Should City Cats be Kept Indoors or Also be Let Outdoors some Times?

What is Better: Indoor Only Cat or Outdoor Only Cat? Or both?

Tabby Outdoor Ginger climbing trees
Tabby Outdoor Ginger climbing trees

Today’s big question is:  Should one keep a cat inside or also let it outdoors?

To answer this question you first have to ask yourself a few questions.  These are:

  1. Do I live somewhere safe where my cat can run around safely without being startled by a loud noise, chased by a dog or crushed by a car? Does my cat WANT to go out?
  2. Does she love to hunt and climb trees?
  3. Or is she sleeping all day long on the couch?
  4. Is she bored indoors all the time? Did she ever go out before on her own?
  5. Do I have a nice safe garden in which she could play and round around in?
  6. Can I make sure that she won’t run away if I let her out?
  7. Will I be there to make sure she can get indoors again?

If you live in the middle of a city it may be unwise to let your cat run around outside between the many people, the sounds, the cars and the traffic.  A noise might startle her and she might run into the road and get killed. Or perhaps a dog will see her and chase her and maybe bight her. What will happen if she gets lost or runs away scared from the noise and strange smells?
Some people take their cats on walks even if they do live  in a city.

They simply tye  a leash to the cat’s neck and dragg her along behind them.

Unhappy Tabby Cat on Leash
Unhappy Tabby Cat on Leash

However, I do not think that your cat would appreciate it very much if you would walk her people do their dogs.

Here are a few reasons why cats don’t tend to like leashes:

  • They feel caught and trapped by being tied up to you, since if there is any danger such as a passing dog, they won’t be able to jump up a tree to hide, but will have to scramble up you instead (which won’t be very pleasant for you or your cat!).
  • Cat’s HATE things tied around their bodies, or necks. Unless you got your cat used to it from a very young age, most cats will never get used to being walked on a leash
  • CATS ARE NOT DOGS! Cats like to have their own way in life,  and the same goes in walks.
  • Loud noises scare cats and if you live in a loud noisy city, then walking your cat outside in the midst of the honking and beeping might really scare the life and death out of your cat!
  • Cats like to run around outdoors – but not in the streets. They like the parks, the bushes, the trees and the quiet places. If you do not live by a park or do not have a nice bushy garden in your backyard then you should consider other alternatives….
  • Cats love to run, run, run! On a leash however, they cannot run, run, run unless you feel like racing after your cat into all kinds  of nooks and corners, while bumping into any passerbys with your cat racing between their feet!
Cute Fluffy Kitten Playing with a Ball
Cute Fluffy Kitten Playing with a Ball

So what to do if you live in a city apartment and still want your cat to have fun running around and chasing things?

Here are some tips how to keep indoor only cats entertained, happy and sporty!

  1. Make sure that your cat has lots of cat toys to chase around after and gnaw at.
  2. Get your cat a high cat scratching tree, which she can climb up and down and jump from perch to perch.
  3. Tye a string to one of your cat’s favorite mice, treats or toys and pull it across the floor, having your cat chase after it.
  4. If your cat is a lonely cat, you might want to consider adopting another cat as a play mate for yours. Cats often get lonely if you are away a lot so another cat would keep your cat company.
  5. Have your cat run around the apartment after a remote controlled cat mouse toy.
  6. Put a warm, comfy cat bed on the window sill for your cat to be able to see the outside world.
  7. Try taking your cat for walks in a pet cat stroller.

Have a purrrrfect day!

CatsCamille

How do outdoor cats do when you move?

princess75 asked:

One of the neighborhood cats had a kitten. We have been feeding it and playing with it and it has gotten very used to us. It is about 7 months old. We are thinking of moving and taking the cat but are afraid it will run away or not be happy. It would have to stay an outside cat where we move. Our neighbor is also moving and said they would take it (as well as about 4 other neighborhood cats) and make it an indoor cat. The mother would go too. What is better for the cat?

Evil Cat attack

One of my cats ran away for two days, what precautions should I take?

Ashley Z asked:

I have two cats. One is a male, 2 1/2 years old and neutered. The other is a 1 year old female that is not spayed. The one year old got out the other day and was gone until late tonight. When she left, she was in heat. She does not have any cuts or wounds, nor does she have fleas or ticks. However, I have kept her away from our other cat for fear of transmitted diseases. I am planning on taking her to the vet tomorrow morning, but how long will it take for any tests to come back for things like FIV and FeLV? I am sure my two cats want to see each other again. Am I being too paranoid? Does anyone know how expensive it is to get a cat tested for various things?
I am not worried that she is pregnant, I can deal with that.

Cat Flushing a toilet

Feral Cats Can Make Good Pets

Angelo Ralano shares:

Many people feel that feral cats cannot be kept indoors as pets. This is not true. In fact, feral cats are happy being kept as indoor only pets if you don’t attempt to treat them exactly like tame cats.

What are Feral Cats?

Feral cats are cats that haven’t been properly socialized. What this means behaviorally is that feral cats are not tame toward humans. Very often, feral cats result from the offspring of cats that were once owned and then abandoned. As a result, the kittens are not properly socialized to humans and become feral.

There is a critical period during kitten development in which kittens must be exposed to

Read more

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