Indoor cats - some advice

[LosingGrip]

I've just moved into a second floor flat, I've always had cats for as long as i can remember living at home and it feels strange not having one around!

I've always been against having a indoor cat as feel they should be allowed out to explore.

However, looking at the local recuse place, they have some that they say are indoor cats.

What are peoples views? I know there are some vets on here, do you have any advice? Is it fair on them?

[dodsi2000]

I had a cat with FIV that i Adopted as an indoor cat. It’s just HIV but for cats. They live a very normal life but they have a weakened immune system so need to be kept indoors. Rescue centres can struggle to rehome these cats but in your position it’s one of the best things you can do. Guilt free indoor cat.

[LosingGrip]

dodsi2000 said:

I had a cat with FIV that i Adopted as an indoor cat. It’s just HIV but for cats. They live a very normal life but they have a weakened immune system so need to be kept indoors. Rescue centres can struggle to rehome these cats but in your position it’s one of the best things you can do. Guilt free indoor cat.

I've seen a few on Cats Protection that have FIV and state they are indoor cats for that reason.

Do they require meds etc regularly?

[Shaw Tarse]

IMHO if the cat is happy being indoors then it's fine.
We had one that lived in a flat & was happy, once we moved to a house she wanted to go out (though was nervous to begin with)

[mercedeslimos]

We have one that is indoors while at home, very large feral cat population next door with all kinds of diseases sadly, don't want him to catch anything. When he goes on holiday to herself's mother's place, he goes out in the garden as it's walled and safe, plays with the dogs and stuff Same at my parents.

He seems happy enough.

[dodsi2000]

LosingGrip said:

dodsi2000 said:

I had a cat with FIV that i Adopted as an indoor cat. It’s just HIV but for cats. They live a very normal life but they have a weakened immune system so need to be kept indoors. Rescue centres can struggle to rehome these cats but in your position it’s one of the best things you can do. Guilt free indoor cat.

I've seen a few on Cats Protection that have FIV and state they are indoor cats for that reason.

Do they require meds etc regularly?

Ours didn’t require any regular meds, his issues were the FIV and he had his teeth removed because he has gingivitis. All done before we had him so he was a pretty low maintenance cat. He was very chilled out. We were having our flat renovated when we had him and we had tradesmen in and out, leaving the door open. Lots of noise. He just slept on the sofa and ignored what was going on. Lovely cat, was sad when he passed on.

[shirt]

My FIV+ cat

FIV is transmitted through blood, so a fighty/bitey cat should be the only cat. Mine is properly chilled, he’s fine with other cats we just can’t find one that’s equally chilled, they always want to fight him as he’s top cat.

How big is your apartment? I’ve got a fair sized open plan place over 3 floors, plenty for him to do. He’s also leash trained so we go for walks in the park. I say walk, it’s more a random exploration and he hides in bushes whenever people come past

My previous cat was non FIV and we lived on the 34th floor. She has precisely zero ambition to go outside, was fine on the balcony without jumping etc. At a push she could summon the energy to jump on the sofa.

Edited by shirt on Wednesday 25th December 09:40

[Tlandcruiser]

We rehommed a show cat from a breeder once he retired, who was an indoor cat. We let him go outside but the furthest he ever ventured was on the shed roof. but he was old anyway.

He was the only cat I've owned as we have dogs, he was pretty cool and I did like the fact he would not venture away from the house. Otherwise, I would worry too much.

[LosingGrip]

shirt said:

My FIV+ cat

FIV is transmitted through blood, so a fighty/bitey cat should be the only cat. Mine is properly chilled, he’s fine with other cats we just can’t find one that’s equally chilled, they always want to fight him as he’s top cat.

How big is your apartment? I’ve got a fair sized open plan place over 3 floors, plenty for him to do. He’s also leash trained so we go for walks in the park. I say walk, it’s more a random exploration and he hides in bushes whenever people come past

My previous cat was non FIV and we lived on the 34th floor. She has precisely zero ambition to go outside, was fine on the balcony without jumping etc. At a push she could summon the energy to jump on the sofa.

Edited by shirt on Wednesday 25th December 09:40

He looks adorable!

It's a two bed flat on one floor, not huge but would have free roam of the whole flat .

Will pop down to the RSPCA/Cats Protection and see if they have any suitable .

[bexVN]

Very much depends on the cat. I have had cats who chose to be indoors even though they could go out, others that loved being outside and others that could adapt to either lifestyle.

So basically, if the cat is content and given plenty to do it is not wrong for a cat to be an indoor cat.

[JJ55]

If you are based in or near London get in touch with Celia Hammond cat rescue. Huge cat charity & usually have 100’s of cats available. All donations go into giving medical treatment to & neutering feral cats plus many other positive cat related things great charity.

[LosingGrip]

bexVN said:

Very much depends on the cat. I have had cats who chose to be indoors even though they could go out, others that loved being outside and others that could adapt to either lifestyle.

So basically, if the cat is content and given plenty to do it is not wrong for a cat to be an indoor cat.

Thanks Bex, im glad you've posted .

Got to get permission from the lease holder first!

[A Winner Is You]

Another thing to consider is if they can get out your windows or doors. Although cats can live quite happily indoors, they will still love to explore, and quickly learn how to access areas, or what sounds mean you're coming home and about to open the front door.

[shirt]

Yeah definitely read up on car proofing your home. My cat can open doors, cupboards etc, or rather could before I fitted ikea childproof latches. He has never broken anything or done any damage, but he does have a thing for eating foam rubber - yoga mat, flip flops etc. this resulted in about £5k of vet bills earlier this year when he got into my garage and ate some rubber which lodged in his intestine. Operation was fine but his recovery (due to FIV) was a lengthy and expensive process. People think I’m mental for spending that kind of money but when I got a call from the vet one night to come say goodbye as they thought he wouldn’t make it, I was in tears the entire drive there and back. He’s a bit of a bugger but he’s my little mate.

You’d think after all that I’d have thought of a name for him

[LeChatNoir]

JJ55 said:

If you are based in or near London get in touch with Celia Hammond cat rescue. Huge cat charity & usually have 100’s of cats available. All donations go into giving medical treatment to & neutering feral cats plus many other positive cat related things great charity.

I second this - I live in a flat, and most places I contacted wouldn't allow me to adopt a cat however Celia Hammond was fine with it, and they just wanted to be happy they wouldn't be able to jump out a window or escape. As others have said, not all cats are suitable to live indoors, but plenty are. And I'm sure they would much rather be trapped in a flat than a small cage in a rescue centre. Plus there's no risk of them being attacked by other animals, or hit by a car.

Mine seem perfectly happy being indoor cats, and get nervous even when they explore the corridor outside my front door. They sleep most of the time anyway, and as long as you give them space to climb and play they will be fine.

[bexVN]

LosingGrip said:

bexVN said:

Very much depends on the cat. I have had cats who chose to be indoors even though they could go out, others that loved being outside and others that could adapt to either lifestyle.

So basically, if the cat is content and given plenty to do it is not wrong for a cat to be an indoor cat.

Thanks Bex, im glad you've posted .

Got to get permission from the lease holder first!

Happy to help. I always get a bit frustrated when people just say it is cruel to keep cats indoors because that is not the case at all if you have the right cat and a good set up for them. Good luck

[dodsi2000]

Yep, best of luck. Many places sometimes struggle to rehome fiv + cats. In my mind it just seems like the right thing to do if you are to keep a cat indoors.

[JanocerM]

This might seem like a silly question, but one of the best places to keep your cat is where the cat can explore freely. Anything else is just not going to be as good. If you have to place your cat outside, you're allowing the cat to become one of those cats who is constantly in a cage.
Some cats are better on their own than in a home with other cats. Some cats are better in an apartment where all the room is taken up by them. Some cats can thrive with a wild socialization with many people. These situations are different from keeping a cat in a city or neighborhood where other cats live, living in small
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[shirt]

That’s got to be the most bizarre spam bot post I’ve read to date

[hyphen]

JanocerM said:

This might seem like a silly question, but one of the best places to keep your cat is where the cat can explore freely. Anything else is just not going to be as good. If you have to place your cat outside, you're allowing the cat to become one of those cats who is constantly in a cage.
Some cats are better on their own than in a home with other cats. Some cats are better in an apartment where all the room is taken up by them. Some cats can thrive with a wild socialization with many people. These situations are different from keeping a cat in a city or neighborhood where other cats live, living in small
The forums are currently not accepting posts from new members.