Whose cat is a house cat?

I was just wondering how many of you, if any have kept their kittens as house cats and not let them outside? ours is not old enough to go out yet and wont be going anywhere until she is spayed, but at the moment the thought is terrifying and even the vet said she advised for her not to be let out! the roade outside our house is fairly busy which is our main worry... so do cats who stay inside have a good quality of life or not?

Thanksx

We have 2 cats, one is a moggy and the other a Maine Coon.

They started life as flat cats going out (accompanied )on a balcony and were quite happy.

We now live in a house, but they are never allowed further than the garden, even then one of us is always there to keep and eye on them.

We would never have a minutes peace if they were out, as we also live on a busy road.

I believe if they have always had that lifestyle than they won't know any difference, but it must be started as a kitten, you can't change midstream.

I know I'm biased but I'd say let them out as far as the garden If you can keep them safe.

if we let her out in the garden she would be off, as we back onto a park and we also have chickens so there would be too much temptation and she is very inquisitive.

she has the run of the house which isnt small, chases our dog round and vice versa for hours and had plenty of toys so we think she will be ok. just wanted advice of others who do the same? we havent let her out so far and dont plan to so like u say, she wont know any different. xx

Good decision elenab, sounds like she'll have plenty of indoor stimulation!!

She'll be fine and you'll be a a lot less worried.

I changed midway with one of my cats after I lost 2 others through theft and unknown reasons, I'm thinking was probably run over but we've never found her body. My last remaining cat is perfectly happy to be a house cat now, he never really seemed to like going out in the first place. I suppose it all depends on the cat, my other 2 just wouldn't stay in, they used to go and sit on the window sill and miaow until I let them out.

We have 2 cats, one is a moggy and the other a Maine Coon.

 

They started life as flat cats going out (accompanied )on a balcony and were quite happy.

 

We now live in a house, but they are never allowed further than the garden, even then one of us is always there to keep and eye on them.

 

We would never have a minutes peace if they were out, as we also live on a busy road.

 

I believe if they have always had that lifestyle than they won't know any difference, but it must be started as a kitten, you can't change midstream.

 

I know I'm biased but I'd say let them out as far as the garden If you can keep them safe.

Mine did!! We live on a busy main road and our cats were very sensible and never went near it, just the gardens at the back. Then we got William Henry, who didn't have the sense of a gnat! After a near miss, they were all grounded.

We cat-proofed the garden, so they could still go out, but were safe. As the cats got older, they got less and less keen on going out. As soon as they were in the garden, they'd moan to come back in (they had to be carried out). So they turned themselves into house cats and were perfectly happy. Though George, my last cat, suddenly got the urge to go out on a couple of occasions - I went out with him and he just sniffed round the garden a bit, there was no way he could have got out, although the cat-proofing had been removed, because the walls were too high for him.

Some cats are very much outdoors creatures, others aren't bothered. I think if you start with a kitten, then it doesn't know any better and will probably be perfectly happy indoors, as long as it gets plenty of play so it can get exercise and stimulation.

Edit: I typed the last paragraph before I read your post which said "she has the run of the house which isnt small, chases our dog round and vice versa for hours and had plenty of toys so we think she will be ok." I don't know why that post of yours wasn't showing on the thread, but SF is being a bit weird with me at the moment - it keeps making me log in every time I want to post!

Ours were always allowed out (I didn't actually have any choice as they were mum's) but Smitch is now 11 and chooses not to go out. She has a litter tray inside (because she stopped bothering to go out for the toilet!) and likes the easy life!

I'm much happier now she's an indoor cat but also quite happy she chose to be that way!

All 3 of my cats are house cats and I have had house cats for years.

all my cats have been and are house cats to be honest they well i only got jessica now showed not the slightest interest in goin out,shes happy to sit in the window and watch the world go by and hopefully when i get another that will be a house cat too

We have a moggie who goes out, and a ragdoll & maine coon who both stay in. We had the moggie first. I wish now that I'd kept him as an indoor cat but now he's so used to going out, he screams to be let out. I don't think I'll ever have an outdoor cat again. It comes down to personal choice, where you live, the risks etc. I've lost 1 on the road and 2 thru unknown causes, possibly poisoning & 2 thru the silly old man up the road who keeps taking my cats in and feeding them so they eventually stayed with him.

i am having the same problem deciding if to let narla out well snarla as we call her she is my autistic boys cat and if anything happens to her he would be so upset, i dont know if i could take the risk to be honest, and there is that many cat aggressive dogs round where i live i dont think i can, well i suppose she has 5 mastiffs to stick up for her, i really cant see us letting her out but on the other hand i dont know if i want a litter tray in the house for ever i cant decide

I have a 5 month old kitten and she has never been out and i have no intention of letting her out, she does make a dash for the door if she sees it open but i am hoping she grows out of that, in a way i am dreading the summer and not being able to have doors and windows open any idea would be fab