House Cats

Our cat does go out but only really in the summer and never far, she chases the flies on the grass and lying on warm slabs and thats about it, for the most part an indoor cat

We were lucky that she was already litter trained when we got her.

We use large bags of the pets at home odour free litter and its good. If it smells its really more our fault for not emptying or changing it. I guess if they never get out to the point of needing they dont know any different
 
Lysander said:
It's so horrifically unfair to confine a cat to a house. They are meant for being independent, exploring, going outside. It would be better not to have one at all rather than imprison them indoors. As someone who has lived with eight cats, I don't think a cat can have a truly happy life if it has never ventured outside. Think about the animal rather than yourself.
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<sigh>

The domesticated cat is perfectly happy inside. There's this ridiculous belief that cats need to be out roaming around completely free. The cat was domesticated in order to control vermin in and around the barn, warehouse, ship's hold, etc. In return it got all the food it could eat and a warm place to sleep. Those cats never had the need or desire to go wondering off - they kept close to the humans and had an easy life as a result. Yes, cats are curious and like to explore, but they can easily keep themselves entertained inside as long as they have fun things to do and owners willing to interact with them.

Yes, we have 3 indoor cats. One of them likes to go outside in the summer for some supervised exploring. The other 2 don't care at all.....if they even go out, they usually wonder back in after a few mins.

At the end of the day, keeping any animal as a pet is a compromise. Surely you can see that?
 
UncleRuckus said:
Oh please, I grew up on a farm; I know a fair bit about animal care and compassion than you do sunshine ;)
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Cats aren't farm animals or livestock so what's your point? Domesticated (the clue is in the name) Cats are perfectly happy inside, and if they want to be outside they are capable of letting the owner know about it, but most prefer to stay inside where it's warm and shred your furniture to bits instead :D
 
Janesy B said:
Cats are perfectly happy inside, and if they want to be outside they are capable of letting the owner know about it, but most prefer to stay inside where it's warm and shred your furniture to bits instead :D
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Since November id say we have more of a sloth than a cat, hasn't even come to say hello tonight and i've been in since 6
 
Janesy B said:
Cats aren't farm animals or livestock so what's your point? Domesticated (the clue is in the name) Cats are perfectly happy inside, and if they want to be outside they are capable of letting the owner know about it, but most prefer to stay inside where it's warm and shred your furniture to bits instead :D
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Oh don't get me wrong if a kitty is happy to be locked in all day fine, however they should have the freedom to go out if they wish. :)

Our cats get in and out via the bathroom window, except for the old boy "Poopie" who can no long do those jumps. So he let's know if he wants to go out and scratching at the back door.

For me it's all about doing what makes their little lives as happy as possible.
 
Some interesting points made here. Ragdoll cats are pretty much bred for indoors as they are extremely docile and not able to survive outside on their own.
 
I have 2 apartment cats, and I made an enclosed litter box from 2 110L storage boxes - it's kept in my bathroom. It smells for a bit right after they've used it, but that's no different to the toilet smelling for a bit after I've used it. I use good quality litter, Oko Plus, and it's fine.

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Lysander said:
Care to explain why?
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Because you said it, and your grasp on reality is tenuous at best.
 
Wizzkidy said:
I have two house cats, they can go out whenever they like as the windows are almost always slightly open all day yet they decide to stay indoors in the warm, during the summer they do go out a fair bit but still come back an hour or two later.

One thing that does really annoy me though is they have the whole wide world as a toilet outside yet they decide to come in to have a crap! Its annoying but as long as you clear it up right away then the smell goes away pretty quickly.
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I have to agree with you on that. Same with our 2, we leave the back door open for them and again they still come inside to use the litter tray!
 
SoSolid said:
Some interesting points made here. Ragdoll cats are pretty much bred for indoors as they are extremely docile and not able to survive outside on their own.
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Yeah for the large part they are. I had a ragdoll that was an indoor cat, however she wasn't all that docile, she didn't like other people that much and she wanted to knock seven bells out of my neighbour's cat when she went on the shared courtyard balcony :D
 
Had a British blue many years ago, who decided to become a house cat, in the summer she would occasionally go & lie on the back steps in the sun, but wouldn't venture any further.
 
I have a house cat, I grew up with farm cats, all dying to get indoors to sleep all day :p

Picked ours up from a rescue home when he was a kitten he's got all white fur. The lady we got him from specifically asked us to keep him indoors or his ears would rot off in the sun.

I work from home, so we keep each other company, he's nearly two now and spends most of the day sleeping.

Catsan cat litter is what we use, I big pack is £8.99 and lasts 4x weeks, the paper based stuff is a waste of money and it stinks. Catsan, changed once a week = the way forward for an indoor cat.

-Generally a collar on an outdoor (well any really) cat is a bad idea, they're more likely to get stuck somewhere and hurt themselves trying to get free; the wife used to work in vet practice, had some horrible stories of cats getting their bag leg caught in the collar and tearing their skin open.
 
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Just by reading the thread title I knew Kamwah would enter the discussion and leave with a suspension :D.
 
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