House cats

[banth]

Hi, is it cruel to keep a cat indoors all the time? I've always had cats but they've lived in a quiet village with a big garden and lots of fields. Now I live in a second storey flat in the middle of London with no garden and facing a busy road, but I'd love to get a couple of kittens. What are your thoughts? I don't want to get one if it's cruel not to let it run around outside but I'd be so scared it'd get run over if I did let it out. Does it depend on the breed as to how happy they are to stay in?

Thanks in advance
x

[lindapinda]

Hi banth,no,its not cruel,as long as it's kittens who won't have had a chance to experience outdoor life.We have two gorgeous cats,that have been indoors always,cos of the closeness of our house to the roads.We got two cats,so that they would be company for one another,and there's always plenty of toys anda scratching post available for them.You can get special cat grass that is easily grown indoors too.Our two,have the run of the house,and we let them sleep and climb everywhere! They are both very affectionate and loving,and have thrived well with their "sheltered" lifestyle! Good luck!!

[lindapinda]

You just got in there before me iap!!

[loopey]

when I lived in my flat I got a kitten who had never been outdoors, he was really aggressive and terrotorial and would attack anyone who came in the flat, we then moved to a house when he was about 2 years old and let him outside and now he's like a different animal, really friendly and much more relaxed and content.

[banth]

Thank you all very much! I was just a bit worried but you've put my mind at rest now.

[jimmer]

its very cruel to keep a cat locked up. they are independent creatures who need to roam/hunt etc. keeping an indoor cat is like keeping a dog and never taking it for a walk. You shouldn't rationalise it by arguing that because it hae never been walked it wont miss it. Very cruel and unhygenic.

 

jim

[rumanshu]

I can understand where Jimmer is coming from, but I spoke to a vet before getting 2 indoor cats myself, and he said that it is not cruel.  But, you must ensure they have plenty of toys and scratch posts, and have plenty of attention from you. 

Of course hygiene is a big issue, but a long as you clean the litter tray daily, and ideally have one per cat.

Having 2 indoor cats myself, I wouldn't necessarily advise you to get 2 kittens.  Although my 2 occassionally stalk, hunt, and playfight with each other, cats are primarily solitary animals.  I sometimes get the feeling that they are not bothered if the other were there or not!

[annavc]

I recently got a cat from Battersea, he's about 3 years old and came into them as a stray.  They told me at the shelter that he was scared of the outdoors but I thought I'd see if he wanted to go out anyway after he'd had a few weeks to settle in (we have a garden at the back of the house).  I opened the back door and went out calling to him to follow me.  He approached the back door very warily, sniffed the air and promptly ran back in to the house and under a bed! He's an outgoing cat most of the time but the suggestion of venturing out really seemed to scare him - it took an hour for him to re-emerge.  I may try again but to be honest he seems more than content with being indoors so I'll happy let him be an indoor cat.  If he ever shows signs of wanting to go out I'll let him. 

My answer is probably not much help but thought I'd share my experience.  I think it really just depends on the cat.

[drgnrdr]

So glad others answered with logic instead of emotion like jimmer. If it were say way back in the stone age before we domesticated cats, and totally got involved in the life of cats I would say jimmer is correct, but us being human and thinking we are superior, we changed cats, they all use to be the same just like dogs. Then we got in there and started changing them to our specifications. Cats are not wild, independent  creatures, they are domesticated animals, they just don't need and crave lots of social interaction from us like dogs do, but without us they can go back to being wild just like a dog could. But when we took the first one IN, we changed the whole species. You can have your cat be very happy indoors, I have fostered many and had many of my own and they were all indoor, I made sure they were safe and content, they all did not go bezerk because I did not let them out, they got lots of attention from me and with toys and grown grass by the window, scratch post and toys, and seats up on other windows to sun themselves, my home was clean, that's why they invented a vacuum and litter.

None of my cats got into fights with other strange cats (who I did not know if they had vaccinations or not?), died from getting hit by a car, ruined my neighbors gardens or urinated all over things, or were tortured by sick individuals, they went to good homes (the fosters) or stayed with me until they died of old age, the last one was 18.

So for the love of your cat and their safety I would say keep them in, but you have to provide stimulation to them making their environment a good one.

Check out http://www.catsinternational.org/ . Good luck

[Dougie69]

Keeping a cat indoors is cruel... just like having a bird in a one foot square cage, or fish in a tiny tank since birth. They are predominantly wild outdoor animals until they decide to return home to their place of safety to eat and rest.

Would it be acceptable to imprison a new born baby for the rest of it's life in the satisfaction that "It's never known any better" or "It's too dangerous outside"

[lindapinda]

Thank you drgnrdr,for your well informed answer!! I hope it is well noted!!

[drgnrdr]

Thank you lindapinda, but, apparently there are still persons who live in the stone age out there, I know there in the UK  it is more of an new way of thinking to keep cats inside, but they use to say dogs are only kept OUTSIDE also, that is the way my grandfathers and fathers thought, but, research has found it's better to have them in with you, they're more social type of animals, but there are still some out there that think outside for dogs is the way it should be, change is hard, humans have a hard time with new age thinking and change, but maybe, just maybe they will come to there senses, and see the way it really is, not what they think or wish it to be. Cats were domesticated by US (humans), we changed their evolution. So now we have to reap what we sowed, and take care of them. Keeping a fish in a "tiny tank", or a bird in a "one foot square cage" is cruel, I am wondering what size home Dougie69 is in for him to compare my 1500 sq ft home to a one foot cage? And don't compare humans to dogs or cats, humans have free will, we are the higher species on the food chain, so babies should not even come into this thread, we are the masters of our own destiny, but to take in a cat or dog, you now have to take care of it, they don't have free will they can't get a job and pay their own way, etc...it's so funny for people to try and compare us with animals, they have the wrong ideal about animals. I could go on but I will not, I have said my peace and await the onslaught of people who will try to compare, and defend the reasons why they let there cat go run around causing all kinds of havoc. Those that love their cats and have them inside I applaud you for going against the majority...hang in there....Change is a comin....

[undercovers]

funny thread... put a smile on my face. though i would like to make some points - drgnrdr "change is a-comming"??? lol what are you americans like - just because someone doesn't agree it doesn't automatically mean regime change is needed :)

treatment of animals is like religion - everyone get emotional and upset and doctrinated in whatever they wish to subscribe too... then get really angry when people don't agree.

*undercovers carefully avoids question and add nothing to thread*

[banth]

Well, thanks again for all your replies! I feel happier now about the situation, despite the answers from jimmer and dougie69. I actually think keeping caged birds isn't very nice, however having thought it over a bit more now I think if one starts comparing cats to other animals then one could go so far as to say keeping dogs on a lead is cruel, which I don't think it is but it does none the less restrict ther freedom.

My reasons for not wanting to let any cats out are for their own safety from cars, diseases, fights etc. If I did keep them indoors at all times then of course hygiene would be an issue, but I don't want my cat to live in dirty conditions any more than I would want my house to smell or my sofa to be scratched to bits! I love cats and want them to be happy and healthy.

I have done some internet research (thanks for all the links they were interesting reading too) and I would get two cats so they weren't lonely during the day and provide scratching posts and plenty of toys for them to play with. They would not be locked up in one room all day and my flat gets a lot of sun so they would be able to follow the sunshine from room to room throughout the day aswell.

Thankyou all for your opinions, I have read and thought about all of them.

[drgnrdr]

To undercovers: change is a comin...just think about what we use to do 10 yrs ago? 20 yrs ago? everything changes and still remains the same.. it's not just americans, even though we fought for the right to disagree...Who ever thought that you can have info at your fingertips and it would only take you seconds to find it, If it weren't for CHANGES, we wouldn't be on here would we? It just takes the way you think, one small ideal, one person and it starts a domino effect...

[undercovers]

lol are we still talking about keeping a cat inside or not!

[pagey3]

My boyf bought me a kitten for xmas, but we are living in a top floor town centre flat where he can't really go out - I worry that its cruel especially since we both work 9-5.

He has the run of the flat (its pretty big) we're yet to get him a scratching post - will get that v soon though, and he's got lots of toys. He is hugely affectionate and playful, but i worry about him on his own in the day, especially since he's got no cat friends. in a year or so I expect we'll move to somewhere more suburban where he can go out, but in the mean time anyone got any extra suggestions just to make extra sure he's happy? He seems to be ok and happy, he's very sociable, and loves us lots, would just like any added suggestions!