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View Poll Results: What do you think is best for a Cat & do you have any opinions?
Indoor Living 10 66.67%
Free 2 roam 5 33.33%
Voters: 15. You may not vote on this poll

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CathyW's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: sadly 1 boy now :(
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: in the land of make believe LOL
Posts: 3,963
24-10-2006, 08:33 PM   #11

Re: 'Indoor' or 'Outdoor'


both mine are indoors, but only cause id have to open 3 doors for them to get to the outside. but i like having them indoors, ive lost a cat to a quiet back road, we lived in the middle of the country at the time, so dont want to have that happen again.



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Liz Liz is offline
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Cats owned: 36 Moggies and 1 Neurotic ragdoll
Join Date: May 2006
Location: aaberdeenshire
Posts: 380
24-10-2006, 08:43 PM   #12

Re: 'Indoor' or 'Outdoor'


Having read a couple of threads about the coming and goings of cats thought I would give a slant from a multi cat (37) household.

We have indoor by our choice - most just trapped and feral to boot after the mass breakout after we moved - only 2 to go on that front! We have indoor by their choice and they will walk or run past an open door and find somewhere else to go to avoid all that fresh air - both are former feral torties aged 16 and 4 respectively.

We also have our indoor/outdoor mob consisting of 18 at the current count they have access all day through 2 windows modified for them - well for our 3 legged boy so he can come and go as he pleases. They are all in or circling by the time we come home a 17.30pm and know the routine well and the stragglers do the pickup the outside bowls (for the 2 still playing at being outside only) and getting the dogs from their heated run. We live in a very rural location, a mile from any road and have 4 acres for them to play on with woods on 2 sides so plenty fun all round. We ensure that all are in everynight and they may play hard to get on summer evenings like all kinds but now winter is here and its colder and raining it makes the roundup so much easier!

In the evenings the whole family has run of the house and doting parents for their every need, we tried indoor only and our indoor/outdoor mob were miserable and the indoors were also miserable as they have different daily agenda's and the clash wa no fun for all.

Not everybodies ideal situation but we got a rather large mortgage again to give them the safest environment we could and our needs were well down the scale on this move in fact scared the hell out of the agent as we hadn't even viewed inside and said we would by it as it suited the cats and the 2 dogs as 1 is deaf he has no traffic to worry about and has a new lease of life at nearly 14!



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dandysmom's Avatar
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Cats owned: Leia: blue torbie
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Posts: 31,378
24-10-2006, 08:43 PM   #13

Re: 'Indoor' or 'Outdoor'


Circumstances! I live in the City on a heavily trafficed road, and only two blocks from the wooded park, home to foxes, opossums and raccoons, so mine have been indoors. Most of them have been leash trained so they get a limited taste of outdoors under supervision. Too many of my neighborhood cats who ran free ended up RTA's!



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EmmaG's Avatar
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Cats owned: Moggies
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Essex, UK
Posts: 7,396
24-10-2006, 09:27 PM   #14

Re: 'Indoor' or 'Outdoor'


Mine are indoor cats unless we are at home and then they are let out, both have adapted very well to this. They are never allowed out at night.



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Catsey Senior
 
Cats owned: torty
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: bristol u/k
Posts: 423
John is Male
24-10-2006, 09:49 PM   #15

Re: 'Indoor' or 'Outdoor'


I have a cat flap through the kitchen wall so that Millie can come and go as she pleases.I live in a cul-de-sac with a field at the back. but I do get worried by dog walkers who let there dogs off the lead at the the end of the road and run into the field

John



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dandysmom's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: Leia: blue torbie
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Posts: 31,378
24-10-2006, 09:52 PM   #16

Re: 'Indoor' or 'Outdoor'


Quote:
Originally Posted by John
I have a cat flap through the kitchen wall so that Millie can come and go as she pleases.I live in a cul-de-sac with a field at the back. but I do get worried by dog walkers who let there dogs off the lead at the the end of the road and run into the field

John
We're fortunate about that here, John: DC has a very strict leash law! That used to be a problem, but no more, thank goodness!!



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dinahsmum's Avatar
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Cats owned: 2 moggie boys; 1 grey 1 red striped
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: SW England
Posts: 12,761
25-10-2006, 08:59 AM   #17

Re: 'Indoor' or 'Outdoor'


I think it is an entirely individual decision depending on circumstances. Theer are points to be made on either side, so I can't plump for one or the other on your poll.

Mine go out, but we live in a very quiet near cul-de-sac, where it is not easy for the cats to go to the front of the house (and therefore the road). My sister lived down a farm lane, with one building beyond her and lost 2 cats on the road there



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Catsey Junior
 
Cats owned: moggies
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 144
25-10-2006, 09:25 AM   #18

Re: 'Indoor' or 'Outdoor'


Indoors by choice, Tippy and Socks don't want to go out. Queenie really does but I have been trying for some time with a lead and while she likes the idea of going out, the actuality of it scares her too much. She was out on her own from when her (idiot) previous owners put her out until she walked into someone's kitchen to give birth so she still has a fear of being out side.



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teenytiny's Avatar
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Cats owned: 1 Ginger & white, 1 black & white
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: U.K
Posts: 61
25-10-2006, 01:35 PM   #19

Re: 'Indoor' or 'Outdoor'


I used to live in a flat so my cats were indoor cats. I then moved to a house and they became outdoor cats.

They much prefer the outdoor life, its not natural to keep cats indoors 24/7

My youngest cat got hit by a car a couple of weeks ago, and its made me more careful with my other 2 cats. i have always bought my cats in at night, but i now bring them in as soon as it starts getting dark.

i agree that it is down to personal choice and circumstances tho.



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