Indoor Cat?

[barry1010]

My granddaughter has been living in her first home, a flat, for well over a year and badly misses having the family cat around. She has decided that next year she will get a cat but she has no garden. She insists it is a normal thing to do to keep a cat entirely indoors but I am not convinced. All our cats have enjoyed being outdoors and coming and going as they please.

Can an indoor cat be a happy cat?

[iluvmargie]

I personally don't think so. I often see cats when out walking my dog sitting in the window looking longingly at the outside world. I know two of these cats are NEVER allowed out - why??? Every living thing likes the great outdoors to feel the wind in your face and smell the air, and cats love to explore. I feel dreadfully sorry for them, but no doubt others will be on to discount this. Won't change my mind though.

[woofgang]

some can, some never will. There are products that can be used to cat proof a balcony to give them some kind of outdoor access. I like cats but don't have them. From my point of view, one persons cat who is happy to come and go as it pleases is another persons garden being used as a toilet and bird nests being raided. Additionally quite near to me is a very fast A road which is often decorated by the corpse of a cat.

[SparklyKid]

Had cats for over sixty years. Never had one which did not yearn for the great outdoors. Lovely nocturnal creatures, sleep all day, wander outside during the night.

[barry1010]

woofgang I knew somebody would mention their gardens. All my cats use the litter trays that I have in my garden and my verandah. They refuse to go anywhere else so my neighbours' gardens are safe.

[Kathyan]

My daughter has three indoor cats. All healthy and happy. It's all down to preference. They are safer indoors.

[BAKERS DOZEN]

I had never heard of them but my grandson and his girlfriend went to a rescue centre to get a cat and ended up getting 2 elderly cats (about 8/9 yrs old) who had belonged to an OAP who had died. They are house cats and had never been outside which struck me as cruel. Because they never went out they had never had any injections. They had been extremely well looked after though. The rescue centre got their injections etc up to date and they brought them home. The kitchen door already had a catflap installed so they felt sure they would venture out but they never have. They have had them for 2 yrs now and despite putting food out in the garden and leaving the back door wide open most of the summer they do not venture outside. They are lovely affectionate cats and are no trouble at all. Maybe if they had been younger when they got them they might have been a bit more adventurous. Not something I would ever do but in this case they are happy as they coud be.

[pastafreak]

Since I've lived in this flat...15 years...I've only had indoor cats. Caspar was deaf, so had to be indoors. The other 2 showed very little or no interest in going outside.
I've applied for an indoor cat...it's likely to be a stray that will welcome the comfort of indoor living, unlike a feral which might not adapt.
Keep the cat occupied, play with it, it will be fine.

[barry1010]

Thanks all :)

[pastafreak]

Sparkly...I'd never let my cats out at night. Having lost 2 to the road...including the beautiful monster cat that came with us from NY, I'd always make sure they were in at night.

[rowanwitch]

I had many house cats even when I had a garden, but I always had plenty of space and at least two at a time. You need to make the environment suitable, they love high shelves and places to climb. My vet said he wished more people kept their cats indoors, as he saw too many sad cases where cats had either been in accidents or had infected wounds from fighting.

[ladybirder]

Barry please ask her to get two so they will be company for each other and play together. Perhaps you could treat them to a cat climbing tree which will be great fun for them?

[furrypusscat]

We live on a busy main road and up until recently had two indoor cats, sadly we lost one to cancer. They were 2 yrs and 18 months old and unrelated when we got them from Cats Protection. Both had a bad start in life. They got used to going out on a harness and extended leads. They were both happy and contented walking around our garden and sitting under bushes. I think cats adapt easily so if they are young enough and aren't used to going out, I don't see a problem.

[Old_Geezer]

"They refuse to go anywhere else"
That's a good trick barry, do you think that you could teach it to [b]every[b] other cat owner in the UK ? Please !

[barry1010]

She is a caring soul and works mainly from home (always has done, not because of lockdown). I have just suggested that she foster elderly cats who have become homeless and she is quite taken with the idea, she is going to talk to a rescue centre about it.

I will also suggest she has two cats if she decides on kittens or young cats.

[pastafreak]

It's a lovely idea to take in elderly cats.
I'd consider it myself, but having lost 3 pets(companions) this year, it's not something I'd be ready for yet.

[Ellipsis]

Some cat breeds are better than others for being kept indoors.

[Gill1941]

I had 2 rescued cats about 18 months ago. One male and one female about 8 and 9 years old.
The tom is out and about a lot but the female rarely leaves the house which is her own choice as there is a cat flap and the back door is open a lot in the summer.
They both seem very content doing their own thing.

[tiggerblue10]

Tigger and Blue were rescue cats and although they went I don't think they went far.

I may get trackers for the next 2 cats I get.

[campbellking]

I have 2 cats, Campbell ( pictured) and Robbie, both rescue cats that I have had since they were kittens.Campbell would choose to spend most of the day outside (although now she is 17 she does spend the colder days inside). Robbie on the other hand thinks the outside world is very scary ( he came from a farm camp site so had been used to the outside world) and rarely goes outside unless I am out in the garden with him!