Indoor cat-animal cruelty?

[Bittersweet]

So my cat is indoor. I got her as a rescue she is 2 and has been indoor all her life. She's very affectionate and enjoys cuddles but also doesn't mind being left alone for a few hours.

Everyone keeps telling me it's cruel to go against her instinct and to let her out and she would find her way back.

She freaks every time the front door is open, although she does like to sit at the window when it is open a little. We live right next to a building site and there are so many cats around. My friend told me that she will become territorial and would eventually wreck my house as she would want to be out. Also I would ruin her as she would become too attached to me and oh and therefore she should be out.

I just feel she is safer indoors like she has been brought up. We have a good sized house so she runs around all the rooms, I rotate her toys and play with her and she is good at playing alone as well. Just wanted some opinions. I was dead set against letting her out but now I'm feeling so guilty! I have considered another cat to stop her becoming too attached but I don't want to stress her and two cats is expensive and a bigger commitment. Also, if I got another cat this cat would too be indoors as she is but then is it cruel? Some people say it depends on the cat on how well they do indoors.

 

[Lucasmum]

I dont think its cruel, a lot of cats are indoor cats nowadays you are making sure she has plenty exercise and she gets fresh air by sitting near an open window.

Dont feel guilty she is your cat and you do what you feel is best for her

 

[Yo_Yo]

My kitty is an indoor cat. It's not cruel!

She's very happy. The only thing you have to watch is the weight gain associated with being an indoor cat.

My cat has indoor lower calorie cat food as the vet said she's fat!

I do take her in the garden on a lead. Perhaps you could do that if you feel bad?

 

[Bittersweet]

How did you introduce the leash thing and how often do you take yours out?

 

[green.womble]

Absolutely not. Theres people around where we live who have started poisoning cats so we have started keeping ours in. We spoke about it with our vet and the RSPCA before hand and they gave us some advice on what to do and agreed it was the right thing to do. Better than our boys and us getting upset because some ******* has fed them antifreeze and fed them to their dog.

 

[BellaBoo0512]

I don't think it's cruel at all. My cat is almost 3 and doesn't have any interest in going outside. When we lived at our old house he just went out and then stood there for a few minutes and came back in. We have lived in our current house for a year and it's by a main road so we have kept him in and he is a happy, healthy cat

 

[supertabby]

I've known people who've had indoor cats, so long as the cat is content it's not cruel. You'd know if your cat was distressed with the situation. Just make sure the diet is appropriate to a cat who gets perhaps less exercise than outdoor cats (that said outdoor cats spend plenty of time being sedentary outside).

 

[Bittersweet]

She gets 2 sachets of wet food a day and a handful of biscuits for breakfast and supper probably feeding her too much she's a chunky cat but not fat

 

[curiousowl]

Absolutely not! Ignore those people. Our 2 cats are indoors only and run to hide when the door is open. We've lived on very busy streets so there's no way I'd let my fur babies out. They are perfectly happy. And indoor cats live longer on average.

We had a lot of cats growing up and a couple of them were not meant to be indoor only cats. You could just tell. They'd try to escape all the time or go to the bathroom in front of the door. Those my parents would let out and they'd always come back but sometimes they'd get abscesses and things from fighting with other cats. Not so good. So if your kitty is happy indoors then let her be. And tell people to mind their own business

 

[JessesGirl29]

Absolutely not cruel! I've had both outdoor and indoor cats. I most recently had to put down one of my indoor cats that got out because he was hit by a car. My cats are indoor cats right now because we live in a townhouse subdivision and they don't approve of outdoor cats and with the death of Gus I'm just still a nervous wreck
You can mentally stimulate your cats (an open window makes my kitties so happy as does squirrel watching) and give them a great life without letting them outside.

 

[Srrme]

It's not cruel. Outdoor cats can easily be killed. My sister let my indoor cat out ONCE without me knowing and he was hit by a car and killed that same night (my younger sister's cat was also hit by a car and killed, and so was my mom's cat). My husband had an indoor/outdoor cat and he was killed by a coyote one night. Being indoors is safer. If she's happy and healthy being indoors leave it at that.

 

[LuckyYem]

Our cat is an indoor cat - his choice hes never wanted to go out! When we first got him we would leave the back door open for him to go into the garden, he would stick his head out and go back in and hide! He is just not interested, he likes to sit in the window and watch the world go by. He is a sensative boy he doesn't like change at christmas he hides when the decorations come out and when we got a new TV he hid for 7 weeks!! We now live by a very busy main road with open fields to the back of our house and if i'm honest i'm glad he's an indoor cat.

 

[dani_tinks]

Our cat's an indoor cat and he is the most contented cat i've ever met. We do take him out at the weekends on a harness and lead. He likes to eat some grass and get some fresh air but chooses to come back indoors after about an hour.

 

[Yo_Yo]

How did you introduce the leash thing and how often do you take yours out?

She has a harness and it clips on the back-we had her from 10 weeks, so she just got used to it. At first she didn't like it, or her collar, but it's only because its something new.

We take her in the garden whenever she meows to go. Unless its raining lol.

She now runs to me like a dog, purring when she sees the lead.

She gets a treat afterward to give positive association.

I'd get a harness and lead set from pets at home and give it a try. Let your kitty lead you around outside, and just sort of follow.

X

 

[Bex84]

My cats are indoor cats. Where we used to live had car park in front then when we moved they never had any interest. They are both very content and happy. One hates outside the other likes to go on leed occasionally in garden. Its safer. Even where we live where is quiet i know there have been quite a few cats hit by cars. My cats are both really healthy

 

[Caite]

When I lived at home, we had a cat who was an indoor cat. We had a small little yard with a high wall dividing us and the neighbour, and she would go out there, unsupervised, but never tried to get through the gate, which she easily could have done, really. When we moved, it was to a much quieter area, so she was allowed out. She doesn't stay out very much, and even when she's outside, she normally spends her time sunbathing in the flower beds in mum's garden.

 

[Nela]

I have 2 indoor cats. I don't have to worry about whether or not they will come home at night. Also, I have a dog. No one bats an eye about him not roaming about as much as he pleases. I honestly don't get the difference.

 

[Vickie]

I have 2 cats both indoors. When we got them we lived in a condo downtown. We've moved and have a bit of a yard now but still live close to very busy streets. One cat wouldn't go out even if I let him (he's the definition of a scaredy cat )