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The litter tray

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

Tell me about having a house cat

95 replies

Silviasilvertoes · 04/07/2024 17:58

I desperately miss having a feline familiar. We live next to a relatively busy road (rural but lorries).

It’s a big house so plenty of room to roam indoors.

How do you stop your house cat going out? Is it even possible? How do you make their lives interesting?

I’d be very happy with a rescue, in fact that’s the ideal.

OP posts:
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ABirdsEyeView · 08/07/2024 09:33

A cat might want to be outdoors, but a cat also doesn't know there are dangers from evil people and cars. I'd rather mine were alive and safe and never knew what nasty fuckers are out there in the world, even if that meant a bit less freedom.
So long as your cats have company and entertainment, they are fine at home.

PrincessMee · 08/07/2024 10:14

Two house cats here currently. Previously had two others who both lived until 17 and 18. One of mine is unable to jump. We have the garden cat proofed. My husband did it with materials from e bay. We have shutters on our windows so they are unable to get out windows. Busy house road near us which has claimed the lives of 5 cats in the past few months due to people like delivery drivers speeding.

fieldsofbutterflies · 08/07/2024 10:35

ABirdsEyeView · 08/07/2024 09:33

A cat might want to be outdoors, but a cat also doesn't know there are dangers from evil people and cars. I'd rather mine were alive and safe and never knew what nasty fuckers are out there in the world, even if that meant a bit less freedom.
So long as your cats have company and entertainment, they are fine at home.

I always thought the same as you until I had a cat who made himself unwell with stress because we kept him indoors.

We didn't realise he was as unhappy as he was until we started letting him out, and he's like a brand new cat now - so much happier and more confident, and his health issues have pretty much disappeared.

Yes, there's a risk you take letting them out but ultimately if they're going to make themselves unwell indoors, what kind of life is that?

I'd rather they had a happier but potentially shorter life than a long, miserable one.

ABirdsEyeView · 08/07/2024 10:43

Obviously if a cat was really stressed by being indoors then I'd agree with you. Especially if you live somewhere relatively safe. But there's a difference between stressed and a bit miffed.
Mine went in the garden yesterday - in the 5 minutes I wasn't actively watching her, she ate a bunch of plants and then puked all day. She honestly hasn't got the sense she was born with and I'd worry about her ability to navigate life if left to her own devices. She came out with me again while I hung the washing out and went straight back to the plants that made her throw up yesterday! Literally no sense!

fieldsofbutterflies · 08/07/2024 11:06

Oh absolutely - if they're a danger to themselves (or disabled etc) and need to be kept in that's different but it does make me sad when cats clearly want (or need) to be outside and the owners prioritise their own happiness over that of their pet.

There's also an argument to say that if you have a cat who needs outdoor access and you're unable or unwilling to provide it, then the cat should go to a home that's better suited to its' needs.

fieldsofbutterflies · 08/07/2024 11:08

I'd also add that sometimes owners don't realise how upset or stressed their cat is because they've never known them to be any different.

It's like when people say their cat is happy living with others (or alone) and then the situation changes and the cat is suddenly so much happier.

Campingholidays · 08/07/2024 11:11

My cat is a house cat and always has been, he would escape if he could though. We live too close to a very fast road and I’d be heartbroken if he were to be hit, there’s so many cats where I live that have been killed on that road. He’s also slightly too stupid to trust and his cross eyes don’t help his case! He does get a lot of stimulation from the kids and me being at home most of the time and he frequently goes ‘on holiday’ with us when I visit my parents! They have a cat and dog and he fits in with them just fine 😂

Silviasilvertoes · 08/07/2024 11:17

fieldsofbutterflies · 08/07/2024 11:06

Oh absolutely - if they're a danger to themselves (or disabled etc) and need to be kept in that's different but it does make me sad when cats clearly want (or need) to be outside and the owners prioritise their own happiness over that of their pet.

There's also an argument to say that if you have a cat who needs outdoor access and you're unable or unwilling to provide it, then the cat should go to a home that's better suited to its' needs.

Exactly. That’s why a rescue that can’t go out will be perfect.

OP posts:
Campingholidays · 08/07/2024 11:21

FIV cats can’t leave the house either so that might be an option for a rescue?

WetBandits · 08/07/2024 11:24

FIV+ cat? Or a deaf/blind cat? They are ‘meant’ to be house cats so the guilt of not letting them out would be far less! I have two indoor/outdoor and one indoor as she has very poor eyesight and a tendency to eat terrible things so would be dead within a week if she was allowed out!

fieldsofbutterflies · 08/07/2024 11:31

@Silviasilvertoes I agree with PP who say to look for a cat with FIV or who maybe has another minor physical issue that means they need to stay indoors.

ScottBakula · 08/07/2024 18:46

This reply has been deleted

Withdrawn at OP's request.

I contacted woodenart a few weeks ago to see if the would be able to build one for me , they said yes anf asked for some photos which i sent .
That was the last I heard from them despite sending 2 follow up emails .

CormorantStrikesBack · 08/07/2024 18:50

ScottBakula · 08/07/2024 18:46

I contacted woodenart a few weeks ago to see if the would be able to build one for me , they said yes anf asked for some photos which i sent .
That was the last I heard from them despite sending 2 follow up emails .

PetCave built mine for me, I’d definitely recommend them.

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 08/07/2024 18:58

Phoebefail · 07/07/2024 13:06

Poor cats, trained and conditioned to be kept inside.
So restricted that their muscles lose condition and become weak.

Not necessarily. When Our two Siamese lived in our town house in London, no outside space for them or us, they used to chase each other up and down the four flights of stairs shrieking with glee.

They used to stay with some friends ( human) in their flat for the odd weekend when we were away, the cats had great fun jumping from the floor to the top of the bookcase ( about six foot) and then go round the room without touching the floor.

The vet told me he had difficulties getting through the muscle layer when one of them was spayed.

ScottBakula · 08/07/2024 18:58

Thanks @CormorantStrikesBack , I will look them up.

Silviasilvertoes · 08/07/2024 19:33

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 08/07/2024 18:58

Not necessarily. When Our two Siamese lived in our town house in London, no outside space for them or us, they used to chase each other up and down the four flights of stairs shrieking with glee.

They used to stay with some friends ( human) in their flat for the odd weekend when we were away, the cats had great fun jumping from the floor to the top of the bookcase ( about six foot) and then go round the room without touching the floor.

The vet told me he had difficulties getting through the muscle layer when one of them was spayed.

Haha we have two flights of stairs here, that’s a start.

OP posts:
Cattysm · 08/07/2024 19:57

I have two indoor cats, both indoor from kittens. One has a disability and it was stipulated by the rescue that he must remain indoors, the other doesn’t. I have a garden with a fence which they could quite easily jump over but they’ve been taught from being little not to. They come outside when we are out so only under supervision and will happily mooch around the garden until we tell them to go back in. They’re absolutely fine being indoors. They have each other, they tear around the place playing and chasing each other, they have toys, cat trees, places to jump up high, and lots of attention. They’re super healthy and very chilled out. The only thing I would say is it’s much harder than having outdoor cats as you do need to keep them stimulated and give them tons more attention.

KestrelHawke · 09/07/2024 10:30

Well done for considering what's best for your potential cat w This might get a bit long but I'm studying to be a feline behaviourist and have 2 indoor cats so hopefully you'll find this helpful

In the US, Canada, NZ, Australia, etc allowing cats to freeroam has been losing popularity for years due to the risks posed to the cats and the havoc they wreak upon natural ecosystems domestic animals have no place in - even being made illegal in some places, but the UK is very slow to update in regards to pet care standards (despite over six hundred cats a day being hit on our roads).

Cats require mental stimulation and physical activity like any other pet, but due to the cultural norms surrounding their roaming many owners fail to realise how much enrichment they require - leading to situations where they cat becomes depressed, aggressive or destructive and the owner blames it on them not being outside, rather than the true cause: boredom.

Enriching their environment - consider how to make your living space as "cat friendly" as can be. Do you have room for a cat tree or two? Putting up shelves they can climb and perch on is fantastic also - provide them with vertical space. A cat that can survey their territory from up high is a cat that is secure in their territory. Things like cat grass, toys that don't require human input, rearranging things to provide a route to the top of high furniture, etc.

If you can, cat proof garden fencing or catios can be DIY-ed to provide safe experiences outside - Amazon even sells cat tents for this purpose.

Things like puzzle feeders and lick mats can provide entertainment for a while as they work at getting their food, and these are sold for both dogs and cats (Cat specific products are usually more expensive for some reason, but things for small dogs often work just the same). There are some forms of puzzle feeder that can be made at home, or even games with hiding some dry food. We have a collection of cardboard boxes for the cats and often scatter some dry food in a few different boxes. They hear it and come running then spend time jumping from box to box to find it. Training also fits into the mental enrichment category. Cats can be taught tricks and this is both mental exercise and a good bonding activity (Plus people love a cat that knows how to high five)

Play should be done daily - if you can, just before (scheduled) meals to follow their natural rhythm. The aim is to replicate the act of stalking and chasing prey, both to give them an outlet for their natural instincts and use up some of that energy. Cats sleep so much because when they go they really go. Intense playtime is how you bring down some of that excess energy and prevent the kind of mischief a bored cat will inevitably find.

Hopefully this gave you some ideas :)

justsaying2023 · 09/07/2024 11:28

My cat asks to go out every now and then and I leave the door open for her - she panics if the door closes and demands that we correct our obvious mistake and let her in! In the morning she flies out like she has been imprisoned for decades only to sit on the back door step or a dustbin for 10 minutes and then come back in. She just doesn't like there to be a "room" that is not accessible.

Tell me about having a house cat
Threeboysadogacatandakitten · 10/07/2024 21:56

We have two house cats here.

Dcat1 came to us after her owner died. She was 2 and had never been out. She will wander into the garden with me. She’s not much of a jumper and has never tried to go over the fence. I suspect she could if she really wanted to.

Dcat2 was a kitten that a friend was looking to re home. She’s almost nine months and seems very content chasing dcat1 and ddog.

We have a good sized house, are both retired and I spend a lot of time playing with them. They have a large tree and loads of toys. Dh is planning to build a catio for them soon. When we downsize I plan to get cat safe fencing for the garden. That would be the ideal. They are currently very content cats.

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