Cat owners

My two cats are indoor cats and they have no issues with it at all. They are both quick to let me know if they want to go in a room that is shut, as they will sit by the door and meow loudly. However, they never sit by the front door, back door or window doing this. On one ocassion they managed to open the living room door when the wife and I had the back door wide open hanging some washing up. When we realised the door was open, we thought they had snuck out past us. No, they were both upstairs literally shaking. We think they ventured to the back door and ran away panicking.

Keeping an indoor car isn't cruel at all. However, keeping a cat indoors who clearly wants to go outside is. If my two ever wanted to go outside they could, though they've both been inside for so long I don't imagine they'd manage too well outside.
 
tres said:
So, the girlfriend wants to get a cat.
I had cats growing up, but never my own.

We're looking at indoor cats, as we live in a city and only have a small yard.
If you have cats - do you find that leaving them during the day is OK? We'd be gone a maximum of 9 hours, but more realistically 6-7 hours on weekdays.

Any tips?
Any warnings?
Click to expand...

My wife and I have had indoor cats for about a year and a half now. The intention is to move in the next year to somewhere we can let them out, but to answer your questions:

Leaving them on their own all day is fine, it's not to say we don't feel but, but realistically they spend 90% of that time asleep and when they're awake there's two of them and enough space and toys for them to play with whilst we're gone.

We prefer to feed them three smaller meals a day (rather than 2 larger meals) so I tend to go home at lunch and feed them as I'm walking distance from work.

Warnings, get a decent litter tray as their ****s STINK!!!!
 
Pro tip:

Feeding them a raw diet (such as Natural Instinct) means no smelly poos :D

Winston has been on NI his whole life (4 years now) and the flat never stinks. Coupled with Worlds Best cat litter, which is flushable, makes for a very clean and smell-free flat.

He gets three meals, morning, evening and bed-time, and has a big cat tree and plenty of toys to keep himself entertained, but the lazy sod mainly sleeps all day, haha.
 
our 2 year old boys are indoor cats and they're perfectly fine. they do have a large amount of space to charge around in through.

litter trays shouldn't stink unless there is stuff sat in there for a long time. some people prefer to get ones with hoods (although if they retain any stink the cat wont use it). so moral of the story is keep the trays clean.
 
just brush them to get the loose fur off. especially on a short hair, ours just malts and malts. unless you keep him brushed the stuff gets everywhere.
 
We currently have two cats, ones nearly 15 years old and the others coming upto 12.

The oldest one has always been an outdoors cat and will only summon us when it want's feeding or it gets too cold in the winter.

The other never ever want's to go outside and when she does it's for 5 minutes before meowing to get back inside.

The one who's always in we have 0 issues with and we're out the house from 8am till 4pm. Bowl of biscuits and water down is all she needs.
 
I recommend health/medical insurance for your new cat. We got two rescue kittens (sisters). Fortunately, they came with a free month of PetPlan.
Turned out one of our kittens has epilepsy. Medication, blood test and vet visits would have cost a fortune if we didn't have the insurance.

Fortunately, the cat with epilepsy has practically no seizures as long as we keep on top of the medication.
 
I have a cat, he got ill and had to stay inside for six months, he drove me absolutely insane. You will seriously regret getting an indoor cat ... for the next 15 years!

If mine gets on my nerves .. out the window it goes and the cat flap gets locked.
 
We got two balls of fluff and terror recently. Both boys from the same litter. Must be 11 weeks old now and they happily occupy themselves but are very sociable.

Balls of terror I tell you........da clawzzzz.

Getting up to go to the kitchen in the night is like the velociraptor scene from Jurassic Park.
 
Last edited:
I have two cats that are indoors/outdoors just installed a cat flap which reads their chips. And they come and go as they please. I not sure what I would need to do for them to scratch as they just don't but they are 3 and a half. Once they can go out they take their pungent toilet smells with them I have a litter tray but it has not been used since the began to go out. Both are rescue cats and both great pets.
 
Brenn47 said:
I have a cat, he got ill and had to stay inside for six months, he drove me absolutely insane. You will seriously regret getting an indoor cat ... for the next 15 years!

If mine gets on my nerves .. out the window it goes and the cat flap gets locked.
Click to expand...

I think there's probably a difference between an outdoor cat that's being made to stay indoors, and an indoor cat.
 
iaind said:
Quite a closed minded view

My cats both sit on the windowsills looking outside - I guess you'd walk past my house thinking how depressing it is? They don't do that because they're longing to be outside (mine could be if they wanted to!), they do it because thats what cat's like doing.
Click to expand...

Spook187 said:
lol give over, cats like to see whats going on the world knowing they are safe looking out of the window:) you been playing with that mouse of yours to long.
Click to expand...

I like looking out the window too sometimes, doesn't mean I want to to prison though does it.

I was talking about "indoor cats" sitting on windowsills, of course the act itself can be enjoyable but would enjoy it as much if you couldn't leave the house?
 
Brenn47 said:
I have a cat, he got ill and had to stay inside for six months, he drove me absolutely insane. You will seriously regret getting an indoor cat ... for the next 15 years!

If mine gets on my nerves .. out the window it goes and the cat flap gets locked.
Click to expand...

You sound like a wonderful pet owner...

In any case, the reason he drove you mad is because he was originally an outdoor cat. You cannot take a cat like that and coup them up inside and expect it to be perfectly happy.
 
Yeah getting 2 is a good call let them keep each other company while yer out, but I'm pretty sure ours just sleep haha.

Make sure you get them used to having their nails clipped and being washed at an early age, if I tried that with mine now I'd probably lose an arm.

Zooplus has been an invaluable source of all things pet for us, Oko+ cat litter is fantastic, doesn't let off any smells, lasts a good while and doesnt track much. you also waste far far less of this, I found with some of the expensive high street stuff I was chucking out loads constantly.

Sanabelle is good dryfood too, it looks expensive but the 10Kg bags last forever

A Cat tree will be essential if you value your furniture :p Zooplus do a good selection and some huge ones at good prices.

Wether you end up with a cat or a dog I'd always recommend pet insurance.
I'm with Petplan and have had no problems with them paying out, one brief stay at the vets cost me around £600. If you want a referral let me know you get I think 2/3 months free. i always suggest a for life plan the others are pointless as if a condition has been treated before they can then refuse to pay for ay further treatmend in the next year.

Try and get them onto decent food, I've tried and failed a number of times hah, mine prefer felix over even the expensive stuff
 
Dis86 said:
Don't get a cat. They're foul smelling, murderous little furry sods.

Get a dog.
Click to expand...

"6,447 people were admitted to hospital for dog bites in 2011-12 - a 5.2% rise on the previous 12 months.

Of those, under-10s accounted for the highest rate of admissions by 10 year age group with 17 per 100,000 population. That is 1,040 admissions."


So you think maiming young children is more moral than killing a few mice and birds?


Dis86 said:
They stink too but are superior in every way.
Click to expand...

Apart from being pretty stupid....

 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom