Do you think this is cruel?

Coriander is an indoor/outdoor cat. She spends most summer days outside, and nights inside almost always. She usually sleeps all day in winter.
My family and I are moving into a new, much larger, two story house on the same property, and moving the other (it is a modular) out of the property. I would really like for Coriander to be indoors, with the exception of harness/leash outside. My brother is not so thrilled with the idea. He thinks it's cruel for the cat to be indoor when she was previously indoor/outdoor and threatens to let her out. My family says she'll have to stay in my room. but i don't see what is wrong with the idea. The cat will eventually want to stay inside, right? She is also a 4-H cat and goes to shows time to time. She has come home with a broken tooth, numerous injuries including at least two to the ears and areas of body she doesn't like you to touch, as well having gone missing for over 36 hours. . . twice.
The house is not boring. We have parakeets and fish. It might be possible eventually to have an inclosure, but we're short on money. I have found bear poop, and there have been cougar sightings not far at all from our house.. and the neighbors are pretty mad that the cats are killing their birds...
So, do you guys find it cruel to keep a cat that was previously indoor outdoor, permanently indoor?

No, if it's dangerous to let her out then it is most definitely not cruel to keep her in. A lot of the people on this site who have indoor/outdoor cats are in the UK where we do not have large creatures like bears and cougars, the dangers here are not the same.

If I were in your situation I would keep her indoors but aim to build an enclosure or put up cat proof fence so that she could get some outdoor time during the day in safety - being eaten by some large predator is not in her best interests - but you don't need me to tell you that I'm sure

The biggest danger to your cat is other cats and humans (those neighbors, cars, etc). So yes, I would start keeping her inside.
If it's not possible for you or someone else to build a pen you can get premade panels from any farm and live stock supply store. They're originally made for making dog pens, you will have to put a top on it since cats can climb chain link.

No, it's not cruel. Mine have plenty of toys, scratch poles and cat trees to keep them entertained. 2 of them go out on harness/lead sometimes and enjoy that.

I would not let them out without an enclosure, it's far to dangerous.

What's a 4-H cat?

I'm involved with youth 4-H which is for ages kindergarten to senior in high school. A 4-H cat will go to the county or state cat shows and compete against other 4-Hers, etc. Sort of like cat shows in training.

Ah, okay. Thanks for explaining.

Almost all the dangers that can kill your cat are outdoors. That includes diseases, parasites, other cats, dogs, cruel humans, and vehicles, not to mention predators.

Your cat will live much longer and be happier indoors.

It is most definitely not cruel to keep your cat indoors and it has nothing whatsoever to do with bears and cougars which are not a threat to the vast majority of domestic cats in the US.

But it does have to do with coyotes, which now populate every city in the United States.

Originally Posted by mrblanche

But it does have to do with coyotes, which now populate every city in the United States.

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I beg to differ. I have lived in Texas my entire life (I'm 50) and have never set eyes on a coyote nor ever seen evidence of one. Nor do I know anyone who has ever seen one or evidence of one in the city proper. They may be found in outlying areas where city build out is encroaching on their territory but they most certainly do not "populate every city in the United States."

If you haven't seen them, it's just because you may not recognize them. I have seen them dead in Houston on both the I45 highway and 59.

Check out this article about coyotes in the wealthiest sections of Houston:

http://media.www.dailytexanonline.co...g-800971.shtml

Or this one, about coyotes in Chicago:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniont...21readthi.html

Or this one about coyotes in many American cities, and in greater numbers than anyone guessed:

http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/urbcoyot.htm

And coyotes are VERY good at killing both cats and small dogs. Here's another about them in cities all over the U.S.:

http://ranprieur.com/readings/coyotes.html

Originally Posted by mrblanche

If you haven't seen them, it's just because you may not recognize them. I have seen them dead in Houston on both the I45 highway and 59.

Check out this article about coyotes in the wealthiest sections of Houston:

http://media.www.dailytexanonline.co...g-800971.shtml

Or this one, about coyotes in Chicago:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniont...21readthi.html

Click to expand...

Alright, I stand corrected. A stray coyote or two may be found on occasion in even populated areas of the US. I am quite aware of what one looks like and would recognize one if I had ever seen one which I have not.

I strenuously object when people contend that the reason cats should not be let outside in the US is because of the threat of wild animals. This IS NOT the major threat to cats in populated areas. Cars are. It sickens me how many times I have seen dead cats in the road or on the side of the road. It further sickens me when people contend that where they live is safe for outdoor cats because of the lack of wild animals. Nobody lives in an area where there are no cars and it is cars that are the threat. I have even read in these forums someone,in a country believed to be safe for outdoor cats because of the lack of wild animals, write of how heartbroken they are because their cat was just hit by a car. They might even go on to say how they had previously lost another cat on the same road. And then still insist that they would never keep a cat inside because it is "cruel".

End of rant and thread hijack...

Originally Posted by mrblanche

But it does have to do with coyotes, which now populate every city in the United States.

Click to expand...

My aunt's Maine Coon-mix used to chase coyotes out of their yard.

^That's one brave cat.

Originally Posted by mschauer

I strenuously object when people contend that the reason cats should not be let outside in the US is because of the threat of wild animals. This IS NOT the major threat to cats in populated areas. Cars are. It sickens me how many times I have seen dead cats in the road or on the side of the road. It further sickens me when people contend that where they live is safe for outdoor cats because of the lack of wild animals. Nobody lives in an area where there are no cars and it is cars that are the threat. I have even read in these forums someone,in a country believed to be safe for outdoor cats because of the lack of wild animals, write of how heartbroken they are because their cat was just hit by a car. They might even go on to say how they had previously lost another cat on the same road. And then still insist that they would never keep a cat inside because it is "cruel".

Click to expand...

It bothers me too that people will say stuff like that. The biggest dangers to our pets are the ones of our making.

I personally don't think it's cruel. It's dangerous to let a cat outside in a new area. I'm far too scared to let our cats out period! With all the cars, dogs, and people!

Your cat will adjust eventually. I would suggest playing with her more to burn off energy she would burn outside. She might actually dislike going outside after awhile. Stuart and Enzo could care less about going outside. Enzo was a feral cat for the first 4 months of his life and now he's TERRIFIED to go outside!

Good luck!!!

Originally Posted by mschauer

I strenuously object when people contend that the reason cats should not be let outside in the US is because of the threat of wild animals. This IS NOT the major threat to cats in populated areas. Cars are.

Click to expand...

On this you are exactly and completely correct.

And by far, the most common predator to kill a cat outdoors would be a dog, or a human being.

I turned my 14 yr old Harold into an indoor cat after an injury from another animal...he really doesn't seem to miss it much at all, tho he looks out the window most of the time. I'm hoping he will live longer now.

i do not think it is cruel because your cat will be a lot safer indoors and will live a lot longer if keep indoors

My 2 cents?

I've got strictly outdoors farm cats. I've also got coyotes living in the field right off my place. My cats are locked up most of the time, whether it be in a shed, the shop, or the garage. Coyotes have not get gotten brave enough to come out during the day, so I let them roam then.

I've lost a few cats to coyotes.....the ferals/semi-feral mostly....they got one semi-feral I had tamed down quite a bit that had already been fixed. Otherwise mostly they're getting the yet un-altered kitties I've been unable to catch so far.

I spend a great deal of $$ on the farm kitties for injuries, flea preventative, de-worming, etc. I need to get in the habit of testing for FeLV every few months too.

I'd keep her strictly indoors. My neighbors just lost their one indoor/outdoor cat to some "punks" that were out shooting stuff.

That's living 5 miles out of town on a not-so-busy road, too.