Indoor Cats. . . To put them out or not?

dianajune

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I'm in a pretty tough spot folks. . . I have recently been encouraged by somebody I am very close with to transition my 100% indoor Cats to an indoor/outdoor lifestyle. . . Number 1 I am not even sure how cool I am with this proposal. But if I were, is it doable? My oldest is 9, middle is 6 and kitten is 5 months old. They have all been indoors their whole lives. Is there a point at which it's just better that they stay in because they've always been in? Or do you think they can still get healthy satisfaction by hanging out in a secure enclosure? I'm lost!
I've had my kitty for almost two years.  He was a stray that someone abandoned in Pulaski, NY.....and was a runner.  Pumpkin - according to some of my now former-neighbors - was seen all over that town.  When Winter of 2012 set in I had to adopt him.....there was no way I was going to let him keep staying outside and possibly freeze or get hit by a car.

Imo it's better to keep a kitty indoors all the time, with few exceptions.  Pumpkin gets to go out in his carrier whenever he has a vet appointment or when I visit a relative for the holidays.  I normally go overnight and I will not allow him to stay home alone.  He comes along with me as he's part of this family too.  :)

I recently purchased a mobility scooter and he's been on it with me indoors.  I'm thinking about taking him for rides outside but I would need to get a wearable kitty carrier.  I don't know if this is something you might want to consider.  You could walk your kitties outside and they would still be safe. 

A secure enclosure sounds good too.

Have your cats been acting like they want to go out?  Are they vaccinated? 

Imo it would be best to keep them indoors but that's just my opinion.  I'm still trying to convince my kitty that it's better to stay inside.  He still tries to escape but so far he only gets as far as the inner hallway in our building. 
 

kittywhiskers

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That's a beautiful enclosure, @KittyWhiskers
! I wish we had a nice garden like that to cover. Your cats must love it.

We've been thinking about somehow enclosing our (raised) deck... our previous cat was easily contained there with tall lattice but she was a low-key senior cat. Our two cats now are young, active, and sneaky so we have to come up with something more creative for them if they're going to go on the deck at all! Lucky for us they truly do seem happy inside.
Thank you, it has taken us just over 3 years to get it to the stage it is now. Initially we started off with just the 'catio' part but it has slowly got bigger and bigger!
The cats seem to be very happy with their outside space, we have a very busy road quite close by and decided not to take the chance of anything happening to them. My neighbour's cat was killed on that road.
 

micknsnicks2mom

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catio!

i'm planning to convert my open deck to a catio in the spring of 2016. my plan is to have screening attached to the inner sides of the posts supporting the roof, and on the outer sides of those posts will be 2 x 4 inch fencing. the fencing isn't to keep my two cats inside the catio, but to prevent predators (here there are coyotes, fox, racoons, geese -- which will attack when they nest in this area each spring/summer, dogs on the loose, and mean neighbors -- we've got one in my area who has shot cats before) from popping through the screening. i'll have a window converted to a door, so the entrance to the catio will be through a door from a first floor bedroom.
 
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fitzleigh1985

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Truth be told, this all came about when my longtime boyfriend and I recently decided we're ready to live together. He has expressed his thoughts as far as how he feels about cats being allowed outside. I've never truly considered the concept myself, not even remotely relishing the idea of cleaning up my beloved babies with a shovel. And thanks to your lovely feedback, I feel more confident in holding my ground. I think that he doesn't understand that inside cats are indeed happy cats. But I am also now 100% on boboard with the catio idea! I love it! And the place we just found has the perfect space for it! Until it is done though, my babies will be safe and snug inindoors with me :)
 

kittywhiskers

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Truth be told, this all came about when my longtime boyfriend and I recently decided we're ready to live together. He has expressed his thoughts as far as how he feels about cats being allowed outside. I've never truly considered the concept myself, not even remotely relishing the idea of cleaning up my beloved babies with a shovel. And thanks to your lovely feedback, I feel more confident in holding my ground. I think that he doesn't understand that inside cats are indeed happy cats. But I am also now 100% on boboard with the catio idea! I love it! And the place we just found has the perfect space for it! Until it is done though, my babies will be safe and snug inindoors with me :)
Yay! :clap:
 

bonepicker

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I'm in a pretty tough spot folks. . . I have recently been encouraged by somebody I am very close with to transition my 100% indoor Cats to an indoor/outdoor lifestyle. . . Number 1 I am not even sure how cool I am with this proposal. But if I were, is it doable? My oldest is 9, middle is 6 and kitten is 5 months old. They have all been indoors their whole lives. Is there a point at which it's just better that they stay in because they've always been in? Or do you think they can still get healthy satisfaction by hanging out in a secure enclosure? I'm lost!
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alismama

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As others have said, keep them in.

I was also encouraged by an acquaintance to put my Ali outside and told her to go home an stake care of her now kitties and I will take care of mine.
 

barbara fichera

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Your cats are indoor cats. Keep them in, because sometime cats that are indoors get scared and dont no how to defend themselves on the outside. Please take my advise and leave them in. My samson got out one day, Thank god we found him in between some ones screen door. He was so scared, when my husband picked him up he wraped his furry self around him and would let go. Of course I cried when he came back. We where so happy that he wasnt hurt . Keep those babies in. I hope everything goes ok for you and your cats. 
 

karissima

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You might find your boyfriend is more amenable to the arrangement if you show him some statistics. There are a lot of reasons to keep your cats in:

Outdoor cats statistically have 1/3 the life span of indoor cats. That means your 9 year old might make it to 12 inside, whereas outside he would have died years ago at age 4. 

   Why is the life of an outdoor cat so much shorter?

-Parasite load

Internal parasites like worms from prey, feces of other animals, and from external parasites take a toll on a cat's immune system and nutritional health

External parasites such as ticks, fleas, mosquitos, etc can transmit internal parasites from other animals, and the bites of external parasites can cause infection.

External fungus, such as mange and ring worm, which are uncomfortable for your cat and can be transmitted to you and your boyfriend

-Predators

Dogs, coyotes, and foxes are happy to snack on a cat. Dogs, in particular, might attack a cat just for fun.

Raccoon, opossum, other cats, snakes, and other small mammals will fight a cat if they have reason. An unsuspecting cat that comes too near a snake, a raccoon that wants the cat food you left out, an opossum that thinks your cat's shelter is cozy, or another cat who wants hunting rights in your yard can all cause injuries or death. And in the case of injury, do you want to spend the money to take your cat to the vet?

I would emphasize that letting your cats outside is *costly* (flea treatments, vet bills), harmful to your cats, and *dangerous to your health* (transmission of parasites).

Good luck! If he wants something that goes outside, get him a dog.
 

maddismaw

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GemsGem's idea, is wonderful! To get them used to being outdoors ( under your watchful eye of course) my cat started out being a outdoor cat, so she's "CatStreetSmart". I'm not sure how it would go if they had been inside all their lives.?? Let us know, if you do this please!
 

anneno2

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Bitty-Boo (Boo to his friends) came to us as a ten week kitten. Having lost a kitten just before he arrived and I made from the onset that he would be an indoor/outdoor I could not bear to watch another kitten hit by a car ever again. Boo, from he very beginning was quite in favour and would go outside with hubby and me and do kitten things, but come 6pm dinner time and he would settle on the sofa and watch telly with us. he spent the remainder of night-time doing whatever kittens do when the lights go off. So ;yes; I had no problems and Bitty lived that lifestyle until he died at 21 years & seven months. Regards anneno2 
 

bonepicker

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It does not go well been there done that! You cannot put indoor cats out just like that! They are not street wise!
 
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anneno2

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Yes I agree with you bone picker. In my estimation kittens of ten weeks is asking too much of them to have road sense and to be cute as well, so we humans have  to guide them safely through the mind field that are roads etc. I never meant to give the impression of just opening the door and letting the kitten play in the middle of the road. Of course, you have to watch them closely. We had a back yard which was enclosed so the danger was somewhat halved. Regards anneno2
 

bonepicker

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Some areas just have too many predators and too much traffic. The worst part is they always get worms and bring in fleas. I just got finished reading another post where cat was poisoned. This can happen from catching rodents which have eaten poison. Very awful death.
 
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