I'm sure I read somewhere that ragdolls shouldn't really be let out on their own, as they are far too trusting of strangers.

My three cats are all indoor cats as was the cat I had while I was at home.

The eldest was two when we got her and had been brought up in a flat, as had her mother, so she had no idea of the outside world. She's now 10 and was 5 when we got another kitten who made no attempt to go outside, perhaps because she never saw our eldest cat go out. Even now, at 5, she doesn't even like going out into the garden on a harness and runs up the stairs as soon as she hears the keys to the back door. The youngest one is nearly three and did go out as a kitten but came back one day with bite marks on his shoulders and I never let him out again after that except on a harness in the garden.

We live in a small, quiet village and in the past six months, two cats have been killed on the road, two more have gone missing and one has been poisoned. I don't think I have much of an incentive to let my cats out to wander alone.


You said it. YOU don't understand it. I don't understand how people can leave something they supposedly care about to roam the streets. I would feel guilty if something happened to any of my cats as a result of me letting them out.


I own a dog. He runs in the garden, is walked on a lead along the street and is allowed to run off the lead in the fields. However, I wouldn't dream of just opening the front door and letting him go off on his own so why should I be expected to do that with my cats?

Exactly.

My gorgeous boy sweep died in June - aged 23! He has left a huge hole in our hearts & are only just thinking about adopting again. Sweep spent the last 3 yrs of his life indoors - never ever asked to go out again. It was no problem, and saved me a lot of worry as the local toms tended to try & beat him up.
So - I am seriously considering adopting 2 white, deaf, female kittens. They are 12 weeks old & are the only 2 left from a litter of 8 They will have to be indoor cats - purely from the safety angle.
I used to have a small tray of grass growing in the kitchen for Sweep - he loved to nibble, and would do the same again
Quite honestly, these days it is so much safer to keep them in!

I always find this rather puzzling. My cat died on the 20th august and I could no more get another just yet than I could adopt another child if something happened to one of mine.

You said I am hard hearted I find people who can just go right out and get another pet, hard or maybe fickle hearted .

Still I suppose we are all different .

I hope you are going to keep these ones inside , beings as you have so many boy racers down your street ? not worth taking the chance IMO
Good luck with your kittens

Amber is an indoor cat who is allowed out, occasionally, when supervised!!! The reasons being are a) We don't have a cat flap so she comes in and out through the window meaning she is only ever allowed out when one of us are in b) we live in communial flats with a shared main door and huge shared garden so we need to make sure she is behaving (she has been known to climb into other people's windows ) c) She hasn't yet been spayed so cannot be left unattended and d) She is my little baby and I don't want her left running wild.

However she loves to go and out and will 'cry' at the window until she is allowed out , so we have to give her the best of both worlds.

She is still teeny and a bit of a wimp, bless her, so she tends to stay int he rose bushes just by our window.... BUT she is still young and I do worry about her...



Depends IMO really, sometimes due to busy roads or breed of cat etc then it is better for their own safety to keep them as indoor cats?


Yep - its also better to have 2 as when they are kittens and are 'bitey' and 'scratchy' they learn pain thresh-holds from one another when they play and it quickly makes them less likely to bite and scratch thier masters.


My Mum's cat had to be put down in 2001 and my Mum still wouldn't consider getting a new cat even now , an Ex of mine got his cat from the vets on the day he took his elderly cat in to be put down. As you say, everyone is different and its what works for each individual. As long as the cats are loved and looked after I don't see the problem really....

I must say I thoroughly disagree with you there. Four years ago both of my female cats died 10 days apart. One at age 13 from basically just old age, and the other at age 9 from cancer. I was absolutely devastated, but I decided to get another 2 cats pretty quickly, as I just could not cope with the empty house. Fickle hearted? Not in the least, I still can't think of my poor little baby dying of cancer without tearing up. I loved those cats to bits, just as I now love my 2 current cats. I could never have replaced my first 2, but I had room in my heart for another 2. That is not fickle, or hard hearted in any way.

Oh, and I keep my cats in. Always will. They seem happy enough, and they are safe.

I didn't say it was a problem did I? Just don't like to be told that just because I don't sob and wail all over the place that I didn't love my cat even tho it would be unthinkable to me to get another . And yet the person who loved their so much can get another right away.

Still I suppose its like when loads of people are injured in a accident you always go help the silent ones first

As I said its just my opinion as I could not go out and get another cat right now . Maybe in a year maybe a bit sooner maybe never . but after a couple of weeks no I could not do it.

But as I already said we are all different .

My point was some people deal with things differently, each to their own and all that?

There is no 'right' and 'wrong' surely?

Some people find it helps them to work through the grief to have another personality around. Others decide it was too much for them so decide against ever having another pet! Its personal choice.....

But accidents happen to every animal, including humans. We don't all shut ourselves indoors for our whole lives do we?

Cats are independant and are survivors (9 lives anyone?). For every cat you hear about being hit by car, there are another few million who are not.
Your anecdotal evidence can be countered by similar from people who let cats out with no problem.

While I agree you should 'risk assess' the area in which tou live, the cats life will be much better for having the freedom and independence which is inherent in the species.





Because cats and dogs are different animals. It is like that all round the world. The cats nature even convinced humans to invent the catflap! How often do you see cats strolling around? How often do you see dogs out and about unaccompanied?

The cat is not designed to be trapped in a house. They have remarkable agility and athleticism, keen senses and claws! Does that sound like an animal evolved to be kept locked up?

Chasing leaves, climbing trees, hunting, walking on fences, interacting with other cats, fresh air - all of this is pleasure for cats.

It is of course up to you, but don't make out that the situation of a cat having freedom to go in and out is some type of abomination!

My Impossible Princess goes outside. I let her out when she was 3 months old as she was driving me mad indoors.

She plays a lot in the garden as never killed a bird. She has killed some mice but that is about it. She brings the odd frog into the house very much alive.

She does not go very far and always comes to my whistle. She is quite dog like for a cat.

Your reasonings are lame from beginng to end.

Why create a dangerous situation when you can do your best to avoid it?

For me, one of my cats being hit by a car or hurt/killed by an imbecile would be one cat too many.

You asked a question that backed up the point you had quoted and had chosen to contradict. How often do you see dogs roaming around alone? Exactly. So why should cats? Particulary seeing as dogs are (wrongly) deemed to be more intelligent. Why assume that a cat will be alright but not a dog?

For what it's worth, the "excuse" given by most people (usually children/teenagers) charged with cruelty to cats is that their owners can't care about them much if they just let them roam.

An animal, just like a human, will get used to the life it has become used to - whatever species that animal is.

I would suggest that you practice what you preach and not write as if people who choose to keep their cats indoors are an abomination.

You couldn't pay me to let my cats out alone and I don't live in a particularly busy area.

Thats why nearly 90% of cats in this country are allowed outdoors is it?



Dangerous situation? What are you talking about? Do you ever go out? Are you wrapped in cotton wool?
Come to that, is your house completely safe for a cat?

Stop being so arrogant. Cats are very capable animals, they don't need people deciding how they should live their lives.



What about your friends and family? Do you similarly confine them to their houses? If not, why not?

And why not attack the imbeciles rather than punish your cat?


Because that is the way it is! As shown by millions of cats roaming around in this country alone!

Why assume that cats and dogs are the same?!?!? They are different animals!

Cats come and go as they please, they hunt, they have catflaps, they roam, they explore.

Dogs...don't.

Its like comparing apples and oranges. The dog's intelligence extends to performing tricks and obedience. They do not have the 'moxy' to go out on their own.




Oh thats alright then!

Irrelevant. Their 'excuse' for kicking people to death is because they were bored - is that credible too?

Give a cat a dull life just because we have scumbags around?



To an extent. But they get one life, and you are limiting it.


As I said, it is choice.

But to say things like "you don't let a dog go out on its own" is just absurd.

Cats going out is the NORM in this country and the rest of the world, with the exception of American cities.



Poor cats. And selfish you.

My old cat had a great long life with complete freedom. My current two have a great time.

I keep my current two in at night, because most accidents and fights occur at night - a risk assessment. To keep them in all the time would be over the top, boring for them and a pain for me.

Arghhhhh How many times do I have to say " Everyone is different and this is only my personal opinion" . ?

You seemed a little defensive in this post....


............ Although I did respond without seeing this post


........... And back to defensive but I can appreciate why!!!!

Yes - everyone is different

Well if you re-read the unbolded part of the first post you quoted maybe you can see why I was defensive ?

Indeed!!!

And I do not disagree with you at all - everyone is different.... seems that you have taken issue with the OP though? I do recall reading your points in the thread that discusses her cat... I feel kind of caught in the firing line

Cats are the most popular pet in the country. They took over from dogs some years ago and the main reason for this is believed to be the amount of people living in flats with no outside space and working full-time. Cats enjoy their own company far more than dogs do. These cats tend to be kept mostly as indoor cats due to access.

However, due to the increase in traffic, even in semi-rural areas, and incidents of animal cruelty, even an increasing number of people with gardens are choosing to keep their cats indoors or only allowing them out supervised. It is a myth that this is cruel to the animal and any vet, not just me, can tell you that.

Don't be Ive got no grievance with you well in fact got none with anyone but just felt a bit put out with them saying I was not a cat lover because I wasn't beating my chest and wailing all over DS

Ive got the giggles now

Well said, I completely agree 100%

And maybe why there are so many cat 'haters' if all these cats are crapping in other people's garden's



This is a bit silly - its all about safety management isn't it? You make your house as safe as you can for a cat...If I leave my iron on the side the cat will think the cord is a toy and drag it down (I've already lost an iron this way) so I make sure the iron is out of reach.....

As long as the risks are minimised then it should be much safer for a cat to be indoors!!!



Feral cats maybe - Lions and Tigers for sure but my kitten needs me to feed her and take her to the vets etc...



Because they are humans and cats are cats??? And granted cats hunt better, have better night vision and are more agile than humans (you remember the thread I am sure ) but in general humans have more sense


Believe me if I ever got my hands on anyone that would harm a defenceless pet then I would punish them, but whilst there are bastards out there willing to harm cats then I wouldn't take my chances and the cat stays in for the most part...



If you have the space and the cat has never been out then I really do not see the problem? They can be perfectly happy as long as they are loved and well looked after



Maybe if they started as an outdoor cat and are then kept in but if they are not let out to begin with then I really don't think they "miss" the outdoors?





Times are changing and it is indeed up to each individual to decide what is best for their cat... As long as they are not cooped up, mistreated in anyway then I imagine most cats do not miss the "freedom" (if they have never had it before)



I don't believe the poster said they beat their cats or starve them? So this is a bit of an overreaction?


I wouldn't want my cat out at night, but when my childhood cats were younger it was the same thing - they could come and go as they pleased.
This goes back to my 'times are a changing' point



So one could say after all this that you are actually being cruel to your cats by keeping them in at night - after all that is when they like to hunt and generally roam around???

My cat is an indoor cat mainly. But she does go out too

Agreed 100%. Yes cats are inquisitive, intelligent and agile, but they are also lazy, passive, relatively introverted and only need exercise in short bursts.

A cat will thrive whether it is let out unattended or not. There is nothing cruel or unfeeling about keeping them in. If you are in an area where the risks are low, then by all means let them out, provided they are not causing distress to others (difficult, but not impossible).

It is IMPERATIVE that the animal is allowed to come back into its home whenever it pleases. Regardless of the rights and wrongs of keeping cats indoors, locking them out of their sanctuary is bang out of order, and far more cruel than keeping them inside.

Regardless of how you keep your pet, something to exercise its mind is vital. Generally speaking, a second cat, or other pet it gets along with well will suffice (cats and dogs in particular can get on like a house on fire if they are properly introduced -- they tend to play off each other's skills and get up to all kinds of mischief). If there isn't a second pet, don't leave them alone too long -- whether they're indoors or out. Yes, they'll tolerate being left alone but it's not right.

The main reason we decided to keep our two indoors this time was the close proximity to a fast main road (60mph limit), and farms nearby. Neither of these are safe environments for any pet fending for themselves. Don't forget, a cat isn't a wild animal and doesn't know how to deal with heavy machinery and large, potentially aggressive animals nearby. But, in doing so we realised just how un-displeased they really are by this arrangement -- they're quite happy to remain in the confines of their house and garden.


The problem is that cats and dogs are nowhere near as different as you suggest. A dog is not designed to be trapped in a house, their agility in many respects runs a cat a close second and they also have keen senses. They will happily roam free if allowed, and form relationships with other dogs.

The problem comes from the fact that a dog is a much larger animal than a cat, and forms into packs. Humans used to let dogs run free -- that's what they're meant to do as well -- but they cause too much trouble.

I see many parallels. The problems that some cats cause are more subtle than those posed by dogs, but no less antisocial. IMO it is the height of irresponsibility to allow a refined predator to roam free without some attempt at restraining them. Since 'restraint' in this case often consists of little more than keeping an eye on them when they are outside, and encouraging them to stay near home by providing food and toilet facilities indoors, and not locking them out, there is little excuse for the attitude of many owners.

Yeah, they're not really made to go outside; she seems happy enough inside anyway so that's where we'll keep her.