Indoor or outdoor cats just a question  

I keep my girls in,because I had a cat go missing!

I had a wonderful cat named Hatchet.He was more dog-like then cat and was VERY loyal to me.It was not in his nature to run away.Well one day he got out (June 2008) and I never seen him since! He was also an indoor cat,because I find it safer.I live in the city and even though my neighbourhood is quiet generally,I still do not want to take risks.I really miss Hatchet and so I make sure now that there is NO WAY my current girls can get out.I cannot bear to lose them too!

IMO Trout is much safer in the house. I would never risk her life or livelihood by letting her go outside. There are too many dangers for a kitty out there.

All three of mine are indoor cats. The only one whom ever goes outside is Sassy who is my oldest at 18. He will go outside and sit on the lawn-chair if I am working on my deck. He doesn't leave the lawn-chair and as soon as I go back inside he comes in as well. I prefer to have them as house cats simply for safety sake. I live near a busy road, as well as railway tracks and a wooded area where other wild animals like foxes, raccoons and fishers live all three of which are very likely to kill a cat given the opportunity. Not to mention neighborhood dogs and those humans who think hurting small animals is amusing.

There are also many problems not necessarily cruelty but certainly neglect when it comes to feral cat populations here in Canada as well. To many people look at cats in particular as disposable pets, and once they get tired of them simply throw them outside to fend for themselves.

As far as how I love and treat my kitties. Being single with no children my cats are not just part of my family they are my family and I treat them as that. I know what their favorite things are, I understand their personalities and I try to make them happy. And they seem to do the same for me.

I haven't decided yet but either they think they are just smaller hairier humans, or that I am just a big bald cat.

Indoor kitties live longer. Outdoors is a dangerous place for cats - cars, dogs, coyotes and other wild animals, fear of getting trapped inside a garage or stuck in a tree. Then there are the problem with fleas and other parasites, as well as diseases they can catch.

I believe that all kitties should be indoor cats. But having said that, I confess that my oldest cat is an indoor/outdoor cat because she was a neighborhood stray when she adopted us. There is no way we can convert her to indoor only, though I am going to try my best when we move in a few weeks.

My number one cardinal rule for cats that go outside is to bring them in at night! That is the most dangerous time for cats to be wandering around because that is when the predators are hunting for a meal.

My second rule for outdoor cats is put a collar on them with a nametag and your telephone number. That will discourage anyone else from "adopting" them and will provide a way to reach you should your animal be found by someone else. A microchip is also a good idea, though don't chip without a nametag and phone number.

My other cat is indoor only. She has never been outside and has no desire to go out. She still has a collar and nametag with my cell phone number on it, just in case she escapes somehow.

ETA:
Oh, and welcome to TCS Ruthyb! I'd love to visit England some day!

My kitty is an indoor kitty because some cats just don't have the skills it takes to live outside.

Irregardless of how many times your cat has crossed the road safely, there are ALWAYS people out there who don't care if they hit an animal, and there are some who intentionally try to hit them. If your cat hasn't been hit by a car next to that busy road yet, then I think you are a very very lucky cat owner. I have found so many dead cats in the road that just thinking about it for too long makes me cry.

Outside cats are typically more expensive in vet costs. Outside kitties need more vaccinations agaist all the dangerous diseases they may encounter on their runs, as well as they are more accident prone due to other animals, cars, people, objects... You can't cat-proof the outside world. Sure they can hunt and feed themselves most of the year, but is the cheaper cost in food really worth the risk of losing a beloved pet?

There are people who believe that cat's belong outside. I say this is B.S. Because cats seem more happy to be well-fed, groomed, clean, and have lots of scritchies than to face the elements. People often forget that they aren't wild, they are domesticated animals just like dogs. People don't intentionally let their dogs roam free, even though they are also decended from wild animals.

The bottom line is really, that I keep my cat indoors because I want him to live a very long and healthy life, and the statistics of mortality in outdoor cats scare me bad enough to want to keep my furbaby sheltered for as long as I possibly can.

I'd beat the right out of anyone who touched my cats too.

You have said everything I believe in so no need to add more except that my kitty Autumn is indoor only and so was my angel kitty Misty and she lived to be almost 16 years old.

You are answering your own question.... Look:

In average, an outside cat will live 3-5 years, due to different reasons, included the above, and also diseases, dogs, cat fights, predators, etc.
Inside cats live an average of 13-15 years... That is much much longer!
Inside cats are healthier and happier cats, as they are not subject to famine, diseases, fights, the weather, abuse.... God, there are just SO MANY reasons...
When you have a chance, and the heart for it, take a look at the Crossing the Bridge Forum... it's really sad... There is a lot of outside kitties in there,or inside who escaped even for a day...

Jake is indoor because I don't feel safe letting him out without a harness and supervision. He goes outside in a fenced yard when I'm there for a few minutes per day.

indoor here too...
Catulina was feral, after her spay I can see that she perfectly take the rol of being indoor cat!.. she only take a little ride early morning around of 25 minutes ( under surveillance ) along with King Milky and voila, the whole day spend it at home!....

Main reason: Security...

That's awful.... I am sorry you went through this... This is another serious reason to keep them inside..... stupid stupid law - how can that be??

My kitties are all indoors only. There's not a huge amount of traffic, but I'm on a hill where people can't see what's in the road until they're almost on top of it. There are also a lot of coyotes around who think kitties make a good snack. I do have a screened-in patio so they can get some fresh air without actually getting out where it's dangerous for them.

My cats are both indoors only. Casey would like to be an outside cat but since he's declawed(not by me) and he keeps breaking his leashes (:/), he's now inside only.

My three cats are indoor cats. However, they do go outside almost daily on a harness and leash, supervised. There are a number of reasons I don't have outdoor cats. Firstly, I'd be worried CONSTANTLY. I'd be a nutcase if I new my babies were running around loose outside. There are soo many bad things that could happen to them. I live on a highway, first of all. There are also lots of wild animals, diseases, traps, etc. I live in a semi - rural neighborhood, so I wouldn't be surprised if someone took a gun to them either. I wouldn't want them outside all the time anyway. I want to be around them, they are my pets after all! If they were always outside, I wouldn't be able to enjoy their company!

Indoors vs. Outdoors is very different from country to country. In the UK, it is more common for cats to be indoor/outdoor.

I have both indoor cats, & outdoor farm cats. All are altered & receive regular vet care. They range from 3 years to 18ish years. I also live in the country, on a farm. Most of my farm cats were born & raised outdoors, a few were going to be euthanized at the shelter.

If you live in town, or even outside of town, it's a good idea not to let your cats have free roam. I do truly believe cats should be allowed out if they can be, but I don't trust people at all.

Look in IMO for the type of fuss people can cause. The woman is lucky that the neighbors choose to use the town's laws against her and not take it into their own hands.

No matter where you live, if there are other people then there's danger. I wish it wasn't like this. I'll never understand the cruelty some people visit upon animals, and honestly I don't want to.

Indoor/Outdoor or completely outdoor used to be the norm over here, but slowly things are changing. More people are keeping their cats inside, using harnesses, cat fencing or enclosures.

My cats are free to go outside and I will never force them to stay indoors. Maybe it's luck or maybe they're street smart, but they do not ran out to the streets, or visit neighbors' yards to do their business, or eat from garbage. Yes, I know how dangerous it is for them outside the property but fortunately they seem to know it so they keep themselves safe.

All my cats are inside. We built a nice run for them that they can enter at will in the nice weather. I would no more let them outside than I would let a 3 year old child run around at will outside. They are my furkids.

I'm against outdoor cats (thanks TCS) but unfortunately I still live with my Mum and she makes the rules.

Elmo & Sophie (both desexed - 10 and 7 respectively) have indoor/outdoor access

Fluffy, Flutterby, Tales and Sunshine are indoor only.

If I had one more bedroom (please Mum) then Elmo & Sophie can be indoor only too. Sophie actually spent her first 5 years indoor only - when she was a breeding cat.

Ruthy - how many cats do you have? the general litter box is 1 per cat so start with a couple and see how you go

People let their pets and their toddlers run loose unattended here. There's a little girl, maybe ~2 and a half that lives down the street and I always see her playing by the curb with no one else in sight. At least she knows to stay out of the street, but it still scares me.

Near my-laws there's a family that lets their children and pets run around unattended. The speed on the road is 35mph, but people typically do 40+. One day there was a little one out there all by himself who couldn't have been 2 yet. He was at the edge of the road and looked like he wanted to run out.

This happens all over town. If people can't be responsible for their children, I hold no hope of them being responsible for their pets. I spotted a large dog running loose near by back gate last night..

BTW - Anyone know how that would be reported to DHS? would they need proof of it somehow?

Mom has two indoor only cats.
Illusion,she got as a kitten and he has NEVER been outdoors ever.He is fixed,but he does everything to try and get outside.

Her other cat,Mama,was a pregnant stray they took in.She has been outdoors before mom took her in and now that she is spayed and inside,she never tries going outdoors.

It is funny how they are.Mom won't let them out,because she lives by a busy street,with ALOT of roaming,stray cats in the area who could be carrying who knows what and there are some bratty kids.So it is safer.My neighbourhood is much nicer then my mom's,but I also won't let my cats out.

For years,we would always let our cats go outside and they were never fixed! At the time,we didn't know better and had no internet or anyone telling us the dangers and why we should have the cats altered.The females were always having babies and they never lived past 6-7,some passed younger.We had one tom cat that became so sick,I am not sure what he had...but he was drolling,thin,scruffy,gooey eyes...etc,etc and he died on our kitchen floor and he was only 4 yrs old.We had another cat that was only about 1 yr and our neighbours poisoned him.

Now that we are more aware,our cats are fixed and don't go out.
I have no problem with people who wanna let their cats out,as long as the neighbourhood is safe...like a country or something,but even then there are risks.I would love to build a huge outdoor enclosure for my cats,but there is just no room here!

WOW...thats crazy! When my daughter was 2 she was never out alone and I wouldn't dream of it.She is 5 now and I still do not let her go too far from my sight.She has to be out with other kids or me,one of my sisters or someone.Unless she is at mom's,where they have a high fenced in yard...she plays out there all the time by herself.

^My parents let me wander a bit when I was four. But I was smart enough as a child to understand the dangers associated with roads, trespassing, snakes/animals, etc (the worst thing I did was bring home feral kittens). Toddlers can't, and even an animal used to crossing roads isn't invincible.

I'd count most of the people on this forum as sane responsible parents - whether those be animal or human kids.