would it be unfair to keep my kitten as an indoor cat?

Question

i live about 2 minutes walk from a busy road but also have fields at the back of my house, any help would be greatly appreciated

Answer 1

It would be unfair to let it outside. There are too many dangers...busy road, predators, other cats with diseases, the weather, if it's female, you could end up with kittens, if male, your neighborhood could end up with stray kittens. An outdoor cat only lives an average of 5 years while a cat kept strictly indoors lives an average of 15 years. You can get window inserts or cat pens that allow the cat to feel like they are outside but are still safely confined. Don't let it out. Get it plenty of toys to stimulate it then rotate them, occasionally putting part of the toys away for a couple of months then bring them out and put away some different toys. This way the old toys will always seem new and stimulating. Good luck to you.

Answer 2

Do you mean unfair to the kitten? I would not think so. That close to a road it is definitely a potential hazard for any animal (not only the vehicles but the threat of someone taking the animal as well). It sounds like your cat would be safer indoors. Plus if you feel to guilty once you are comfortable with one another you can spend some supervised outside time w/ your kitten.

Answer 3

If your cat really wants to be outside. I think you should support her wishes. I live in a sorta quiet road, but kinda by a busy street. If you have a lot of land, I'm almost sure your cat is safe. Cats are usually always near the home.

I suggest that since your cat is still a kitten right now, you should be outside with her for a while, making sure she is safe. I hope I have helped you a little bit.

Answer 4

No! It's not unfair, and very smart. I lost too many cats to busy roads in the past, and now keep my cat indoors, except for the rare occation when he can go out for a walk (cat leashes are amazing!). I would love to let him be an outdoor cat, but I fear he'll get hit by a car. So unless you have a fenced-in backyard and a very watchful eye, I recomend keeping kitty indoors.

Answer 5

Not at all. I have a kitten and it is strictly an inside pet. You eliminate the risk of getting ticks and other pests with having them inside. Also, if you live close to a busy street and you let your cat be an outside on then you have to face the fact that it could be ran over. I know you wouldn't want that as a pet owner, why else would you being asking this question. The thing about having a field behind your house is basically like a welcoming party to pests especially fleas and ticks. Your cat won't know the difference of living inside compared to outside. Trust me, you're not being cruel and unusual by not letting your cat be an outside one. In fact, you're doing a favor.

Hope I helped. Good luck.

Answer 6

It depends on the cat really. Many cats can be perfectly happy as an indoor cat, but once you let them out they're always going to want to be out.

I also live about a five minute walk from a busy road and have woods and fields behind my house! I live in a village with quiet streets. There are many cats in our neighbourhood and they all stick to the street, garden and woods. There are foxes in our area too but there's never been a problem. My cat lived happily with access to the outside world, for 18 years. She chose to spend more time outside than in, as do most of the cats I know.

I'm all in favour of allowing cats to go out if they want - they do need their exercise too and it usually results in a happier cat. It's true that they will be at risk from cars - but that's the only real extra risk. Despite what people may tell you, indoor cats are not safe from diseases and are certainly not safe from fleas and worms. Even indoor cats need to be vaccinated, fleaed and wormed.

If I was you I'd slowly introduce the cat to the outside world once he/she been vaccinated and neutered (obviously don't let him out until this is done, and unneutered male can will roam for miles and if he does come back will be covered in fight wounds! And an unneutered female will of course come back pregnant). Generally cats will stick to the more natural environment available (the fields) as this is where they'll meet other animals and of course, prey, they'll be able to hunt undisturbed!

Chalice

Answer 7

The average life span for an outdoor cat is is only about three
years if he makes it that long. Cats like to roam. In the fields
out back he might try to catch a grown rabbit. That would be a
big mistake. But a raccoon could kill the cat. Cats like to roam.
and crossing any road is what all cats like to do. They don't
understand. Our cat would sit and look out the window for hours
at a time and it broke my hart. He was a happy cat and had full
run of the house for 201/2 years. He enjoy a long life. You owe
it to your cat to protect your it from dangers the cat can't
see coming. Good luck.

Answer 8

Keep her inside. There are more problems outside than cars. There are owls, parasites, ticks, fleas, and other cats that Carry diseases because they have not been treated. My cats are never allowed outside. If you want to take her out, maybe you can leash train her while she is small. Usually, if they learn while small, they will be OK with in when older. I have two large screened windows for my cats and I open them up when the weather is not too hot or too cold. Other times they just lay there and look out through the glass. My cats are alive and healthy. That is the way I want to keep them. Of course, this is my opinion. I am sure there are other people with different opinions on here.

Answer 9

no definitely not. my 2 cats are both strictly indoors, and they are happy as can be. it is in the cat's best interest to remain indoors, as it does not sound safe for her to be outside.

The reason I say that it is not safe, despite the fields, is that you cannot choose where your cat wanders off to. You can't make her stay in the fields. If she wants to walk to the road, she will.

If you do choose to keep her indoors, you should make sure she gets plenty of exercise. Make sure she doesn't eat too much, and that you maintain her weight. Fit cats are happy cats! Also, if she is overweight, this could cause health problems down the road, just like it would for humans.

I hope this helped!
Good luck!

Answer 10

A kitten needs TLC. If you are gonna go outside, be with it, common sense crap. In order for a cat to be a "indoor" or "ouside" cat, it varys where the cat has been most of the time, and its own personality. See what the cat likes more.