Is it unfair...
- Thread starter chickflick1066
- Start date
I think if the cat has never been outside, it won't be as upset as a cat that has known freedom. Kittens are often quite fearful when let outside for the first time. We had a rescue cat that refused, point-blank, to set foot outside. She also ate carrier bags... was a bit of a character! :giggle:
No. One of my friends has an indoor cat. He has always been an indoor cat and one time that he did go outside he had a complete panic attack. As long as they are well cared for and stimulated, I don't think that it is wrong at all.
Totally depends on the cat.
OH and I took on two rescues a few years ago, they had been rescued as feral kittens but it had taken the sanctuary so long to find where mummy cat was hiding them that they were quite old by the time they were found and so totally unsocialised with humans.
As a result they have an inherant fear of people. They were rehomed to us in a dog cage, where for the first few weeks they hid in their litter tray whenever they saw/heard us (to the point where I had to give them a hidey hole in the cage as otherwise I could never clear out the tray!). You could see they were petrified and they stayed that way for months.
After a while they stopped hiding, so in the evenings we would leave the door open and very gradually they wandered round the living room. It was ages before we could take the cage down but eventually they were relaxed enough around us that we took it away.
To this day they are petrified of people that aren't either me or OH, one of them in particular is still not the best with us either, he needs a lot of patience.
When we got them we were living in a flat where they were totally indoor cats, but this is what they needed as they had to be socialised properly and also living near a busy road, it would only have taken for them to see a person before panicking and running in front of a car.
Now we live very rurally they do go out a bit, but only because they aren't likely to hurt themselves by running away from a person if they see one. One of them is still pretty much an indoor cat, he might pop out every now and then, but he just can't cope with it. He's a spesh :biggrin:
We also have two other cats who are super confident, you just couldn't keep them as indoor cats, they'd hate it!
OH and I took on two rescues a few years ago, they had been rescued as feral kittens but it had taken the sanctuary so long to find where mummy cat was hiding them that they were quite old by the time they were found and so totally unsocialised with humans.
As a result they have an inherant fear of people. They were rehomed to us in a dog cage, where for the first few weeks they hid in their litter tray whenever they saw/heard us (to the point where I had to give them a hidey hole in the cage as otherwise I could never clear out the tray!). You could see they were petrified and they stayed that way for months.
After a while they stopped hiding, so in the evenings we would leave the door open and very gradually they wandered round the living room. It was ages before we could take the cage down but eventually they were relaxed enough around us that we took it away.
To this day they are petrified of people that aren't either me or OH, one of them in particular is still not the best with us either, he needs a lot of patience.
When we got them we were living in a flat where they were totally indoor cats, but this is what they needed as they had to be socialised properly and also living near a busy road, it would only have taken for them to see a person before panicking and running in front of a car.
Now we live very rurally they do go out a bit, but only because they aren't likely to hurt themselves by running away from a person if they see one. One of them is still pretty much an indoor cat, he might pop out every now and then, but he just can't cope with it. He's a spesh :biggrin:
We also have two other cats who are super confident, you just couldn't keep them as indoor cats, they'd hate it!
Depends on the cat. All 3 of ours are very much outdoor cats and when Ceefa had his accident and had to be kept in for 6 months all 3 of them suffered.
Ceefa wanted to go out and the other 2 couldn't come and go as they pleased as we had to let them out when we were about and keep the cat flap locked.
For cats who have never been out, that's one thing but for those who have been used to their freedom I have very serious reservations.
Ceefa wanted to go out and the other 2 couldn't come and go as they pleased as we had to let them out when we were about and keep the cat flap locked.
For cats who have never been out, that's one thing but for those who have been used to their freedom I have very serious reservations.
One of my work colleagues took on a rescue cat with the feline form of HIV so she's an indoor cat for medical reasons.
I think it's ok providing they're kept stimulated
I think it's ok providing they're kept stimulated
Kis Vihar
Nutty Saddlers !
No, I don't think it's cruel at all. Most of ours are indoor cats. They have a huge amount of space (we live in an 1800s school, and our workshop is one classroom of a 1950s school which we own too). They have more space than many outdoor cats have as their territories. They are settled 'colonies', especially the workshop crew.
Quite where Mr Squishy (the cat who got hit by a car last week and is recovering from surgery) and Momma White Cat and her 2 kittens (abandoned!)
are going to fit we haven't decided yet. We are heading towards being a cat-rescue now. We are building an outdoor area adjoining one of the buildings so they can have a totally secure garden.
We got tired of scraping them up off the road and burying them or finding parts that the fox or stray dog packs left behind.
Quite where Mr Squishy (the cat who got hit by a car last week and is recovering from surgery) and Momma White Cat and her 2 kittens (abandoned!)
are going to fit we haven't decided yet. We are heading towards being a cat-rescue now. We are building an outdoor area adjoining one of the buildings so they can have a totally secure garden. We got tired of scraping them up off the road and burying them or finding parts that the fox or stray dog packs left behind.
i used to think it was very unfair (having grown up in the countryside with a lot of outdoorsy cats), now I think it depends on the kitteh.
OUrs are used to it and the road outside is dangerous so they wouldnt last a minute they do have access to a secure back yard though, which means they get fresh air. two of ours are Exotics and we're under strict instructions by the rescue centre to NEVER let them 'out' as they are not 'streetwise' (read: they are a bit thick!) .
i think some breeds like BEngals etc. probably have more of a roaming instinct than others so might 'need' more space?
Julia
OUrs are used to it and the road outside is dangerous so they wouldnt last a minute
they do have access to a secure back yard though, which means they get fresh air. two of ours are Exotics and we're under strict instructions by the rescue centre to NEVER let them 'out' as they are not 'streetwise' (read: they are a bit thick!) .i think some breeds like BEngals etc. probably have more of a roaming instinct than others so might 'need' more space?
Julia
I have 2 Maine Coons which are very friendly and very stealable so they have been indoor cats from when we got them at 10 weeks.
Never had indoor cats before so wasn't sure, but they are happy, healthy and have the run of the whole house, creating havoc, playing in the bath and sinks (and also eating carrier bags0 so I am completely happy that they are fine
If I ever have any money spare (with having 4 horses !) I will build them an outdoor run for nice weather but only as a nice extra, not because i feel they need it x
Never had indoor cats before so wasn't sure, but they are happy, healthy and have the run of the whole house, creating havoc, playing in the bath and sinks (and also eating carrier bags0 so I am completely happy that they are fine
If I ever have any money spare (with having 4 horses !) I will build them an outdoor run for nice weather but only as a nice extra, not because i feel they need it x
Depends on the cat, they will let you know if they are an outdoor cat or not :biggrin: I had my boy as an indoor cat for 4 years and then he started getting out when we got a new most def outside cat and he loved it, despite losing him to the road last month I have never regretted letting him out. He had never been unhappy inside as he knew no different but there was a big change in him for the better when he started going out.
I do have one special needs cat who cannot go out unescorted...we have supervised visits in the garden with her :giggle:
No it isn't infair if they are ok with it and get used to it. Some cats might not take kindly to being kept in if they're wanderers, but depends where they've come from and how old they are etc.
Depends on the cat.
One of mine would probably cope well as an indoor cat - she has never been a wanderer and likes to sleep on our bed every night with us. Sometimes she mieows to go out if we have locked the cat flap but generally she'll give up very quickly and come back to bed.
Our boy cat however was intent on escaping outdoors at the earliest opportunity through an open window despite being done as young as possible and from that day he has been impossible to keep in.
Whenever we have moved house or had to keep him in for any reason (bonfire night etc) he literally mieows and mieows and mieows and mieows and mieows..... :banghead:as loudly as he can all night every night until he gets to go out. He really doesn't give in so is clearly very unhappy and is so noisy (even through ear plugs) I usually feel like booting him out of the bedroom window so it is probably safer for him to be outside. :bounce:
Of course I worry about him getting squashed or trapped and I wish he wouldn't leave our garden which is plenty big enough for one cat..but at the same time I want him to enjoy his life and 1 garden clearly isn't enough for the little man...
One of mine would probably cope well as an indoor cat - she has never been a wanderer and likes to sleep on our bed every night with us. Sometimes she mieows to go out if we have locked the cat flap but generally she'll give up very quickly and come back to bed.
Our boy cat however was intent on escaping outdoors at the earliest opportunity through an open window despite being done as young as possible and from that day he has been impossible to keep in.
Whenever we have moved house or had to keep him in for any reason (bonfire night etc) he literally mieows and mieows and mieows and mieows and mieows..... :banghead:as loudly as he can all night every night until he gets to go out. He really doesn't give in so is clearly very unhappy and is so noisy (even through ear plugs) I usually feel like booting him out of the bedroom window so it is probably safer for him to be outside. :bounce:
Of course I worry about him getting squashed or trapped and I wish he wouldn't leave our garden which is plenty big enough for one cat..but at the same time I want him to enjoy his life and 1 garden clearly isn't enough for the little man...
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