In or out, that is the question???

Just a thought, if you put a cat flap in an angled window, wouldn't it need to be waterproof seal or have some kind of overhang to keep the rain out?

re the additional cat - if she's going to be indoors during the day some company would probably be a good idea. I'm not sure there's much difference between neutered males and females re wandering, although maybe males still tend to wander slightly more. I wouldn't have thought there'd be a significant difference.

re the cat flap. You can get cat flaps now that are operated by microchips so that only the cat with the programmed chip can gain entry (you can programme in more than one chip). They are quite expensive though (about £80 I think). The trouble with magnetic flaps is that any cat with a magnet can get in.

I am going to let my kitty out, it is the 'norm' in the U.K I believe. All of my cats have been outdoor ones and lived to a ripe old age, over 18 and older. In America it does seem that there are more predators around so understandably kept in. I am quite aware that I don't want him roaming too far so I got a harness and took him for walks around the garden. I am not at the mo coz he loves it and is crying all the time to get out, but he can't until he has been neutered next Tuesday and then he has to be in for a couple of months so I think I might have been teasing him a bit without realising!!! I think the harness is great because cats are so independent outside if they are outside cats, and yet a harness gets them used to you being around too and they are much more likely to stay closer to you. You can also help in determining the boundaries that they go round in. I am lucky as we live in the countryside so we are surrounded by lovely fields and no main roads. A road too close would scare me and prob keep them in. Also there are only two other cats around and the harness is a great way to get your cat used to other cats and protect them too. Mine has seen a few of the cats but not socialised at all with them yet. I just wanted him to see them. Ideally I think that somewhere for him to go and get shelter would be best. The suggestion of the shed is a great idea if kitty can't go indoors, otherwise I would probably keep kitty inside rather than keep him out all day. That is just my opinion. Good luck with it. We all just want the best for our kitties dont we?

Originally Posted by flinni

a male kitten would be best, but they wouldn't provide one. The reason, and I quote 'they tend to wander too far and aren't suited well to being house bound.

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5 of my sisters boys used to go outdoors, they never went further than the front yard. As long as they are neutered I don't think it makes much difference.

Flinni~

I am an indoor cat advocate for many, many reasons. But you arent' asking about that, are you

***setting aside soapbox***

I do believe that some cats have a greater....drive to be outside. I think you are in more control than you think though. If it ever came between giving a cat up to a shelter or neglecting it, to having an indoor/outdoor cat, I would much prefer to see option B in the hands of a loving cat owner. Compromises do exist!

Have you considered pet enclosures? It can be pricey, but you can all be outside together (or not) and never worry about kitty being hurt, lost, or taken.


Something like this:http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...Np=1&N=0&Nty=1

(you can even make one if you feel creative!) Look at these:

http://www.safekitty.com/products.htm

As for male cats wandering; most unspayed/unneutered cats tend to wander more, males being more prone. The shelter is just being careful, andI can appreciate that. My sister's neutered male never lost his wanderlust and would be gone overnight sometimes. Drove me NUTS. I have 3 neutered indoor males and they are terrified of 'outside'. Often it is a male cat who is neutered *after* 6 months of age (and who got a taste of outside travels) who is harder to 'tame'. Generally speaking.

You have done all the recommended things to keep your cat safe and happy. Two spayed females can get along fine. You just have to take care with the transition as you would with any new pet.

I would be more wary of being outdoors at night. Consider what you have for nocturnal critters out, racoons and skunks for a couple, more territorial issues with other outside cats...??? Know your neighborhood.

ANd of course you will want to take care for flea and ticks. That is a potential world of problems in and of itself. Would you also consider a collar with tags? Bells are good to warn birds and other prey (if that is a worry), and of course ID tags so you could be notified if she got off the beaten path....

I feel for you asking this question, there is definately a strong opinion toward indoor cats on this forum. Alan has been chipped, he also has a tag with our info on it and a collar with a bell on it. I would advise a quick release collar as it means that it will release if it gets caught on a branch or something. We are lucky to not have racoons or skunks or coyotes or harmful snakes or harmful spiders or people running around with guns that can shoot our cats in this country. I think that that is why we have a outdoor cat option. Too be honest and this has been said that if we in the u.k rescue a cat from a shelter and we say we won't let it out it might pose a dim view on us as owners. It is just different here. I would just make sure that he does have somewhere to go when you are not there all day and you let him out, as you know the old ladies that just love to feed cats here and he might well find a 'new' place to go. Put in a little bed, some food and water and some toys and make sure he is safe. If you can't do that keep him in during the day and let him out when he can come in as he pleases!! And just keep up to date with the worm and flea stuff!! Good luck!

I think this might solve your problem:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...1&N=2002&Nty=1

Hope it helps!

If I lived in the country I would let my two out. Since I'm a city dweller, they stay in the house. I wouldn't want anything to happen to them and I'm not supposed to have cats anyway and all my neighbors would see them. I feel bad at times because I know they are missing part of their life. By the way, they were both outdoor kitties when I adopted them and adjusted very well.

Originally Posted by Althekitty

Too be honest and this has been said that if we in the u.k rescue a cat from a shelter and we say we won't let it out it might pose a dim view on us as owners. It is just different here.

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I love the Brits anyway but I'd like to move there even more now. My cats love their trips out but it just isn't safe where I live to give them that option without supervision. I'd move just to give them a safer place to get to play out and make them happy. Of course, I can't afford it so they will all have to get jobs...

Tekgrl - Its the roof that is angled, not the window, so it's not a problem. Basically I have a single story extension to the rear of the house. Millie often jumps on the wall and then on the roof and sits there reviewing the surroundings. As I can't reach her when I want her to come in, and often she doesn't, I just leave the back bedroom window open and she kinda lets her self.

Urbantigers - Funny you should say that about the microchip cat flaps, I was looking at one the other day. The only 'major flaw' with the one I saw was it needed to be connected to a mains supply. I wasn't quite sure how you could open the door without having wires hanging everywhere.

Althekitty -

Jpawz - The main reason for 'potentially' letting her out in the first place is so that she can roam freely during the day without being locked up on her own. I don't think a pet enclosure would really help and due to the number of other cats in the neighbourhood I thinks she would just get frustrated being able to see/hear them but not be able to investigate/play/fight/run away etc..

I think its down to three options now....

a) Keep her in during the day when we are at work and only let her out when we are around. She doesn't seem to wander far anyway, so it's easy to call her back when we need to go out.

OR

b) Get her some feline company. A young male/female kitten is probably the best option from what people are saying and keep them both as house cats.


OR

c) Stick with Millie on her own and pay up £350.00 for a replacement glass door with a cap flap in. The most expensive and not ideal choice, but at least it solves the problem.

Anyway, thanks for all your opinions

IMO other then getting into fights with the neighborhood cats, you really do run the risk of FELV and FIP - you never know who your cat is hanging around with if they are unsupervised outside during the day or nite.

I vote for the cat flap in the window. Because that is so cool! Whether you get another cat or not. I am not of the opinion that indoor cats are any more bored than outdoor cats. Of course if you are willing to keep them both inside-only if you get two, do that!

It is easy and cheap and I do think (though I too am an indoor-only person) that if you let cats outside they have to be able to get back inside at any time, without even waiting for someone to open the door. One of their main defenses is just being able to run faster than other animals, but they can't run forever!

I don't think you need to buy a whole new door! That is a lot of money when there is a much easier and cheaper solution. Even so you can try it the other way and if it doesn't work move on to the door.

They have actually come out with a new product for just the reasons you have explained. There is a "cat box" that fits in a window just like a window AC would. There is a ledge on either side so the cat can jump up and go threw a cat flap inside of the box. This is a great idea for people who don't want the hassel of cutting up a door.

one style, you can find simular at a farm store.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...3474&subref=AA

We had an indoor/outdoor cat when I was growing up. My mother never worked so all day she played "let the cat out/let the cat in". However, when we went somewhere she always made sure the cat was in the house before we left.

I understand indoor/outdoor is the norm where you are at -- but my vote would be to definately keep kitty inside while you are not home. Then at least you have peace of mind that your cat is safe while you are at work.

Originally Posted by Althekitty

We are lucky to not have racoons....

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Funny you should mention that! I live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the city, and I still can't get over the nights I've seen Raccoons and Possums eating the cat food I left for the strays that live in the alley behind me. The raccoons scare the cats away, however the possums don't seem to be much of a threat.

One other time, early morning, I walked out to my car to head off to work, and out of a garbage can popped a raccoon! Scared the life out of me!

Weird...

Originally Posted by EnzoLeya

They have actually come out with a new product for just the reasons you have explained. There is a "cat box" that fits in a window just like a window AC would. There is a ledge on either side so the cat can jump up and go threw a cat flap inside of the box. This is a great idea for people who don't want the hassel of cutting up a door.

one style, you can find simular at a farm store.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...3474&subref=AA

Click to expand...

oo I really like that window cat-flap - but when it mentioned first floor, that really worried me, but then I realised you guys call what we call the ground floor the first floor - right I couldn't imagine a cat jumping down so far from what we call a 1st floor level

that could be a good option, not sure if they sell in UK or if this company ships without too much added cost.

Originally Posted by AlleyGirl

I have lost too many cats from being outside, due to disease or accidents. I personally will not ever let another cat outside.

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What she said. I know many people who have lost their cats from being outside, including me. My cats are indoor cats and I will never have an outdoor cat again.

Too much h eart break and tears.

It would take another thread to tell you all the stories about cats being outside.

Give the kitty a TV: bird house, feeder, flowers and window. Keeps my cats busy for hours on end.

Originally Posted by deljo

If I lived in the country I would let my two out. Since I'm a city dweller, they stay in the house. I wouldn't want anything to happen to them and I'm not supposed to have cats anyway and all my neighbors would see them. I feel bad at times because I know they are missing part of their life. By the way, they were both outdoor kitties when I adopted them and adjusted very well.

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Being in the country is worse! There are dogs that prowl, fox, bear, more fleas. A pack of dogs got my beautiful, long-hair calico, her name was Princess. I still have a hole in my and this happened 9 years ago.

I have never let my cats outside, with the exception of my Bert going out on the deck for a few minutes. There are many reasons to keep cats indoors, but seeing as I have never been to the UK, I cannot start arguing, so here are my suggestions:

Get another cat as a playmate, but still keep them in during the day. I would hate for something to happen and you wouldn't be there to get her to a vet, etc.

Let them out when you are home, and keep them in when gone. Even if my cats were let outside, I can't imagine going to sleep not knowing where they are.

As far as male or female for a playmate. I have a mix of 3 girls and 3 boys, and they all seem to coexist happliy, although the boys are a little more apt to welcome new cats than the girls, but, your cat is young, and I'm sure another female cat of the same age would be fine.

I have let all my cats have outdoor access - they are allowed out before I go to work, in for the day, then allowed out again when I get home. I dont like them beign out if I am not around in case anything did happen to them, only Ginger had that privilege - not only had he lived as a stray for 3 years so was streetwise enough, he also had the neighbours house to go in when I Was at work. I have the occasional issue when they decide they should be going out as I am, but they aren't allowed and accept it. I can't have a catflap due to other cats and fostering but not sure i would want one anyway. Good luck in your choice.