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Cats - indoor or outdoor?

  • 31-03-2009 10:57pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,083 ✭✭✭


    I am just wondering what is the general feeling out there about housing cats indoors V's outdoors. Is it cruel to keep a cat purely indoors? Is it irresponsible to let your cat roam outdoors? Im curious to hear your thoughts on this.

    I have to keep my cats indoors as there are lots of feral cats in my area and my cats previously had cat flu. They were both strays I took in. There are very content being indoor cats and seem to love their home comforts. However sometimes I wonder what they are thinking when they sit in the window for hours and if they would like to go out again. Just my musings!:rolleyes:

    Im sure this has been done before and if so feel free to lock.


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 763 ✭✭✭Ticktactoe


    I think a little bit of both is healthy. In at night and out in the afternoon and evening.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,584 ✭✭✭TouchingVirus


    Used to keep them in the whole time until we got a cat I was allergic to, then we put them out all the time and they started getting hurt and sick - they're quite playful but ended up with ticks, eye infections and stuff, all of which were treated as soon as we noticed. The last straw was when one cat broke their tail and the other got an abscess from a broken tooth so now they're in from the morning until late at night when we put them out to hunt and prowl and do cat things!

    I think our cats are strange in that when left to wander around the house they will go the toilet anywhere, especially the tom and it's usually on the carpet in some room which is clearly pretty annoying not to mention unhygienic. I house-sat for a guy who had cats like ours (indoor and outdoor) and in the six weeks I was there the cats didn't have any problems like that. For this reason, and the fact we've got two dogs too, we keep our cats in the one room now when they're in


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 842 ✭✭✭Lauragoesmad


    I think both is healthiest too. I'm quite lucky where I live as I have a big back garden and there is a huge green behind my house so Jess has loads of space to play. I don't like letting her out when the birds are roosting though. She is quite good, she comes in when you call her. The joys of a cat growing up with dogs.:D


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,658 ✭✭✭✭The Sweeper


    Indoor unless you have a secured outdoor area, so they can't get hit by cars, fight with other cats, be kicked by people who don't like cats, be attacked by dogs or crap all over your neighbour's garden and kill every wild animal it comes across.

    As long as you keep your cat properly entertained indoors, it'll be quite a happy cat.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 342 ✭✭Munster Gal


    I keep my 2 (aged 7 and 4) outside. We have an insulated 6 x 8 shed with a 2foot shelf accross the back wall where the cats' bed is. Our labrador sleeps 'downstairs' and the cats sleep 'upstairs'. There's a half-door on it and also a cat flap so they go in and out themselves. Their litter tray is behind the shed so my flower beds are safe. We have a huge garden which backs onto fields where they go exploring. During the day they spend most of their time sitting on the oil tank or in the tree in the corner of the garden. They're neutered, vaccinated, wormed & flea treated and have never been sick. They wander in and out of the kitchen, utility and conservatory during the day and will potter around in the garden with me too. There are only 4 or 5 other cats in the estate and I sorted the problem we had with an abandoned cat myself so we haven't had any trouble with them fighting.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,083 ✭✭✭sillymoo


    Cheers for the replies! As I said, im just curious as my two seem very content with their life of luxury inside and I wont be letting them out anytime soon :D

    I would like to let then out if I had a secure garden but I live in an inner city apartment complex with plenty of feral cats lurking in the bins so that wont be happening.

    Maybe when I buy my house in the country with room for a pony and hotub........ :rolleyes:


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,072 ✭✭✭SeekUp


    I adopted my cat when I was living in New York City -- definitely not the best (or safest) outdoor environment!

    I live in a smaller city now, but even so, I wouldn't feel comfortable letting her out to roam. We do have two enclosed decks though, so if we're out there, we let her wander around . . . she likes the different smells.


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