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| View Poll Results: Are your cats? | |||
| Indoor Only |
  
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14 | 46.67% |
| Very outdoorsey |
  
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3 | 10.00% |
| Indoors most of the time |
  
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12 | 40.00% |
| Allowed to go out, but hate it? |
  
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1 | 3.33% |
| Voters: 30. You may not vote on this poll | |||
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I have 3 persians, the first older two were indoor only with careful supervised garden access for many years. When they go out now, they sit only in our garden or might mooch into next door's. Never further. Myshka, my new addition  is only a year old and I suspect quite used to going out. It's so very difficult to keep him in as he gets quite upset if he's shut in, and despite weeks of trying he really wasn't accepting beign harnessed. It's also extremely difficult, due to having two small boys to control the opening and closing of doors to ensure Mysh stays in. It was the same with Darcy. So consequently Darcy did, and Myshka has far more freedom that I'm comfortable with. Darcy died suddenly in the house. It was not an RTA, but I can't say for sure there wasn't something suspect. However I do think it was natural causes . . . actually my greater fear is one of theft or some human-inflicted injury/damage. I |
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Posh stayed indoors most of the winter. She strayed into us in November and never looked to go back out. Then in May she started to cry to go out, just on the patio and with supervision, my heart was in my mouth when we thought we'd lost her but she's hidden herself. Lately she's taken to wandering into next door's garden to lie in the grass. She won't wander too far but we always watch out and call for her after about 10 mins then she's indoors. I can't close the doors all the time it gets stifling in here, soif she wanders out I'm a bit nervous but she has never gone too far. She's chipped and collared but I don't want to take the chance of losing her, it would break my heart. She's been straying before and she may take it in her head to go again, I just hope she needs us as much as we love her  |
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It is a matter of personal choice but I would only get a cat where I could let it out. My two have free run day and night and especially in this weather thorough enjoy themselves, although to the cost of small rodent life! The neighbour's cat is an indoor cat who just sits and watches my two and I feel really sorry for it. Obviously there must be some risk with an outdoor cat but I would prefer that they had a few shorter years and enjoyed them to the full although it has to be said most of my outdoor cats have lived long happy lives. |
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I have now voted in the poll, because I was curious to see the results! I put "indoors most of the time" but that's really because Merlin does not wish to go out because of his age. He prefers to sit on the mat in the sunshine inside the open door! I really do appreciate the reasons of those who prefer to have indoor only cats - some of those reasons are obviously practical ones and others are due to worry for their beloved friends. Personally, I am one of those who would rather their cat had as "natural" a life as possible, rather like Rosie's post above, and have the freedom to come and go as they choose. I live in a semi-rural area, there are many neighbours cats who come and go through my garden - most of them are friends of mine (though not necessarily friends of Merlin!) - we would probably have quite a problem with rats and mice if it weren't for our feline security squad and after all, that was the very reason we invited cats into our homes at the dawn of civilisation! |
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It's definitely a personal choice, and no right or wrong; just what you are comfortable with and how risk-tolerant you are. I'm happy with my decision of indoor only and outside on a harness. |
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All of my cats have had freedom to roam,but only Conker went far away from the garden or back yard when we lived in Leeds. He was a right monkey-we rescued him as kitten from a horse chestnut tree-hence his name. When we lived in Leeds he would casually walk in front of the traffic to go to my allotments and then sleep under my cloches. He survived all that. When we moved here he was not content with a quarter acre garden-oh no-almost a mile treck to the quarry where rabbits(presents) could be found and brought back for us to enjoy. He got away with it for six years-I never did find his body |
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I feel bad thinking the kittens will miss out on things, but then I think about the possibility of the alternative, I would be heartbroken if something happened to either of them... xx |
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I think it's all down to owner, cat and the location. My cats are outdoorsy types. Spike would be miserable without being able to go outdoors, whilst Honey will probably at some point have to be indoors-only when I move out because I am too paranoid to risk a car collision in a busier location. I definitely think that it is possible for owners of indoors-only cats to be able to make up for that lack of sensory stimulation that cats get outside, in a variety of ways. My personal dream is to have a totally cat-proofed garden. |
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The kittens have each other at the moment and a tonne of toys which they seem to like.....I'm going to buy one of those indoor tree type things next week as I think that will be nice for them! x |
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