Indoor Cat Or Outdoor Cat?

[Bloo]

I@ve never seen one that size before! Where did you get it from? I WANT IT!!!

lol you can have a look at their eBay shop. I think it's excellent value for money compared to what they cost in the UK. These come in from Germany via courier, but only takes a few days. Excellent quality too. Though I gave the scarlet red, psychedelic green and electric blue versions a miss!

Jesus christ Bloo, you must have a big house to have room for that! lol

ours just like the top of the kitchen cupboards for they're vantage point!

My house is teeny tiny. There's just about enough room to clear the ceiling

That's not too big, I've seen even bigger. That fits in a corner tucked away in my house.

Crickey, bigger?! yeah, mine actually fits very neatly tucked in behind my door in my study next to my desk - so that he can watch me while I'm on my pc

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Hm, if i had a cat where i live i would keep it indoors for the main reasons below;

a. Cats are territorial animals and often desire large territories and a lot of pet owners own cats now days, if other people already have cats in your area, you may want to keep yours indoors to prevent it fighting with other cats over any territory it wants to establish outside.
When cats fight they can be particularly vicious, they can also spread deseases and parasites onto each other when they fight too.
There are too many cats in the area where i live, almost every night i can hear cats fighting in the streets and gardens. I would personally think it unfair to add another outdoor cat to the current population of cats (of which there are too many) where i live because it would probably just end up every week fighting at night with other cats.

b. Cats will kill wildlife regardless of how much you feed them, cats are often the no.1 threat to a lot of wildlife like birds now days. Cats won't nesarsarily stick to killing mice and rats, a friend of mine owns a cat who particularly goes for slow worms, which are a threatened/endangered reptile where i live. Keeping your cat indoors will help prevent it going outside and killing all the birds, frogs, reptiles, fish etc in your garden and gardens close by etc.

I suppose also by keeping your cat indoors, it will be easier to litter train it, so there will be one less cat pooing on your front lawn too.

c. Roads are getting ever more dangerous now days as they expand across the country and become busier and busier, and often the biggest threat to cats is cars. My mother has lost cats to cars and she lives in the countryside where there is little in the way of traffic- cats may learn to avoid cars to a certain extent, but they are animals largely controlled by their instincts and avoiding traffic is not instinctive for them to do. Its a risky buisness now days having cats outdoors with so many vehicles on the road, i wouldn't be suprised if a relatively large percentage of outdoor cats get killed by vehicles rather than die of old age.

 

[Teri]

lol you can have a look at their eBay shop. I think it's excellent value for money compared to what they cost in the UK. These come in from Germany via courier, but only takes a few days. Excellent quality too. Though I gave the scarlet red, psychedelic green and electric blue versions a miss!

[

Hmm,wish I hadn't asked, now how to smuggle one in without the b/f noticing..........

 

[Phishy25]

Both my cats are indoor cats. I live on a busy main road. I have always had outdoor cats as a child and witnessed 8 of them get run over as I grew up which of course was heart breaking. When I met my partner in 2004 he too had had a knock on the door by a passer by with his kitten dead in a box. Anyone who has gone through this like us, will know exactly how bad this is!

Everyone I know remarks on how shiny and soft my cats coats are and they have never had fleas or ticks (thank god coz I hate ticks ). They will go out in our garden if we are out there with them, but to be honest they get their fair share of exercise by running all over the house like a herd of elephants!

 

[Danno]

I live in the country and I didn't like my cat to go outside much. Rabies scared the crap out of me and I didn't want Whiskers to get it. That and didn't also take my cat outside because thier is a large population of farm-cats around and they can be quite feral.

 

[mommyof2bettas]

It depends where you live, if your cat is fixed or not, and generally on the cat. If your cat isn't fixed, do not let him/her outside. If you live in a place where lots of cars run by, let your cat stay indoor or outdoors but with your supervision. You could try getting a harness and teach your cat how to walk-remember that cats like to be free so provide a long lead and let your cat guide the way. I'm working on a project to turn this big room into my cat's outdoor place. I'm going to provide lots of scratching posts, along with tall places for him to climb and hide in, also some cat-friendly plants and treats hidden around so he can try to use his instincts. Oh and I forgot to mention make sure your cat has all his vaccines.And provide him/her with tags or get him/her microchipped which will help prevent the cat getting lost. Where I live it's a law that all cats/dogs must have tags and be up to date with vaccines if they are to go outside.

 

[GoldfishAttentionSpan]

I've seen way too many cat waffles on the road to let my cat outdoors.

 

[lljdma06]

That's not too big, I've seen even bigger. That fits in a corner tucked away in my house.

Crickey, bigger?! yeah, mine actually fits very neatly tucked in behind my door in my study next to my desk - so that he can watch me while I'm on my pc

Everything's bigger on my side of the pond, bigger portions, bigger people, bigger cat gyms...

llj

 

[K.J.]

My two cats I have right now would be unhappy indoors, but if I got another one, I'd keep it indoors..

 

[Kiwigirl]

My cat comes and goes as she pleases.


I do have a cat door though and I have also been known to chase her back outside with that mouse she brought in and lock the cat door so she can't bring it straight back in.

 

[lljdma06]

I do have a cat door though and I have also been known to chase her back outside with that mouse she brought in and lock the cat door so she can't bring it straight back in.

But don't you realize that the mouse is her way of saying "I love you?"

 

[stang1]

Our cat is an indoor cat but we do let her outside. The trouble is she prefers it indoors! If it's slightly windy or wet then she'll sit by the back dor, do an about turn and sit back on the sofa in the warm! She ain't daft!!

My eldest cat, Lily, hates the outdoors and is strictly indoor. But she is a Turkish angora and hates getting her long hair dirty. I don't know about Lucy, I may lead train her and then take her out supervised. The babies really don't care right now as long as there's easy access to a nipple. They will, however, be inside until which ever one or two I decide to keep are vaccinated. Too many ferals in my neighborhood and though the ferals seem healthy, I'm not taking any chances with disease. Also, there are so many distractions in my house (Birds, fish, dogs, humans, breakables, other cats), that I'm pretty sure they won't be bored if I choose to keep them indoors. I'd love to buy one of those carpet cat gyms, not the super big obnoxious ones, but there's one at PetSupermarket for $120 give or take, that is a nice size and has a pretty long scratching post, perfect for Lily, who has a long stretch, and it's got little crawl spaces where the cats can get to, but the dogs can't.

Boy, that was a ramble. Sorry.

Doesn't sound as though they will get bored! I love those cat gyms, wish I had room for one but then again it would require too much effort for my cat to use it!

 

[andyw823]

We allow the cat to come and go as he pleases, he never travels too far, in the winter we do tend to keep him in over night if the temp is very low.

 

[Kiwigirl]

I do have a cat door though and I have also been known to chase her back outside with that mouse she brought in and lock the cat door so she can't bring it straight back in.

But don't you realize that the mouse is her way of saying "I love you?"

Oh yes I am fully aware of that, it is however unfornunate that they are unable to check our diet preferrences, and I don't won't run away mice raiding my pantry.

 

[raptorrex]

My cat (well, she's her own cat, but she graciously allows me to buy her food) was a stray that adopted me. Im not sure I could keep her inside if I wanted to...

this comment says it all imo! you never own a cat, it just chooses to stay with you. keeping a cat indoors, is one way to make sure, it moves house, if it ever gets out!!

My cat comes and goes as she pleases.


I do have a cat door though and I have also been known to chase her back outside with that mouse she brought in and lock the cat door so she can't bring it straight back in.

lol cats!! my first cat, moved with us from town to country, though she was a feral to start with. when we arrived at the new house, you could see the mice and things moving around out side. she set about cleaning up, bringing each mouse to the back door, and laying them out, top and tail. in under 2 weeks she had cleared the lot!

I do have a cat door though and I have also been known to chase her back outside with that mouse she brought in and lock the cat door so she can't bring it straight back in.

But don't you realize that the mouse is her way of saying "I love you?"

lol yep, they dont see us out hunting, so they leave you food! its a honour reserved for Top cats. chasing or punishing them for it, will only confuse the cat. imo.

as for the wild life a cat takes, the number of birds, mice, hamsters and rabbits cats take, is minute compared to the number of the same cars, lorries and trains kill. so lets get rid if them before we try to change the nature of one of the most loving, and faithful pets humans keep! that said i often think i am the pet and the cat is the boss!