Indoor Cats, cruel or OK?
Discussion
I am thinking of getting two kittens to live exclusively indoors at my house.
If I get them I am not going to let them out because there is a very busy road outside and the poor little buggers don't last long when trying to cross it.
My house is not huge; is on three levels with 6 good sized rooms, but they would have the run of the place and it has plenty of interesting nooks and crannies to keep a cat amused.
I plan on getting two so they can exercise each other playing and such like, and they can keep each other company when me and the other half are out.
I suppose the question is would you consider it cruel to keep them in the house 24/7 or do you deem this as OK?
Opinions from both camps appreciated.
If I get them I am not going to let them out because there is a very busy road outside and the poor little buggers don't last long when trying to cross it.
My house is not huge; is on three levels with 6 good sized rooms, but they would have the run of the place and it has plenty of interesting nooks and crannies to keep a cat amused.
I plan on getting two so they can exercise each other playing and such like, and they can keep each other company when me and the other half are out.
I suppose the question is would you consider it cruel to keep them in the house 24/7 or do you deem this as OK?
Opinions from both camps appreciated.
If you don't let them out, they will be quite happy inside. If you let them out even once though, they get the bug, and will want to go out. I will await the cat-haters to come along, and spout, but if the cats want to go out, they will bug you till you do. If they are happy, they will sit on windowsill, and meow quite happily.
By the power of Google - http://home.hiwaay.net/~keiper/indoors.htm
I think keeping cats in is understandable but a bit unkind. A cat's nature is to wander around in the dark, fight, and slaughter the local wildlife. (At least that's what ours do). Keeping them in will, on the other hand, prevent them from becoming "flattened fauna" when crossing roads.
Prof Beard
Prof Beard
Getting 2 is a great idea, but I wouldn't keep my cats couped up in the house. They come and go as they please.
One got knocked down last year, so I got a replacement (not as cruel as it sounds) and they're happy as larry with eachother.
Can't you encourage them to only go away from the road when they're out? Mine follow me for ages when I go outside the house, perhaps you could get them to follow you in the direction you feel is safest?
One got knocked down last year, so I got a replacement (not as cruel as it sounds) and they're happy as larry with eachother.
Can't you encourage them to only go away from the road when they're out? Mine follow me for ages when I go outside the house, perhaps you could get them to follow you in the direction you feel is safest?
My ex-bird had a housemate with an indoor cat, she was scared into keeping it locked up, it got pretty hyper by itself and developed some entertaining traits, IMO one indoor cat is cruel. Anyway, this little black and white lump got introduced to the big world by yours truly, it was entertaining watching it introduce itself to next doors tabby (which growled at it) and now she has seen sense and let it out. The thing is chasing wildlife, defending its bit of territory and generally having a nice life.
Haven't had a cat for some years now but if I had, it would a hardy rat eater.
Indoor cats are easy to train to do some ridiculous stunts, I trained the above one to fetch items, open doors as well as jump about 6ft high by clicking my fingers. One day I was with the bird and decided to get a funny little mouse for it to play with, it fluffed its tail up, arched its back, hissed and growled and I just thought it was cruel it would probably never get to play with the real thing. Anyway, I fixed it up with a real mouse which is another story! Hours of fun!
Haven't had a cat for some years now but if I had, it would a hardy rat eater.
Indoor cats are easy to train to do some ridiculous stunts, I trained the above one to fetch items, open doors as well as jump about 6ft high by clicking my fingers. One day I was with the bird and decided to get a funny little mouse for it to play with, it fluffed its tail up, arched its back, hissed and growled and I just thought it was cruel it would probably never get to play with the real thing. Anyway, I fixed it up with a real mouse which is another story! Hours of fun!
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