house cats ?

[anneasquith]

i appreciate many people have house cats but, i have 2 neighbours who have them, one of the cats has been missing for 48hours . ( jumped out of a first floor bedroom window ) the cat has no collar, not chipped and not " street wise " is it fair on the cats to be kept inside at all times ?

[chi-chi66]

some cats seem to just like being inside. The remaining one I have is now 18
and she prefers being indoors with me! In a morning I literally push her out
into the garden for half an hour..if she sees or hears me in the kitchen...all
hell breaks out..she sits screaming at me from outside util I let her in..I'm sure
neighbours think I'm being cruel to her.
Again if you have house cats..they are not mixing..so no fleas..cat injections
unless you have to put them in a cattery..then they are a must.

[friedgreentomato]

I don't see a problem with house cats as it has been said some cats are just happier being inside!

I have had both and they all lived to old age very happily.

[Prudie]

Although not ideal I think if they have never been outside then they won't miss what they don't know. having said that it's not natural for them and this kind of incident can be a probelm -I tried to kee a house cat once as I'd lost 2 previous to road accidents. Unfortunately she escaped out of a window one evening and was found dead in the road next day (ie had not picked up any road sense). Hope your neighbour's cat makes a safe return.

[mccfluff]

i think as long as its all they've known then yes. otherwise no. i want murph to be a house cat but she has other ideas

[China Doll]

I don't think it's fair to keep cats inside personally unless for a very good reason, e.g. cat is disabled, has feline HIV, has been rescued and never known any difference etc... It just seems cruel to me. After the first month of having Eric (while he was adjusting to his new home) he was chomping at the bit for 'more' so I was (and he was) very glad to finally let him outdoors for the first time. He still stays in at night and if the weather's naff then he's hard to prize off the top of the wardrobe but otherwise he's out a fair bit. I can see the difference it made to him and how much he loves it and it would be wrong of me to deprive him of that just because I worry about his safety (which I do).

I think the difference between a cat who prefers to be inside (I've had one of those) and a house cat is choice, I've no problem with cat who wants to laze around inside all day but I don't necessarily think it's fair to keep cats indoors for our own convenience.

[ladybirder]

My friend has two house cats in a large flat with a balcony and they seem very happy. He plays and interacts with them a lot and is at home all day and he lives on a busy A road so perhaps this is the best thing for them. My own cats have always gone out but my present cat's lovely brother was killed on the road at 10 years old.
Anne please keep us updated on your neighbour's cat.

[anneasquith]

the cat is still missing :(

[ladybirder]

Oh dear. It must be very frightened (or dead). Do you know if it is male or female and if it had been neutered?

Thanks for the update, albeit not good news.

[tonyav]

It may still turn up.

[ladybirder]

It might. I do hope so.

[pastafreak]

My Caspar is deaf,so he's only ever really known my flat...though he was picked up as a stray. I think he has lost 3 of his lives though-first as a stray, and then he fell out of a 2nd floor window here twice when I'd not secured the catch properly after I got him. I think he landed in the hedge both times.