To think it's cruel to have a house cat?

I don’t think it’s right to get a kitten and then have it confined to the house. It is unkind. However, some cats have problems which means they have to be kept indoors. But either way a cat should have access to the outdoors. If the garden can be fully enclosed so they can’t get out then that’s a good solution. Cats are predators and in general they need to go outside and explore or sit in the sun.

Personally I have always let my cats out over the years but I like to know where they are and I have NEVER let them stay out at night …. That is what I think is cruel. Another thing I have never had and dislike, is a cat flap. Currently my darling beautiful Birman goes out when he lets me know he wants to but chooses not to be out for long and these days doesn’t go beyond my garden.

I have two cats who can go out when they please. I personally think it is cruel to keep cats inside all the time though there are good reasons to do so if you live in a busy traffic area.

This is one of the those areas where the camp is always going to be split - like pineapple on pizza.

I feel sad for all animals that have limited space to enjoy the environment. I can’t stand seeing birds in cages, mice/Hamsters/Guinea pigs in cages, snakes and reptiles confined. Zoo animals in their small enclosures. It just doesn’t seem right, and makes me sad to see them .
Cats should be allowed to roam free. - it all goes against nature. ?

@ DrWatson “who think all cats kill millions of birds, a myth perpetrated by the RSPB” Actually not perpetrated by the RSPB - they state on their website:
“ There is no scientific evidence that predation by cats in gardens is having any impact on bird populations UK-wide. This may be surprising, but many millions of birds die naturally every year, mainly through starvation, disease, or other forms of predation. There is evidence that cats tend to take weak or sickly birds.
We also know that of the millions of baby birds hatched each year, most will die before they reach breeding age. This is also quite natural, and each pair needs only to rear two young that survive to breeding age to replace themselves and maintain the population.
It is likely that most of the birds killed by cats would have died anyway from other causes before the next breeding season, so cats are unlikely to have a major impact on populations.
Those bird species that have undergone the most serious population declines in the UK (such as skylarks, tree sparrows and corn buntings) rarely encounter cats, so cats cannot be causing their declines. Research shows that these declines are usually caused by habitat change or loss, particularly on farmland.”

....... so, keep them in. My son in Australia tells me that some kind of curfew on cats might be brought in there.

I am not a cat lover for these reasons: my garden is regularly used as their toilet; killing of birds. I had nesting sparrows in a small shrub in my garden and I had repeatedly seen off an interested cat off. The babies were almost ready to fledge and, having got up very early one morning, I saw the cat carrying off a bird from the nest. Seeing it off, I looked in the nest, what was left of it, and carnage comes to mind. No babies left! I hate cats.

Given that my front lawn is used as a cat toilet on a regular basis I wish all cats were house cats.

I have lived in a city flat and had cats that were predominantly indoor cats. I took them out for walks on a harness and lead.

If you get them as kittens and keep them indoors, they get used to it,

I wouldn't say it is cruel to keep a cat in this way, but it is unnatural,

However, letting your cat come and go when it pleases does entail certain risks.

Not all your neighours will appreciate the cat going into their garden, nor will they believe you, when you say that most cats, even if they have a litter tray at home, will see no need to run home and use it, rather than dig a little hole in whichever garden they happen to be in when bodily needs have to be met.

Traffic is a risk - our last cat - a former stray who had looked after himself for a couple of years before moving in with us, was killed by a car. To date he is the only one of the 13 cats that have accompanied me on my journey through life that has been killed in traffic, but it is a risk.

A cat that goes out can just disappear - this happened to one of my sister's cats. We never found out how or if he had died.

Other risks are the cat fighting with others, being bitten by a rat and the bite turning septic, or being chased, even killed by a dog.

So if you decide to let the cat lead a free and natural life, you do need to expect vet's bills for treating accidents, vaccinations, as there is a greater risk of the cat contracting an infectious, perhaps lethal illness, and for having the cat chipped or ear tattooed, so you can prove ownership if it gets lost and is found (alive or dead). And you may be facing finally never knowing what happened to a beloved pet.

So although I personally agree the cat probably prefers the more natural life, it is risky.

MissMellie's post makes slot of sense. Cats, like all other animals including people, are all different. Some like to roam outside others prefer to be indoors. I'd hate to tell anyone what they should or shouldn't do regarding pets.

Animals have their own instinctive needs and cats are nocturnal hunting animals. Would you keep your children indoors for their entire lives because living is dangerous? People use pets to meet their own needs. As we humans use animals in other ways. I do. Because I eat them.

My son and DIL are both vets and they have no problem with house cats provided the animals are allowed to roam inside and given attention, appropriate food and things/ space to play.

I have three right now and they are utterly content.

I’ve raised many, many animals on my small farm and think that each species and individual has different needs. I try hard to always accommodate them.

Domestic cats have been bred for different characteristics ( depending upon type) and some are definitely suited to indoor living while others are not.

Personally I think it's cruel to keep them as house cats, they are meant to be outside. My work colleague has 6 and they are all indoor cats. I've had to keep my kitten in for 4 months until he had been done and injections and to be honest it was murder - he would see the other one going out and wanted to as well. He is now allowed out, but usually only with the other one or when I am outside as well. The least strange sound he is back in the house . He also used to sit in the bedroom window looking out.

Between my 2 DDs and myself we have had 11 cats. One died at age 6 under an anaesthetic to drain a nasty abcess.

My DD2's rescue cat, currently still with us, will not step outside despite all doors being open during the summer months. They have tried taking her down the garden and fussing her, but as soon as she can, she runs back inside and hides in a wardrobe.

My littlest cat was caught by a fox, who broke her tail and back leg. We rescued her and her tail and leg had to be amputated. Her life was in the balance for a while, but when she finally recovered we were advised to keep her in because the vet told us she would not be able to run away from a fox again. She loved the indoor life and, despite doors being open, lived the next 9 years of her life as a voluntary house cat.

And back in the 60s I was given a kitten who had (diagnosed) agoraphobia! Terrified of the garden, and unable to negotiate his way back to the back door when placed outside, just sat there with his head down, mewing pitifully.

All the other cats lived long and happy indoor/outdoor lives, including one who was 23 when he died!

As with people, you just don't know what is going on in someone's (somecat's) life. Find out the circumstances first, and accept them, don't dismiss them. What isn't a good reason for some, is not necessarily a bad reason for someone else.

Sorry to be blunt, and sorry if I've offended anyone. Quite unintentional.

Hithere. My bell wearing six cats lived long, free happy lives and so did our garden birds. We all share the same planet and sometimes have to compromise.

A few years ago my neighbours adopted a cat from a registered Cats charity. We lived on a quiet cult de sac off a main road and one of the adoption conditions was that the animal was kept as an indoor ‘house’ cat. I don’t believe a cat charity would have such a stipulation if there was evidence it was harmful

You may have heard this before but it's worth repeating: " To dogs you are their family, to cats you are their staff".

It is not advisable by my vet to put bells in a cat collar
Cats have a very fine and sensitive hearing and the bell impacts it.

No bells

I've had several cats over the years. I've only lost one to a car accident. They go out in the day time but I keep them in at night if I can. Personally I think it's ok to have a house cat but with a covered pen outside if possible so they can experience the fresh air, smells and sights etc!

My three previous cats were allowed to go outside, although not at night, and were happy cars who lived very long lives. My current car is an indoor cat. The traffic has become worse, stealing of pets has increased and I made the decision to bring my kitten as a house cat. My kitten is now an adult cat. He has a lot of toys he plays with. I ensure I play with him regularly. When the weather is nice he goes in the back garden and walks on a lead and harness and he seems very content and happy. I think it would be cruel to stop a cat going out if it is what they have been used to, but if a cat has never ventured out and is offered a stimulating indoor environment I don't see a problem.

It's in the nature of cats to explore what they consider their territory. What I don't get is why nobody puts collars with bells on their cats these days. When DH and were out working all day we had cats, in pairs for company and always collars with bells. As did many of our neighbours. Not one of them ever hanged themselves by these collars. All my neighbours seem to have cats and in the early morning I frequently have the misfortune to see them torturing the garden birds.

When we got our sibling kittens and took them to their first vet check, inoculations and chip and booked them to be spayed/castrated we checked with the vet about this very issue. Having lost several cats to cars on the road we wanted to have these as house cats, the vet told us,”as long as they have never been outdoor cats, then it is perfectly fine and not cruel at all to never let them outside. However, to take a cat who has always always known the outside it may be more difficult. One of our kittens was definitely born to go outside, he was totally a house cat until he was two years old then he was relentless in his crying at the door to go outside, we relented as we felt it wasn't the right thing to do. His sister on the other hand likes to sit in the back garden for a few minutes then walks round to the front door snd cries to come in. I guess its more about the individual cat.

You are not a cat, so you cannot presume to know what a cat thinks.

Springchick

If only cat owners realised that it’s cruel to allow any cat to wander freely yowling for a full queen female to mate with . Neutering is the kindest most sensible solution to prevent unwanted kittens . It’s better for the male cat who can wander miles searching and often never return home . They get into fights with other Toms and get injured from bites which can cause infections and diseases . Some cats are safer and happy as indoor cats as long as they have plenty to occupy them selfs and have company so not left alone for hours on end .

All my male cats were neutered at the time recommended by the vet but still wandered and sometimes stayed away for a couple of weeks.

No it is not cruel.