Indoor cats or outdoor cats- THAT is the question?

[angieh]

IMO it depends on where you live and the personality of your cat. When I first got Kizzy I kept her in for 6 weeks while she had her jabs and got used to being in a new place. Then I let her out. She comes and goes as she pleases now and personally, I like the fact that she lives a "natural" cat's life. But I can appreciate all the reasons for keeping a cat indoors and I would never wish to judge someone else for keeping their cats inside.

[pcspik]

Mine are FIV positive, so really I have no option but to keep them indoors. The only other options are to build a secure garden or a cat pen, but been I am in a flat (rented) I do not have those options.

Sometimes it is better to keep them indoors, for example if a cat has been severely ill with a disease early in their life or in the case of being FIV positive. But if illnesses is not a factor, then yes it depends on the cat. But it is not an easy answer: for example if you live by an extremely busy road where there are lot of RTA's (human and animal) then it is perhaps better for the cat's wellbeing that it is indoors.

Besides pedigree is a factor. If you have a pedigree cat which is worth a lot of money (especially if it is a rarer breed), then in order to deter thieves, then it is better to keep them indoors (unless you have a secure garden or cat pen). There are cases of pedigree cats being stolen to order.

[angieh]

Oh absolutely.

[pcspik]

Another thing which I forgot to mention if a cat is severely diabetic, then in order to control their diabetes it may be better to keep them indoors (or only walk them on a harness). (Severe) Diabetics need regular feeds and medication which need to be administered at the same time each day, and it is hard to keep to that schedule when they are outside. At least if they are indoors, you know that they are around to receive their jab at 5 o'clock. Not to mention that they may get fed by some well meaning neighbours which does not help (and in some cases may make them worse) in terms of controlling. Although you can get collars which read "Please do not feed me", it does not guarantee that a) the collars wont get lost and b) that people will take any notice of them!

Also another factor may be age. If your elderly cat has gone slightly deaf and slightly blind, but has been able to cope with the road since it was a kitten, it may not be able to do so now. To avoid a sticky end, it may be safer to keep them indoor for the rest of their life rather than them endangering themselves. Besides, most elderly cats do not mind, they seem to prefer being indoors when they get old!

[catwoman999]

I should have mentioned earlier that Amos is a pedigree persian (could get stolen) and Sebastian is blind (could never be an outdoor cat). Though having said that, I still would have all had my cats as indoors, even without these issues.
And Angieh you are absolutely right to do what is best for you and your cat.
As I said in my original post pros and cons for both! I am a natural worrier and could not cope with thinking of my babies outside, maybe selfish of me??? But I couldn't live with myself if they were lifted or injured...

[borderdawn]

Id never keep a Cat confined to the house, but all mine are now secured on my property. Regarding the age thing, I have 3 elderly Cats here, 20 and a half, and two at 17yrs, ALL these Cats were out and about Cats untill around 4yrs ago. Previously all my Cats could go off the premises freely, but with two RTA's never again, that was my sole reason.

My Cats have a pen they can go in when the weather is fine, its about 11ft long, pentagonal at one end with an added 6x3 run on it. They LOVE it, they really do, high levels and watching the Birds, they'd be in there all the time if I let them, but they are always ready to come in when it gets a bit darker!!

They also go in the garden when Im here at their leisure, all secure and one of the dogs, "Orey" stays out there with them, all can come and go as they please, but he watches over them for some reason!

All in all, I wouldnt feel happy confining a Cat indoors, but an indoor and safe outdoor life is ideal IMO.

[dandysmom]

As I've said in other posts, location! I'm directly on a heavily trafficed City street, close to woods with raccoons, foxes, etc. so free roaming is out of the question. Harness training has always worked well for me; with the exception of Leia who is scared of outdoors and seems quite happy being an indoor only cat. Her choice.

[louise_81]

My ladies are 'hopefully' going to be indoors. Neither seem to have had the best start in life, and I feel keeping them safe in my house is part of giving them a better life and protecting them from the dangers of the outside world.

Having said that I also think it is essential that things like environmental enrichment are looked into and taken seriously. a healthy mind produces a healthy body after all.

[SageCat]

Hi catwoman ~ I had the same dilemma when I very recently bought a 15 month old Oriental. In or out?? After much thinking and asking for advice, I decided that as she had never been outside (she was going to be kept by the breeder as a breeding queen, but it unfortunately didn't work out for her), then she wouldn't miss what she's never had. I've never had cats that I've kept in all the time, but it doesn't seem to be a problem at all for her. I bought her a harness, which she took to like a duck to water, and we go on little walks which we both enjoy! It's far less stressful on me as well as I know where she is all the time. Although I live on a quiet village road, she would have no road sense whatsoever, and of course, as already mentioned, there's the possibility of theft. I also bought one of those trays of 'cat grass' ~ just pour on water, keep in the dark for a couple of days ~ and hey presto, yummy grass! YumYum loves hers, so is now getting necessary roughage which indoor cats can sometimes miss out on.

[catwoman999]

Originally Posted by SageCat

Hi catwoman ~ I had the same dilemma when I very recently bought a 15 month old Oriental. In or out?? After much thinking and asking for advice, I decided that as she had never been outside (she was going to be kept by the breeder as a breeding queen, but it unfortunately didn't work out for her), then she wouldn't miss what she's never had. I've never had cats that I've kept in all the time, but it doesn't seem to be a problem at all for her. I bought her a harness, which she took to like a duck to water, and we go on little walks which we both enjoy! It's far less stressful on me as well as I know where she is all the time. Although I live on a quiet village road, she would have no road sense whatsoever, and of course, as already mentioned, there's the possibility of theft. I also bought one of those trays of 'cat grass' ~ just pour on water, keep in the dark for a couple of days ~ and hey presto, yummy grass! YumYum loves hers, so is now getting necessary roughage which indoor cats can sometimes miss out on.

Thank you Sage cat! I buy the grass trays also from Pets at Home. My cats love the grass, almost as much as Catnip lol.... Yum Yum sounds like a very lucky cat