Cat owning in London

[AdamT]

Have been thinking of getting two cats for quite a while now. And as part of my research thought I should ask here for any experiences of owning a cat in a large city/London. I live in a normal sized flat (for central London standards, so probably small).

I’m not a big believer of having a “flat cat” but I think it is a tenable option if you live in a large city...the problems with having a cat roaming free in a built up area are too great I think.

Any thoughts or advice on owning a cat in a large city would would be greatly appreciated.

[Maxf]

The smell of cat piss will never, ever leave your carpets. I have found this out as I am having my new flat recarpeted at the moment after the last owners locked their cat/s in for a while. Aside from that, go for it - just change the little tray very often.

[bonsai]

I think it's extremely cruel to keep them locked up inside. Thousands of people do, however. They will be along in force shortly to attempt to justify it.

[AdamT]

We have wooden floors

Thanks For the advice though

[Frankeh]

Get a dog.

Only advantage of having a cat is that is pisses off during the day while you're out.
If you're not going to take advantage of that then get a dog.

[Timmy35]

Get one of these.

http://www.japantrendshop.com/yume-neko-dream-cat-...

Ad said:

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Yume Neko responds to your touch just like a real cat! Patting it on the head, scratching it, picking it up, and pulling its tail (among other actions) will elicit lots of realistic cat reactions. Don't bother her too much or she'll get angry! Reactions include blinking, moving legs, purring, moving its head, and more.

Edited by Timmy35 on Tuesday 3rd August 12:14

[Maxf]

AdamT said:

We have wooden floors

Thanks For the advice though

The piss soaked through the carpets/underlay and we may have to replace floorboards. The stuff is fking vile.

[samwilliams]

If it'll have to stay inside, consider getting a cat with FIV. They're normally quite hard to rehome partly because they have to stay inside, so everyone's a winner!

[Bernard80]

My cats have been locked in now for a few months due to them having kittens and now having an op to stop having kittens and I think it is horrid. They are desperate to go outside and play and roam, and generally be cats and plus having a tray of poo/wee in your house all the time is YUK on a large scale and I clean mine daily. I can't see why you couldn't grant them access to the outside world, I live in a city, not London but I can't imagine the dangers/risks being any different.

[Maty]

As above, cats need to go outside, how anyone can justify a "house cat" being content is beyond me, I dont care how often you play with it or give it attention, cats need to be able to go and do what cats do......basically catching anything that moves and bringing it home for you to say "look what I did"!!

We bought a kitten 6 months ago as well as the 2 year old tabby we already have, the little one has seen the big one going out through the flap and it's a constant nightmare to keep the thing inside, no matter what you do they want out!

[ukwill]

Please. Not this again.

[GTIR]

"Flat cat"?

[elster]

Just get a rabbit or some other furry animal that is content to be kept inside.

[Timmy35]

Why not get an older cat, most old cats seem to do little more than sleep in the airing cupboard all day long given half a chance. I really don't think an old cat would be bothered by not being able to go outside and receive a beating from other younger cats or get eaten by a fox.

[okgo]

Loads of cats around my area, but its not that busy and there are lots of parks etc where they go, none have died that I know of in the last two years.

[Asterix]

bonsai said:

I think it's extremely cruel to keep them locked up inside. Thousands of people do, however. They will be along in force shortly to attempt to justify it.

I agree - but we keep our two inside.

2 reasons. I'm in Dubai and many people here treat animals incredibly badly. There's a sport that the locals like to partake in. Lets throw a kitten from a moving car on the main freeway and take bets on how long it lasts before it is run over. We also have a huge population of feral cats that would 'have' our mogs in a heartbeat.

Second reason - Can't fit cat flaps to our place and its over 45C during the summer. Leaving a door open is not a possibility and they would die if left out for any length of time.

They're both rescue cats and if we hadn't taken them, there is a good chance they would have been put down. They don't know it but I bet they're happier being loved and pampered by us than the alternative. Also, our place is big and has a huge open plan area that they bomb around in, has lots of hidey places and they happily hunt each other. As said, I agree that it would be wonderful for them to go outside, cats we've had in the past in the UK were always allowed to roam - different circumstances here.

Edited by Asterix on Tuesday 3rd August 13:37

[Jinx]

Maty said:

We bought a kitten 6 months ago as well as the 2 year old tabby we already have, the little one has seen the big one going out through the flap and it's a constant nightmare to keep the thing inside, no matter what you do they want out!

Isn't the little one old enough to go outside now (after 6 months) ?

[Maty]

Jinx said:

Maty said:

We bought a kitten 6 months ago as well as the 2 year old tabby we already have, the little one has seen the big one going out through the flap and it's a constant nightmare to keep the thing inside, no matter what you do they want out!

Isn't the little one old enough to go outside now (after 6 months) ?

She is booked in to be speyed and microchipped next week, once she's recovered she'll be let loose! We didn't want her coming back knocked up on her first proper outting!

[Bernard80]

Maty said:

We didn't want her coming back knocked up on her first proper outting!

That will happen, my two cats are evidence of that

Edited by Bernard80 on Tuesday 3rd August 15:27

[Dupont666]

Have you thuoght about a cat in a glass aka bonsai kitten?



http://www.ding.net/bonsaikitten/gray.html

means they dont need to go outside anymore... and will make a perfect item of furniture (put it on the mantlepiece where it can see everything mind)...

HTH

fixed linky now

Edited by Dupont666 on Tuesday 3rd August 15:58