Cat owners: Indoor or outdoor or both?

[JOSIE]

I'm a cat owner but my cat is an indoor cat. I dont have a problem with outdoor cats, its just that i would be crushed if anything happened to my cat prematurely thus I always keep him inside.

 

Similar to most of the other girls, I'd say that there is no training to make them indoor/outdoor, but that they know there home and have a sense of how to get back there.

 

My cat had NEVER been outside for 2 years of his life when my roommate accidently left our screen door open over night. He was gone for 2 days and somehow found his way back to our place even though we lived in a massive apartment complex where all the buildings look the same!

 

enjoy your new kitten

[KAMAY11]

We have 2 cats and they are indoor/outdoor cats (only in the summer though).

 

We rescued the one cat and she likes to roam through the neighborhood and roll in any dirt she sees, so we have her on a harness and a leash. She likes it because she can sit outside.

 

The other one walk around outside but always comes home....He used to be the most sketchy cat (afraid of eveything and everyone-except me) but now that he's going outside, he is completely different.

[Jacqueline]

aw thats great debs, good luck and keep us posted when/if you get a new kitty.

 

i guess its a personal choice. i have always had indoor cats so i dont know any different. i had 1 as a kid and when i had own apt i got 2 and chose to keep them indoors. imo i think its better for them to remain in doors. they can get hit by cars, stolen, lost, sick, killed by another animal (eg: dog) get in a cat fight- which can get bad, get fleas, ticks, feline aids, leukemia etc. they do sell ouside "tents" like things you can put the cat in when your in yard for them to get out but thats the most i would do personally. its all screen or something.

 

whatever you decide though good luck and i cant wait to see pix if you get one!

[SillyGirl]

We have an outdoor/indoor kitty. She always comes home, and is very healthy. I have had both so has FI. Fi's outdoor/indoor(barely indoor) lived for 18years.

My cats have always seemed happiest outside, but we are normally outside with them and they tend to come in when we do.

[msemi305]

Hey - I have 2 cats -

My oldest cat is 18 - he was an outdoor cat until he recently became blind and deft due to his old age. He loved catching things and bringing them home for us - so be prepared for that if you live in the country.

My other cat is 1.5 and he is an indoor cat - we do let him out but only on a leash.

It is really what your more comfortable with - both worked well for our cats and for us.

 

Enjoy your kitty and take tons of photos they are only small for a short period of time.

 

Cheers

[*Meagan*]

Our kitty is an indoor cat and growing up our cats were always indoors. That way you never have to worry about them being stolen, attacked, and god forbid killed. No thank you!!!! I love having my cat around all the time!!

[vlynnw]

I grew up in the country and always had outdoor/indoor cats. I personally can't stand having cats inside (FI is begging for a cat but I told him never going to happen, unless it goes outside) That's just me though, don't get me wrong always loved my cats just don't like them inside very much, I'm a dog person. The way you keep it as an indoor/outdoor cat is by first training it inside with it's litter box, after it has that down which won't take long then you just start letting it outside. Remember cats are smart and if they are shown their areas they aren't going to run off. Out cats love being outside but they love to come inside too...sometimes they will dart in before you can even realize what's happening. Good luck!

[Debs]

OK I promised you all a pic of the kitty when we got him.

 

Introducing: Jinx!

 

[bholthof]

Too cute!!! He is adorable!!!

 

My thoughts on indoor vs outdoor.

 

We have three cats - all indoor. Although I have nothing against outdoor cats, there are a LOT more risks involved in having one, both in the country and in the city. In the country you have to worry about them getting hurt and not being able to get home, being attacked by wild animals (like coyotes or stray dogs) and of course one day they may just decide not to come home. Plus, if you live on or near a busy highway - cars are a very real threat. Also fleas. You will have fleas. Plus much more exposure to diseases. If you do decide to let him be an outdoor cat, please please get him fixed, and do not declaw him! He needs his claws to defend himself, and you need to get him (or her) fixed, so that he doesn't wind up with little babies wandering around out in the wild or preggers.

 

Indoor cats: No fleas. No need to worry that they will run off and get hit by a car. You can control what they eat (mostly) - no risk of eating diseased rodents or birds. I myself would never let a cat outside, unless it was in an enclosed back yard or on the porch with a leash on.

 

Cats don't miss the outdoors - and why would you put your pet at risk if you didn't have to?

 

Also, the lifespan of cats can be 20+ years - whereas outdoors its much shorter.

Two of our indoor cats used to love going outside, and would usually come back at night. However, both died because they were let outside. One was hit by a car, and the other got attacked by a loose dog.

[isaidyes]

We have an outdoor cat. We got him at 10 years old from the Humane Society though so we didn't have to train him. The first year we kept him inside but then he literally scratched at the window to get out, so when we got a puppy we decided to let him go. He usually stays around the house, i think they are fairly intelligent and can smell their way back home