what do you think about indoor cats is it cruel even if more than one in the household and done from a kitten?

Answer 1

Of course not. I've had many cats in the past and most of the time they disliked going out and would muuuch rather stay indoors. I would not say it's cruel, and you can even get food specifically for indoor cats (Go-Cat I believe do one) which provides nutrients they might get from out doors, controls weight and also controls odour from their litter.

Also, there's a risk every day from letting a cat outside. The risk of dogs, dominant cats which may chase yours/fight with and of course cars, is there every day. Also, there are the fleas from outside! Fleas/ticks are extremely annoying. Ticks are difficult to get rid of, and fleas are just annoying because of the cost of the medication which you find yourself constantly paying. They were the biggest problem concerning letting our cats outside.

good luck with your cat! I think you're making the right choice.

Answer 2

It depends on the situation.

Taking a cat that has lived outside since it was born and forcing it to stay inside is not necessarily cruel, but you may have a dissatisfied cat. It's already developed a taste for the outdoors where the action is. It would be like caging a bird that was meant to fly. Sure, it will be safer, but if it's unhappy, what's the point?

If your cat has been raised indoors, it will be satisfied indoors.

Cats may be domesticated but they never lose their natural instincts. And their natural instinct is to be out in the wilderness where they can hunt, play and interact.

Three years ago, I got a kitten and tried to keep it on my closed-in back porch. He had everything he needed inside, but he kept finding ways to escape outside because he saw other cats and things out there. He's been happy outside ever since. I let him in a couple of hours a day and sometimes let him sleep inside overnight. He's content with the arrangement.

Note: I live in a residential area with a big yard. And he's neutered, so he doesn't roam. He stays in the yard. If I lived on a main highway or in an apartment building then I would certainly not feel comfortable letting him live outside.

The most important thing is that a cat is loved and taken care of. If they have to live inside against their will, it's still better than being homeless and hungry. More often than not, it depends on the cat and what they prefer.

Answer 3

Keeping cats indoors is not cruel. I just read that a cat kept indoors has a life expectancy of 14-16 years where as an outdoor cat is much shorter because they deal with Traffic, other animals, and weather extremes. Keeping your cats inside is guaranteeing that it will be around for a while.

Answer 4

I am a long time former breeder of Manx cats and currently have 13. These have all been raised since kittens indoor only. I am much older than probably most here but do remember when diseases to cats and dogs were nearly unheard of. These days, there are far too many viruses and diseases that outdoor animals can contract to justify letting them out. Though cats are hunters, they can in fact find much outlet to this instinctive trait by providing toys necessary to occupy this need. No, it is not cruel at all.

Answer 5

I don't think it's cruel at all. While wild cats may be "hunters," the cats we have as pets are domesticated animals. The instincts they need to survive in the wild have been modified over many generations so as to be more in keeping with their roles as pets. A primary example of this is that while most cats can kill prey, VERY few domestic cats have any idea that what they've just killed is *edible*!!!

Cats, just like domestic dogs, are pets, not wild animals, and should be treated accordingly. My cats live well, have plenty to eat, get good medical care, and literally would not survive in the wild for more than a few days, so what's "cruel" about keeping them indoors?

Answer 6

i used to let my cats outside and i lost too many in accidents with cars or illnesses which they wouldn't have had if they'd stayed indoors.
I've had indoor cats now for over 10 years and they seem as content (if not more so) as when i let them out and the big bonus is they are healthy. they don't mind at all being inside they have the run of the house with internal catflaps and loads of toys scratch posts etc., and i know they'll live a long (safe) and happy life.
So don't worry keeping them in is most definately not cruel.

Answer 7

first off, Barmy is a moron who knows nothing about cats. That said, I will explain. First of all, in general cats are safer inside. They won't get hit by a car, hurt by a violent person, or eaten by a predator, they also have a less chance of eating something/getting into something that they shouldn't. Cats raised outside do prefer the outdoors BUT cats who have been raised as indoor cats cannot survive well if suddenly put outside. Actually though, I have a friend who has two adopted cats, one had been abandoned and lived outside for a long time, now she has no desire to go back out there, she wants to stay in the safe home. The other one though loves to go outside...SUPERVISED. He has been trained to a little harness and lead so he gets to wander all he wants but with his owner there, therefore he gets his fill out the outdoors but is still safe.

Answer 8

lions are hunters, tigers and panthers are hunters, a domesticated cat is just that, domesticated. Though they could survive(and only for a short while) outside, that doesn't mean they should.
Assuming your cat never even sees a car, there are so many other dangers, stray dogs, foxes, rat poison,snakes, rabies, a whole slew of diseases,worms eating what little food they take in, chemicals from runoff in water, plus the added stress of always being on the run, stress takes away years too.
Cats can get plenty of excercise indoors, it is up to the owners to not overfeed, and to play and interact with their cats to keep them in shape.
Then there are cars. You can never assume your cat will move, because sometimes they don't. When I was a child, my parents did not allow animals in the house. We lived in the woods, off the highway, on a dirt road, and i cannot count the number of cats we had that got run-over, sometimes by us pulling into the driveway, my mom always said, oh, they'll move. they didn't.
That never had to happen. Kittens getting attacked by a neighbors dogs never has to happen. Roaming off and not comming back for weeks never has to happen.
I know there are plenty of cats who live their whole lives outside, and live to be 20, and what not, but why risk it? You never know.

Answer 9

Well my cat who is 10 months old has never been out. she is a very loving happy member of our family. My kids adore her and I'm happier knowing she is safe at home. Where I live (on a main road) there is always posters in the local shop and on lamp posts for missing cats. So is it cruel .... no I don't think so, and my cat does not even try to get out so she must be happy with the arrangement as well.

Answer 10

Depends where you're from.

In the UK it's practically unheard of to keep a cat indoors 24/7, but then there are no natural predators here (apart from the odd fox, but they're too slow to catch cats).

I can see why you might want to keep them indoors if you're in the US with coyotes or mountain lions, etc.

I wouldn't say its cruel, but I wouldn't do it personally. It seems a shame to keep an animal caged (which is essentially what that is - albeit it a luxurious cage).

I keep my 2 cats indoors overnight (from midnight til morning ) but other than that they get let out as and when they wish. That's in Scotland.

My sister in California has 4 that are kept indoors and it honestly breaks my heart when I see them. They want out constantly, but to let them out unattended would generally result in them becoming coyote food.

If the circumstances are right, let them out. They're hunters, they wander, they come back when they're hungry.