Discussion
last week my beloved cat Alfie who was 3 got run over and died and has completely broken the heart's of my wife and I.
We have decided not to get another cat at the moment and have last night made the descision to get a Border Terrier pup which is ready in 3 week's time giving us some time to get over our Moggie.
I would like to think we would possibly have another cat some day but I would be totally paranoid to let it go roaming outside incase the same happened again which would be absolutely devastating.
Would it be right to keep a cat inside all the time if we did decide to get another cat come time and is it right not to let it go out and do what comes natural to them to go out and hunt?
We have decided not to get another cat at the moment and have last night made the descision to get a Border Terrier pup which is ready in 3 week's time giving us some time to get over our Moggie.
I would like to think we would possibly have another cat some day but I would be totally paranoid to let it go roaming outside incase the same happened again which would be absolutely devastating.
Would it be right to keep a cat inside all the time if we did decide to get another cat come time and is it right not to let it go out and do what comes natural to them to go out and hunt?
I feel it's cruel to keep a cat indoors.
They are outdoor semi-wild creatures and stopping them from living and enjoying what is natural to them is inherently wrong to me.
My cat lives in quite a dangerous environment but I let her do as she pleases because it would be unfair of me to lock her up.
They are outdoor semi-wild creatures and stopping them from living and enjoying what is natural to them is inherently wrong to me.
My cat lives in quite a dangerous environment but I let her do as she pleases because it would be unfair of me to lock her up.
van cleef said:
Would it be right to keep a cat inside all the time if we did decide to get another cat come time and is it right not to let it go out and do what comes natural to them to go out and hunt?
No, it certainly wouldn't be right. People who shut their cats will be on in a while to try and justify it but whatever they say, they're wrong. As has already been said, it's not a particularly nice thing to do. They should absolutely have the choice to go outside whenever they want, doubly so since you have a dog running about the place as well. Some cats aren't fussed about going outside, however they should have the choice, as you just won't know.
davepoth said:
It is cruel to keep a cat in - they will try and escape all the time anyway IME.
That's not true at all.I have a Bengal who nearly lives outside and a Ragdoll who is a total house cat, she doesn't even like going near Windows.
She refuses to go near a door and literally freaks out if she gets taken outside.
She has a fantastic life indoors with hundreds of toys and gets loads of attention. Our Bengal comes in to eat and sleep and then sits by the front door and moans until you let her out.
Our Ragdoll is 3 and has never once show any intention or interest in the world outside the indoors, she loves it and we don't have to worry about not seeing her like I do when our Bengal goes out.
We have had two types of cats- those that 'need' outdoors, and those that seem to regard going outside as being rejected. The two of this disposition have both been females, and all the rest male.
For our male cats I agree with the above that keeping them in would be cruel. I stayed with a friend who kept a male cat as a house cat and to me it looked miserable, all it did all day was try to escape.
Our females needed physically placing outside to make them go. Perhaps consider a female rescue cat, as in our experience they will not wonder far.
I'm sorry to hear of your loss.
For our male cats I agree with the above that keeping them in would be cruel. I stayed with a friend who kept a male cat as a house cat and to me it looked miserable, all it did all day was try to escape.
Our females needed physically placing outside to make them go. Perhaps consider a female rescue cat, as in our experience they will not wonder far.
I'm sorry to hear of your loss.
monkey gland said:
No, it certainly wouldn't be right. People who shut their cats will be on in a while to try and justify it but whatever they say, they're wrong.
I shut my cat in. She's partially blind, is incapable of jumping higher than about a foot and is s
t scared anytime I take her outside and just wants back in. Pretty sure I'm not wrong but feel free to try and prove me so :-/
OP there is your answer though. Get yourself down to a cat shelter and adopt a cat which, like mine, depends on being kept indoors. I spend about £15 a month on her arthritis drugs and she is a very happy cat despite her conditions.
sorry to hear about your cat. it happened to ours a few years back.
It was so lonley without him that it wasnt long before we couldnt hold off and got a new kitten.
It was hard letting him outside after what happened to the other one, but we had to do it.
The cat was desperate to explore.
Luckily for us, the new cat seems to have more road sense, and since then we have moved house to somewhere where the cat would find it very hard to reach a road at all.
It was so lonley without him that it wasnt long before we couldnt hold off and got a new kitten.
It was hard letting him outside after what happened to the other one, but we had to do it.
The cat was desperate to explore.
Luckily for us, the new cat seems to have more road sense, and since then we have moved house to somewhere where the cat would find it very hard to reach a road at all.
Spitfire2 said:
I shut my cat in.
She's partially blind, is incapable of jumping higher than about a foot and is st scared anytime I take her outside and just wants back in.
I was more thinking of the people who buy an £800 pure breed then shut it in to stop the catnapper who will doubtless steal it if it so much as puts two paws out the back door...She's partially blind, is incapable of jumping higher than about a foot and is s
t scared anytime I take her outside and just wants back in. I know of a blind cat that likes nothing more than sunning itself no its owner's lawn.
Ours has only been outside a handfull of times. The last time we let her out she got attacked by a neighbours tom and was so spooked she attacked anything that came near her for almost a week. Lots of feliway and treats has brought her back to normal but she'll not be getting to go out again.
I don't think she looks too unhappy..?
I don't think she looks too unhappy..?
I have 3 indoor cats. Two domestic short hair rescues and a Devon Rex.
They have access to an enclosure in the back yard through a flap in a window. The enclosure has shelves at different heights and a pole to climb and scratch.
Inside the house there is 5 towers we made ourselves and heaps of toys. They get plenty of play time with us to.
They never fight and they have never tried to get out or sit by doors and windows waiting. They are healthy, inquisitive and playful.
There are a lot of well written sources on the pros and cons of indoor and outdoor cats. After reading a few and talking to people with indoor cats before getting them it was a no brainer to decide to have indoor cats.
They have access to an enclosure in the back yard through a flap in a window. The enclosure has shelves at different heights and a pole to climb and scratch.
Inside the house there is 5 towers we made ourselves and heaps of toys. They get plenty of play time with us to.
They never fight and they have never tried to get out or sit by doors and windows waiting. They are healthy, inquisitive and playful.
There are a lot of well written sources on the pros and cons of indoor and outdoor cats. After reading a few and talking to people with indoor cats before getting them it was a no brainer to decide to have indoor cats.
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