Always keep kitty indoors?

I have two cats, each about a year and 1/2 old, spayed & neutered. I have always keep them indoors... they have never been outside. Lately, I have been thinking that its unfair to keep them inside because they will never enjoy rolling in the grass, laying in the sun, climbing trees (I refuse to declaw my cats), and all the fun things cats naturally like to do.

I worry that if I let them outside, they will get hurt, get into a fight and die, get run over, get stolen, get lost, etc.

Am I being selfish or protective? Do cats even care if they stay indoors? Mine never even try to go outside, though they LOVE to sit in the windowsills and look outside.

Anyone got any thoughts or opinions?

 

Depends on where you live.There are places that are almost certain death for cats ,like close to busy roads(obvious),areas where predators roam,ect.I've lost cats over the years because I felt the same way.It doesn't seem fair to keep them in--yet it's much healthier for them to be in,according to vets and other experts.My ex had one that was semi-wild that she hauled from place to place for 21 years.Lived 90 percent outside--in the winter she would come in and hide behind the couch at night when it was really cold and then want back out during daytime.Go figure.I don't know--it's kind of like the argument about keeping animals in zoos or not.I lost one of my favorites before my very eyes once--A big guy I found wandering in traffic that already had one foot missing from something(probably seeking warmth under a car hood).He was a sweet natured guy,I only had him for a few months and I hated to keep him inside.I hated burying him more.-----------------good luck with your decision---scratcho--------

 

if they are declawed (hopefully not) then you must keep them in. but if not then i would reccomend allowing them outside. of course you need to make a judgement call based on the conditions of the immediate enviorment you live in as the previous poster stated but ive lived in apartment settings, suburban settings and rural (as of now) settings and ive always had my cats go outdoors without many problems. when i lived in the city my cat did get into a couple of fights and once we had to make a trip to the vet for a $500 surgery....but IMO it is just THAT important to cats that they have a life that includes the outdoors. i do believe very strongly that cats who are forced to live indoors all the time become depressed and that their quality of life would greatly improve if let outside to......to do what cats were meant to do! climb trees, stalk mice, induldge in their curiosity and have new experiances! thats what they were meant to do and that is what they should be doing. my current cat is outdoor/indoor and he is pretty good about staying close to home (esp if yours are fixed they wont roam as far) and he has been spending ALOT more time indoors lately since its been colder...he hates the cold. I'd rather see my cat have a full and happy life and maybe die a few years sooner than be cooped up in the same space day after day for his whole life. what kind of life is that anyway? i know my cat would agree with me.all my cats tho have been super healthy with the exception of a few scratches here and there.

its your call hon, that's just my strong opinion on the matter.

 

I've known people that have let their cats out, and have had no problems. I myself was coerced (my fault ultimately, but I was having my arm strongly twisted) once into letting my two kitties be indoor/outdoor cats, and I lost them both...one took off (don't know where, never found him in spite of extensive searching by several people), the other was hit by a car and killed. Given this experience, I'll never let my kitties out again...have talked to my vet about it, and she feels that it is healthier to keep them in. Ultimately, it is your decision; some people let their cats out with no negative repercussions, but there is always a chance. My current kitty girl gets lots of freedom in the house, nice windows to look out of, and she is happy. And, I have peace of mind knowing that she won't get lost, or find herself under the wheels of a car. Sorry if I sound a little biased here, but that experience of losing my cats still hurts like hell when I think about it. Like I said, there are pros and cons for either decision. Good luck, whatever you decide to do!!

 

and if you do decide to keep them indoors...make sure to have LOTS of things for them....toys, cat trees, plants...etc. it will help with the bordem.

 

My cats are indoor cats but occasionally they will roam a few feet into the fenced backyard, around our patio, no problems. the don't even want to go farther than that. but on a nice day they will sniff around outside, and one of them will catch a frog or something, that usually gets rescued alive by me, then they are content to come in and sleep or whatever.

edit: I should say more in general.... cats are much safer and healthier as indoor cats. If they roam they are much more susceptible to so many dangers: disease, vehicles, predatory animals, etc. If you love your cats keep them indoors. they do not suffer from this if they have love, attention, and maybe some toys or distractions such as looking out windows. when I was younger and less aware, I had cats that disappeared because I let them roam. If you have multiple cats they will probably be very happy indoors, they keep each other company. In rural settings cats are great mousers, but they also can kill songbirds which is a shame. we had a neighbor who let her cat run free and once I found it stalking a baby bird, that it had already blinded. I love songbirds, and cats love to kill them. so in most settings it is kind to keep your cats indoors. Unless they are barn cats that need to keep the rodent population in check, then be prepared to lose some cats too, to the dangers they face as roaming feral animals.

 

i just have to say one more thing.

cats need more than "love" and "attention" to thrive and be happy CATS. they are not people, lets be reminded, so they have certain needs. on the contrary humans have the same needs. would you be happy if you werent allowed outside...ever? oh but it would be ok so long as you had someone indoors with you petting your head and loving on you? cats were made to live outdoors. because they are now domesticated doesnt change that they desire to do what cats evolved to do. i sincerely believe that indoor cats are BORED. toys are just that....they are synthetic and cats know this. my cat wont even look at a toy. cats need the outdoors. they do. of course indoor cats statistically live longer and dont encounter the risks that indoor/outdoor cats do, but so do people. every time i leave my house and get into my car i risk death by auto accident....but to stay in one space all day and everyday for my entire life for the sake of being "safe" is no life. im sure cats feel the same way.

 

I beg to differ, my cats are not bored at all. If you want your cats to be at risk that is your decision. every cat I have ever met is different from all other cats. some can't be restricted, but then they die sooner. whatever, it's just a cat. so who cares? some people don't.

edit: I'm not trying to be difficult, my cats are 11 and 15 years old and have always been happy indoors for the most part. but I stand by my thoughts that most cats are happy and safe being restricted and attended to indoors, and I hate seeing songbirds killed also by cats that run wild as their owners let them.

 

if you are implying that i dont care about my cat b/c i allow him outdoors your dead wrong. just the opposite. thats WHY i allow him outdoors.

im too tired to re-read your post again so if thats not what you were implying then just nevermind.

 

i don't like to argue either....we can agree to disagree, ok? peace, sister

 

right on~

 

My cat is a happy li'l girl inside...she plays with my dog, has toys to play with, practically lives in the window where she can watch what is happening outside, etc. I think she is happy with her life, and doesn't even try to run outside when I open the door. As someone else said, different cats have different personalities, and some can be hard to contain (making the indoor/outdoor decision just a little harder to make), but I'm still more comfortable keeping my cat indoors. That's just me; other people can (and do) make other choices. My friend in CO has an indoor/outdoor cat that is 19 yrs. old...obviously no problems there!!

 

I freak out when my cat gets outside (I lost one to coyotes and saw a friend's get hit by a car). I'm glad this subject came up because I struggle with it. We live on a busy street now so I don't let her out even when she stands by the door and meows. One day my husband (who is not as neurotic about it as I am) accidentally let her out. 10 minutes later, we heard a scratching and crying at the door and when I opened it, India (our cat) ran in and acted all pissy, like we forgot about her. It was so sad and cute at the same time and actually put me at ease to know that she wants to come back in after playing for awhile. We decided that when we move to Maui next month, she will be allowed to go play in our yard but we will keep an eye on her, just in case!

 

*some* cats can be taught to walk on a harness and leash. its better of course if they are kittens when they begin to do this but some laid back cats can get used to it as well. if i lived on a busy hwy or where there were alot of coyotes (we do have some around here) i would probably opt for something like that.

 

Well, I have two cats, ages 16 and 12--and they're indoor cats--although I have taken my cat Shadow outside on a harness and leash on occasion--she loves it--being able to explore things and roll around on the ground. My cat Regan wouldn't know what to do if he ever got outside--he's never really had any desire to go outside--so I guess I'm lucky there! As for boredom, I don't think there could be any of that here--I also have a 2-year-old Lab mix named Merlin--and he and the cats get along fine--but the cats also let Merlin know when they've had enough! LOL There are plenty of windows in my place for Regan and Shadow to get into so they can see outside--not to mention places for them to hide when they want to get away from the dog! LOL Plus, I keep plenty of catnip in the house for them--dried as well as live-- (although the catnip is mainly for the cats, I love the smell! LOL)they have toys too--and I have a scratcher for them too--even though it's mostly Shadow who uses it (I've seen Regan on it too, even though he's declawed)--but overall, I'd have to say that my cats are pretty happy being indoors! I'm sure you'll make the right decision regarding your cats--if you love your cats as much as I love mine--and I think you do, from what I've read--you'll do what's right for them! Peace and Goddess bless!

 

once you let kitty outside, its gonna want to go out everyday, probably about 30 times everyday. so you have to decide, do i want indoor cuddly kitty, or do i want a cat.

 

If you have any cash handy for spending on the kitties, you can sort of buy a big outdoor "pen" for the cats to play in outdoors. I've seen all kinds of contraptions that rocked, including one that was directly connected to the "kitty door" to the real house, so they could go in and out as they pleased. It's just when they were out, they had a decent sized caged area to play in, it had a mesh roof with a tree inside and an herb garden and all kinds of cool stuff.

 

all you have done are cruel to them, they have already been so pity! you can take them out for a while and you stay here to take care of them, that may be kind to them