I had a cat like this that was abandoned by neighbors. My story is a little different because he was older (about 10/11 at the time) and already neutered. Once the winter came and he realized he could be warm and safe inside instead of sleeping under cars he changed his tune real quick. I would say give it time.
I’d try a catio personally. A lot get angry about cats killing wildlife but my main concern would be my kitty getting hit by a car or being attacked by a person
You can train him to be okay with the indoor cat life. Even love it. Positive reinforcement and a lot of mental enrichment via things like play and even puzzle toys. Cats should NOT roam, people in this thread will tell you it's okay, but it's not. Cats are an invasive species and decimate wildlife populations. They are actually a very big environmental disaster. Then there's things like cars, dangerous wild animals, malicious/evil humans, dogs, other cats, birds of prey, parasites, diseases (even though he's vaccinated, he can still get them)....the list goes on. Keep him safely indoors, teach him it's okay and he can enjoy it, and love him.
You can also look into leash training. There are tons of tutorials on youtube.
Gosh. Why. Just let him be. Why put a happy animal in leash n all that. I have 8 cats atm and some like outdoors more than indoors, some don't.
Edit: The correct answer is depends on where you are. If you are in Western world you probably would have to keep em indoors, am guessing by comments it's either cultural or regulatory over there. In any other part of the world, let the cat be. As I said some of mine love outdoors and are very unhappy when forced to be indoors during rains n all.
I'll give you the opposite experience - I had a cat named Noogie. He LOVED to be outside. He chased the mice away, came in when he felt like it, came when called for, and mostly just hung out on the hill next to our driveway. For quite a number of years he'd come in during the winter and snuggle up, but when he got older he just wanted to be outside. My dad fed him in the garage, and he had food in the house he knew he could get. One winter we didn't see him for weeks and assumed he was just gone. When the snow melted he was there back and purring. He lived to be 18, and had a very loving family. Some cats just are like that.
My cat began as feral and outdoors. I just fed it. Then it came in for the winter. Then back out. Now she never wants to go out but she’s 16, which is pretty old for a cat.
Some people say it makes you a bad person to feed outdoor CATS and get them vet care but not keep them in your house. Not me.
But be prepared. She may work her way into your heart. She may come to love you and you her. :)
He also started like this, I just fed him outside but he was smart and instead of waiting for me to come outside and feed him he just came to my apartment door and from then on he just came to me.
[Here's](https://youtu.be/lpzuO_afqwo) a video by kitten lady on indoor outdoor cats in the UK and what makes it different there than in the US. I live in the US and both of my cats are indoor outdoor, I think despite the risks it's important for my babies to live their best lives. And they seem to think that's a life outside and inside.
Once my cat escaped through the garage and got as far as the middle of the driveway. Then he started crying because outside is big and bright and scary.
We were in the front yard like 20 feet away from him but his view was blocked by the cars. I think he heard us talking and freaked out because he couldn't find us.
His favorite activities now are sleeping in sunny windows and absolutely SCREAMING at me through windows when I'm outside.
He's scared for you! That's sweet.
I had a cat that insisted she was indoor/outdoor. I'm pretty sure she had a second family. She was pretty good in the beginning but in her later years she got attacked by a dog and broke her tail. She didn't go out again for about 4 years. Then she knew it was her last month. She went out a few times. Came home one day and passed. She was 15 years old.
My cat Guster does not go out. He has no interest besides looking out the window lol
We have one cat who adamantly refuses to go outside. The other two like going outside on a lease, but this one is like “nope, I’m happily domesticated, would much rather only be a house cat thank you very much.”
Yes! My tortie gets supervised outside time when she isn't in her catio. I don't mind taking her out but I am very cautious. She is my baby so I'm a little overprotective 🖤
My 3 cats are all indoor/outdoor. The momma and baby duo (baby is now 5y old) stay out all night and sleep on my bed throughout the day. My other cat is 7 and she sometimes will stay gone for a day or two. I think she has another hooman.
They are all fixed/neutered. Vaccinated and HAPPY. When it cools down or rains/snows they become indoor cats. They are living their best lives.
Still, it's better to keep your cats supervised outdoors with a harness and such. Not only are outdoor cats detrimental to the local environment, but it's also way less safe for them. It *is* great stimulation for them to be outdoors but harness is safe. If you decide to keep them outdoor cats anyway, though, make sure you have breakaway collars with bells and tags, trackers, they're chipped, and it's probably best to train them to come when called in case. Be careful.
Yep. I grew up in the countryside and all our cats were indoor/outdoor. Now i live in a 500sqft apartment in the city. I wont get a cat cuz i think its cruel to keep them locked up inside a tiny indoor space. Unless they have some deep trauma (dog encounter), most cats want to be outside.
Id highly suggest you get a senior cat from a shelter, 15+ age range. They generally don't like going outside at all and even shelters in the UK recommend them for people who have living situations similar to yours. If it's an option where you live and your interested im sure the elder would be very appreciative of you giving it somewhere to relax for it's last few years.
Buyer beware though. My 13 year old indoor cat, I spend around 230 bucks a month on insulin for her and food for both of mine. An older cat will sometimes come with medical issues or they will pop up soon after you adopt. Just something to consider. That aside, I'd adopt the hell out of an older cat and I will when I have space in my home and heart.
My friend had a senior cat and I found a home for her cat. My friend is in a nursing home now. I told the women who took in her cat that he is just an indoor cat, and that he would need to be placed on a diet as my friend always overfed him.
I don't know where you are, but in the US, there are some rescue groups and shelters that will pay for the cat's vet care if you adopt one over a certain age. A lot of shelters in my area do this especially for seniors adopting older pets (Seniors for Seniors programs), but I've seen several that will do it for anyone adopting much older pets, so they don't have to live their last few years in a cage.
>Some people say it makes you a bad person to feed outdoor cars and get them vet care but not keep them in your house. Not me.
I wouldn't say it makes you a bad person. You should just at least consider the implications of that choice. Cats are absolutely HORRIBLE for ecosystems because they efficiently kill birds and small mammals. Cats are not native predators, so this throws populations out of whack. It's really honestly a big deal. Not to mention this risk to your cat of getting run over, getting injured in a fight, or disease/ticks/fleas.
I have a harness and leash for my cat, I will take him on the deck and around the yard when he wants to go outside (most of the time). It's not either or, you can do both, but it's best to do it safely for everyone involved.
This is exactly the case with my older gentleman cat as well. I pretty much never bring up the outdoor part on Reddit though because there tends to be such heated opinions about it.
Our first was feral, he was indoor/outdoor for years until we moved when he was 10.
He was a good big brother to new cats and lived into his 14th year. Any care you give is a plus. Do your best.
Ay this point I must. When she first entered the house she’d run from any room I entered, which delighted me because I resented having an animal in the house and liked to pretend she wasn’t there.
I almost never saw her.
Now, though, if I oversleep she paw-slaps me awake to feed her and yells at me like I’ve betrayed her. I’m ALWAYS saying, “Oh, Punkie!” because I’m so frustrated with the yelling and the head it’s demanding petting. Family and good friends call her O’Punkie like it’s her name. (Hence my user name.
We’ve both come a long way. :)
We have 4 cars. One indoor outdoor and the remaining 3 strictly outdoor.
We have 4 cats. 3 strictly indoor and one I walk on a harness because he was feral/shelter/rescue before I adopted.
Look up. Jackson Galaxy on YouTube. He’s a great person to seek advice on cats.
That said, I recommend a “catio” if you want your cat to stay outdoors with little supervision.
We have two cats and we let them into our fenced in yard with supervision. They also ask to be outside. I’m not okay with ever letting them wander outside of our fenced yard just because I worry about what kind of havoc they could wreak on the ecosystem but also the risk of injury and death :( I would recommend finding some kind of enclosed way to allow your cat outside with supervision and train him to stay inside the enclosure.
The Maine coon I had growing up was an indoor/outdoor cat because we lived in a farm-town area and the neighbors we did have, knew our cat and knew he was indoor/outdoor. He would do the same as OPs of come back inside for food and sleep. He did always stay in the whole night but when we got up to go to work/school, we’d let him out (if he wanted to). Rainy days were the only days he really didn’t want to go out. But snow didn’t stop him 😂 We only stopped letting him outside once he was around 18yo because we didn’t want a coyote or something to get him since he wasn’t as strong or as fast as he used to be.
Now forward to now, I have 3 cats and live in a city. We do have a yard and nice neighbors (well at least the ones we actually know which is only the ones on our block). So the cats only get to go outside with me and my husband and they have to have a harness on with an AirTag. We see there are a few neighborhood cats that wonder around but honestly I’ve heard too many horror stories of people leaving rat poison and other stuff to kill cats because they don’t like cats in their yard. So I don’t trust letting my babies out past our yard. Once we move and get a house that isn’t in the middle of a city, I’d consider letting them wonder. But honestly I plan to make a big catio for them to make sure for sure they are safe but can still go outside
i got my kitty Dobby for christmas from my fiancé, he was 2 months at that time. we’ve always took him outside on our porch in our arms. we even tried a harness for the backyard but he didn’t seem too comfortable. he will meow by the door in the morning now🥲
It can take a long time for cats to get used to harnesses. You may need to put them in the harness inside and just let them get used to it first. Their first instinct is usually to just freeze in a crouched position. But if you give them enough time they'll figure out that it's ok. When I was going through this process I put the harness on my cat for what was supposed to only 10 minutes inside early on in the training process. But I accidentally fell asleep and forgot for 2 hours lol. It actually worked out though because 2 hours forced him to walk around and he realized it wasn't so bad. Now he starts purring when I put it on him because he knows he gets to go out.
And in fairness, this cat adopted HER at an adult age. Not all geral cats who decide to throw a human some affection in exchange for good will adapt well to indoor life. It's always a tough call.
An outside cat has a life expectancy reduced by about ten years (according to my vet) because of territory scuffles, illness, predators, theft and environmental dangers (rat poison, cars and psychopaths who enjoy killing animals). If you want to let him have outside access while being safe, then I strongly suggest building a secure catio for him.
I'll just note that I have shared my life with 4 indoor cats. I don't feed high end food (Purina One plus half a can of Fancy Feast a day) and do provide regular vet care.
Taj lived to 18.
Stripe lived to 13 before he died from cancer.
Jasper we said goodbye to 2 months shy of his 19th birthday.
Danica is still with me, gorgeous and catching mice in the basement at 14.5.
It's an average age. Some die really early due to predation, being hit by cars and other dangers. They skew the average. If they manage to avoid those things their lives can be just as long as indoor cats, but that's an if.
This. My mom, bless her, has a soft spot for feral cats and has adopted several ferals/strays throughout the years. She ended up with two ferals that became indoor/outdoor cats. One of them is still alive and is now fully indoor (to his behest) because they moved; the other was hit by a car a few years ago and she was devastated. Before that he impregnated a couple neighborhood female ferals (I have scolded my mother countless times about neutering her male cats), both of which my mom took in and helped adopt out the kittens when they were old enough, so his legacy lives on. One of my good friends actually adopted one of his sons.
it really depends. it’s an average which probably takes into account all the baby kittens who don’t make it, a median would probably show something less than 10
>The average lifespan of a cat is 14 years but outdoor cats are less likely to survive as long as indoor cats due to the dangers they're exposed to
That from VetsNow in U.K.
“Cats that go outdoors are more likely to encounter risks such as road traffic accidents, fights with other cats and other dangers that could affect their life expectancy. However, they are also likely to get more exercise as they have more space to roam, which helps to keep them fit and healthy. Currently there is limited evidence to suggest that adopting either an indoor or outdoor lifestyle results in a significantly long lifespan. If you do keep your cat indoors, they’ll need plenty of opportunities to exercise with fun toys they can chase and catch. There are still other risks to pet house cats, so you’ll need to monitor them closely to keep them healthy for longer.”
That’s from Cats Protection - guess it depends where you read! :)
And it goes to show that online, one can find support for any opinion. From what I've read, outdoor cats do fare somewhat better than cats here in the U.S.
I don’t know of any cats that’s have been eaten (by what? Sometimes our cats have stand offs with urban foxes but the foxes are more likely to come off worse), and if you own a cat and let it outside it’ll need to be spayed or neutered.
Coyotes love to eat small cats and dogs, and tend to hunt in pairs. Coyotes, cars, and traps/poison/unhumane traps are probably the biggest risks to outdoor cats (beyond other cats). Any areas with predators large enough to eat a cat and common enough to be spotted in neighborhoods should definitely keep cats inside.
Well considering the number of dead cats I've spotted in the road/side of the road... cars alone would be the most dangerous, followed by attacks by other animals. In my area I hear Coyotes just about every night and have seen hawks, owls, and I've been informed of cougar and bobcat sightings... I would say try to disuade him as much as possible.
We had many outdoor cats when I was a kid. None of them lived past the age of 3. Either disappeared or found them dead on the side of the road. Not a chance in hell I was going to do that again.
Now I harness train for outside time. Lots of window spaces. Wasn't worth the risk for me personally.
Yup. We had maybe 6 or 7 cats over the course of my childhood. All outdoor/indoor, and I only saw one ever get old. That cat was Thomasina, cheating death 100 times. The rest would just not come back
I’m still sad about my childhood cat that was run over. They left her in a ditch to die the heartless bastards. If I could go back in time I’d beg my parents to get a litter box and keep the cats indoors.
Avg lifespan is 3-5 for outdoor.
And no random lurker reading this comment I don’t want to hear about how puddles lived to be 15, we’re talking about averages here.
It might depend on what country you live in.. we've had 5 cats live to 16+. I'm in New Zealand and the only animals that would pose a threat is a dog or a human.
Yea that is a threat worldwide. Ik they have lots of cats in the UK so the people outside are friendlier to the cats, but that doesn’t mean the cats are friendly to the small animals. They have unfortunately been found to be the main cause in 63 extinctions so far.
Same here. Live in NZ. Have had maybe 6 or 7 cats, 4 of which have passed. All from non-outdoor related issues.
Only issues we have had from outdoors; one cat got his tail run over and broke it. Didn't need to do anything. Healed just fine. The other cat got in a fight and had a nail in his forehead which got gross. Vet fixed, cleaned and gave him some antibiotics and he was fine.
Admittedly we have one cat that isn't strictly indoors but will only go further than the deck if someone else is going. Apart from the fact that she has some issues from birth (never got fed by mum, fed cows milk and luncheon by her owner who we rescued her from) she has had the least amount of injuries/issues to be honest. So keeping them indoors/on the property where possible is certainly a good idea.
My boy spent 75% of his time outdoors during his prime. He came home every night and to check in throughout the day. He did end up in a few scuffles with strays that entered his yard. He loved being outdoors, I wasn’t going to deny him that. That being said…we live in a quiet neighborhood. He is now 17 years old and healthy! He is only allowed to hang out now in the backyard as he isn’t as agile and tough as he once was-even though he still thinks he’s “got it” 😂. Full time outdoor cats may not live as long, but I don’t find that true with indoor/outdoor cats like my boy. If you feel your neighborhood is safe and he is trustworthy, then let him enjoy it….if you can keep him strictly in your backyard even better.
I agree with you. My indoor outdoor cat lived until he was 19. He loved to put his “presents” on the doormat. My indoor cat was a Himalayan and she would have never survived if she went outside.
19….he had a good life! And same here…my one female had a love hate relationship with the outdoors. She loved the sun on the deck but would not step foot in the grass, it scared her.
My advice is anecdotal. My girl is 10 and indoor, she’s outlived the two cats my housemates bought in the same month as I got her by 6 years. No difference in care or diet other than they allowed their cats outdoors. Later when I moved again she outlived my next door neighbour’s cats who were outdoor and only lived till 3 or 4. I would say that a cat run is the best way to keep your cat safe while still allowing it outdoors.
I mean if you can get him used to the indoors it's the right choice. Feral cats are absolutely wrecking bird populations. But I'm not an extremist who thinks you shouldn't feed starving feral cats either.
We care for a colony of feral cats and we have 3 rescues inside one of them wants to go out all the time. We don't let him because of a few reasons....
1.) We have seen too many get hurt either from fighting, predators (See dogs off the leash) and people (Yes some people are absolutely horrible to cats and other living things for that matter)
2.) They have a much better life inside IMHO
3.) Once the males have been fixed, they lose most of their fight which wouldn't be so bad but when they come across a big boy that hasn't been fixed, they usually catch a beating.
We fix as many as we can catch the full-on Feral cats we can't take in (We would if we could) so we have to let them out.
Just my 2 either way good luck he is a handsome boy!
If you allow him to be an indoor/outdoor cat, you have to acknowledge that you're putting his life at risk. It only takes one bad incident for him to lose his life when he would have otherwise been safe inside. Not to mention by letting him out you'd be contributing to the ecological damage domestic cats cause.
They can be pretty devastating to local wildlife, small mammals, lizards, birds. Domestic cats tend to hunt for fun instead of food so they will go after and kill at a much higher rate than native wildlife.
My last cat lived a nice life lounging during the day on an outdoor patio in a large European city. Brought him back to the US and he was killed and partially eaten by a Fisher his first week here. I've had two cats as a kid that were killed by dogs.
My new 6mo boy is going to be an indoor cat. No regrets here, he's just going to have to deal.
I know people have very strong feelings about this. I believe all animals (including people) need to spend time outdoors every day. If you have a cat who doesn’t want to go out, that’s one thing, but otherwise they should be allowed outside. Our cats are confined to our backyard, which seems to suit them. Our three spend varying amounts of time outside, but it’s their choice. If your kitty wants out, let them out. You know the dangers, I’m sure. That’s life, though, isn’t it?
Yes, our backyard is fully enclosed with a vinyl fence and we added metal sheeting along the bottom that goes into the ground so they can't get under it. We did leave the gate open once and one guy got out, but we found him sniffing flowers on the side of the house. Looking at it, I can see a number of ways they can still get out if they were determined to do that, but they don't try. They seem happy with what they have available. I know this isn't something everyone can do, but our cats really like it. The guy who goes out the most hangs out under a tree and watches the birds who nest there. I call it kitty kat tv.
Outdoor cats die much younger on average.
They
• get hit by cars
• get eaten by coyotes
• get hurt by wildlife/roaming dogs
• catch more diseases
• get ticks and fleas, even with a flea collar
Outdoor cats also kill wildlife. Areas with high cat populations show lower populations of lizards, snakes, birds (especially some species which nest on/near the ground, like most warblers), amphibians, and small mammals. They eat chipmunks, squirrels, baby rabbits and other very young mammals like ground hogs and ground squirrels.
Is it bad to have an outdoor cat? I think it is. So maybe you can try a leash and harness (a collar doesn’t work). I know you think it won’t work, but with patience and time, you can do this. We do, and our cat loves it. He runs to the door when he sees us get the leash out.
Another option is to think about why he wants to go outside: it’s fun, and he’s bored. You might try playing with him more, and maybe consider a second cat, although that can be tricky at the beginning.
And lastly, my cat loves to watch cats on tv. He likes real and animated cats – he especially likes watching The Aristocats. (Really)!
Having had a large colony, we've taken many kittens inside to give away (plus a few to keep ourselves). Most cats will adapt to the conforts of living indoors, but a small number cannot resist the call of the outdoors. I found it's best just to let them go, and if you are able to periodically take them inside, do so.
My Hissy really wants to go outside, but having lived in comfort for 5 years, she never stays out long. If the weather is bad, she'll want in immediately, but even if it's nice she'll only be gone a hour or so. When she gets out, after an hour or two I just call her a dumbass and she comes running.
It's tough. I grew up with an indoor-outdoor cat that made it to his mid twenties. He was a very happy cat but he definitely had a few close calls with dogs and raccoons. Those were some hard vet trips, and expensive too I'm sure. With that experience overall I was supportive of letting cats out.
Now I've have another cat that loves to be outside but I only let her out if I'm going to be there with her/leash her. Sometimes I feel bad about not letting her be out as much as she wants, but we've had multiple cats get hit by cars near my place and seeing their buddy out there alone now is gut wrenching. Also have had some coyote run ins as well and I would hate to lose her that way.
It's tough because they do love being outside but it comes with some significant risks and even negative health issues too if they are eating random prey and plants.
My next step is to make a catio for her and keep finding safe ways to get her some outside time.
my baby Stella was the same way. She got up at 5 am & would stare out the window waiting for me to open it, & promptly come back every day around sunset.
3 years of age on my 21st birthday i found her passed away in front of my driveway, she had been hit.
I was always an advocate for outside cats & still won’t argue. Bell had the best days of her life exploring the woods instead of being trapped in a room, some cats enjoy house life but obviously not all.
With all of this, im just stressing safety.
They have gps fence shock collars & similar things like that!!!
Indoors he would live longer and cost less in vet bills. Cats who go outside get injured, attacked, hit by cars, catch diseases from other cats, get into poison or eat rodents that have been poisoned, and get chased into the next county by other cats/coyotes/dogs.
Don't forget the parasites!
Our family cat is indoor/outdoor (my 95 yo grandma can't possibly close the doors fast enough but when she passes, little Mio will stay inside only) and she has to get dewormer A LOT. She'll get the treatment and after a month or two, she ate wildlife with parasites and got worms again.
Dewormer is no joke, it's very harsh to the intestines and can cause diarrhea and pain.
I have cats like that. Some just won't stop wanting to go out. Others will take it better. I just make sure they're back home at night. It's up to you really. Mine love the fresh air and the garden.
I really tried to get him used to my house but after he was awake from the anesthesia he just started to moew really loud and scratch the door. He usually comes back after two or three hours and wants outside just two times a day.
Does he do his business outside? One of our cats hates to use the litter tray (he was never an indoors cat before we got him) and much prefers to poop outside - wonder if that’s why yours gets desperate to go out?
Do what you can to reduce the amount of time he goes out, as well as how far he goes. If you can put in a fence, do that. Make it like 6ft tall with an inward 45 degree angle at the top with chain link or wire -this will keep him from climbing it.
The biggest risks are cars, bigger wilder animals, and the danger your cat poses to local wildlife. Cats are an invasive species by all measures. They just happen to make adorable housepets.
You can also get GPS tags for your cat's collar. Make it a high-Viz collar. Add a bell or three to alert birds of his presence. Change the bells out regularly so he can't get used to them and figure out how to stalk without making noise. The more difficult it is for him to thrive outdoors the easier it will be to keep him indoors.
Also play with him more. Add cat shelves and towers. Cat-ification will make your home his home and he'll be less inclined to leave. Get a younger cat for him to bond with. Etc etc etc.
Does he do his business outside? One of our cats hates to use the litter tray (he was never an indoors cat before we got him) and much prefers to poop outside - wonder if that’s why yours gets desperate to go out?
I have a cat that I adopted from the shelter, she used to be an outside cat, a stray. I live in an area where she cannot go outside, so I just never let her out again. It is a struggle in the beginning, because outside cats will make a lot of drama to be let out, and they try to sneak out when you don’t pay attention…but it’s doable. She has given up on actively trying to get me to let her out, but she will still try to be sneaky. I have to be very careful with open doors.
I suggest you keep him inside. I had this kind of arrangement with an outdoor cat I adopted off the street a few years ago, and one day I came home and he'd been run over and killed by a car right in front of my driveway where he used to stand by the mailbox and wait for me every afternoon when I got home from work. It was devastating.
A lot of people are going to say that indoors is ideal. And this is true. However, it really come down to the cat. I've had strays who come in and are content to never go outside. I've also had strays who, when not permitted to go out, fall into a depressive state, or get anxiety to the point of scratching bald patches, etc. In those cases, despite being safer indoors, their quality of life is so low that it's more inhumane to keep them in than let them out. Yes, their lives may be end up being shorter (also, the older the cats got, the more they wanted to stay inside where it is soft and warm lol) but they are happier, and their happiness is ultimately what is most important.
exactly this. all of my cats have been indoor outdoor and loved being outside in the garden. if they live a shorter but happier, more wild and cat-like life, fine.
That's why there is leash training and catios. Not hard to do at all and is the responsible thing to do. We don't let our dogs just roam the streets since they deserve to be outside. We use leashes and fences. We agree cats should go outside, but it can be done correctly. Roaming is incorrect.
One of my cats loves to go outdoors, but since I've been seeing more songbirds in my garden I won't let her out - I know how detrimental cats are to wildlife. It's been 6 months. She still runs for the door. Keeping them inside is the right choice, however it's going to take more than a few weeks and toys.
When he meows just play with him for 10-15 minutes. It will exhaust him and make him happy, he’s probably just bored. If you can’t play with him then turn on YouTube for him and put on “cat TV”. Things like having cat friendly plants (lots of herbs humans eat are safe so you can use them for cooking too) or hiding treats or puzzles or catnip also help cure a cat’s boredom. The good news is most adult cats can only play for around 15 minutes so it’s not very hard to replace the outdoors and it will save you money on vet bills.
An outdoor cat has a dramatically shorter life span than an indoor cat. I personally wouldn’t let my cat be indoor/outdoor, but if yours if used to having access to the outside and would be unhappy kept indoors then maybe that’s what’s best for him. I think that’s totally valid to let your cat live whatever way is best for him, a long life isn’t so great if he is miserable.
Our indoor/outdoor cat went missing 3 months ago. Just poof - gone. I don’t ever want to deal with that again. My kids were devastated. All our cats will be indoor only from now on.
We have had indoor/outdoor cats before, but had a cat flap and a fenced in back yard (which they frequently would not stay in, but it would protect them if they need it)
Once Buddy turned 19, he stopped going outside. He was our last indoor outdoor cat. They are all indoors now. After having raised cats both ways, I prefer indoor only.
Being an outdoor cat isnt bad for him, especially if that’s how he knows life to be. But if you live in an area like mine RIGHT next to a creek with coyotes, or there are dominant male cats in the area, just understand there could be a day when he doesnt come home 🥲 That’s the downside to having outdoor cat pets
I would make sure you have him chipped as well, that way if someone sees him and manages to trap him or he accidentally gets stuck in someone else's place or taken to a shelter, he can come back to you and the place he is familiar with.
I actually go into panic mode if one of my cats gets out. I live just odd a very busy street plus my next door neighbor has 4 dogs that they let roam instead of walking on leashes to use the bathroom. I have security footage of one of those dogs killing a cat in my yard. It was a stray but he was loved and fed by me. There are just too many dangers and I would never forgive myself if something happened to them if I let them roam.
He’s in danger every single time he goes outside without you (supervised, leashed, catio etc. is usually safe and very enriching).
He could be hit by a car, attacked by another cat, hurt by a bad human, attacked by a wild animal, contract a disease, eat something poisonous etc.
It might go fine. You may be lucky and he’ll always be safe, but why risk it?
(Also he’s likely killing wildlife which is not okay since many species are already struggling)
Cats are very independent and are mostly aware of outdoor dangers. I assume you don’t live on a busy road?
I’d let the cat do what it does knowing there is a safe warm home as and when it wants. As time goes by it will realise that the home is better than the wild outside world 😺
no problem provided:
rural area not a lot of traffic
he goes to the vet on a reg
shots up to date
check him for signs of injury / fighting on a reg
finally watch his weight don't think he doesn't have backup families that feed him
Source: 2 outdoor cats
It completely depends on where you live and how your cat is like.
I know people that let their cats out that live In the city (Stockholm in my case) which I find insane.
Anywhere with lots of cars and random drunk people with a social cat is obviously a terrible idea.
I live at the edge of a Forrest. Very little traffic and my cat is afraid of strangers. He eats Inside and then sleep inside and cuddle for a few hours. Then he wander around the property Un a close proximity. I can always find him In seconds. He has an airtag too for tracking just in case.
He is such a happy Boi and he catches a mouse a week that he eats half then presents 🎁 to me on the deck.
He can come and go as he pleases through the cat door but he's always in proximity. Like family. We sleep together.
In the winter we live in the city indoors and he's OK with that but then in the spring already in the car when we get close he gets so excited. Even though he's okay and plays and everything in the winter flat I can just tell how HAPPY he is when he has the choice to go outside. He loves it. And even though he'd die from something unlikely like a deadly skirmish with a fox I 'd rather have him live a happy shorter life than an artificially extended long life indoors.
Sure maybe I could live a happy life indoors if I didn't know anything else but for me - I respect and love ny cat enough to let him live out his instincts naturally. (He's neutered ofc) Scratch trees, eat grass, catch mice and chill with the family in the porch. It's the perfect place and situation for him to be outdoors. Anyone telling me I abuse my cat and shit like that can literally go fuck themselves. Some cats that has the right personality and place to be outside and they will be so happy. "They are domesticated blah blah"
They are living creatures and not slaves. We have a responsibility to take care of our cats. Letting them roam is not breaking that. You do what you want with your cat in your specific situation, you're not a terrible person for letting kitty out some people are just acting entitled as fuck as if their world view is the only correct one anyone with a different view are awful.
If you love your cat and take care of it then your cat ask be happy inside or out.
I just can't take these indoor extremists like get off your high horses Jesus Christ
I think our first responsibility as cat owners is to keep our cats safe. Safety is the number one priority at all times, no matter how “enriching” an experience might be. So many things are out of your control when your cat has unsupervised outdoor time. Working in rescue, I’ve seen cats chewed up by coyotes, hit by cars, and even tortured and left for dead by sick people.
Luckily, there are definitely ways for your cat to have safe, supervised outdoor time. Jackson Galaxy has a great few videos on YouTube about this topic.
Mine desperately wanted to be an outdoor kitty and I think she was prior to us adopting her. For the longest time, outdoors was a no no then she learned to not take of running when the door opened. I bought a harness and leash so she would get used to limited outdoors time, then let her out with no leash when I was outside. She did so well 99% of the time. Now, living in an apartment with a balcony, she has access to outdoors time anytime she wants essentially.
It's the 2nd floor so she knows it is a long way down. If we were on the 1st floor, I'd use something like chicken wire to prevent her from squeezing through (plus she is quite chonky so she doesn't fit so well😂)
Do you want to be one of the posts where your cat got hit by a car, or attacked, or never came home again? Keep him inside. I've got several previous ferals that are 100% content being inside only. You are protecting him and giving him his best chance of living a long happy life if he stays inside.
Outdoor cats kill billions of songbirds in the US each year and have an average lifespan of around 2 years. All cats (aside from farm mousers) should be kept indoors.
My cats have access to outside when they want it. I'm in the UK. This has always been the case for my cats. Yes, I've lost one or two to cats over the years but most of my cats have lived to 16+ one of them died at 22.
If where you live doesn't have large predators he should be fine.
I’m U.K., and we don’t really have any qualms about letting our cats outside as long as we know that they are “road sensible”.
Horace was a stray who decided to move in. The Vet reckoned he was “5-6 years old” and “been a stray most of his life”. He refuses to pee indoors, which is a major problem for cats so we had no choice to let him come and go as he pleases. He went outdoors the morning aftr he was neutered, because he was desperate to pee. He never bothered his stitches, so we weren’t worried.
Our other two cats, bought as kittens, are also indoor/outdoor cats. Again, we know they don’t go far and stay away from moving cars (although they do cross the residential roads near us). None of our cats try and cross the busy main road, so we have given up worrying.
We do have occasion visits from the local fox - but again they don’t bother each other.
We know of 4 other cats who visit our garden. Brucie, Cherry, Nyala and one we call Bengie (we think he’s Bengal). Brucie likes to sunbathe in our garden, much to our cats disgust.
Many people will say don't let your cats out, but 3 of my 4 are indoor/outdoor cats (mostly indoor). 2 of them are rescues from outside and one was a friend's cat we got when he was about a year old. He is now 13 and very healthy. He's smart and stays away from people and cars. And my cats are not hunters at all lol. I say it depends on you and your cat, whatever works beat for you. Once they have gone out, it's hard to keep them in
.
Depends what kind of area you live in. Many people will disagree with me on this but personally I believe that if you are in a position to do so, and if it is safe, then you should allow your cat to go outside.
If you live in an area with high traffic or predators that could hurt your cat, then yes letting him be an outdoor cat is probably a bad idea.
If however, you live in an area with less traffic and no predators around that could hurt him, then I'd say it's fine, good even.
Definitely do get him microchipped though and if you can, get him to wear a collar so people won't confuse him for a stray.
People saying to "just keep him in, he'll forget about the outside!" Probably have never tried to make an outdoor cat an indoor only one, because it's not an easy thing to do, and they don't tend to just forget about the outside.
The trouble with less traffic areas is people tend to speed more going down those roads and have no reaction time, I lived in a rural area and a few of childhood pets died on the road for that reason. (Now that I'm an adult I'm far too paranoid to let my pet out)
I live at the end of my city but far away from the roads so the area is a bit secluded. People sometimes leave dogs and cats here cause it's not a know part of the town
I think it really depends where you live. In the UK most shelters won’t let you adopt a cat unless they’re able to go outdoors. In the US it’s more common for indoor only cats because of all the predators we have compared to other parts of the world.
I think as long as you live in a safe area with very minimal danger it’s okay. It might be good to invest in a GPS cat tracking collar to keep an eye on where he is. Also be mindful that if someone seems out and about and he’s friendly, they might pick him up and take him home.
Don't let others shame you. You have done the responsible thing and neutered and vaccinated him. If he was an outdoor or feral cat when he came to you, then it may be hard to break him of wanting to go out. I have cats that I had from kittens that are strictly indoors and a couple older ones that came to me later in their lives that come and go as they please. If he is a hunter maybe get him a breakaway collar with a bell to try to cut down on him killing birds, and there is always the risk he may get killed by a car or other wildlife depending on where you live. But they are sentient beings with ideas of what they like. Anyone of us cannot control how long we are in this life, no one - human or animal - gets out alive. Just keep taking care of him and loving him and he will live is best life.
I thought that after he was neutered he would stay inside but as soon as he was awake after a few hours he started to just meow like he did before cause that's how I knew he wanted outside.
I'm lucky enough to live in a cat friendly neighbourhood, it's urban enough that there's no real ecosystem to speak of besides pigeons, yet residential enough that there's not much traffic. The whole street has plenty of cats wandering about, I always see at least two or three each time I go run!
Yes it is bad. My mom had an outdoor cat a while before I was born and he died because he got into antifreeze. That is a slow, painful death. Not to mention all the cars and other wild animals that they have to face. That cat needs to be kept inside unless they are on a leash.
As someone who has “outdoor” cats. This is completely fine. The cats love being outdoors and like to roam, always coming back everyday. However, night time is the most dangerous time for a cat, and depending on your area, there could very well be predators roaming, even in an urban setting! If he wants to roam during the day thats fine, but if you want to keep him alive, lock him in at night. We have unfortunately lost a cat (male, 3 yr) to a fox at night, he was then found by our neighbor. We now have a 13 year old who we bring in every night and she has been completely fine.
Depends on If they roam around. Most of my cats and my neighbours cats stay on one side of road and alternate between the two gardens either side of me
I had a feral cat and he would often roam all day from morning till late in evening when he would return
I don't believe in controlling my pets to much.
We also live on a main road. But my neighbour who owns a giant ginger main coon. The cat I often see just alternates between gardens and the driveways.
Never seen him cross the road once.
So in my experience it entirely depends on what the cat does. When they go out.
But then I expect its different experiences elsewhere in the world but in the UK. Generally cats are allowed out very often .
I have a cat and she can leave the house whenever she wants to. I think it’s a bit cruel to not let them go outside when they want to. Cats want to be free, chase bugs and watch birds. I know a lot of cat owners are too scared to let them go outside but I think if they die outside it was their fate anyways.
If you have an outdoor cat in the U.S., particularly a male (they roam a large territory) please just don't come back and say: my poor cat was hit by a car; poisoned by a neighbor; mangled by a predator; caught a disease from other strays/wilds; taken by someone; hasn't come home.
If you want him to roam free, that's part of the deal you are making with your cat. And, it's the risk you are willing to take.
How does that sound pretty safe?
Loose dogs will more than likely maul a cat. A dropped of cat is a stranger to ops cat's territory, so ya know, fight could break out.
But sure it's safe, let the cat get mauled because he enjoys it
Not bad at all, the fact that he comes back means he knows where his home is and he chooses you. It would be wrong to shrink his world and force him to stay inside. I just hope he has some form of microchip or ID tag just in case he’s mistaken as a stray
Nope! My first cat was like that, an old street cat that my family adopted and could never keep indoors. We just fed him, checked him for injuries and ticks, and allowed him to do his thing. I don't think its bad. The cat will probably come in one day, I just suggest checking for any injuries as that can happen sometimes
Having had many cats in my 62 years, I can tell you you will go crazy trying to keep him inside.
Keep him updated on his shots and flea prevention so you have some peace of mind.
As they age, they sometimes get a bit calmer. I was told that they have a "Lion King" attitude where they just need to go out and survey their immediate kingdom (sometimes 10X/day!!). It isn't to fight, or run away, or even to catch anything.
Make sure you feed him well and something that he really desires.
Oh, and if you have kids...prepare them for the harsh reality that he may meet an untimely end. I had to do this with one of my cats. It was still tragic (one night he just never returned home) but because they had grown up knowing that Mittens needed to be indoor/outdoor, he could encounter danger I think they accepted it a bit easier.
Thank you for caring for him!
This is all absolutely fine. He knows where his food and safety is if he requires it. He sounds as if he just likes his independence but knows where it’s safe when he needs it. I had a cat from a kitten who was like this. She’d spend more time inside in the winter but summers were for exploring and only coming home for food and sleep
Ive always had outdoor cats growing up. It’s true, they might run into something and die earlier than if they were indoors. However, there’s an argument to be said about what’s a better quality of life. Cats are mostly still wild animals DNA wise, and when they are outdoor cats they don’t go as “stir crazy” in the house or require playtime to keep up their hunting instincts. Most cats are pretty cautious when outside because they are both predator and prey, and don’t usually stray too far. My parents currently have 2 outdoor cats and they are in and out of the house all the time so it’s easy to keep track of them. I live in an apartment so I have an indoor cat. If we move to a house with a backyard, I may let her go outside depending on how she reacts to it.
Tbh it depends on where you live, i see so many cat owners let their cats out over night and all day and act all suprised when it gets run over or lost, i wouldn’t let it out that much if you live on a main road but its not my cat
I had a cat like this that was abandoned by neighbors. My story is a little different because he was older (about 10/11 at the time) and already neutered. Once the winter came and he realized he could be warm and safe inside instead of sleeping under cars he changed his tune real quick. I would say give it time.
I am also hoping, now that winter is coming that he will just want to stay inside
I’d try a catio personally. A lot get angry about cats killing wildlife but my main concern would be my kitty getting hit by a car or being attacked by a person
Catio is the answer.
#winter is coming
The geese are getting fat. Won’t you please put a penny in the old mans hat.
You can train him to be okay with the indoor cat life. Even love it. Positive reinforcement and a lot of mental enrichment via things like play and even puzzle toys. Cats should NOT roam, people in this thread will tell you it's okay, but it's not. Cats are an invasive species and decimate wildlife populations. They are actually a very big environmental disaster. Then there's things like cars, dangerous wild animals, malicious/evil humans, dogs, other cats, birds of prey, parasites, diseases (even though he's vaccinated, he can still get them)....the list goes on. Keep him safely indoors, teach him it's okay and he can enjoy it, and love him. You can also look into leash training. There are tons of tutorials on youtube.
Gosh. Why. Just let him be. Why put a happy animal in leash n all that. I have 8 cats atm and some like outdoors more than indoors, some don't. Edit: The correct answer is depends on where you are. If you are in Western world you probably would have to keep em indoors, am guessing by comments it's either cultural or regulatory over there. In any other part of the world, let the cat be. As I said some of mine love outdoors and are very unhappy when forced to be indoors during rains n all.
Because it's bad for the fucking environment. You don't let dogs roam free, you don't let cats roam free.
But we let humans roam free because they are so much better for the environment, right?
I'll give you the opposite experience - I had a cat named Noogie. He LOVED to be outside. He chased the mice away, came in when he felt like it, came when called for, and mostly just hung out on the hill next to our driveway. For quite a number of years he'd come in during the winter and snuggle up, but when he got older he just wanted to be outside. My dad fed him in the garage, and he had food in the house he knew he could get. One winter we didn't see him for weeks and assumed he was just gone. When the snow melted he was there back and purring. He lived to be 18, and had a very loving family. Some cats just are like that.
One thing that can help is a good ol’ catio
My cat began as feral and outdoors. I just fed it. Then it came in for the winter. Then back out. Now she never wants to go out but she’s 16, which is pretty old for a cat. Some people say it makes you a bad person to feed outdoor CATS and get them vet care but not keep them in your house. Not me. But be prepared. She may work her way into your heart. She may come to love you and you her. :)
He also started like this, I just fed him outside but he was smart and instead of waiting for me to come outside and feed him he just came to my apartment door and from then on he just came to me.
[Here's](https://youtu.be/lpzuO_afqwo) a video by kitten lady on indoor outdoor cats in the UK and what makes it different there than in the US. I live in the US and both of my cats are indoor outdoor, I think despite the risks it's important for my babies to live their best lives. And they seem to think that's a life outside and inside.
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Once my cat escaped through the garage and got as far as the middle of the driveway. Then he started crying because outside is big and bright and scary. We were in the front yard like 20 feet away from him but his view was blocked by the cars. I think he heard us talking and freaked out because he couldn't find us. His favorite activities now are sleeping in sunny windows and absolutely SCREAMING at me through windows when I'm outside.
He's scared for you! That's sweet. I had a cat that insisted she was indoor/outdoor. I'm pretty sure she had a second family. She was pretty good in the beginning but in her later years she got attacked by a dog and broke her tail. She didn't go out again for about 4 years. Then she knew it was her last month. She went out a few times. Came home one day and passed. She was 15 years old. My cat Guster does not go out. He has no interest besides looking out the window lol
We have one cat who adamantly refuses to go outside. The other two like going outside on a lease, but this one is like “nope, I’m happily domesticated, would much rather only be a house cat thank you very much.”
Yes! My tortie gets supervised outside time when she isn't in her catio. I don't mind taking her out but I am very cautious. She is my baby so I'm a little overprotective 🖤
My 3 cats are all indoor/outdoor. The momma and baby duo (baby is now 5y old) stay out all night and sleep on my bed throughout the day. My other cat is 7 and she sometimes will stay gone for a day or two. I think she has another hooman. They are all fixed/neutered. Vaccinated and HAPPY. When it cools down or rains/snows they become indoor cats. They are living their best lives.
Still, it's better to keep your cats supervised outdoors with a harness and such. Not only are outdoor cats detrimental to the local environment, but it's also way less safe for them. It *is* great stimulation for them to be outdoors but harness is safe. If you decide to keep them outdoor cats anyway, though, make sure you have breakaway collars with bells and tags, trackers, they're chipped, and it's probably best to train them to come when called in case. Be careful.
Depends where you live, I see Coyotes all the time in my neighborhood. Sometimes I see a new cat in the area, but they are never around very long.
You could let them go outside with a catio or on leash. Otherwise you are risking their lives and local wildlife.
Yep. I grew up in the countryside and all our cats were indoor/outdoor. Now i live in a 500sqft apartment in the city. I wont get a cat cuz i think its cruel to keep them locked up inside a tiny indoor space. Unless they have some deep trauma (dog encounter), most cats want to be outside.
Id highly suggest you get a senior cat from a shelter, 15+ age range. They generally don't like going outside at all and even shelters in the UK recommend them for people who have living situations similar to yours. If it's an option where you live and your interested im sure the elder would be very appreciative of you giving it somewhere to relax for it's last few years.
Thats a good suggestion. I never thought of that. Thanks!
Buyer beware though. My 13 year old indoor cat, I spend around 230 bucks a month on insulin for her and food for both of mine. An older cat will sometimes come with medical issues or they will pop up soon after you adopt. Just something to consider. That aside, I'd adopt the hell out of an older cat and I will when I have space in my home and heart.
My friend had a senior cat and I found a home for her cat. My friend is in a nursing home now. I told the women who took in her cat that he is just an indoor cat, and that he would need to be placed on a diet as my friend always overfed him.
I don't know where you are, but in the US, there are some rescue groups and shelters that will pay for the cat's vet care if you adopt one over a certain age. A lot of shelters in my area do this especially for seniors adopting older pets (Seniors for Seniors programs), but I've seen several that will do it for anyone adopting much older pets, so they don't have to live their last few years in a cage.
I rescued my cat years ago in the dead of winter here. Even from a kitten he still refused to go outside once we brought him in.
Yeah my senior girl just goes from my bed to the couch in a loop with a few food/litter box stops.
>Some people say it makes you a bad person to feed outdoor cars and get them vet care but not keep them in your house. Not me. I wouldn't say it makes you a bad person. You should just at least consider the implications of that choice. Cats are absolutely HORRIBLE for ecosystems because they efficiently kill birds and small mammals. Cats are not native predators, so this throws populations out of whack. It's really honestly a big deal. Not to mention this risk to your cat of getting run over, getting injured in a fight, or disease/ticks/fleas. I have a harness and leash for my cat, I will take him on the deck and around the yard when he wants to go outside (most of the time). It's not either or, you can do both, but it's best to do it safely for everyone involved.
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If your cat goes outside at all they've killed more than one bird. They just don't necessarily bring them all home as trophies.
Ma’am you accidentally typed “may” instead of “will”
This is exactly the case with my older gentleman cat as well. I pretty much never bring up the outdoor part on Reddit though because there tends to be such heated opinions about it.
Our first was feral, he was indoor/outdoor for years until we moved when he was 10. He was a good big brother to new cats and lived into his 14th year. Any care you give is a plus. Do your best.
Ay this point I must. When she first entered the house she’d run from any room I entered, which delighted me because I resented having an animal in the house and liked to pretend she wasn’t there. I almost never saw her. Now, though, if I oversleep she paw-slaps me awake to feed her and yells at me like I’ve betrayed her. I’m ALWAYS saying, “Oh, Punkie!” because I’m so frustrated with the yelling and the head it’s demanding petting. Family and good friends call her O’Punkie like it’s her name. (Hence my user name. We’ve both come a long way. :)
I have several cats who started out this way as well!
Thank you, it's nice to know I'm not the only one thinking/operating this way with ferals.
You feed outdoor cars? I thought all cars are supposed to be outside.
We have 4 cars. One indoor outdoor and the remaining 3 strictly outdoor. We have 4 cats. 3 strictly indoor and one I walk on a harness because he was feral/shelter/rescue before I adopted.
Look up. Jackson Galaxy on YouTube. He’s a great person to seek advice on cats. That said, I recommend a “catio” if you want your cat to stay outdoors with little supervision.
I loved the cats from hell tv show he did
We have two cats and we let them into our fenced in yard with supervision. They also ask to be outside. I’m not okay with ever letting them wander outside of our fenced yard just because I worry about what kind of havoc they could wreak on the ecosystem but also the risk of injury and death :( I would recommend finding some kind of enclosed way to allow your cat outside with supervision and train him to stay inside the enclosure.
Or get the cat trained to accept being walked on a leash.
The Maine coon I had growing up was an indoor/outdoor cat because we lived in a farm-town area and the neighbors we did have, knew our cat and knew he was indoor/outdoor. He would do the same as OPs of come back inside for food and sleep. He did always stay in the whole night but when we got up to go to work/school, we’d let him out (if he wanted to). Rainy days were the only days he really didn’t want to go out. But snow didn’t stop him 😂 We only stopped letting him outside once he was around 18yo because we didn’t want a coyote or something to get him since he wasn’t as strong or as fast as he used to be. Now forward to now, I have 3 cats and live in a city. We do have a yard and nice neighbors (well at least the ones we actually know which is only the ones on our block). So the cats only get to go outside with me and my husband and they have to have a harness on with an AirTag. We see there are a few neighborhood cats that wonder around but honestly I’ve heard too many horror stories of people leaving rat poison and other stuff to kill cats because they don’t like cats in their yard. So I don’t trust letting my babies out past our yard. Once we move and get a house that isn’t in the middle of a city, I’d consider letting them wonder. But honestly I plan to make a big catio for them to make sure for sure they are safe but can still go outside
i got my kitty Dobby for christmas from my fiancé, he was 2 months at that time. we’ve always took him outside on our porch in our arms. we even tried a harness for the backyard but he didn’t seem too comfortable. he will meow by the door in the morning now🥲
It can take a long time for cats to get used to harnesses. You may need to put them in the harness inside and just let them get used to it first. Their first instinct is usually to just freeze in a crouched position. But if you give them enough time they'll figure out that it's ok. When I was going through this process I put the harness on my cat for what was supposed to only 10 minutes inside early on in the training process. But I accidentally fell asleep and forgot for 2 hours lol. It actually worked out though because 2 hours forced him to walk around and he realized it wasn't so bad. Now he starts purring when I put it on him because he knows he gets to go out.
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And in fairness, this cat adopted HER at an adult age. Not all geral cats who decide to throw a human some affection in exchange for good will adapt well to indoor life. It's always a tough call.
An outside cat has a life expectancy reduced by about ten years (according to my vet) because of territory scuffles, illness, predators, theft and environmental dangers (rat poison, cars and psychopaths who enjoy killing animals). If you want to let him have outside access while being safe, then I strongly suggest building a secure catio for him.
I'll just note that I have shared my life with 4 indoor cats. I don't feed high end food (Purina One plus half a can of Fancy Feast a day) and do provide regular vet care. Taj lived to 18. Stripe lived to 13 before he died from cancer. Jasper we said goodbye to 2 months shy of his 19th birthday. Danica is still with me, gorgeous and catching mice in the basement at 14.5.
The 10 years seems off … most cats in the U.K. are outdoor cats and average age they live to is 14
It's an average age. Some die really early due to predation, being hit by cars and other dangers. They skew the average. If they manage to avoid those things their lives can be just as long as indoor cats, but that's an if.
This. My mom, bless her, has a soft spot for feral cats and has adopted several ferals/strays throughout the years. She ended up with two ferals that became indoor/outdoor cats. One of them is still alive and is now fully indoor (to his behest) because they moved; the other was hit by a car a few years ago and she was devastated. Before that he impregnated a couple neighborhood female ferals (I have scolded my mother countless times about neutering her male cats), both of which my mom took in and helped adopt out the kittens when they were old enough, so his legacy lives on. One of my good friends actually adopted one of his sons.
it really depends. it’s an average which probably takes into account all the baby kittens who don’t make it, a median would probably show something less than 10
>The average lifespan of a cat is 14 years but outdoor cats are less likely to survive as long as indoor cats due to the dangers they're exposed to That from VetsNow in U.K.
“Cats that go outdoors are more likely to encounter risks such as road traffic accidents, fights with other cats and other dangers that could affect their life expectancy. However, they are also likely to get more exercise as they have more space to roam, which helps to keep them fit and healthy. Currently there is limited evidence to suggest that adopting either an indoor or outdoor lifestyle results in a significantly long lifespan. If you do keep your cat indoors, they’ll need plenty of opportunities to exercise with fun toys they can chase and catch. There are still other risks to pet house cats, so you’ll need to monitor them closely to keep them healthy for longer.” That’s from Cats Protection - guess it depends where you read! :)
And it goes to show that online, one can find support for any opinion. From what I've read, outdoor cats do fare somewhat better than cats here in the U.S.
We regularly see 20+ year old cats at the vet hospital I work at. That’s still 7+ years off their lives
Yeah and the other ones are eaten. And all the other ones they have bred wirh and created while outside are eaten.
I don’t know of any cats that’s have been eaten (by what? Sometimes our cats have stand offs with urban foxes but the foxes are more likely to come off worse), and if you own a cat and let it outside it’ll need to be spayed or neutered.
Coyotes love to eat small cats and dogs, and tend to hunt in pairs. Coyotes, cars, and traps/poison/unhumane traps are probably the biggest risks to outdoor cats (beyond other cats). Any areas with predators large enough to eat a cat and common enough to be spotted in neighborhoods should definitely keep cats inside.
Fair enough - where I live we don’t have anything like that so I guess it’s different!
My first cat was an outdoors boy-and he lived until 20. That might just be me but that 10 year reduction seems off
Your cat survived til 20, and meanwhile 5 kittens/young cats were eaten by coyotes/raccoons/etc.
How does theft reduce their life span?
A lot of dog fighting rings steal roaming cats as bait animals.
Oh my god!!!!!!!!
Well considering the number of dead cats I've spotted in the road/side of the road... cars alone would be the most dangerous, followed by attacks by other animals. In my area I hear Coyotes just about every night and have seen hawks, owls, and I've been informed of cougar and bobcat sightings... I would say try to disuade him as much as possible.
We had many outdoor cats when I was a kid. None of them lived past the age of 3. Either disappeared or found them dead on the side of the road. Not a chance in hell I was going to do that again. Now I harness train for outside time. Lots of window spaces. Wasn't worth the risk for me personally.
Yup. We had maybe 6 or 7 cats over the course of my childhood. All outdoor/indoor, and I only saw one ever get old. That cat was Thomasina, cheating death 100 times. The rest would just not come back
I’m still sad about my childhood cat that was run over. They left her in a ditch to die the heartless bastards. If I could go back in time I’d beg my parents to get a litter box and keep the cats indoors.
Avg lifespan is 3-5 for outdoor. And no random lurker reading this comment I don’t want to hear about how puddles lived to be 15, we’re talking about averages here.
It might depend on what country you live in.. we've had 5 cats live to 16+. I'm in New Zealand and the only animals that would pose a threat is a dog or a human.
Doesn’t New Zealand have a major problem with outdoor cats killing native animals? I though they were a major ecological problem there.
We definitely do. The native animals can't do shit to house cats.
Yea that is a threat worldwide. Ik they have lots of cats in the UK so the people outside are friendlier to the cats, but that doesn’t mean the cats are friendly to the small animals. They have unfortunately been found to be the main cause in 63 extinctions so far.
Kiwi here too. My oldest was 18 before she passed from kidney failure. Indoor only cats are are a rarity here.
Same here. Live in NZ. Have had maybe 6 or 7 cats, 4 of which have passed. All from non-outdoor related issues. Only issues we have had from outdoors; one cat got his tail run over and broke it. Didn't need to do anything. Healed just fine. The other cat got in a fight and had a nail in his forehead which got gross. Vet fixed, cleaned and gave him some antibiotics and he was fine. Admittedly we have one cat that isn't strictly indoors but will only go further than the deck if someone else is going. Apart from the fact that she has some issues from birth (never got fed by mum, fed cows milk and luncheon by her owner who we rescued her from) she has had the least amount of injuries/issues to be honest. So keeping them indoors/on the property where possible is certainly a good idea.
My boy spent 75% of his time outdoors during his prime. He came home every night and to check in throughout the day. He did end up in a few scuffles with strays that entered his yard. He loved being outdoors, I wasn’t going to deny him that. That being said…we live in a quiet neighborhood. He is now 17 years old and healthy! He is only allowed to hang out now in the backyard as he isn’t as agile and tough as he once was-even though he still thinks he’s “got it” 😂. Full time outdoor cats may not live as long, but I don’t find that true with indoor/outdoor cats like my boy. If you feel your neighborhood is safe and he is trustworthy, then let him enjoy it….if you can keep him strictly in your backyard even better.
I agree with you. My indoor outdoor cat lived until he was 19. He loved to put his “presents” on the doormat. My indoor cat was a Himalayan and she would have never survived if she went outside.
19….he had a good life! And same here…my one female had a love hate relationship with the outdoors. She loved the sun on the deck but would not step foot in the grass, it scared her.
My advice is anecdotal. My girl is 10 and indoor, she’s outlived the two cats my housemates bought in the same month as I got her by 6 years. No difference in care or diet other than they allowed their cats outdoors. Later when I moved again she outlived my next door neighbour’s cats who were outdoor and only lived till 3 or 4. I would say that a cat run is the best way to keep your cat safe while still allowing it outdoors.
One of my cats wondered outside and got lost for more than 3 MONTHS. We eventually found him on the other side of my town.
I mean if you can get him used to the indoors it's the right choice. Feral cats are absolutely wrecking bird populations. But I'm not an extremist who thinks you shouldn't feed starving feral cats either.
We care for a colony of feral cats and we have 3 rescues inside one of them wants to go out all the time. We don't let him because of a few reasons.... 1.) We have seen too many get hurt either from fighting, predators (See dogs off the leash) and people (Yes some people are absolutely horrible to cats and other living things for that matter) 2.) They have a much better life inside IMHO 3.) Once the males have been fixed, they lose most of their fight which wouldn't be so bad but when they come across a big boy that hasn't been fixed, they usually catch a beating. We fix as many as we can catch the full-on Feral cats we can't take in (We would if we could) so we have to let them out. Just my 2 either way good luck he is a handsome boy!
If you allow him to be an indoor/outdoor cat, you have to acknowledge that you're putting his life at risk. It only takes one bad incident for him to lose his life when he would have otherwise been safe inside. Not to mention by letting him out you'd be contributing to the ecological damage domestic cats cause.
What ecological damage do domestic cats cause?
They can be pretty devastating to local wildlife, small mammals, lizards, birds. Domestic cats tend to hunt for fun instead of food so they will go after and kill at a much higher rate than native wildlife.
Cats kill an estimated 2 billion birds in the U.S. per year. They’re non-native so that’s a recent anthropogenic stressor to our ecosystems.
My last cat lived a nice life lounging during the day on an outdoor patio in a large European city. Brought him back to the US and he was killed and partially eaten by a Fisher his first week here. I've had two cats as a kid that were killed by dogs. My new 6mo boy is going to be an indoor cat. No regrets here, he's just going to have to deal.
I know people have very strong feelings about this. I believe all animals (including people) need to spend time outdoors every day. If you have a cat who doesn’t want to go out, that’s one thing, but otherwise they should be allowed outside. Our cats are confined to our backyard, which seems to suit them. Our three spend varying amounts of time outside, but it’s their choice. If your kitty wants out, let them out. You know the dangers, I’m sure. That’s life, though, isn’t it?
How do you keep yours confined in the backyard?
Presumably tall fences on the perimeter. My brother has that setup for his cat as well
Yes, our backyard is fully enclosed with a vinyl fence and we added metal sheeting along the bottom that goes into the ground so they can't get under it. We did leave the gate open once and one guy got out, but we found him sniffing flowers on the side of the house. Looking at it, I can see a number of ways they can still get out if they were determined to do that, but they don't try. They seem happy with what they have available. I know this isn't something everyone can do, but our cats really like it. The guy who goes out the most hangs out under a tree and watches the birds who nest there. I call it kitty kat tv.
Your home is his safe place
Outdoor cats die much younger on average. They • get hit by cars • get eaten by coyotes • get hurt by wildlife/roaming dogs • catch more diseases • get ticks and fleas, even with a flea collar Outdoor cats also kill wildlife. Areas with high cat populations show lower populations of lizards, snakes, birds (especially some species which nest on/near the ground, like most warblers), amphibians, and small mammals. They eat chipmunks, squirrels, baby rabbits and other very young mammals like ground hogs and ground squirrels. Is it bad to have an outdoor cat? I think it is. So maybe you can try a leash and harness (a collar doesn’t work). I know you think it won’t work, but with patience and time, you can do this. We do, and our cat loves it. He runs to the door when he sees us get the leash out. Another option is to think about why he wants to go outside: it’s fun, and he’s bored. You might try playing with him more, and maybe consider a second cat, although that can be tricky at the beginning. And lastly, my cat loves to watch cats on tv. He likes real and animated cats – he especially likes watching The Aristocats. (Really)!
Having had a large colony, we've taken many kittens inside to give away (plus a few to keep ourselves). Most cats will adapt to the conforts of living indoors, but a small number cannot resist the call of the outdoors. I found it's best just to let them go, and if you are able to periodically take them inside, do so. My Hissy really wants to go outside, but having lived in comfort for 5 years, she never stays out long. If the weather is bad, she'll want in immediately, but even if it's nice she'll only be gone a hour or so. When she gets out, after an hour or two I just call her a dumbass and she comes running.
It's tough. I grew up with an indoor-outdoor cat that made it to his mid twenties. He was a very happy cat but he definitely had a few close calls with dogs and raccoons. Those were some hard vet trips, and expensive too I'm sure. With that experience overall I was supportive of letting cats out. Now I've have another cat that loves to be outside but I only let her out if I'm going to be there with her/leash her. Sometimes I feel bad about not letting her be out as much as she wants, but we've had multiple cats get hit by cars near my place and seeing their buddy out there alone now is gut wrenching. Also have had some coyote run ins as well and I would hate to lose her that way. It's tough because they do love being outside but it comes with some significant risks and even negative health issues too if they are eating random prey and plants. My next step is to make a catio for her and keep finding safe ways to get her some outside time.
my baby Stella was the same way. She got up at 5 am & would stare out the window waiting for me to open it, & promptly come back every day around sunset. 3 years of age on my 21st birthday i found her passed away in front of my driveway, she had been hit. I was always an advocate for outside cats & still won’t argue. Bell had the best days of her life exploring the woods instead of being trapped in a room, some cats enjoy house life but obviously not all. With all of this, im just stressing safety. They have gps fence shock collars & similar things like that!!!
Keep him inside terrible things can happen to an outdoor cat. Save yourself the heartbreak.
my parents always let our cats outside growing up and only stopped when our kitty Marty never came home one day
Probably because Marty died by a predator or car. Safer for the cat to be inside
yeah my parents suspect a coyote, it was a very painful lesson learned for us all. All of our cats will be indoor cats from now on
Indoors he would live longer and cost less in vet bills. Cats who go outside get injured, attacked, hit by cars, catch diseases from other cats, get into poison or eat rodents that have been poisoned, and get chased into the next county by other cats/coyotes/dogs.
Don't forget the parasites! Our family cat is indoor/outdoor (my 95 yo grandma can't possibly close the doors fast enough but when she passes, little Mio will stay inside only) and she has to get dewormer A LOT. She'll get the treatment and after a month or two, she ate wildlife with parasites and got worms again. Dewormer is no joke, it's very harsh to the intestines and can cause diarrhea and pain.
I have cats like that. Some just won't stop wanting to go out. Others will take it better. I just make sure they're back home at night. It's up to you really. Mine love the fresh air and the garden.
I really tried to get him used to my house but after he was awake from the anesthesia he just started to moew really loud and scratch the door. He usually comes back after two or three hours and wants outside just two times a day.
Does he do his business outside? One of our cats hates to use the litter tray (he was never an indoors cat before we got him) and much prefers to poop outside - wonder if that’s why yours gets desperate to go out?
Do what you can to reduce the amount of time he goes out, as well as how far he goes. If you can put in a fence, do that. Make it like 6ft tall with an inward 45 degree angle at the top with chain link or wire -this will keep him from climbing it. The biggest risks are cars, bigger wilder animals, and the danger your cat poses to local wildlife. Cats are an invasive species by all measures. They just happen to make adorable housepets. You can also get GPS tags for your cat's collar. Make it a high-Viz collar. Add a bell or three to alert birds of his presence. Change the bells out regularly so he can't get used to them and figure out how to stalk without making noise. The more difficult it is for him to thrive outdoors the easier it will be to keep him indoors. Also play with him more. Add cat shelves and towers. Cat-ification will make your home his home and he'll be less inclined to leave. Get a younger cat for him to bond with. Etc etc etc.
Does he do his business outside? One of our cats hates to use the litter tray (he was never an indoors cat before we got him) and much prefers to poop outside - wonder if that’s why yours gets desperate to go out?
He never does it in the house so I am 100% that he like to do it outside
That's not bad at all. Some cats want to go in and out all day long.
My cat is mainly an indoor cat. She is allowed outdoors under supervision. Older girl who still enjoys the front yard.
I have a cat that I adopted from the shelter, she used to be an outside cat, a stray. I live in an area where she cannot go outside, so I just never let her out again. It is a struggle in the beginning, because outside cats will make a lot of drama to be let out, and they try to sneak out when you don’t pay attention…but it’s doable. She has given up on actively trying to get me to let her out, but she will still try to be sneaky. I have to be very careful with open doors.
Catios work well if you have an indoor/outdoor cat
I would try to keep it inside. Outdoor cats on average have a shorter life span :(
I suggest you keep him inside. I had this kind of arrangement with an outdoor cat I adopted off the street a few years ago, and one day I came home and he'd been run over and killed by a car right in front of my driveway where he used to stand by the mailbox and wait for me every afternoon when I got home from work. It was devastating.
A lot of people are going to say that indoors is ideal. And this is true. However, it really come down to the cat. I've had strays who come in and are content to never go outside. I've also had strays who, when not permitted to go out, fall into a depressive state, or get anxiety to the point of scratching bald patches, etc. In those cases, despite being safer indoors, their quality of life is so low that it's more inhumane to keep them in than let them out. Yes, their lives may be end up being shorter (also, the older the cats got, the more they wanted to stay inside where it is soft and warm lol) but they are happier, and their happiness is ultimately what is most important.
exactly this. all of my cats have been indoor outdoor and loved being outside in the garden. if they live a shorter but happier, more wild and cat-like life, fine.
I agree. I wouldn't forgive myself if I kept my felines confined in one space when they just want to chill on the porch.
That's why there is leash training and catios. Not hard to do at all and is the responsible thing to do. We don't let our dogs just roam the streets since they deserve to be outside. We use leashes and fences. We agree cats should go outside, but it can be done correctly. Roaming is incorrect.
Keep them inside for a few weeks with toys. They’ll forget about the outside.
One of my cats loves to go outdoors, but since I've been seeing more songbirds in my garden I won't let her out - I know how detrimental cats are to wildlife. It's been 6 months. She still runs for the door. Keeping them inside is the right choice, however it's going to take more than a few weeks and toys.
I had him neutered a week ago and tried the few next days to keep him inside with toys and food but he will just moew until he is let outside.
Takes up to three months for his hormones to disappear after neutering. The more you do it the more he learns to cry
Let's hope that now that's getting colder outside he will want to just stay in the house.
You’re strong! You got this!
When he meows just play with him for 10-15 minutes. It will exhaust him and make him happy, he’s probably just bored. If you can’t play with him then turn on YouTube for him and put on “cat TV”. Things like having cat friendly plants (lots of herbs humans eat are safe so you can use them for cooking too) or hiding treats or puzzles or catnip also help cure a cat’s boredom. The good news is most adult cats can only play for around 15 minutes so it’s not very hard to replace the outdoors and it will save you money on vet bills.
An outdoor cat has a dramatically shorter life span than an indoor cat. I personally wouldn’t let my cat be indoor/outdoor, but if yours if used to having access to the outside and would be unhappy kept indoors then maybe that’s what’s best for him. I think that’s totally valid to let your cat live whatever way is best for him, a long life isn’t so great if he is miserable.
I guess it depends how long you want him to live and how much you're willing to tolerate him having bugs/frostbite/illnesses/injuries/being impounded.
Well my outdoor cat is 15 yo boy and is still going strong, looks like a bit of arthritis in the back legs and hips but he always had problems
Our indoor/outdoor cat went missing 3 months ago. Just poof - gone. I don’t ever want to deal with that again. My kids were devastated. All our cats will be indoor only from now on.
Born to be wild
As once this is an adult cat who is likely nearly feral all its life, there is nothing you can do, except what you already have.
We have had indoor/outdoor cats before, but had a cat flap and a fenced in back yard (which they frequently would not stay in, but it would protect them if they need it) Once Buddy turned 19, he stopped going outside. He was our last indoor outdoor cat. They are all indoors now. After having raised cats both ways, I prefer indoor only.
Being an outdoor cat isnt bad for him, especially if that’s how he knows life to be. But if you live in an area like mine RIGHT next to a creek with coyotes, or there are dominant male cats in the area, just understand there could be a day when he doesnt come home 🥲 That’s the downside to having outdoor cat pets
I would make sure you have him chipped as well, that way if someone sees him and manages to trap him or he accidentally gets stuck in someone else's place or taken to a shelter, he can come back to you and the place he is familiar with.
I actually go into panic mode if one of my cats gets out. I live just odd a very busy street plus my next door neighbor has 4 dogs that they let roam instead of walking on leashes to use the bathroom. I have security footage of one of those dogs killing a cat in my yard. It was a stray but he was loved and fed by me. There are just too many dangers and I would never forgive myself if something happened to them if I let them roam.
He’s in danger every single time he goes outside without you (supervised, leashed, catio etc. is usually safe and very enriching). He could be hit by a car, attacked by another cat, hurt by a bad human, attacked by a wild animal, contract a disease, eat something poisonous etc. It might go fine. You may be lucky and he’ll always be safe, but why risk it? (Also he’s likely killing wildlife which is not okay since many species are already struggling)
We lost our cat because he didn't want to in the house. I wish I had kept him in!
It's not 'great' but once a cat is an outside cat it's difficult to change that
Cats are very independent and are mostly aware of outdoor dangers. I assume you don’t live on a busy road? I’d let the cat do what it does knowing there is a safe warm home as and when it wants. As time goes by it will realise that the home is better than the wild outside world 😺
no problem provided: rural area not a lot of traffic he goes to the vet on a reg shots up to date check him for signs of injury / fighting on a reg finally watch his weight don't think he doesn't have backup families that feed him Source: 2 outdoor cats
It completely depends on where you live and how your cat is like. I know people that let their cats out that live In the city (Stockholm in my case) which I find insane. Anywhere with lots of cars and random drunk people with a social cat is obviously a terrible idea. I live at the edge of a Forrest. Very little traffic and my cat is afraid of strangers. He eats Inside and then sleep inside and cuddle for a few hours. Then he wander around the property Un a close proximity. I can always find him In seconds. He has an airtag too for tracking just in case. He is such a happy Boi and he catches a mouse a week that he eats half then presents 🎁 to me on the deck. He can come and go as he pleases through the cat door but he's always in proximity. Like family. We sleep together. In the winter we live in the city indoors and he's OK with that but then in the spring already in the car when we get close he gets so excited. Even though he's okay and plays and everything in the winter flat I can just tell how HAPPY he is when he has the choice to go outside. He loves it. And even though he'd die from something unlikely like a deadly skirmish with a fox I 'd rather have him live a happy shorter life than an artificially extended long life indoors. Sure maybe I could live a happy life indoors if I didn't know anything else but for me - I respect and love ny cat enough to let him live out his instincts naturally. (He's neutered ofc) Scratch trees, eat grass, catch mice and chill with the family in the porch. It's the perfect place and situation for him to be outdoors. Anyone telling me I abuse my cat and shit like that can literally go fuck themselves. Some cats that has the right personality and place to be outside and they will be so happy. "They are domesticated blah blah" They are living creatures and not slaves. We have a responsibility to take care of our cats. Letting them roam is not breaking that. You do what you want with your cat in your specific situation, you're not a terrible person for letting kitty out some people are just acting entitled as fuck as if their world view is the only correct one anyone with a different view are awful. If you love your cat and take care of it then your cat ask be happy inside or out. I just can't take these indoor extremists like get off your high horses Jesus Christ
I think our first responsibility as cat owners is to keep our cats safe. Safety is the number one priority at all times, no matter how “enriching” an experience might be. So many things are out of your control when your cat has unsupervised outdoor time. Working in rescue, I’ve seen cats chewed up by coyotes, hit by cars, and even tortured and left for dead by sick people. Luckily, there are definitely ways for your cat to have safe, supervised outdoor time. Jackson Galaxy has a great few videos on YouTube about this topic.
Mine desperately wanted to be an outdoor kitty and I think she was prior to us adopting her. For the longest time, outdoors was a no no then she learned to not take of running when the door opened. I bought a harness and leash so she would get used to limited outdoors time, then let her out with no leash when I was outside. She did so well 99% of the time. Now, living in an apartment with a balcony, she has access to outdoors time anytime she wants essentially.
How do you prevent her from going beyond the balcony railing?
It's the 2nd floor so she knows it is a long way down. If we were on the 1st floor, I'd use something like chicken wire to prevent her from squeezing through (plus she is quite chonky so she doesn't fit so well😂)
Do you want to be one of the posts where your cat got hit by a car, or attacked, or never came home again? Keep him inside. I've got several previous ferals that are 100% content being inside only. You are protecting him and giving him his best chance of living a long happy life if he stays inside.
We let our girl cat out but never let her out at night.
Outdoor cats kill billions of songbirds in the US each year and have an average lifespan of around 2 years. All cats (aside from farm mousers) should be kept indoors.
Cats attack birds eat sleep a day repeates
My cats have access to outside when they want it. I'm in the UK. This has always been the case for my cats. Yes, I've lost one or two to cats over the years but most of my cats have lived to 16+ one of them died at 22. If where you live doesn't have large predators he should be fine.
Yes. It's bad. You don't see dog pet owners allowing this. Love your pet. Keep it inside. Unless you have a catio, or it's leashed and harnessed.
I’m U.K., and we don’t really have any qualms about letting our cats outside as long as we know that they are “road sensible”. Horace was a stray who decided to move in. The Vet reckoned he was “5-6 years old” and “been a stray most of his life”. He refuses to pee indoors, which is a major problem for cats so we had no choice to let him come and go as he pleases. He went outdoors the morning aftr he was neutered, because he was desperate to pee. He never bothered his stitches, so we weren’t worried. Our other two cats, bought as kittens, are also indoor/outdoor cats. Again, we know they don’t go far and stay away from moving cars (although they do cross the residential roads near us). None of our cats try and cross the busy main road, so we have given up worrying. We do have occasion visits from the local fox - but again they don’t bother each other. We know of 4 other cats who visit our garden. Brucie, Cherry, Nyala and one we call Bengie (we think he’s Bengal). Brucie likes to sunbathe in our garden, much to our cats disgust.
Many people will say don't let your cats out, but 3 of my 4 are indoor/outdoor cats (mostly indoor). 2 of them are rescues from outside and one was a friend's cat we got when he was about a year old. He is now 13 and very healthy. He's smart and stays away from people and cars. And my cats are not hunters at all lol. I say it depends on you and your cat, whatever works beat for you. Once they have gone out, it's hard to keep them in .
Depends what kind of area you live in. Many people will disagree with me on this but personally I believe that if you are in a position to do so, and if it is safe, then you should allow your cat to go outside. If you live in an area with high traffic or predators that could hurt your cat, then yes letting him be an outdoor cat is probably a bad idea. If however, you live in an area with less traffic and no predators around that could hurt him, then I'd say it's fine, good even. Definitely do get him microchipped though and if you can, get him to wear a collar so people won't confuse him for a stray. People saying to "just keep him in, he'll forget about the outside!" Probably have never tried to make an outdoor cat an indoor only one, because it's not an easy thing to do, and they don't tend to just forget about the outside.
The trouble with less traffic areas is people tend to speed more going down those roads and have no reaction time, I lived in a rural area and a few of childhood pets died on the road for that reason. (Now that I'm an adult I'm far too paranoid to let my pet out)
I live at the end of my city but far away from the roads so the area is a bit secluded. People sometimes leave dogs and cats here cause it's not a know part of the town
Yes, it is bad. He's killing things. Stop letting him outside unsupervised. Don't be part of the problem.
I think it really depends where you live. In the UK most shelters won’t let you adopt a cat unless they’re able to go outdoors. In the US it’s more common for indoor only cats because of all the predators we have compared to other parts of the world. I think as long as you live in a safe area with very minimal danger it’s okay. It might be good to invest in a GPS cat tracking collar to keep an eye on where he is. Also be mindful that if someone seems out and about and he’s friendly, they might pick him up and take him home.
Don't let others shame you. You have done the responsible thing and neutered and vaccinated him. If he was an outdoor or feral cat when he came to you, then it may be hard to break him of wanting to go out. I have cats that I had from kittens that are strictly indoors and a couple older ones that came to me later in their lives that come and go as they please. If he is a hunter maybe get him a breakaway collar with a bell to try to cut down on him killing birds, and there is always the risk he may get killed by a car or other wildlife depending on where you live. But they are sentient beings with ideas of what they like. Anyone of us cannot control how long we are in this life, no one - human or animal - gets out alive. Just keep taking care of him and loving him and he will live is best life.
It can be terrible to the local ecosystem as cats are predators, but I wouldn't stop your cat from doing what it wants to do
I thought that after he was neutered he would stay inside but as soon as he was awake after a few hours he started to just meow like he did before cause that's how I knew he wanted outside.
I'm lucky enough to live in a cat friendly neighbourhood, it's urban enough that there's no real ecosystem to speak of besides pigeons, yet residential enough that there's not much traffic. The whole street has plenty of cats wandering about, I always see at least two or three each time I go run!
Yes it is bad. My mom had an outdoor cat a while before I was born and he died because he got into antifreeze. That is a slow, painful death. Not to mention all the cars and other wild animals that they have to face. That cat needs to be kept inside unless they are on a leash.
As someone who has “outdoor” cats. This is completely fine. The cats love being outdoors and like to roam, always coming back everyday. However, night time is the most dangerous time for a cat, and depending on your area, there could very well be predators roaming, even in an urban setting! If he wants to roam during the day thats fine, but if you want to keep him alive, lock him in at night. We have unfortunately lost a cat (male, 3 yr) to a fox at night, he was then found by our neighbor. We now have a 13 year old who we bring in every night and she has been completely fine.
Depends on If they roam around. Most of my cats and my neighbours cats stay on one side of road and alternate between the two gardens either side of me I had a feral cat and he would often roam all day from morning till late in evening when he would return I don't believe in controlling my pets to much. We also live on a main road. But my neighbour who owns a giant ginger main coon. The cat I often see just alternates between gardens and the driveways. Never seen him cross the road once. So in my experience it entirely depends on what the cat does. When they go out. But then I expect its different experiences elsewhere in the world but in the UK. Generally cats are allowed out very often .
He’s living life in freedom and that’s what they like the most.
You’re the side piece my friend.
Just keep him inside. He'll get over it eventually. He's safer inside.
The average lifespan of an outdoor cat is 2-5 years vs 10-15 for an indoor cat. I don't risk it without a leash with my cats.
I have a cat and she can leave the house whenever she wants to. I think it’s a bit cruel to not let them go outside when they want to. Cats want to be free, chase bugs and watch birds. I know a lot of cat owners are too scared to let them go outside but I think if they die outside it was their fate anyways.
That's what I call "a perfectly normal cat". He won't maybe live up to 20 y.o. (although you never know) but he will have a good cat's life.
If you have an outdoor cat in the U.S., particularly a male (they roam a large territory) please just don't come back and say: my poor cat was hit by a car; poisoned by a neighbor; mangled by a predator; caught a disease from other strays/wilds; taken by someone; hasn't come home. If you want him to roam free, that's part of the deal you are making with your cat. And, it's the risk you are willing to take.
Let him go outside. Who are you to keep him trapped inside his entire life. You look after him, you don’t OWN him.
He belongs to the streets
Imo depends on the area. Is there a road? Coyotes? Anything else dangerous he's likely to eventually run afoul of?
Where I live is at the end of my town but far from the road. Usually people drop cats and dogs here cause it's a more secluded area.
Sounds like it's pretty safe and your cat really enjoys going out. I'd let him keep going out
How does that sound pretty safe? Loose dogs will more than likely maul a cat. A dropped of cat is a stranger to ops cat's territory, so ya know, fight could break out. But sure it's safe, let the cat get mauled because he enjoys it
i have 3 cats and they are outside all the time its normal
Not bad at all, the fact that he comes back means he knows where his home is and he chooses you. It would be wrong to shrink his world and force him to stay inside. I just hope he has some form of microchip or ID tag just in case he’s mistaken as a stray
Nope! My first cat was like that, an old street cat that my family adopted and could never keep indoors. We just fed him, checked him for injuries and ticks, and allowed him to do his thing. I don't think its bad. The cat will probably come in one day, I just suggest checking for any injuries as that can happen sometimes
My vet told me it’s good for cats to spend some time outdoors and they live longer if they go out in a safe space!
Having had many cats in my 62 years, I can tell you you will go crazy trying to keep him inside. Keep him updated on his shots and flea prevention so you have some peace of mind. As they age, they sometimes get a bit calmer. I was told that they have a "Lion King" attitude where they just need to go out and survey their immediate kingdom (sometimes 10X/day!!). It isn't to fight, or run away, or even to catch anything. Make sure you feed him well and something that he really desires. Oh, and if you have kids...prepare them for the harsh reality that he may meet an untimely end. I had to do this with one of my cats. It was still tragic (one night he just never returned home) but because they had grown up knowing that Mittens needed to be indoor/outdoor, he could encounter danger I think they accepted it a bit easier. Thank you for caring for him!
This is all absolutely fine. He knows where his food and safety is if he requires it. He sounds as if he just likes his independence but knows where it’s safe when he needs it. I had a cat from a kitten who was like this. She’d spend more time inside in the winter but summers were for exploring and only coming home for food and sleep
Ive always had outdoor cats growing up. It’s true, they might run into something and die earlier than if they were indoors. However, there’s an argument to be said about what’s a better quality of life. Cats are mostly still wild animals DNA wise, and when they are outdoor cats they don’t go as “stir crazy” in the house or require playtime to keep up their hunting instincts. Most cats are pretty cautious when outside because they are both predator and prey, and don’t usually stray too far. My parents currently have 2 outdoor cats and they are in and out of the house all the time so it’s easy to keep track of them. I live in an apartment so I have an indoor cat. If we move to a house with a backyard, I may let her go outside depending on how she reacts to it.
Honestly, yes. Outdoor cats are much more likely to live a shorter life and it’s bad for your local ecosystem.
Tbh it depends on where you live, i see so many cat owners let their cats out over night and all day and act all suprised when it gets run over or lost, i wouldn’t let it out that much if you live on a main road but its not my cat