunriseinwonderland · 12/02/2023 19:29

A mix of both. I keep them in at night for their own safety and let them go out during the day. They sleep for most of the day so they are not out much but they can still get some fresh air and eat some grass.

thelionthewitchtheaudacityofTHISbitch · 12/02/2023 19:40

I grew up with Siamese - allowed outdoors during the day (no cat flap, human slaves) but in at night. So when I finally as an adult was able to own a cat I chose to rescue Siamese. The 1st came to me at 3yrs and had spent time outside. Within days he was out roaming my neighbourhood. I only found many years later that although he loved humans he hated other cats and bullied the entire neighbourhood! He was streetsmart and savvy. After he died, I was given the opportunity to adopt a Siamese rescue. He is beautiful - just beautiful. But he had been inside with older siblings, parents, etc for a number of years. We tried to get him used to the neighbourhood but he wasnt very bright and couldnt find his way home. When he escaped i was so upset. He didnt take well to being outside, then lockdown came. So it would have been too difficult to have tried to find him if he escaped again. So after a couple of years and being yowlled at morning, noon and night, I decided to adopt another Siamese rescue. But she has to be inside as well. She is the brightest cat I have ever owned. I think she could have been street smart but too late now. They are both lovely but I hate having indoor cats. The fur, the litter trays, the mess. It's like having toddlers again. They hate each other so cat fights most days. When they go (probably at least another 10 years) I will only ever adopt Siamese that can go outside. My 1st loved it. I live in a village with a typical busy main road through it. But my house backs onto fields and paddocks and we do also have a lot of foxes but I think that is less risky during the day. However what astonished me - I belong to several Siamese rescue groups - most keep their cats in, afraid of theft or roads. So of course future adoptions may be driven by this culture change.

BotherThat · 12/02/2023 19:43

Indoors. She’s a lazy moo, so suits her fine.

AlotIsntAWord · 12/02/2023 19:46

My last cat was an outdoor cat who was killed in an RTA. It was devastating but he had a happy life chasing bugs, sunning himself in the long grass and climbing trees. He’d have hated indoor life.

I then adopted a cat from someone who had never let them out so classed her as an indoor cat. Thankfully we had her neutered anyway because she was not a happy indoor cat and attempted to get out at every opportunity. Once she had briefly escaped, she would sit yowling at the window and doors to go out. She is now a happy outside cat but my heart has palpitations if I call her and she doesn’t appear for a while.

Piffle11 · 12/02/2023 19:47

Our boy was previously a farm cat, so we have always had to let him outside.

He would go crazy otherwise.

I love watching him trot off on an adventure. Luckily we live in a safe spot of traffic wise.

CaptainCallisto · 12/02/2023 19:49

I've had both. Currently have two indoor cats, as one of them has a nasty gastro condition that means we need to be completely in control of what he eats. The vet said we really need to keep him in. Luckily, it was picked up by the rescue when he was a kitten, so he's never known any different. Our younger cat sort of became an indoor cat by default because the other was, but they're both perfectly happy and healthy.

Masterofcats · 12/02/2023 19:50

Well he has a cat flap that is open all day and locked in at night.
But he might go out and sit in the sun but basically a house cat all winter and a sun bathing cat in garden in summer.
He is a lazy people obsessed boy though so has little interest in going far from us when his whole aim in life is dominating his humans.

Beamur · 12/02/2023 19:53

Most cats enjoy being outside.
But it depends on the cat and also where you live.
My cats all go out. One lives outside (long story - he adopted us but my other cats will not let him come indoors).
The others go out, but only one is allowed out overnight. Partly because she is bullied by neighbours cats during the day. She is also very streetwise and can come back indoors anytime she wants.
It is different if you live in another country where either there are hazards to your pets - or your pets are the hazard..

Original poster
Spudlover · 12/02/2023 19:57

Thanks for all responses, I’m erring towards letting them out, although perhaps once GCSES and A levels are done.

I would probably keep them in a night too.

It should be easier with girl cat as she’s smarter, comes when you call her and is quite shy and cautious. Boy cat is far more adventurous and pretty thick so may cause me some worry 😆

OP posts: