The Indoor cat versus the Outdoor cat

[ShakaDaka]

I know this thread has been done before as I was reading it earlier, too my knowledge this was a year ago or so...I find it a very interesting subject, one that I personally never thought too think of, until I had a personal loss of my girl. I am aware it is a personal choice and there is no right or wrong, we all love our kitties regardless of whether they are indoor or outdoors....however I feel I have faced both sides of the coin in recent years as most of you probably have too. I always felt keeping a cat indoors was cruel and robbing them of their natural freedom, I struggled with my decision for a long time...* Do I let my 2 kitties outside * ?...after all my 2 older boys have been fine for all of their lives, 1 is 7 and 1 is 10....Too my shock and and utter sadness I guess I made the wrong choice this time with the 2 kitties, both got hit by cars...but only 1 survived, the brother, too the Special girl I lost :(...I used too say too people...quote * well what can you do, it is natural for them too be outside, what ever happens, happens * unquote...and I accepted this UNTIL I actually lost her !!!, it was easy for me too say this you see...the reality of losing her was not here yet, and now I blame myself and always will, I could have prevented losing her, it was MY choice too let her out...and it was a BAD choice in my eyes , simply because if I hadnt...she would still be here. So I ask you fellow kittie lovers, NOT the question of...* Do I let my cat out* ?...but....IF you lost or have lost one of your dear feline friends too a common threat, would you continue too let your kittys out?...or not be willing too take the chance again?...I made mine, I simply can't go through that again, the guilt the loss, this is simply MY opinion and thoughts on the subject, this thread is too find out how other people think, I am NOT here too judge :)...just too see how others feel about my recent situation. I add I still have 2 outdoor cats, they have been outdoors all their lives, 1 was a stray...yet I finally welcome 2 more in..and 1 is lost at just 7 months old :(...I simply went by the fact my 2 older boys had been fine so why wont any others...I even kept them inside till 7 months old JUST too make sure they were ready AND I always supervised them...their 4th night out alone is when I lost her....I simply can't let this happen again, she never even saw her first xmas :(..So here I am...2 outdoor cats and 4 indoor cats...go figure...losing her has not have me shove my 2 older boys inside for life, the outdoors is all they have known, but my new editions including My girl's brother ( the one I lost ) are indoors only and they are happy, infact I never really realized just how happy an indoor cat can be, they say it is selfish, for a cat needs too have freedom and they deserve their freedom...but DO they deserve too die before age 1 ?..do they deserve too be run ova or attacked by dogs ?..again this is simply my own opinion. I appreciate anyones insight and opinions on this, and I am NOT judging in the least :) I am eager too hear other peoples points of view. Thankyou for reading and sorry for the HUGE post hehe :)

[dandysmom]

Mine have always, with one exception, been indoor only cats with walks on harnesses so they could enjoy the outdoors a bit. Leia, my current cat, is for some reason scared of going outside, so she has not been leash trained. My cats have lived to 12, 14, 17, 19 1/2 and 20. I live in the City on a very busy street, highly trafficed, and near the woods where there are foxes, raccoons and opossums. As you may know, rabies is in our area. Free roaming dogs are no longer a problem now as we have a very strict leash law.

As to people continuing allowing their cats access to outdoors: my neighbor and close friend let her cats outside despite the conditions I've outlined above: she lost 2 cats to RTAs, but continued to let her remaining cat go outside. We discussed this and agreed to disagree..

It's an individual decision. I am content with mine.

[alexgirl73]

As you say, it is an individuals decision. Mine has been to have my cats as indoor only! I also live beside quite a busy road and have no wish to see any of my beloved babies under the wheel of a passing car! If I lived somewhere more rural, then I would have considered otherwise. As it is, all 3 of mine are playful, lively and happy. They have a 3 bedroom house to explore, numerous toys and a large cat centre, i believe I have made the correct decision for them and me

[babycakes]

I have lost two cats previously to RTA's and it is awful. The guilt at knowing they have suffered because they are unable to judge the danger. Years ago it was the done thing to let cats out but roads are busier nowadays and although it's up to the individual I feel you wouldn't replace a child killed on the raod and just say 'oh well'. My cat relies on me to protect him and I have an amazing device which I am looking into making. This allows cats to be outdoors but restricted to how far they can go. Denis is allowed all of his own garden but cannot go into other peoples. He cannot go into the road either and as he has never known any different he is content. He still catches mice etc and is able to roam and forage without constant supervision but I know he is safe. He comes in and out at his leisure and lets me know when he wants to come back in. I am limited on telling you exactly how this works but as soon as I am able to I will. It's simple yet effective and I'm sure others would love the idea.

[Mags]

My cat is an outdoor cat but she has never been allowed,right from the start, to go out to the front of the house where there is light traffic during the day. She is quite content to stay at the back.

If we lived on or very close to a main road, my first thought would have been to keep her as an indoor cat as the risk of an accident would be too much for me.

I always make sure she is locked indoors every night too ......... I don't like the thought of her out roaming around for hours outside.

It works well for me but may not suit others....;)

[random]

I have both outdoor and indoor cats. My outdoor is now 14 years old and has been outside ever since she was old enough to, she was born outside and have never seen the inside of a house 'til we got her when she was about 4-5 weeks old. She's be miserable inside but then she has never known and 'indoor only' life.

My Siamese will never be allowed out on her own for the main reason that she would probably one day be stolen. She is so very friendly and with her being the breed she is it's such a fickle world and as much as I hate to think about it, she could be sold on for a profit by some lowlife if she were taken.

I too lost a baby in the road, 9 months old. :( However her brother still goes outside a lot, he and his sister were raised on a farm, I tried keeping them in when I got them at 8 weeks, but it felt so very cruel as you say, to take away the freedom they had once tasted. Saying that I aslo lost a baby indoors not long ago due to an accident in the home, 7 weeks old. :(

I have another indoor only cat as she has spina bifida, she's only 12 weeks anyway but because of this she cannot be vaccinated and most likely not speyed either (although this is a hard one as if she were to become pregnant it would be very dangerous for both her and the babies, and her mum only became pregnant after a tom cat came INSIDE our house through the window, so it cant be ruled out really even if she does stay indoors). So she has to stay inside anyway for health reasons.

Then there are the other 2 mogs, one has just been speyed and will be allowed out after she's recovered, and the other is due to be speyed once her last baby has left home, and she too will be let out.

So that leaves me with 2 indoor and 3 in 50% of the time and out 50%, and one who is outside most of the time, but that is her choice.

In the current place I live however, there are no real busy roads. Despite having lost a cat on the road this was due to the delivery truck to the local shop which comes once every morning at about 6am. It is a dead end road and this is really the only time it is used. The cats are always in at night but this one day I believe the dog had wanted out for a pee at 4am and my baby was let out at the same time. Fatal mistake and I don't think I will ever forgive myself for it.

[MrsH]

All of my cats have been outdoor/indoor and with one exception have lived to 16-20. The one exception was Domino who died as a result of RTA when she was only 6 months old.The road outside our house is not busy, we live on an estate, she was just unlucky.

One of our cats, Cleo, was a hunter and would disappear for up to 2 weeks at a time during the summer. We were very concerned at first and wandered the streets calling her name, asking people to check their sheds etc. Eventually we got used to the fact that she preferred to have this sort of seasonal lifestyle.

The 2 we have at the moment did not see the outside until they were 6 months old, perhaps because of that they tend to be indoor more often than outdoor, but all the smelly bits are now done in the garden! They're happy to stay within the confines of our back garden and next door's and we make sure that they are indoors and the catflap locked at night. We feel they have a good mix of freedom and protection but it's a decision everyone makes for themselves, what suits us would not work for everyone.

[Jane]

My cat is an outdoor cat but she has never been allowed,right from the start, to go out to the front of the house where there is light traffic during the day. She is quite content to stay at the back.

If we lived on or very close to a main road, my first thought would have been to keep her as an indoor cat as the risk of an accident would be too much for me.

I always make sure she is locked indoors every night too ......... I don't like the thought of her out roaming around for hours outside.

It works well for me but may not suit others....;)

That is EXACTLY how it is with us and Patch. ;)

Meow, on the other hand, is a stray who lives on our allotments (rarely goes off our plot except to hunt :lol: :lol: ), she lives outdoors 24/7 - okay so she does sleep/rest/eat in the greenhouse (has a catflap in it for her) but really that's still outside.

[babycakes]

Jane it sounds lovely where you live. I would love an allotment what do you grow?

[Jane]

Jane it sounds lovely where you live. I would love an allotment what do you grow?

What don't we grow should be there question :lol: Potatoes, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, brocolli, brussel sprouts, peas, beans, tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, mushrooms, beetroot, onion, garlic, leeks, spinach, kale, watercress, rocket, lettuce, strawberries, grapes, raspberries, some other berries I can't remmeber the names of, rhubarb...maybe that's it? I dunno :P

(maybe we should carry this is on via PM? ;))

[Amber]

All of my cats have always been outdoor cats. I think they probably always will be aswell - having had all of them outdoors I would feel that I was depriving them of something by not letting them outside - I know that indoor cats lead very happy lives too so I'm not against anyone keeping cats indoors :D but I think that's just how I would feel.

I could never convert Amber to an indoor cat, she just loves being outside! If I lock the catflap for any reason, like she's going to the vet or something, she will sit there and scratch/meow at the flap. Sometimes she will dissapear for 2 days at a time and she does worry me sick - I'm constantly out checking the roads when she hasn't been around all day :roll:

[dandysmom]

Patches, who I rehomed at 1 1/2 years old had been a cat with outdoor access. She adapted quite well to being indoors only with daily walks on her harness. She lived to 20, and in her last few years didn't particularly want to go out at all...

[ShakaDaka]

Wow thanks guys, reading everyones different stories is indeed a great help :)...I appreciate people taking the time too respond too my lengthy thread hehe, and especially being it has been done b4, but I just had too get it off my chest so too speak, and Thankyou all whom have responded :)

[dandysmom]

Nobody minds doing a subject again: we have new members, and lets face it, we all like talking about our cats and our opinions! As I said earlier, this is going to vary depending on your circumstances, and whatever you decide to do is right for you!

[mable1718]

yes we like brining up old threads because we have new members joining nearly everyday

[Emm]

my cats are all outside cats - when I first had them I lived in a flat with no garden and on although not a busy road - people used to drive way too fast on it - so they only got limited access outside with me. Now they have 24 hour access via a catflap - - this will be the last time however I have cats that have outdoor access because the stress is too much. There are too many people out there just wanting to hurt them - which is a shame because we chose this house for the location the field, the woods - no roads.....

So I have outside cats at the moment - but in future I will have indoor cats with access to an enclosed garden :)

[ShakaDaka]

Thankyou very much dandysmom and mable :) I am glad it was okay too post the thread then :) and it has been very informative ! Thnkyou all ! :)

[chrisratty]

Well my cats are outdoor cats, because I live in the middle of the countryside with a huge area of trees etc almost on my back door step. There is a main road at the top of our road, but they ne er venture in that direction anyway.

On the other hand 3 of the kittens I've rehomed have gone to be indoor cats & I have no problem with that whatsoever.

chris xx

[dinahsmum]

I think this is probably the most personal of all 'what to do with my cat' decisions and I would never blame anyone for their choice.
I think it's nice for the cats to get out, and think if circumstances forced me into an inappropriate house/garden I would do the cat fencing or a cat run, so they could get out. However, if that was impossible i wouldn't beat myself up too much - just try to make their indoor environment nice and interesting and try to prevent them getting overweight.