advice for having a flat-cat

[CathyW]

i lived in london with my 2 hooligans they where indoor cats. and manaaged to cope well. i didnt feel comfy letting them out, so they had their *own room* with lots of stuff to climb on,. a window sill to watch the squirrels play. and loads of fuss off myself and my husband. i also have a dog. they all lived happily together. if they had been younger i would of tyrained them to go on a harness, but they where adult cats by then. plus there was loads of cat loving kids in the area.
but wish you luck on what ever you decide.

[Kay]

Hi Meep and welcome to Catsey. I don't live in a flat but my 11 cats are all indoor cats only. They are Persians which are ideally suited for indoor life. They are very placid and easy going and adapt very well to indoor life. All my kittens are sold to indoor homes only. I used to have cats that were outdoor, not Persians, but I have to say I will always keep indoor cats from now on. I would get two if you possibly can and then they will have company when you are not there. Kittens are very adaptable and I am sure as long as they have plenty of interaction and play with you they will be fine as indoor cats. I know mine are.

[Elaine]

Hiya Meep. There are loads of very good suggestions already posted, my favourites being to either get two together, always a good thing even if you have a Diva and Adopting an FIV or elderly cat. None of these come with out their own problems but as you have had cats most of your life, I am sure you would cope admirably.
My two are indoor, I live in the city centre but I do have a back garden with a 20 foot wall. I only let them out there when I am home to keep an eye on them and weather permitting as the Diva hates to get her beautiful feets wet and dirty.

[meep]

DandysMom, thanks for the advice. I have met a few indoor cats who have been horrified at the thought of going outdoors, it's quite funny! Leia sounds like a wee cutie- and actually a similar name to one I had thought if I got a wee girl - Leila. I thought it would suit a siamese or abysinian looking cat (although I won't be buying a pedigree just yet!) It is comforting to know that lots of other cat owners have indoor cats and it works out well; before I came on here I thin I'd only heard biased answers from owners who let their cats outdoors and thought I was being silly for wanting to get an indoor cat! But it seems both work perfectly in their own ways

Kazz, thanks for sharing your story. That is such a shame for poor wee Archie I am so sorry that happened. I do really appreciate you telling the story as a guide for what could happen. The flat does look out onto grass and has grass behind it, then with more flats, but THOSE flats look out onto a semi-quiet road but one which cars go very quickly down. So that is a real danger. It definately has made me think twice about letting the cat roam freely, and I am becoming more curious at the idea of harness-walking a cat! Does anyone have any pictures of this?

I've never heard of the FILV / FELV virus before, but that is definately worth looking into. Although if I was going to get two cats (more than likley, to keep each other company) it might not work out... The way it's shaping up in my head I can see it all working out perfectly

Thanks for all your advice everyone, it really has helped me understand the things involved with owning an indoor / outdoor cat in the city!

[yola]

I know Babycakes has a picture of her Dennis on a lead, and Hreow, who only visits here occasionally now, posted pictures of her Rover when he was little and was out and about on a harness, hopefully they'll be along with their pics soon!

[charliebubs]

Hi Jen,

I'm a bit late joining this thread and I see that the others have already given some fantastic advice!!!

I'm a bit of an in-betweener when it comes to the indoor/outdoor debate, as I have made my garden fully enclosed and cat-proofed with netting etc - so in essence my cats can go outside, but they can only go into the garden and are therefore safe from cars, other cats, thieves etc etc. There is a cat flap in the back door, so they do have some independence in that respect.

I have also had an indoor-only cat (in fact I still have her - but she now has the freedom of the enclosed garden). We used to live in an 18th floor apartment in Australia and so there was no outside area for her. There were communal gardens and I did used to take her outside on a harness, as the others have suggested, occassionally. However, she has always been a little timid and frightened of the outside, so being an indoor cat (and now having an enclosed garden) suits her fine

My other cats have known nothing different and are perfectly content.

I agree with the others, that indoor only homes can work really well for cats. My only concern is that if you start letting them out they might get a taste for it and want to become outdoor cats. I personally think it's important to make a decision early on and stick to it. If a cat has had free roam of the outdoors, it would be cruel to then take that away from them.....if you see what I mean!?

As Kay has said, there are several breeds that are ideally suited to being indoor cats - Persian and Ragdoll being just 2 of the breeds. I have a Ragdoll and also do work for the Rags Rehome Charity Group. Perhaps you could consider getting a pair from a pedigree rehome? This is less expensive that buying a pedigree kitten - usually the rehome charity will just ask for a donation.

I am presently fostering 2 Raggies for the rehome group, which need to be rehomed together and will need an indoor only home - maybe a pair like them would be ideally suited to your situation??

Food for thought anyway........

[dandysmom]

Originally Posted by meep

DandysMom, thanks for the advice. I have met a few indoor cats who have been horrified at the thought of going outdoors, it's quite funny! Leia sounds like a wee cutie- and actually a similar name to one I had thought if I got a wee girl - Leila. I thought it would suit a siamese or abysinian looking cat (although I won't be buying a pedigree just yet!) It is comforting to know that lots of other cat owners have indoor cats and it works out well; before I came on here I thin I'd only heard biased answers from owners who let their cats outdoors and thought I was being silly for wanting to get an indoor cat! But it seems both work perfectly in their own ways

Kazz, thanks for sharing your story. That is such a shame for poor wee Archie I am so sorry that happened. I do really appreciate you telling the story as a guide for what could happen. The flat does look out onto grass and has grass behind it, then with more flats, but THOSE flats look out onto a semi-quiet road but one which cars go very quickly down. So that is a real danger. It definately has made me think twice about letting the cat roam freely, and I am becoming more curious at the idea of harness-walking a cat! Does anyone have any pictures of this?
I've never heard of the FILV / FELV virus before, but that is definately worth looking into. Although if I was going to get two cats (more than likley, to keep each other company) it might not work out... The way it's shaping up in my head I can see it all working out perfectly

Thanks for all your advice everyone, it really has helped me understand the things involved with owning an indoor / outdoor cat in the city!

Hiya again, Meep! Thanks for the kind words about Leia, who is indeed a cutie, but far from wee! She's a big 14 pound cat...that's her in my Welcome Graphic.
Here's a pic of me walking Sultan, my Abysinnian; harnesses aren't just for pedigrees, my moggies walked just fine also and loved getting outside with all the scents and sights!

[tilly]

I also thought that I would never try to harness train my cats but they are fine with it and I just take them into the garden for a potter. They have a very long flexi lead so I just sit there and they go where they please.

Or if you go to a rescue centre they sometimes have indoor only cats or as mention cats with FIV (cats version of HIV) aways need homes and can be young cats not just older ones and kittens have FIV too.

Or you could let them out in the mornign and have a cat kennel outside incase they didn't come back. But if you let them out before you feed them they should come back.

Best of luck whatever you do

Tilly

ps mine have just learnt to walk on a harness and lead and they will be 11 on the first of may so they are never to old to learn.They have never worn collar either and were still OK with it.

heres a pic of her first time out

[EmmaG]

I agree with Kazz, with your situation you would be ideal to have a cat with FILV/FELV as there are so many gorgeous cats needing a home.

Our second cat, Lucy lived with us for 5 years in a top floor flat, we let her out at the weekends, she didn't go very far and seemed very content.

[dandysmom]

As Emma just said, females have very small territories compared to toms (neutered ones); my harness-trained females just walked around the block mostly, but both boys walked for blocks and blocks!

And harness training is easiest when you start them as kittens; they just take it as a fact of life. But it's entirely possible to teach an adult: Patches was 1 1/2 when I rehomed her and she had been an oudoor cat; but caught on very quickly!