are we cruel keeping our cat in.we live near a busy road and our last cat and 4 of his mates got killed on it.

Question

i was devastated but after a year we decided to buy a new cat.she seems very happy but when i try to leave the house she runs to the door.i couldnt forgive myself if she died too

thank u everyone,i feel better keeping little daisy in now.

Answer 1

NO..and don't let anyone tell you you are...
Ive got 2 indoor cats and have had them for 6 years..they are happy healthy and alive.

If you get your cat use to a harness of collar early on then do what i do and take them for walks...my neighbours think its funny when i do this but I live near a straight stretch of road used by boy racers all the time, I see dead cats and animals all the time on the road so will not risk my cats going out.
As long as you play with them and stimulate their minds indoors they will be happy enough.

Answer 2

Try buying a small harness and leash and taking her for a walk every day like you would a dog. Do not just use a collar, a cat can slip out very easily and make sure the harness is snug- you should just be able to slide two fingers under the chest and neck straps. Some cats love to walk on a harness, others go nuts, and still others fall over as if they were dead. If she will not walk on the leash, place the harness and leash on her and carry her in your arms. The leash can be tied to a belt loop and the harness gives you something to hang on to if a noise scares her and she tries to run. Cats can be extremely slippery when they really want ot get free. Cats do not trot along like a dog, they will mosey along and siff every leaf and sit staring for minutes, but this should help satisfy her curiosity about the outdoor world that she can see and smell through the door. Keeping cats inside the house is not cruel if you live in an area where they will be killed by traffic if they are allowed outside.

Answer 3

My daughters cat runs to the door too but she lives on the main street through her town! You can bet she doesn't let him get through it. He goes for walks on a harness and lead though.
It's actually safer and better for a cat to stay in. Just make sure it isn't overfed! They need less than one that goes out!
I have both a 15 year old who is used to going out and a 3 year old who has never done it. I don't live too near a road and the old boy stays in the garden or occasionally goes into the fields behind my house but I keep the younger one in still. She's so small and still Kitten cute and I'm worried she'll go missing, or get onto the road anyway. She doesn't know what cars are! I tried her on a harness but she hates it!
Keep her in! Keep her safe and don't ever feel guilty there really is no need to.

Answer 4

The first cat I had when I was very young used to live outside & sometimes she'd come in our house. Then eventually we didn't want her outside anymore & she became an indoor cat. We now have two other strays, along with the baby of one of them & they're also indoor cats. It's not cruel at all, as long as they have some room to walk around & play. Cats also like looking out windows so they can still get some sun & know what's going on outside.

Answer 5

We have three cats. Two older ones who never venture on to the front of our house, where the road is, and our new kitten who is not allowed to leave the house.
He used to try to escape but he has pretty much given up now - he is five months old.
He has his huge "activity centre" and can play with the other two cats, but until we can sell out house and move, he is not allowed out, simply to keep him alive.
Just to clarify, when we moved here, the road was not busy but three new housing estates with hundreds of new homes have been built in the last few years, and the traffic on the road has increased exponentially. Our older cats keep away from the road but there have been several casualties with neighbours cats and we just cant risk it either.
We keep our kitten in to keep him alive.

Answer 6

It's actually much healthier for her and recommended by vets and rescue groups. You are doing right by her. My cat was a stray that adopted us 12 years ago and he's been an indoors cat since then (I'm not really sure how old he is now). Our vet says he's as healthy as a cat many years younger. On the rare occasion when he does get out, it doesn't take him long before he wants back in.

Answer 7

Cats should not be allowed out.
As you, know, the world is just too dangerous with dogs and deseases, traps, places to get caught under or in, and mean people who want to set them on fire or poison them.
The busy road is just one hazard that could get it killed.
Feel good about keeping kitty in. She'll live a long, happy life.
Put her in another room or put up a little gate to keep her from running out when you leave.
So sorry about your other pets. But, you are doing the right thing this time.

Answer 8

my cat is an indoor cat.. Even though I live in a area that is quiet there are lots of Coyotes and wolves that like to eat cats so thats the main reason... The downfall is that your cat will probably become fat since it doesnt get out for exercise.
In the end she will probably live longer keeping her a part of your family for a long time

Answer 9

I have 2 indoor only cats. They are not allowed outside because coyotes would get them. I have a cat hammock that hangs from the windowsill and outside the window I have bird feeders. The cats are entertained and take turns using the bed, sometimes they share it. If my cats went outside, no doubt, they'd be dead. Instead, they have eachother and a big house to roam in and lots of birds to watch. Indoor cats live longer because they are not exposed to health risks. You are doing a good think keeping your cat inside.

Answer 10

Indoor cats are perfectly happy and as you know, much more safe than outdoor cats.

Make sure he has some kind of perch where she can see outside and watch all of the activity out there.

He is fine indoors but would surely end up like the other 5 cats if he were outside.