What do cats think about indoor and outdoor?

Well I know this is more of an opinion question, but I am interested what experience others have with indoor and outdoor kitties.

I have a long time indoor cat and another one that I have been feeding for well over 2 years now in the garden, she was a feral and now she is tame. Recently I had to take her indoors because she had an eye infection and I had to give her antibiotics twice a day. Her eyes are fine now, but I am reluctant to let her back outside because I know it is safer inside of course.

She is getting along fine with my older cat and the question is really now for me, where would she be happier? IN the beginning she was scratching the mesh door to the garden and went crazy, but she quickly calmed down. Now she seems fine, goes to the mesh door often, sits there a few minutes, but is mostly hanging around me and my other cat in my office where I work all day and half the night. she has also stopped meowing all the time.

IN the pst when she was outside, I have often observed her and wondered, what those cats in the outdoors are thinking. Sometimes she was resting on the grass, the nose turned to the bushes, just one step from the hedge and been staring at the bushes for hours. Most of the night she spend either in her house sleeping or sitting on the steps looking inside through the meshdoor for hours.

Clearly, all this Free Willy and Born Free stuff is nothing but disneyfied human emotions transferred onto animals. From my observations I don't really think animals distinguish between "freedom" and "captivity" like certain enthusiasts are trying to make us believe. When you look at lions in the savannah, they lie there for hours and sleep or stare and only get up when they absolutely have to to get a meal.

So my question is really: What have others experienced with outdoor cats that came inside? Do you have the feeling they are happy in the long run? Or do they keep behaving in a way different from indoor cats who have never experienced the outdoors that make you think they miss something?

It's all oppinion, I know but I would like to hear other people's thought on this.

We have many threads on this very subject !!! I am of the opinion that indoor trumps outdoor for many reasons for me anyway. I have complete control over keeping my cats safe from all of the danger's lurking outdoors such as cruel, inhumane people, cars/traffic, wildlife encounters, poisons, parasites, diseases and fights with stray cats that may be in the area, and my cats just getting lost!! My cats are perfectly happy being indoors only. I have two cats ( of my five ) that were outdoor turned indoor and one of them enjoys a sunbathe outback in my securely enclosed courtyard which is very, very small. I sit out there with him. Wendall is happy to go out once or twice a day for only about 10 minutes then he is ready to come back in. I think that any cat can be transitioned from outdoor to indoor with a little thought and care by making the house "catified"! Cat trees, cat shelving, lots and lots of vertical space and adding a play time with inter-actives once daily. I think the best of both worlds would be to build an attached kitty safe enclosure to one's home. I know of many member's who have absolutely beautiful additions to their home. Even turning an attached porch or sun room into an outdoor safe cat enclosure.

Yup - you will get varying opinions on this subject! And, that is mine!

Thanks for the insights. She is a bit vocal, making noise all the time, then at times she scratches at the metal door to the garden again, then at other times she is just sitting around. Half of the  day or more she sleeps in the box I have for her. It may take a while to make her forget the outdoors I guess, I will see how it goes.

Also her eyes need daily wiping, so I would much rather keep her inside.

Playerdark said:

Thanks for the insights. She is a bit vocal, making noise all the time, then at times she scratches at the metal door to the garden again, then at other times she is just sitting around. Half of the  day or more she sleeps in the box I have for her. It may take a while to make her forget the outdoors I guess, I will see how it goes.
Also her eyes need daily wiping, so I would much rather keep her inside.

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:bigthumb: She is certainly lucky to have you caring for her needs and keeping her safe. It takes time to make the transition but is very successful once the cat realizes that there is no more outdoors and the attempts to get your attention to get outside are ignored. Best of luck!!!!!!!!!