Indoor cats

I’m a dog rather than cat person, but Maine Coone cats are beautiful, with character.

I like the idea of an outside run water meadow. I see it could be high risk to allow your rescue indoor cats freedom. In principle I do believe cars need freedom. However, our once quiet area is so busy with cars exceeding the speed limit, I don’t see cats surviving.

My DS has two indoor cats although they go out into their small walled garden but don’t venture further afield.

After having 2 much-loved cats run over because they wandered out of my small cul-de-sac, I had my garden made "cat secure" with some netting so that my remaining cat couldn't leave the garden. She has shrubs and grass and things to climb on, and I know that she's always safe.

What beautiful cats Aveline, how nice to have the two.
In principle, cats should be outside, mine always have wouldn’t dream of not letting them be free. However, if a cat has been mistreated, think of the recent case in the news, is traumatised at going outside, then that’s cruel making them do that , their well being and happiness is what matters, thank goodness there are many people that give their hearts and homes to them. A true cat lover wants what’s best for them, those cat runs sound ideal if you have the space. It used to be a regular occurrence to see a cat at the side if the road after being knocked down by a car.

My son has a gorgeous little cat, half Bengal, now about 7 months old. She is only just starting to go out - she just didn’t want to, and even now prefers somebody to go with her. When they had an extension built (before they got the cat) they had a cat tunnel built in - but naturally the cat refuses to use it. An ordinary cat flap wasn’t possible for some reason.

What magnificent moggies Aveline. We too had a rescue Maine Coon - Charlie - daft as a brush. He could go out, but preferred to stay inside and had totally lost any interest in hunting he’d been born with, he just couldn’t be bothered with much. He was fabulous and we loved him to bits.

When I downsized to an apartment my cat had to become an indoor cat. She adapted well. I have a big sunny balcony and bought some artificial grass. She would spend hours on the balcony. Lived to 15.

Not from me, BlueBelle
I feel the same about caged birds.

Have you lost cats BlueBelle? Do you know how it feels when a much loved pet doesn't home?

I will annoy you all now because I think the idea of indoor cats is a cruel notion it’s changing a cats normal personality to be a human appendage, a playmate, our captive and I feel in my heart it’s wrong
A cat however domesticated should be able to keep its own natural instincts to explore, hunt, and wander it’s territory To keep them inside or even in an enclosure is going against this, it’s changing it to fit our human needs

Most of you would be anti zoo or circus but really no difference however loving you make its home it’s still for you not the cat although you will believe it’s for their safety

Anyway I ve got my hard hat on and expecting an avalanche of crossness but that’s my feelings

We used to let our cats outside during the day but after one of them was taken and either got away or was left by someone quite a way from our house we decided that they would be safer indoors. We did however build them a cat enclosurejoined to the house that they could access when they wanted. We have 4 cats at the moment and have moved to a much quieter area and we now have an enclosure across the back of the house that they can access through a cat flap in our French doors. They are perfectly happy and have the run of the house. One of them goes out in the garden when we are out there as she never tries to climb anything so no danger of getting out. She is very good and when I’m going in I call her and she follows me.

They are gorgeous Aveline. We have 2 rescue kittens and have kept them in for 6 months but now they go outside. We used to take them for walks round and round the garden on leads for a several months ( more they took us for walks!) so they were familiar with the boundaries and so far, so good, they seem to stick to where we took them for walks. All they want to do is catch skinks and flies and hunt.

Absolutely gorgeous Aveline

Floof balls, Aveline! ❤️

Aveline I have seen them before and they are just gorgeous.

Sorry for posting pic twice. It didn't seem to attach first time. The boys are indeed gorgeous. Retired from breeding at six. Have been neutered of course. The poor souls were well looked after by the breeder but she said the two boys pacing the house were unnerving their previous, er, girlfriends and their kittens!
Here they both are vying for a space on my knee.

Your Maine Coons are gorgeous boys Aveline.

He’s a beauty Aveline!

I would recommend having a pot of grass available, nature's expectorant for fur balls.

Here he is.

Our two Maine Coons are rehomed breeding boys. They've never been out and have settled very happily in our flat.
We have special litter trays with filters which work well. The 'boys' are absolutely house trained and very clean
I'm typing this with one on my knee.

When we moved to this house I opened the patio door to show our spoiled, comfort loving and rather elderly Burmese cat the garden. He shot me a look that plainly said “Are you insane?” and pelted back upstairs to his favourite sunny window ledge.

Oh, that’s interesting, Guilia! I have to admit, our boys are so dim, I doubt they share a brain cell between them, so going outside would be very risky indeed.

Russian Blues MUST be kept indoors. They hate to be outside. Apparently, this is because the original race were cave-dwelling creatures. My daughter chose this breed specifically as she livesw in a flat with no terrace. They are perfectly happy.

I had an indoor cat. She was a rescue kitten, only 5 weeks old when I had her, and absolutely terrified at first, but was cheeky and sweet indoors, and if I was outside in the garden she would sit in the doorway and watch me but never venture outside.

She was happy and affectionate, and I let her do what she wanted to do, and that was to stay indoors.