Cats and kittens?

Question

What is your preference on having an outdoor cat or an indoor cat and why?

Answer 1

Outdoor cats get stolen by vivisection collectors/nasty peeps/stanic messes sacrificer/dog fight trainers (as bait for fighting dog training)/cat hating neighbours/sick bas***ds/jealous neighbours/crazy neighbours/spiteful neighbours/people that want a cat for a while then chuck it out when takes a pee on the rug. 4000 cats go missing in the UK alone every year.

Also, it can eat anti freeze or lily pollen, grease, rat poison and all sort of deadly poisons, get shot by sick kids with pellet guns (loosing an eye or worse) gets kicked/punched/maimed by repressed individuals who hate cats because they're free spirits, run over on purpose/by accident, get lost after chasing another cat/being chased by another cat/dog with a dullard owner. They can get into fights with other cats and catch illnesses like FIV (feline AIDS, which makes the cat vulnerable to other illnesses but does NOT infect people)

Indoors, they get bored and never get to sit on grass, chase butterflies and catch birds and mice as their nature intended them to do. Some say they live a half life, unable to ever fulfill their natural instincts. Of course, in a perfect world less overcrowded by humans, cars and nasty creeps cats would be able to go out and be safe, like in the old days. In cities and most urban areas this is impossible to do.

In the US is considered totally irresponsible to let a cat out, in the UK its considered totally cruel to keep one in.

There are in-betweens: a safely enclosed garden is a compromise, there are ways to make it impossible for your cat to get out of your garden. Of course, it won't make any friends among the neighborhood cats, but it will be safe and much less likely to be a victim of the above atrocities.

Another way to compromise is to take on a wonderful indoor only cat that really HAS to be indoor only.
A good indoor only cat is a cat with a disability, like a FIV+ cat, which lives a normal life and is as good a pet as any other, but can never come into contact with any other cat who isn't FIV+ as well, or they will infect them. They can live for many happy years, if kept with care, and rescues will often help with vet care should it become necessary.

Other good indoor only cats are deaf, white, and blind: they are all much better off indoors (deaf and blind for obvious reasons, white because they are really sensitive to sun light and catch cancer of the ears if left out too long) and you won't feel guilty keeping them in, as they're not supposed to go out at all. You will have a loving companion sleeping on your feet at night and they will have a loving human to take care of their precious lives.

Most pedigree breeders only give pet cats to people who will sign a contract saying they will be kept strictly indoors only, as they are stolen for profit regularly if left outside.

Bottom line: you can't win, really. Unless you adopt the FIV+/disabled guys, or live in a rural paradise.

Answer 2

Indoor cats generally live longer and have a smaller chance of gettting parasites, fleas and the such. No chance of getting hit by a car, attacked by a dog, or beat up by another kitty. They can be more affectionate than outside cats, and are usually cleaner as well. I think having indoor cats is much better than outdoor for the quality of life for the cat.

Answer 3

Oh this is a very interesting topic. Well an outdoor cat is more likely to get injured(getting into fights with other animals, getting ran over by cars, etc), taken from the owner, or some if you live in an area were they have illegal dog fighting, cats are mostly used as a bait or a toy for the dog to rip apart. Also cats who live or go outside will pick up fleas, URI, UTI, or even FelineLeukemia. I have seen quite a few cats die from bite wounds and it wasnt pretty.
On the other hand it is nice to take your kitty outside in the yard for some fresh air. I take out mine only because she will come if I call her name and we chase the soccer ball around so she gets worn out easy. If your kitty doesnt stay close to u, they have netted cages that are great for outside. However keeping your kitty indoors is deffinetly the way to go.

Answer 4

it depends on yourself. an indoor cat, if thats all they ever known, are more dependant on the owners and spend more time with you. They are generaly cats with more of a character and want more attention. Outdoor cats will be free to do what they want, again if this is all they know they will want to do this and will spend little time indoors.
I personally believe it is all down to location as to whether a cat can go out. i have twoand they are indoor cats (apart from the occasional trip into the garden)and this is purely because i live on a main road.
If you live far enough from any danger i believe that your cat should be allowed to roam but saying that my indoors babies are perfect and the best companions ever, its as if they are family members.

Answer 5

An answer given states that indoor cats don't get fleas or worms - wrong - they can. We can carry them on our clothes from outside. You could visit a friend, relative or neighbour and 'pick' one up that is in the carpet (even though they might not have a cat or dog). My cat is an indoor pet (1st/2nd floor flat) and busy main road outside, so I have no choice really.

The chances of the cat contracting either is slimmer, but not to be ruled out.

Answer 6

Indoor cat for sure. Indoor cats live longer and they are healthier. Outdoor cats can get in fights with other animals, get ran over by cars, stolen or they can eat poisonous things. You will most likely have less trips to the vet if you keep your cat inside.
If you do decided to make it an outdoor cat then make sure you get it fixed and have it microchiped.

Answer 7

It's never a good idea to let your cat run loose. Besides getting run over by a car they could get in a fight with another cat and get an abscess, come in contact with many diseases. If you love your cat keep it indoors or on a tie-out. Cats should be spayed either way and vaccinated always. I do understand that they need to be loose on a farm, but that is the only time. Well, for that matter I don't think that dogs should run loose either.

Answer 8

depends... like others said, if you are in a city then keep the cat indoors. If you live in a More remote area and have an outdoor cat keep in mind that they will require more frequent vaccinations/shots etc. Also, if the cat is allowed outdoors w/out supervision, maybe don't cut their nails? This helps them defend themselves against predators and other cats.

Answer 9

Indoor cat all the way. People who put cats outside are putting the life of the cat at risk and if the person does that, how much can he really even care about the animal?

Answer 10

Well, you didn't give us enough information. Personally, I believe that cats should be indoors if you live in a busy city. If you have a farm where they can wander around- then outside. Also, before you had the cat was it an outside or inside cat? Because if it's already an outside cat then you don't want to change that because most cats don't like being confined in a house after knowing whats outside. And the same if it was already an inside cat- they don't know how to survive outside if they've always been pampered inside.

Answer 11

I personally recommend having indoor cats because they can get sick from being outside and can get in fights with other animals and if not spayed or neutered can get pregnant if it's a female and you can definately not have a cat be an outdoor car if it's compl declawed because they have no why then to fight off other creatures if your cat was being attacked .