Except for a couple strays, that my dad decided to take care of ALL my cats have been indoor cats... I don't think it's cruelty or anything.. I see it as protecting them from diseases and wild animals.

 

And they don't bring home lil suprises......... :lol:

 

Don't feel bad; life outside is just too dangerous for cats.

My cats are, and will always be, indoor cats.

 

I don't think it's cruelty. My cats feel happy being completely indoor ones.

 

My last cat got hit by car and died. So when I got Angel I was reluctant to let her outside...I really wanted her to be an indoor cat so that she was safe. Fortunetly, she chose, on her own, to be an indoor cat. I think your cat will get used to being inside and realize how much closer he is to you

 

Such a great kitty!!!
I love her eyes!!! So beautiful!!!

 

It really depends on the cat IMO. I keep my babies inside for thier own safety too, but when I have a house of my own I plan on making a secure fencein so my cats can go outside in my yard and get some fresh air. There cat fence-ins that go around the top of the fence and prevent the cat from climbing the fence, and if you bury chicken wire 1-2' down and attatch it to the bottom of the fence, or install a brick fence, you can usually keep a cat in your own yard away from the normal dangers of the outside, while still allowing them to get some fresh air.

 

Keeping them in may seem cruel and boring for them, but you are actually helping them.

Here's what my boyfriend and I encountered the other day:

We saw the tabby kitten that lives across the street, he looks to be about the same age as Maleke (so about 8 months). Every time we see a cat in our neighbourhood we run into the house and grab some treats to give to them. My boyfriend went over to give the kitten some treats and noticed that it wouldn't put one of it's back feet down....it was limping like crazy. Our neighbour had just come out to shovel snow (it was our neighbours cat) and my boyfriend asked about it. The neighbour went on to say "oh yeah, he got beat up by another cat in the neighbourhood, I guess I should bring him inside now". My boyfriend told him he should be taking the cat to a vet. We were both really annoyed by this and went inside and gave our two kitties a big hug.

You are saving the cat from that as well as cars, kids, wild animals etc. In the spring, summer and fall I take my cats out usually once a day on an extendable leash.....they LOVE it! So really, they are only indoor for a few months while it snows. They have no desire to go outside right now anyways!

 

indoor cats

Yep, indoor cats live 15-18 years, outdoor 3-5. Disease, injury, predators (there are hawks, foxes and coyotes even in the city), cars, dogs, other cats, and rotten little kids with baseball bats, not to mention the low-lives who steal cats and use them as bait to be ripped apart to train fighting dogs, or sold to labs for dissection or experimentation (they love the friendly ones)--those are the hazards facing outdoor kitties.

If you're ever in a position where you have a yard or can build something, like the cat fence-in idea, that's perfect. There are many other kinds of cat enclosures, from the small and simple, to a huge cat Disneyland; we profiled a couple of these in our newsletters in October and November (http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=nlarchive).

If he's never been outside, he doesn't even know that world exists. As long as your cat has a sunny window, scratching post, toys, and plenty of attention from *you*, he will be perfectly happy inside.

Cheers,
Dr. Jean

 

Thanks guys for all your help. I was getting worried thinking I was being cruel. I feel much better now. I may try that extended leash thing! Sounds great!

 

My baby is an indoor cat too. I'm in an apartment and felt guilty about keeping himindoors but only a few weeks ago, a neighbours cat was knocked down on the road not far from me. The neighbour was the one who found her own cat, dead and horribly damaged. I couldn't bear the thought of anything like that happening to my cat. When I move and have a garden I'll build him a little enclosure so he can enjoy the sunshine. I'd rather give him 15 years of love and attention than give him 2 years chasing cars.

 

Misty, the outdoor enclosure is a great idea. You can connect it to the house and have a kitty door.

 

all my cats are outdoors.
we live in a dead end estate- the only traffic being people who live here, and becuase there are mostly bungalows its a lot of old people who dont drive, so not much traffic. One of my previous cats, shelly who was outdoors, and who spent nearly all of her life outside was 17 before she died

 

My kitties are indoors, I'll even rehibilitate once outdoor cats to indoors only when possible, and they live happy healthy lives. The only thing I find cruel, is to watch your cat get run over by a car and die because it was allowed to roam outdoors.

 

indoors = good!

i have 3 happy indoor cats. there's just too many dangers lurking outdoors!

 

Kitt was an indoor cat. and both Gracie and Casey have always been indoor cats. I think that's so much safer and I worry less about them. Also, during her last year of life Kitt was declawed, and G&C's former owner declawed both of them, so it's much better that they are not out to face dogs and things like that.

 

Both my cats are pretty much indoor cats.

Carmel loves to go outside, but always gets into tons of fights. It recently got so bad that he had a huge wound on his shoulder and we had to take him to the vet. Ever since, we only let him go out back.

Sundae hates the outdoors. She refuses to step foot outside. If she's laying by the door and we open the door, she'll run away. How we got her is we found her in our shed, and we don't know how long she was in there or how she got in there, but ever since she has been afraid to go outside. Poor thing.

 

I did go from having my cat outside to being an indoor cat. The safety of your cat being outdoors depends on where you live. I don't think it's cruel at all to have an indoor cat. Don't worry your cat will get used to it.

 

Dr. Jean said the average life span of an outdoor cat is 3-5 years, instead of 13-15 for an indoor cat. A good choice for those who say their cats run out is a play yard. It wouldn't be hard to build.

I think the kindest thing we can do is make sure our cats live as long and happy as their genes allow. My cats have never been outside, and have never tried to go out. I'd really be upset. Our road is busy, and we're in a semi-rural community.

 

Stormy started out outdoor (a stray) then became indoor outdoor. I let her go out at first when I went to my parents home. I thought it was mean to keep her in when she wanted to go out and explore and see her brothers. However, after climbing up into trees twice to get her down (neighboring dogs scared her) I changed my mind! The second time we actually could not find her for some time until she finally meowed at me. It scared me to think I could lose her outside and since then she has been indoor only. It doesn't seem to bother her. Justin is also indoor only. Of course both of them got outside a few months ago when a door didn't get closed all the way at my parents... They found Stormy chilling out right outside in the yard since she was used to the place. Justin didn't come back for some time and I was worried sick.
Suffice to say I think it is better to keep them indoors! The earlier in life they get used to it, the easier the trasition will be.

 

Yes, I have 2 indoor cats. Don't feel bad about keeping that kitty from outside. I used to but if you really think about it, you are actually helping the kitty. We thought that it would be best for the kitties to keep them indoors. :roll:

 

well ever since he was hit by a car i've always been a bit concerned about simba being outside. but i try not to worry too much since he doesnt really even go out on the road anymore. just in our yard and the neighbours yards. i think he's gotten scared of cars ever since he got hit.

 

the last time I let one of my cats outside, I came home and found her dead by my driveway she had been attacked by a stray dog. Needless to say, I do not let any of them outside any more. As long as there is plenty of room for them to run and play, I say that confining them indoors is doing them a favor -and I feel that they understand why. One benefit for not allowing them outside is that they have all become lap cats, and some of them, although not too friendly, have become more intimate with me. They have learned that I do not want them outside any more, and they, for the most part, do not attempt to dart out the door whenever I open it to go outside myself.

 

my cats are all going to be indoor cats, although Willow got out this morning when Ian was putting the rubbish in the outside bin, I spent half an hour sitting on wet grass trying to coax her from under the bushes

 

Billy can't wait to be out the door but Sox doesn't like to go out. She's an indoor cat by choice!