Indoor/outdoor, Free roaming or secure garden

[dandysmom]

Originally Posted by pcspik

Mine are all FIV. I am in rented accommodation in a flat so I dont have a garden as such, and I cannot put a pen (no space).

I actually moved there in February, where I was before I was also in rented but I had a garden. I purposely went for an indoor cat because a) I was in temporary accommodation and it would not be fair if I ended up in a top floor flat and b) I would forever and a day be worrying where the cat had been.

In the past couple of months there have been reports of someone going around poisoning cats in the area (we had one in the shelter earlier on this year who recovered from being poisoned. He was in a poor state - he was only 2 and renal due to the poison. The vet said he would be lucky to live past 5) so I am glad that mine are indoors only.

Although I know that I will lose Tigger and Pickle at some point, I will have indoors only. If I get a place of my own, then I would love to build a pen.

I dont have lots of traffic (someone in one of the upstairs flat has a outdoors going cat). I back onto a car park for a sheltered accommodation block so the main traffic is people visiting that block. But as I am a natural worrier and be worrying every single time that my cat would get into some mortal danger that an indoors only cat (FIV or otherwise) is probably best for my sanity.

I do empthize with you there! Even if I lived in a rural area I'd be worried sick every time they weren't in sight!

[cats' staff]

After we caught Smudge crossing the (fairly quiet) road once my OH insisted that she be kept in and it took months before she was allowed out again but she was very unhappy as an indoor cat, and I hated it. We lost a lovely cat on the road some years ago and it broke my heart BUT he had a great life and died very, very quickly without knowing anything about it so although it hurt us for ages (and I still cry writing about it) Charlie had a great life and loved his freedom.
Mine all come and go through the day but get locked in when it is dark and I do worry about them but they love the outdoors.
Just what do you do for the best!?!

[EmmaG]

Ours free roam when we are at home (mainly the weekends or when we are working from home) but they are only out during the day not the night. During the week they are indoor only.

They don't seem to mind, Arthur likes going out but is content being indoors, Bronwyn doesn't really like being outside unless one of us is as well.

[mj69]

Jack's a independant sole and after just moving house keeping him locked in was a trail, he was frantic trying to get out! crafty begger worked out how to spin the dial on flap and let himself out possibly a fluke (see other thread) He managaged a grand total of 7 days being a indoor cat but he's coming and going through the flap in and out day and night, the main problem i had when i got him was he'd being left behind when his owner went into a nursing home and lived in the garage for 12months with a neighbour feeding him daily!

so even if i wanted to have him as a indoor cat we would have no chance....

the new house is in a quiet cul-de-sac and our previuos house was next to a train line and station so i would say he's pretty street wise!

[John]

I have always lived in a rural type area and have always had a cat flap where they can come and go as they please.when Millie was younger she used to leave me a present on the bottom of the stairs but she is to old now ..

[Stephan]

Are cats nocturnal??-if so nobody told Cleo. The closest she gets to going out at night is coming up to my bed with muddy paws after doing what a cat has to do

[HappyKatz]

Our cats have their own secure garden - we pretty much built it for them We wanted our furry babies to have a safe place to enjoy the sunshine. They know when it is a nice day, they all wait by the door each singing to us with their cute mews. I call "kitties" in a high pitch tone & they all run out! We just feel better knowing where each & every cat is at all times. We let them come in & out as they please. We also check on them every 15 minutes. Winter lasts 6-7 months here so we let them out in their garden as much as the weather will let us. Our babies love the outdoors & we love to watch what they like to do outside... Whether it be napping in the sun, chasing bugs, or watching birdies

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Stephan

Are cats nocturnal??-if so nobody told Cleo. The closest she gets to going out at night is coming up to my bed with muddy paws after doing what a cat has to do

Crepuscular (dawn and dusk)

[moonstone]

I have four cats...my elderly one Bobby chooses not to go out and i am fine with that...my two kittens (10 months) have restricted exercise in the garden (they are allowed out during the day when i am at home) they come in in the early evening and are in at night ...my other little girl is disabled (she has hip dysplasia)so she is a house cat.
There are lots of foxes round here,they are urban foxes (not like ferals)and they will take a cat given half a chance...they tried to kill one of mine so i have seen this for myself...i would prefer my cats to be house cats but they do like to go out in the garden so i hope that they have a happy compromise.

[Kazz]

No cat at present but all mine have been outoor/indoor cats. Although like some I lost Archie to a RTA where he was killed...it was heartbreaking but...when I got Oscar and Cleo again they went outside, and Oscar adored it he was a proper roamer scents, insects, mice, birds etc were his lifestyle although he always came home he was never gone for more than a day...morning to night or night till dawn, in the summer.
Cleo rarely went further than the back or front garden....preffering to be a homebody but she loved the sun I would not deny them that...if I had to have an indoor cat it would be indoor from day 1 not one who was a roamer now confined.