To start letting 3 year old cat outdoors or not?

Penny87

Hi all,

I was just wondering if I could get anyones opinion on this.
I have a 3 year old female cat. She was absolutely tiny when we got her, i think she must have been the runt of the litter so we decided to keep her indoors as she was quite a sick lil kitten and so unusually small(and very hyper) that we thought that if we let her outside that she would be ravaged by other cats and probably never be seen again. So we built her a run in the garden wired and fenced in.

Now she is 3 years old and we're thinking should we start letting her outside properly to roam about? She has built up well over the years and is not the frail little thing she used to be. I feel bad that im depriving her? Is it cruel to keep them indoors? But i'm afraid , if we let her out would that would be the last we see of her? Would she come back? Would we just be setting her up to be killed on the road?

We have a cat leash and have been walking her around the garden, letting her up on the walls to look around but I keep having the feeling like it might be a bad idea, is she too old now to suddenly be an outdoor cat?

Any advice much appreciated:)

Bullseye1

Personally I would not let a house cat out unless your garden is cat secure. Is the cat unhappy inside? It probably needs some stimulation.

Nody

There is no need for a cat to roam around outdoors and it sounds you're giving her a lovely and interesting life as it is so I'd not feel guilty about not letting her roam.

kylith

It's not cruel to keep her indoors, and there are lots of dangers to face outside. If you think she'd like some fresh air and more space there are many ways to escape-proof your garden.

missmyler

This question has come up many times before on boards and you will get arguments from both sides of the fence.

I would never keep a cat just indoors. I have only ever owned cats that have access to both and come and go as they please. Depending on the weather they might only head out for 20 mins but during the summer stay out for hours. I have house sat many indoor cats and they always seemed bloody miserable to me, always scratching at the door. It actually used to upset me seeing them pining to go out.

Having said that each cat is different and you need to decide which bracket your cat falls into. If it seems content then it might be suited to indoor life. If it spends every minute wanting to go out then let it be. You can't always wrap them up in cotton wool. Be smart of course, get it neutered, microchipped and wear a collar before you even begin the process

Fitzg

I would just keep her indoors - it sounds like she has a really great set-up with the fenced in garden and the run of the house. If she's been used to that arrangement for three years I wouldn't change it. If she seems bored maybe you could just spend more time with her somehow? get some extra toys ?
It's natural and kind of you to wonder if she is happy enough as she is but it sounds to me like she's got the ideal scenario as it is!
We started letting our 10 month old little cat out about a month ago and one night he just didn't come back we've been flyering, going door to door and still have posters up all around the area but no joy - so right now I feel strongly about keeping cats in!

Penny87

Bullseye1 wrote: »

Personally I would not let a house cat out unless your garden is cat secure. Is the cat unhappy inside? It probably needs some stimulation.

I don't think she's unhappy.. When she's out in the run you can tell she would love to be able to dive on the birds flying around, she goes mad so i guess if we let her out she could kill all the lovely lil bluetits nesting in the garden:eek:

missmyler wrote: »

Having said that each cat is different and you need to decide which bracket your cat falls into. If it seems content then it might be suited to indoor life. If it spends every minute wanting to go out then let it be. You can't always wrap them up in cotton wool. Be smart of course, get it neutered, microchipped and wear a collar before you even begin the process

Oh yes she is spayed and chipped and all that. Would have to get a collar.. Thanks for the reply I see you're point. it's a difficult one. As a few people have said to me that cats should be allowed outside.

Fitzg wrote: »

I would just keep her indoors - it sounds like she has a really great set-up with the fenced in garden and the run of the house. If she's been used to that arrangement for three years I wouldn't change it. If she seems bored maybe you could just spend more time with her somehow? get some extra toys ?
It's natural and kind of you to wonder if she is happy enough as she is but it sounds to me like she's got the ideal scenario as it is!
We started letting our 10 month old little cat out about a month ago and one night he just didn't come back we've been flyering, going door to door and still have posters up all around the area but no joy - so right now I feel strongly about keeping cats in!

Yes I think I'll do as you suggested and just show her a lot more attention and play more with her so that she won't get fed up!
Oh no I really hope he turns up for u :( hearing that definately makes me lean towards keeping her an indoor cat..
You could put the flyer up on social networking sites (you probably are way ahead of me here), you never know someone who lives in the area might spot him, friends of friends even. never too late:) thanks for the reply and good luck with the search xx

boomerang

Please don't. You wouldn't risk letting your dog out to roam. Why would a cat be any different?

Fitzg

Thanks Penny, yep we have him all over twitter and facebook! there are lots of lost animal sites - and a thread on this forum too! reading through them all its hopeful because you see lots of stories where people have managed to get their lost animals back - even after months sometimes - but it also makes you aware of how too often they do go missing.
Yay, well it sounds like your little lady has a wonderful owner! I'm sure you guys will be very happy! best of luck with it all xx Em

Penny87

Fitzg wrote: »

Thanks Penny, yep we have him all over twitter and facebook! there are lots of lost animal sites - and a thread on this forum too! reading through them all its hopeful because you see lots of stories where people have managed to get their lost animals back - even after months sometimes - but it also makes you aware of how too often they do go missing.
Yay, well it sounds like your little lady has a wonderful owner! I'm sure you guys will be very happy! best of luck with it all xx Em

Thanks Em!
Have my fingers crossed for you xxx

MaryK666

I have seven cats who are all mainly indoor cats. They are all rescue cats and three of them are ex-feral cats. Three of mine are FIV positive so I couldn't let them out, even if I wanted to, as it might put the neighbourhood cats at risk.

So, as a compromise, we got a cat fence for the back garden which keeps my cats in and keeps other cats out. It wasn't exactly cheap but we installed it ourselves and it works perfectly despite being tested on several occasions and you can't really put a price on peace of mind. We only allow them out in good (dry) weather and we're usually out there with them or in the nearest room so they're in no danger and we usually find that once we go inside, they all follow us in, just in case they'd be missing out on anything interesting - like food. :rolleyes:

Cats can, and do, live perfectly happy and fulfilled lives as indoor cats as long as they have free run of the house for exercise, plenty of stimulation and playtime, lots of toys and scratching posts. We have one of these in the living room and it's well capable of having all of them (including one who weighs in at just over 7 kilos) tear up and down it without risk of it falling apart. We also have two others set up in the back bedroom with a view over the garden and they like to lie up there in the sunshine and watch the world go by.

Like other posters have said, there are so many risks involved in letting a cat roam free, particularly in urban areas and it's a decision that only you can make but you'll never be completely relaxed if you don't know where your cat is and could lead to heartbreak if anything bad happens. Even if we didn't have the FIV+ cats here, I still couldn't let the others out to roam and be able to sleep at night because I'd be pacing the floor worrying about them.

Kloecor

I had 3 indoor cats for about 2 years. They were all completely indoor cats, were only bought outside with a harness on. Only one of them ever seemed to be interested in the outdoor world. I started leaving them outside and they all LOVED it and are now mainly outdoor cats that live in the shed or in the dog kennel with the dog. You should absolutely leave your kitty out, my cats love playing with bugs, grass, climbing up fences etc. etc. so I wouldn't take it back any day!

The Sweeper

+1 to the cat fence. I have six cats. They play outside in the grass, chasing bugs and butterflies and hunting lizards, and unable to get out of my yard.

I get up in the morning and let mine out for two hours, then call them back in and go to work. They're inside while I'm at work. I let them out again for 2-3 hours when I get home, then call them back in for the night.

Once every so often one of them will find a way to escape the yard, but because I'm home I notice and go hunting for them. They haven't yet (touch wood) gone further than the neighbour's yard (but saying that even the neighbour's yard can be hazardous - one of them was attacked by a dog in a neighbour's yard a couple of years ago after squeezing through a hole the neighbour's dog had dug under the fence).

They love the access to sun, fresh air and insects. I love the safety and security and knowing I'll never come home to find my cat poisoned on my front step, or dead in the gutter at the end of the driveway. Everyone's a winner.

sligoface

I worked in a vet's and an animal shelter and while many outdoor cats I'm sure live happily ever after, I saw many reasons not let cats out. In the vets we would get loads of people bringing their cat in for bite wounds and injuries from fighting, or wondering what to do with what was left of their cat after it got run over. In the shelter, loads of homeless kittens from unspayed strays, and people ringing in looking for lost indoor/outrdoor cats who didn't come home. One day I saw a cat someone shot with a crossbow and that confirmed it for me: I will always be for indoor cats. Territorial fighting and accidents are one thing but the cruelty of humans is not to be underestimated.