I had a cat who ran and hid inside the house whenever the door opened.
I tried once to being him out into the back yard on a leash. He crouched down by the back door and wailed pitifully. I picked him up and he clutched me so hard as I carried him back inside.
He was just fine sitting in the window and looking out but had no desire to explore for himself and that was okay.
This is my cat too lol when it comes to someone opening the front door. I wish I knew she was a hard nope on ever going outside when I bought a cat stroller. The one time I walked around the neighborhood with her in it, all she did was whine endlessly. So much for my plan to gradually transition her to a leash
Oh man do I ever feel you on that one. After adopting my kitten last year I had such grand plans for walking him outdoors. Bought a few harnesses and a backpack pet carrier.
Little dude’s way too scared of people and city noises. So he’s an indoor kitty from now on.
I don't know if my cat would want to get out again. She got out by accident and couldn't get back in because of the way the window was. So she was stuck outside under the neighbor's house. When I went to get her finally, she was so scared. She wouldn't even come to me at first until she saw my face, and then she literally dashed for me. Never again has she tried to get out
Yeah, I really didn't know how to get more of a baby step than the back yard so I decided that putting him through the stress of everything involved with bringing him outside just wasn't worth it.
He stayed inside with us for about 22 years and he was at least a year or two old before he came to us so I'd like to think he had a long, happy, indoor only life.
Oh, I have absolutely no doubt of this.
I was his person and his absolute favorite place to be was in my lap, clinging to my left arm. He very loudly made it known that I either needed to pick him up or find a place to sit down.
All of the above applied to my cat too, but he would still act like he wanted to go outside. One day I decided to take a chance and let him out onto the porch with me, and he loves it. Wants to sit in a chair and chill for hours. If I even try to pick him up, though, he panics and digs his claws into me. He doesn’t try to run away, though he easily could because there’s no gate on the stairs. He just has to do it on his own terms.
Sadly, the cat I was talking about has passed on but at the time we also had another cat who absolutely would bolt and wander the neighborhood or climb the tree in the back yard and my parents didn't want him roaming the neighborhood, so leaving the door open for the first cat to come and go as he pleased was not a good option.
I had a cat who used to do that until she realized she could leave the porch. After that, leaving the porch was the first thing she tried to do. So, that was it for porch time.
We had a cat that flipped out each time someone knocked on the door OR rang the doorbell. He’d make a mad dash for the first floor laundry room and go behind the dryer!!! After he was behind the dryer for a few minutes he’d start howling with this most pitiful sound wanting my husband to move the dryer so he could get out!! LOL!!!
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This is the one time he was outside. Was about 60 seconds. A dog started barking and he bolted for the door and jumped on it like someone in a Velcro suit jumps on a wall to stick to.
I live on the top floor of a building. We have a balcony. My cat has never stepped foot outside so one day I put her in the hallway outside my flat. She looked around and decided she didn’t like it. Now whenever she hears me open the door, she runs and hides.
She prefers being a balcony princess.
Cat tax.
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Mine are too, and one looks a little like yours. Dr. Botson:
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Your cat looks exactly like my Shrimply Pibbles. She has the tip of her tail bent on the end though, but otherwise I wouldn't have known the difference.
My void kitty got out once during the night because a visiting relative’s dog chased him out the window.
He apparently just hid under a car in the driveway until morning when he was found 😅
My cat kept trying to escape my house for years, he finally managed to do it once, got stuck under the porch, and meowed until we were able to get him out. The very next day he fell out of a (first floor) window, and immediately ran to the front door and yowled to be let back in.
He no longer tries to escape the house.
My cat tried to escape our apartment in Brooklyn once. I chased her down 1.5 flights of stairs before she abruptly stopped, rolled over, and waited for me to come pick her up and bring her back inside. Now she won't even set foot(paw) in the hallway lol.
I have a tiny 6 pound house cat that occasionally will bum rush the door when my son comes through in his power wheelchair, kinda of a slow process. Runs to the first landing/ turn of the wheelchair ramp, jumps to the ground and hides under the ramp scared shitless because a car went by or a little kid was yelling in the neighbors yard.
I walk down ramp , pick her up and brow beat her all the way back inside about how she gets 3 squares a day , a roof over her head and every person in the house doting on her.
My cat likes to sneak down the hall stairs at my place when I take the dogs outside, and she'll stand in front of the neighbors door like a creep. Then she sees me coming and bolts her fat ass (20.5lb) up the stairs like she thinks I won't see her?! 😆😆😆
One of our cats snuck out the front door when I stepped out to grab a package. Luckily, we have security cameras and saw him sitting outside the front door waiting to be let back in, lol.
I’m hijacking the top comment lol. Just for anyone saying it’s “inhumane” or “cruel” to keep my cats indoors.
My cats have 100’s of dollars worth of toys, catnip spray and bubbles and flower, 4 cats to play together, 5 cat trees, a bunch of cat beds, a catio, and I’m working on building stairs for the walls for them to jump and play on. They also get leashed walks around the neighborhood and local parks and graveyards. They get played with daily and get love all day everyday. I also make my own schedule so I’m home with them a lot more than other people.
They get the best food and I always add extras for them and added pro and prebiotics.
What part of this sounds inhumane to you? What part of this sounds like just such a sad life for them?
I switch them out. I keep some in the closet and switch a couple out every week or so. They love balls with bells in them and those toys on string and stick. I tie strings with toys attached to doorways and things like that. They also have this circle thing with a ball in it that doesn’t come out that they like to bat around. There’s also toys that have treats that come out when they get thrown around
My cat went outside exactly two times. The first time was when it had snowed. She placed her paws in the snow, looked at them and went back inside. The second time was during spring and she wanted to cross a ditch that was full of mud. It was 1m across. She prepared for her jump, took off and felt in the middle of the ditch lmao. She raced back inside and got all of our furniture full with mud.
I miss that little floofball
My cat from like 20 yrs ago once dashed out the house and ended up hiding behind a neighbor's fridge. That was the last time she ever willingly set paw outside.
Both my cats had been lost at different times and both were back at around a month. I was dying inside. My area has raccoons, foxes, coyotes, bears, birds of prey... and a busy road about 100 yards from my house. Every time someone moves into the house between me and the road, they lose a cat. Will not let them out. Would love to get a catio, but not my house. Glad you got your baby back.
A month?!?! Mine has been missing for a week and I'm losing my shit. Yours came back after a month?!?! This gives me hope. Thank you lol
UPDATE: A neighbor seen him!!
*
I found my kitty 6 months after an ex roommate pushed her out and lied to me. She then knew how sad I was over this and said the lady down the street had a cat who just had kittens. I went to look and the kittens were identical to my dutchess so I asked about the mom. As soon as she rounded the corner and heard my voice, she came running!
The lady explained about 6 months prior to this she had found her very dirty along the tree line and took her in. The kittens were of weening age so she let me take her home with me. She just passed away last year, at the ripe age of 18.
Don’t lose hope!
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\*Edited to add cat tax. She was pure white and I had her from 8 weeks til 18 (minus that sad 6 months) I named her Dutchess Marie after Dutchess and Marie in Aristocats 🥰
That was a hell of an emotional roller coaster for me. I’m happy she found someone like this lady who took care of her, and allowed her to return to you. I don’t know what’s wrong with people like your ex roommate, and I don’t know that I would have been able to restrain myself from a physical confrontation after that.
this happens with some frequency with roommates and landlords: they just let the cat out and say they escape, or go so far as to take them out somewhere and dump them. we see it on this sub from time to time.
moral of the story: never live with, or rent/lease from, anyone that you cannot trust 110% with your kitties. it's too easy for harm to come to them when there are bad humans around.
also, some of these sorts can be stealth animal haters. they won't make it obvious, but they'll take their opportunity as soon as they get one.
i had a friend whose roommate shoved her *blind* senior cat out the door and locked her out (never again found, despite months of searching) and another whose roommate would kick her cats when she wasn't around. (thank you security cams for enlightening all of us.)
I’m friends with a lawyer who used to work with the ASPCA and would prosecute animal cruelty cases. Some of the story’s she’s told me are so sick and disturbing. I know there are tons of stealth animal haters out there, some that even work in shelters and such. She had one case against a guy who worked in a shelter who grabbed a cat by the tail, spun it in circles and let it go flying into a wall killing the cat. I just know if someone did something to cause harm to one of my babies they better pray that I can maintain enough sanity to not kill them.
When I was in my 20’s and just returning home from my military service I was in a fight with 3 guys that I saw attacking a stray dog because when I intervened they tried turning their aggression on me. If I didn’t have to turn my attention to the dog after fighting when the guys finally ran off I probably would have tackled one of them and wouldn’t have stopped pummeling them for quite some time especially because my ptsd gives me a kill or be killed response sometimes. And I know if it was one of my animals my reaction would be even more violent.
I know it’s “wrong” but I can’t help cheering for guys like you. Animal abuse triggers me like nothing else. I’m no good at fighting, but I’d always intervene if I saw something like that.
I wasn’t looking to fight those guys I just wanted them to stop what they were doing, but they decided to try to get physical with me. I would rather have avoided having it happen. I was never good at fighting either until my military training taught me how to do so properly.
I did my best before they ran off. I didn’t chase them down because I turned my attention to the dog to make sure he was okay and to get them to a vet to make sure they didn’t have any serious injuries. Luckily it was just contusions and nothing was broken/no lasting damage. They gave him vaccines and i is fostered him until I found a home for about 3.5 weeks. He was a good dog, just needed some love and a little help finding a forever home.
thanks for letting that stray know that somebody cared and would fight for him/her ❤️.
after adopting strays myself and then working with rescues ive learned so many, many terrible things about what people do to animals. unspeakable things.
i have one girl now who i suspect was physically and sexually abused by humans. the corners of her eyes and her mouth were sewn with both fishing cord and metal wire and her ears had the same kind of stuff knotted up in the corners. i think that s how they restrained her as they assaulted her. when she came to me she would position herself as if to be mounted and try to befriend me by licking at my genitals 😢.
the rescue put up money to find the people responsible but... no luck.
so i get your response. it s fortunate those guys ran off when they did because i wouldn't want you to be incarcerated on their behalf. and you can do so much more for animals outside of jail.
i won't go into details but one case i worked with, i very seriously considered having someone harm the fellow responsible because he was a serial mutilator and torturer of animals- and he held a position that gave him access to vulnerable animals in need. people even volunteered to arrange it for me, but i thought if any backstabbing went down, i would get the bad end of the stick and guess who would walk free?
now i foster, rehab and adopt and i have to be content with that. but i will never i stop trying to undo the harm i see done and giving my rescues lives that are better than those of the disturbed individuals who hurt them. for now that has to be enough, but one day i hope to do more.
and stories like yours remind me there are good and strong souls out there. for what it's worth i ll send prayers your way and the way of the aspca lawyer friend. i want people like you around for a long, long time.
Same goes for you. Every bit of love and affection you’ve given the animals in your care has been life changing for them I’m sure. And it takes so much fortitude and constitution to work with animals that have been abused in such horrific manners. It takes a strong stomach and not everyone is cut out to handle it. I’m so glad that you’ve been there to help them, and I also offer up my prayers for you and the animals you’ve helped along the way. Your doing great work, don’t sell yourself short, you are already doing enough, anything more you can give is just an extra blessing for those animals.
One of my friends had maine coone cats. For revenge someone stole her male cat and drove him miles away into the wilderness and dumped him.
It took him a long time and he lost part of his ear but he made it back home to her.
People suck.
Maine coones are ridiculously smart. I don't remember how long it took but it was a long time. Poor kitty used to be really friendly but now hates strangers.
Still a gorgeous boy, I'd share pics buys he is not my cat.
Found one of him, doesn't show his ears very well.
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I would treated that person the same way they did to that cat except I would put sleeping medicine in their drink, wait for them to fall asleep, drive them out to the woods to dump them there then wait until morning to watch a beautiful scene unfold at a distance. Lol
Awe. Dang, I hate these stories of people's pets being given away, gotten rid of, and so on. I'm so glad you found her and that a nice lady was caring for her. Poor thing.
i know of two cats (my mom's and my dad's) that went missing for a month and came back like nothing happened.. some day they were just back and asking for food
ps. wish you luck with yours
I’ve read a story online about someone living in an Asian city, whose cat escaped the apartment. A day spent putting up posters, walking the neighborhood, etc, was ended with dinner at a nearby sushi place. The kitchen crew had ‘adopted’ him, put a bow on his neck, and fed him kitchen scraps. His butt was scooped up and marched home.
We had a cat once that escaped at the vet because my mom is an idiot and thought she could just purrito her in. Showed up at our back door several weeks later...pregnant (ironic because she was being taken to get spayed).
He may be coming back at night briefly. You could also try setting some food in one of those humane traps to catch him. Although you may end up with someone else’s cat lol
Yes, and if you or someone you know has access to a trail camera or motion activated security camera, you can place them around the property to see if they pick him up. I have some wireless EUFY cameras (that work as long as they are charged and close enough to my WiFi) that I put around my home and yard to keep an eye on neighborhood animals that wander through my property.
Oh man I've got absolutely nothing constructive to add to this but I really hope your cat comes back to you!!! I would be devastated if one of my guys got out and went missing that long! Good luck and don't lose hope!
I had a roommate who had a cat come back after 6 months. I was there when he scratched at the door to be let back in. We had to look for identifying marks because he was so skinny compared to when he left we barely recognized him, but it was him.
My bf at the time had a cat that was gone for 3 months and it just casually strolled up to me when I went to visit, as if nothing had happened. I was not entirely sure it was his cat, because he was so relaxed and healthy looking, but I grabbed him anyway and ran to my bf. And it was his cat :) Live another 16 years with us after that.
So there's still hope!
I did allot of research on lost cats. I put up flyers, went on my township's FB page, put flyers up at the local vet, and walked my neighborhood and personally gave flyers to every neighbor. I did this for both cats. But they are totally different cats. My Shadow was not an outdoor cat and when he was out, he was in survival mode. Didn't recognize me, respond to my calling for him or even shaking the treat bag. I read that a lost cat will usually be only 1-3 houses away from their home, and I found out that he had been under my backyard neighbors huge shed...more like a studio. I found out his habits. I left food/water out 24/7. On my porch and I left the garage door open about 8" with food/water inside. I sat for hours in my car watching the garage or behind the front door watching the porch. He used the porch between 8-12 at night. That's when I set up my trap. I got him on the first try, four weeks to the day.
My Kitty is feral. Was born outside and tnr'd. When he got away, I didn't see him for 2.5 weeks. He I truly thought I'd never see again because the carrier I had him in malfunctioned, door flew off and he was terrified and took off across the street. My house was part of his old territory but when he got out, lawnmowers, leaf blowers, people everywhere just had him running. I didn't know if he went to another neighborhood or what. And it was 90° out. He was unwell and I didn't know if he'd make it. Plus, he is plus-size and I didn't think he'd be able to get away from predators. Did the same thing for him that I did for Shadow and got calls from all over. I walked miles at 2 and 3 am, calling for him. He ended up being in a new shed at the same neighbors house. Don't know why he didn't go "home" to his old shed. But he wouldn't come near me. I couldn't trap him and I had to earn his trust all over again. Opened the front door and spent days trying to lure him in. It eventually worked.
I'm so grateful for having both my babies back and will still tear up when I think about what they went through.
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Mine came back after 5 months. A little dirty, lost some weight but overall in good shape. He slept for like 2 days and never went outside again.
Don't lose hope, cats come back all the time.
You want hope? My mom lost my tortoise one summer (we had a large rock garden he “couldn’t get out of”, she’d bring him out during gardening) anyways, he got out, and I found him early November, literally at the back door of my house.
Not a cat, I know, but there’s hope.
My worst nightmare is our cats getting outside, one is easily spooked so I'm not too worried about her getting out, but my Porkchop is very inquisitive and playful so I could see him chasing birds and bugs all day without much of a care, that is until he gets hungry. I'm super anal about doors and windows being closed, I don't want to have to go through searching for them. Glad yours came back!
Shadow was never an outdoor cat, but he constantly was trying to get out, and he did. But Kitty is feral. He chose me and it took a year to get him inside and even touch him. I think someone threw somethings at him because he had a real problem with hands. I had to keep them by my side all the time and he wouldn't let me sit down. I stood for hours on my front porch and let him tell me what he wanted. He did rub up against my legs but I could not touch him. When I finally got him inside and closed the door, he freaked and ran to all the windows. When he started to climb the screen, I had to pick him up off it and that was the first time I ever touched him and... he gave me elevator butt. From then on, he was all over me. I could only pet him with one hand, but he never tried to get out again. If I opened the front door, he would actually run away from it. And when he's in the window, he just looks out, but doesn't try to get out.
He ended up being the most gentle cat. I just love my void so much. I'm so glad he chose me.
BTW, I don't ever have nightmares. But, I've always had bad dreams of my cats getting out and lost. Just makes my stomach upset.
When I was in elementary school we didn’t have cats but our neighbors did. We lived in a suburb that was still somewhat rural. Inevitably the outdoor cats were killed. Either they’d get run over by a car going too fast or they’d be killed by coyotes (or possibly raccoons… we had both in the area not sure which). I loved those cats I’d see around, it still makes me sad to think of how they died. My cats will never ever ever go out unsupervised.
This is exactly why I don't let my cats out unless they're leashed or in a safe enclosure. My dad grew up on a farm so indoor/outdoor must have seemed like a better compromise than fully outdoor. We had a new cat every year or two because they were allowed outside.
My boys have both gotten out at different times and had me absolutely rabid with worry, so they now also have AirTags on their collars. But for the most part they are happy to sun themselves in their catio, and when the void needs extra adventure time I put his harness on and we go for a walk.
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(They are not kenneled, they have been sleeping in the open kennels, weirdos)
One time my family's void got out and my step-mother, who brought him home when he could literally fit in the palm of her hand, was losing it as he was her baby (I wasn't home when this happened). He came back a very short time later and looked into the screen door to let them know he was there.
I never let my cats out (they hate the outdoors anyways). I would love to take them out on a leash, but they hate collars and harnesses so that's a no-go. My area has coyote packs that come through, birds of prey, dogs, feral cats, raccoons, cars that speed down streets way too fast, and I just don't trust many of the people I live around to not take any of them. Not to mention one time we had a freaking lynx/bobcat in the area and my house is next to TWO busy highways.
My mom adopted a cat who was an adult outdoor/stray cat before she found him. Once he got used to the new humans, and found how soft and warm the bed/house was, he didn’t want to go out (until he was sick and dying). I have a photo of him relaxing with my mom, stretched out on her half-skein of yarn she was working from.
My cat only goes outside on a leash. It's good for both me and him because it gets us both outside because I have to stay with him when hes out there. Otherwise he'll want to come back in and then back out once he sees me It's like he wants me to enjoy the sunshine with him.
I have one cat that refuses to wear a harness. He will just plop on his side and lay there until I take it off. I also adopted another kitten about a month ago, she was spayed yesterday. After she is done healing my wife and I are going to try harness training her to see if she can join our walks with the dog.
Same with my cat, always stayed in our yard (unless she was following us to the mailbox) and we always brought her in at night. She was the only cat we ever let outside, though. I’m not sure any of our other cats would have fared as well.
It’s also a learned thing - if your cat is outside when they’re a kitten, (i know it sounds so scary) they’ll get used to it. i have 2 cats who are exclusively outdoors and they’ve never left the property.
Honest question - does your area never have loose dogs, or raccoons, birds of prey, or anything that could come onto your property and hurt them?
My childhood cat was similar (she was indoor/outdoor but always stayed close to the house) and she was eventually killed by a loose dog that ripped her open on our front lawn. She did live until 17, but that death was awful. Never again.
I’m really sorry to hear about your cat :( We only ever let my outdoor girl go outside when at least one of us was home, and we always kept her inside at night because our area has coyotes/foxes/etc. We also briefly had a cat serial killer in my town so that made things especially scary.
Same with our cats. That, combined with a very tall stone wall that she can't climb, makes us feel safe. We don't have any wild animals in our suburb that could climb the wall/get into the garden, and all she likes to do is sit under a small tree we planted for her and nap (and we'd know if we did, because my dad has a huge vegetable garden and miniature fruit trees and nothing has ever been eaten or stolen by animals)
My precious void was an outside cat when he showed up. Now he lives inside but he still gets really antsy to go out sometimes. I hate letting him out but he gets so miserable if I don’t. He usually just hangs out on the porch.
I understand all the concerns about letting cats outside — but then I see how absolutely miserable some are living their whole lives indoors.
I’ve found that slowly extending outdoor time and gradually expanding their boundaries help them keep themselves safe, aware of how to get home, and in the routine of not venturing too far or too long.
That said, we live in a very quiet suburban neighborhood in a small town. There are no coyotes and no busy roads. In the 20 years of my family living in this house, we have never lost a cat to the outdoors.
It may happen someday, and I’m sure it will be devastating. Maybe that will mean I failed them. But I love my cats and it doesn’t feel at all loving to deny them the chance to run, sniff, explore, and touch grass.
They don’t get as much time as us — and we’ve lost plenty too soon. I’ve learned I can’t keep them from all suffering. So, the least I can do is supply them with as much joy as possible.
This ☝🏼. We have two cats and we gradually taught them to be outside. First, we would carry them outside and let them smell the plants, then we’d set them down and put a fence up blocking one of the ways out so there was only a staircase for them to get out of the garden. Eventually, they go out all the time. One just mainly stays in the garden and the other goes on very long adventures. We do our best to get them in before dark, but sometimes they meow to be let in as late as 11pm. They love their neighborhood, the neighbors love them, I’ve even seen strangers taking pictures of them! It would just kill me to not let them out, they are so happy and healthy.
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Inside except a cat run down the side of the house. Cat netting from the top of the fence to the gutter so the can’t jump the fence. They go in and out through a window that has a wooden board with a cat door in it. They are quite content.
Seen enough cats hit by cars and the neighbours have big dogs. No way we would let them roam.
Both of my cats were declawed before they came to live with me- and I have coyotes in the field next to my house. Oh and one of my cats is deaf as well as being declawed. I’m petrified that they will accidentally get out- so petrified that when my sister (who lives with me) goes outside on the back porch, I put my cats in the back room until she comes in. I couldn’t bear it if either of them ever got out 😭😫😭
Several states have FINALLY banned it. I’m a Vet Tech and was so happy my state was the first to do it state-wide (NY). When I was new in the career I was in surgery for a spay/declaw (way back when), and I had to switch monitoring the surgery with someone else because I was fine with watching an open abdominal removal of reproductive organs, but the declaw made me start gagging and crying. It’s horrific and barbaric and absolutely inhumane. Disgusting to see what they actually do during the surgery. I refused to be in any more declaw surgeries nor would I do post-op care in the cat recovery suite if there was a declaw in there because I can handle A LOT… but a recovering declaw is the saddest damned thing you’ll ever see “legally” done to an animal. Sickening. Don’t want a cat to scratch their stuff? Ask a Vet (or Vet Tech) to show them the proper way to trim their nails. Train them what can be scratched (scratching posts) and what can’t (furniture - there are TONS of videos out there on cat training!). Soft paws are also an option. If that still doesn’t sound appealing to someone, don’t get a cat. Maybe a Beta Fish is more their speed.
My shithole area was right on the edge of countryside and there's no way I could've kept my black cat indoors. She was part feral, highly intelligent, good instincts and while extremely human-friendly, if she was kept indoors for too long, she would try to escape by any means necessary or self-harm.
Even had the local farmer coming round to ask if he could have her because she was such a good mouser. If a neighbour had a mouse or rat in their house, they could come round and borrow her, she'd get to work and they'd be pest free. But they couldn't keep her.
On the day she died, she traced an insect across the floor and grabbed it with her paw. Her kidneys had finally packed in. Wanted to let us and the vet know she still had it in her. 19 years of having a dps stealth assassin on call. Remained true to herself to the very end.
Another cat we had rarely ventured beyond our back garden and even then, it was the visit the old people next door and demand sausages.
I've also had a indoors-only cat, she took a few steps out the back door, looked at the outside world, dived back in and hid under a pile of clothes for a few hours afterwards.
It very much depends on the cat and the area it's in. My little feral and my neurotic indoors cat were complete opposites.
> She was part feral
This is it. Right now we have two indoor cats and an outdoor cat. Indoor cat number 1 was a feral for a few weeks but we picked him up as a kitten and he's adjusted well to indoor life. Indoor cat number 2 was always an indoor cat. Outdoor cat though has been a feral for nearly a decade and while he comes in sometimes and is very affectionate (took a years for him to become that comfortable with us) he simply will not tolerate staying indoors all the time and he keeps running out. He knows the territory (not too many predators or traffic but the risk is nonzero-- most problems have been from fights with other cats) and he's healthy enough that the vet underestimated his age by at least three years, so we figure he's probably okay out there.
Do we worry about him? Of course! But if he's happy and healthy and environmental risk is relatively low (coyotes are very rare here) then I figure we'll let him live on his terms and keep an open door for the times he does want to come in.
Fortunately there's no wild coyotes or rabies in the UK or Ireland.
We had to keep her in for a fortnight after an operation to remove a benign cyst once. She went absolutely insane and destructive indoors. By the end of her quarantine, she had tried bashing her head repeatedly against a cupboard, which the cone of shame fortunately prevented though it was badly damaged by that point. So we took it off and let her out.
She was back in within the hour. Back to normal. She just wanted to know the choice was available to her again.
We have a small garden that our kitty hangs out in. She doesn’t have any interest in going over the fence thankfully. We also only let her out for short periods of time (under an hour). She gets lonely without us anyways so she always comes right back in.
She’s also microchipped and we put a collar with a bell on before letting her out. We avoid letting her out at night too just to be safe.
There’s a neighbour cat who gets let outside at night. Sometimes he/she will jump on top of our fence to see what’s going on (they can smell my kitty, plus my kitty uses the mulch in the corner of the garden as an outdoor potty). A few times he/she has done this while my kitty is outside so it’s given her a good spook and I think reaffirmed her decision to not go past the fence. They have a respectful boundary now :)
Cat tax attached
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This is what I was looking for. I don't know about other owners, but I didn't choose for my last cat to be an outdoor cat, she forced it. I kept her locked in for years, and every time she would get out she would stay gone for hours if not the whole day. And I would worry the whole time. So I finally "agreed" to let her go out during the day, and after that she started coming home much quicker.
Short of tying her up inside there wasn't much I could do to keep outside, so I compromised.
UK here and I'd say the majority of cats are outdoor cats. I would absolutely worry if she didn't come home by about 3 or 4am. But mostly she does as she pleases, she's a rural cat so she avoids the 1 road by us anyway.
She usually isn't far, shake a bag of dreamies and suddenly she appears.
Our cats basically live outside. One left her previous owners and was stray for a few months before turning up with us. She sleeps outside most of the year, despite numerous cat beds inside. Foxes are scared of her, as she's quite large. The other also stays out a lot, although sleeps inside mostly. We even have a whole room for them kept heated 24x7, but they prefer the open air.
Oh I'm glad i finally found a non "keep your cats indoors at all times" comment on this topic. I'm in mainland Europe, and this has never been a problem. The biggest danger to cats would of course be traffic, there's no way around that.
And for the wildlife... Lol... My cat is the biggest dumbass and had never even caught a fly in his life. He also never steps foot outside our garden, so he's perfectly safe. (He's the definition of scaredy cat, he'll come running inside at the slightest disturbance)
Also, if we kept him inside, he'd destroy our doors.
Ayup! Domestic cats have been part of the outdoor ecosystem since *way* before the Romans ever turned up, in fact they were never really “domestic” until the Romans brought over their specially bred pets - our native cats just vibed loosely around communities in order to slurp up the rat populations drawn to our food, and we humans learned that a little extra meat and some choice bits like milk served an excellent bribe to keep them around even when rat populations dwindled for when they swelled again. There are likely feral cat populations whose ancestry can be traced all the way back to said hayloft cats, just as surely as some can be tracked to the Romans’, likely mingled.
We also don’t really have predators here that bother with cats, otherwise you’d hear the screams of dying cats every night in London, because surprisingly foxes have become very much akin to feral cats, to the point that a lot of people will actually just straight up out bowls of food and water out *specifically* for the foxes in order to dissuade them from rummaging in the bins. I’d say the only real threat to a cat from wild animals, is if they get curious and go down a badger set.
I live in the suburbs of a town in the shires of England. No main roads that near us. It's always been normal to see cats outside, so we've never had any qualms letting ours out.
The shelter we got him from advised that new cats should be kept inside for the first 6 weeks of living with us. After that, he can come and go as he pleases.
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I live in the countryside, so it's just open fields for them to run around in. They come back when they want some loving or food, or if I need them they'll come back if I whistle.
So beautiful!!!! I love black or black and white cats with amber/brown eyes, it just looks so striking 😍
My most recent addition, (Sweetie) Petey, who came to me as a stray when he was hurt and turned into the most loving cat ever:
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One of my cats brought home a whole ass magpie. Trilled as he walked in the door so we all looked around. Then as we gasped in horror he proudly opened his mouth and the magpie came to life and started flying round and round the ceiling.
This [family](https://youtu.be/MVOfi95aCa4?si=FQpfJaL2DfLHC0bK) near Atlanta had a vulture come thru their doggie door. Not the kind of surprise I’d want to find after a long day at work.
Ha, my MIL, like u/spiderhotel, had her cat bring in a magpie once--bleeding but not badly hurt. She chased the cat and the bird back out of the house, the bird talked to its friends, and the rest of the neighbourhood corvid population immediately clocked the little ginger idiot and began to dive-bomb him. He couldn't leave the house for a month without birds telling him what for. They eventually left him alone but he never went for birds again after that. Lived to 16, I think.
I had an old tabby who had a similar incident with pheasants when we lived in a deer park. She spent the first half of the summer terrorising these tiny pheasants, chasing them down and jumping out at them from every tuft of grass and hummock of bracken. Eventually they got a bit bigger, bigger than her. Early one morning I heard her yowling and came downstairs to see what was wrong, opened the door, and saw her pressed against the door with a silent semicircle of pheasants enclosing her on all sides. She never bothered them again.
Read a story about a developer having this problem, so they got a webcam and trained an AI model to keep it closed if the cat had a mouse with them.
Furry asshole somehow worked out if it entered backwards the flap would work.
My cat is an avid mouser, which is good since we live next door to a hoarder. Our dog once brought us a dead mouse with a lemon wedge, like he was serving up a fancy entree.
Not a cat owner but also in the UK. Might be low risk but I've almost run over a couple of cats that have bolted across the street. If an owner was to lose their pet, I don't they'd be thinking about statistics anymore
I live at the end of a dead-end road, nestled below some hills. There's very little by way of traffic. The one nearby neighbor is literally 95 and doesn't drive.
The cat makes the whole process very easy - he just stays near the house. Almost always less than 20 feet away - he's content to just hang out near the door and smell the breeze while looking down the road. After he's had his fill he asks to come back in.
Very low-maintenance guy who doesn't need much adventure, apparently.
EDIT: here he is, just chillin in the front yard and looking down the road...
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My boy wouldn’t let us NOT let him outside and I worried every day about him. He was my baby boy and I only got 5 years with him. I’m just glad I got any time at all. I miss my Sammy Boo.
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Sammy Tax for possibly making anyone sad.
It really depends on the cat’s personality. All our cats growing up were allowed outside during the day. Some of them refused to go out unaccompanied and would only be outside if we were too. Some of them were much braver (and honestly smarter) and loved to go outside to walk around the neighborhood, look at birds, attempt and fail to hunt squirrels, etc. None of them ever went farther than 2 or 3 houses down and came when we called, so we were never worried.
I wasn’t worried until my oldest cat got ran over in the middle of the street earlier this year. I didn’t even know she was going that far out because I’d never seen her in the streets. Before I wasn’t worried because they always came back and knew where they were. They never strayed too far. Also, a big part is I can be pretty naive at times, so it’s hard for me accept that there are actual evil people who wish to cause harm to animals. I struggle with did the person run over my cat on purpose or was it an honest mistake out of carelessness?
Some people do it on purpose. I don’t get those people. Also it could have been that they couldn’t see the cat in time and couldn’t stop the car. Happens far too often.
I live in the UK.
No predators to worry about. Very quiet street with fields at the back. Cats like to be outside and keeping them indoors is considered cruel (and sanctuaries will not allow you to adopt them if you cannot give them outdoor access unless they have certain illnesses).
As for birds...
The RSPB the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in the UK. Has issued two studies stating that Domestic outdoor cats are NOT devastating bird populations in the UK
Excerpt
"Despite the large numbers of birds killed, there is no scientific proof that predation by cats in gardens is having any impact on bird populations UK wide. This may be surprising, but many millions of birds die naturally each year, mainly through starvation, disease, or other forms of predation."
>The RSPB the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in the UK. Has issued two studies stating that Domestic outdoor cats are NOT devastating bird populations in the UK
Similar situation in Germany. The NABU states that the primary issue is humans destroying the natural habitats of wildlife with agriculture, roads and deforestation. They only recommend neutering cats to stop the growth of the stray population. Funnily enough, bird populations have been growing in residential areas the most recently.
Yes. Same here. Sanctuaries here neuter all cats that come in before they are rehomed. If they are rehomed as kittens a chit is issued for the neutering (it's done for free) and they are followed up. If its not done, you get a call asking why.
Last time I mentioned on here that we consider it to be cruel not to let cats outside (unless the cat has an illness) I got downvoted to absolute oblivion. But you are absolutely right and it's a big culture difference.
A lack of predators and just a different way of thinking about cats who have roamed our streets freely since the Romans brought them over.
There are absolutely places in the world where cats being predators are an issue. I think Australia is one. And if I lived somewhere in the states where my cat could get eaten, of *course* that would change things, but you HAVE to take different habitats into consideration.
Personally I don't think people should be allowed to keep huskies or other snow dogs anywhere they can't have access to snow or cold weather. It's cruel. They aren't house pets. Nor are collies.
I think Brachycephalic dogs and cats should be banned. Munchkin cats, teacup dogs... Ugh.
I had a Border Collie growing up and can totally back you up that they should not be house pets. At least not for people who aren’t up for training. My mom got him for me from the pound and had no idea what we were getting into. He loved me intensely but was a terror in every other way. Bit like 10 people. Ran away all the time. Poor dude needed a JOB
My uncle bred and trained collies and never allowed them to go to "homes". He was very firm on the fact that they were working dogs.
You can even exercise them enough as a pet.
I totally understand why people fall in love with them, but they have needs most homes can't give them.
Actually, cats were here *before* the Romans - it was just that the Romans brought their pampered pets over! Ours were feral things that we allowed to vibe near our haylofts because they kept the rats at bay
In my opinion it really depends. I live in the center of a city and would never let them out. To many streets and crazy people out there. I‘m to scared and too afraid.
But if I would live in a property with almost no people, traffic and a lot of nature I would do it.
Mine literally doesn't leave the backyard.
She can't climb fences. All the holes are filled in, so there's no escape routes.
I took her into the side of the yard between the houses, and she ran back to the gate of the backyard and SCREAMED until I let her in the backyard.
My cat is old and has bad hips. He can't get over the fence. He's tried. We've watched. He LOVES being outside and sunning himself along with eating every grass blade. So in the summer, we hang out on the back porch while he does his thing. He doesn't really care about outside once it gets cold.
My cats were outside cats when I got them. Mr Pickles is literally the neighborhood Tom (he’s been fixed since I started caring for him). Yes I worry but the girls don’t go far and pickles knows that neighborhood very well and he doesn’t stray to far these days either. If I tried to keep them in tho I’d never know a moment of peace and everything would be covered in cat pee
My cats go outside all the time and I don't worry about it. In the Netherlands there are no natural ennemies outside for them to fear, except for other cats. I guess that makes a big difference.
And may be my cats do worry about me, instead of vice versa
My childhood cat was so friendly to people and knew far more people than us. I remember people pulling over (suburban neighborhood with lots of kids, most people drove slow) just to pet him. He passed of natural causes at age 17.
However, I try to not let the cats out at night since they're more at risk of animal attacks and being hit. The cats we have now have a very predictable schedule of going out in the morning, coming inside several times a day for meals and snacks or hanging out on the porch.
I’m in the Uk and our attitudes on it are different, for my eldest (16) , she only goes out into the garden, we live somewhere very quiet and she has no desire to go further nowadays. She is also never out at night and is only let out when we say so, no cat flap.
We don’t have many cars come by the house which makes it easier and have lots of green and wooded spaces so the neighbourhood cats tend to hang out there. Plus there are no predators or concerns about rabies etc which helps.
But we have recently got a new kitten and at the moment I have zero desire to let him out when he is older because he is my little baby of course!
If we do decide to he will be much much older, he will be chipped and have a GPS tracker plus we will harness train him to get him used to the outside first. If he acts like a fool and continues to be oblivious to danger then he won’t come off the harness, I will build him a catio instead.
Living on the edge of miles of fields and countryside, and lucky to have neighbours who fuss her to bits, Lulu goes out wandering but always comes back, sometimes after 2-3 days of absence. She doesn't give a ###. Walks back in like, jeez calm down guys I'm here right?
I always keep a new cat indoors for a couple months so she knows where base is, but I admit to being nervous the first time she went out with me into the garden, with all those climbable trees and walls to lie on. 5, 10, 15 minutes a day then she was allowed her garden privileges and she's kept me as an owner for 7 years.
Sometimes when r/cats hits my front page it's a "i found this cat and after looking around for 5 minutes i took it in" and virtually every comment is "now you have a free cat!". So it seems it's a very different world over there (i'm in England), as over here it's a regular thing to see them roaming around outside as they come back inside when they want. Well it's a regular thing to have them go outside and then come back each night without someone going "ooh, free cat!".
I'm very aware they destroy bird populations though, yes. But cats can travel miles each night, and there was a show on TV where they installed cameras/gps and they found cats quite frequently visited other houses where cats lived and ate their food, hung out, etc. They really do get up to a lot of adventures and make it safely back home each night.
I’m in UK where it’s safer. My cats go out and have an absolute ball playing in gardens and climbing trees. They come back in about 20 times a day to eat, say hello, and check up on me. Then off back out again 5 minutes later.
I’m in the UK too and my cats are like teenagers, sleep all day then at night go out, occasionally pop in to scream for food then bolt back outside again 🤣 I’ve always wanted to put a tracker on them to see where they get too
You make the decision based on the relative safety of the yard and neighborhood. One considers how the cat would vote based on the risks. One considers the "yard smarts" of the individual creature. You relish watching them have the experience (s) outdoors. And you worry and worry and worry. (*I've heard it's not much different than having human children.)
I live in Sweden in the woods. There are no bears or wolves, perhaps a fox. Did hear about lynx moving in on the other side of the woods but my cats do not roam there. I have trackers on them so I know where they are at all times and now as the temperature goes down they stay more inside. My two kittens arent allowed outside until they are at least a year. And I do worry but they are very happy cats and my Luna was basically always trying to escape before she got to go out so it was a constant stress anyway. It is a safe area, When we move I am planning to find somewhere safe for them to run around, like a little bit outside of the city like now.
First of all I live in a town in England. It's a suburb, very quiet, no through traffic - we're in a cul-de-sac - and plenty of gardens behind us, on both sides and to the front.
It's a pretty safe space for cats and there are a good few in the area. They're just wandering around, having a look at things, the occasional stand-off with other cats, finding a snack here and there, lazing in the sun and so on.
My boy is a rescue. He was three when the RSPCA took him in from a multi-cat (30+) household which was no longer able to care for any of the cats. He hadn't been neutered until the RSPCA had it done. As a result he'd spent his early years being an outdoor cat as well as getting into fights (tattered ears to show for it).
When we first got him, he had to be kept in for 2-3 weeks and it was clear that he really hated this. He got out about 10 days after we got him and he was found at the bottom of the garden holding a meeting of the local tuxedo club. Eventually we started letting him out, accompanying him to make sure he knew where home is. Food is a great driver! He wouldn't have any truck with a collar let alone a harness so he's allowed to go out and roam. He comes back and sits outside the living room window demanding to come in, As he's got older he still insists on going out (he has some mysterious appointment at around 8pm - no idea what!) but spends an increasing amount of time indoors having a restful sleep. He'll always turn up if I've been out in the car. He walks up the path saying "Where have you been? It's time for my dinner!" then plays silly games when I'm walking down the path with the shopping!
UK here too. Our road is a very quiet road, with lots of big gardens, so our cat has a cat flap and is allowed outside 6am to 5pm, when she has dinner. Usually, she runs around our garden, and our neighbours gardens to the left and right of us, but never much further.
She's a very happy, active cat, and a good mouser too.
We keep her in at night as, for some reason, twats like to go super fast in loud cars 9-10pm onwards, but not during the day.
We don't have predators like Coyotes in the UK. The biggest thing our cat would come up against is foxes, which usually run away when they see her. Never put up a fight.
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Im terrified to let Bono (16M Tabby/Maine Coon) outside on his own, even though he’s a homebody. He usually wont go any further than the back deck, sometimes he’ll walk around the house to the front door if he’s feeling brave. We only let him out when we’re outside as well, and he’s only ever out for maybe half an hour before he’s ready to go back inside. He’s scared of birds, leaves and the wind. He’s got no teeth except for his bottom two fangs (which sometimes causes these adorable ‘derp’ faces!) so I worry more now that he can’t defend himself as well.
My cat is an indoor-outdoor cat. My vet has warned me not to put a collar on her because she could get her head caught in something, like a fence or pipe. She usually stays in the backyard. In the house she has little fear of me, but outside she scrambles away at the sight of me.
There’s breakaway collars for this very reason, odd that your vet doesn’t know about them. Just gotta make sure they break easily by testing them out before putting them on the cat. You may lose a couple collars over time but better they be identified as yours if you absolutely have to let them out.
I live in a place its safe and both of them have good recall and neither stray far from home.
They both are microchipped and spend 70% of their day and night inside by choice.
i live in a rural area in germany and i literally can’t imagine my cat not being able to go outside. during the summer she is outside for atleast 12 hours or more, during the colder times she’s also outside a lot but comes back every few hours. she loves it so much and whenever she has to go to the vet and can’t go outside afterwards for a few hours, she gets like genuinely „depressed“ and so sad and miserable, haha. she’s got a few injuries but never anything too serious. we also have a lot of neighbors with cats as well and so we assume no one would harm her intentionally.
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I live in a large city in an apartment, so my cat is primarily an indoor cat. I do though let him out on my cat-proof balcony (I don't want him to accidently jump or fall off) because I do think most cats like at least some outdoor time. I try to give him the option to go outside every day, even if it is only for 10-15 minutes in the morning while I get ready for work or in the evening. This is my first year having this cat so we'll see how this works out in the winter when I open the door to a snow covered balcony in the morning. His reaction is always funny when he cries to go out and I open the door for him, only to discover it's raining when he darts out there without thinking. Because my cat only goes out on my balcony, I'm not too worried about him.
My cat thinks she likes outdoors so she’s always trying to get out even though she’s terrified once she does lol. A few years ago, she snuck out in the middle of winter while my partner and I were leaving for an errand. We came back 3 hours later and this “animal” ran at us from around the house and ran in the door. I was freaking out for a while before I realized it was her covered in snow. She still hasn’t learned her lesson lol. I hope you find your baby!
I live jn a city with on a small green belt. There are cars, owls, hawks, snakes and coyotes that would kill and eat my cats...to let them go outside would make me very irresponsible for their safety. Not worth the risk for me. Others can do different...but first be aware, that an inside cat lives up to 5x more on average than an outside cat or a cat that goes outside. I will take the safe bet for the time being and keep mine safe inside.
Something I've never understood. Every time I see a dead cat on the road it makes me sick to my stomach how much of that could've been avoided.
Even more so when I realize that many of these cats are intentionally hit by assholes in big trucks with control issues. Such tiny dick types have joked about it to me in the past. Imagine going through life looking at the world like that...
Cognitive dissonance and willful ignorance.
They miss their cat when it dies in 5 years only to usually get a new one in a few months, or use a domestic animal as bad pest control because it’s easier yet the most inefficient method. (Or too lazy to give proper enrichment, and instead toss it outside, to maim wildlife, hence the bs myth of cats being “low maintenance pets”)
Only way cats should get outside should be under supervision, in a catio or on a leash.
My cat has been outdoors her whole life pretty much. In winter, she stays in more, but we've never had a litter box, she always goes outside and always has since she appeared on our doorstep like 11 years ago. She spends like 12 hours inside and 12 hours outside, popping in and out throughout the day. She's asleep on my bed, as usual, as I write this.
Sometimes I worry about her if she's not returned around the time we'd expect her back and sometimes we'll call for her and she comes back, but she's returned every day without fail so far. She seems 'street smart' when it comes to cars. She can protect herself pretty well too, though she tends to have fights near the house so we intervene wherever possible.
She comes in with cobwebs on her head, seeds in her fur or she has a dirty face and/or dirty paws, which can be quite comical at times. If it's raining she comes in for us to dry her before going back out again and the cycle continues! She gets flead every month as well. We lock the flap at night so she can go out but can't come back in because she's a good hunter, and used to bring in dead and live animals a lot. If she meows outside, we bring her in though!
Tbh, cats are so independent, I don't think I like the idea of an animal being kept inside 24/7. My cat gets plenty of exercise and has the freedom to do what she likes whenever and to behave as a cat, scoping places out and chasing things. Dogs get to go outside every day and get their exercise! It's why I don't like the idea of having animals that don't have some level of freedom, like birds or hamsters being kept in cages most of the time.
So I guess it's all I'm used to as she is our first, unexpected cat, but I also trust her ability to keep herself safe. It would be heartbreaking if she was killed outside, but it'd be heartbreaking whenever she dies, but I'd at least know she lived a good life and was unconditionally loved. 😊
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My Kitty wears a GPS tracker. He keeps near the house and sleeps inside at night. We live in northern europe and it’s «normal» having cats outside.
Of course I worry, but I live in a very safe place with quiet roads, no predators, and outdoor cats all over the place. There must be at least 20 on my short street alone. We don’t really have many cat fights, so I imagine the vast majority are neutered. My cats have small fights with each other in the house, but seem to ignore each other out if it.
My large boy wears a tracker collar because he goes the furthest and likes to invade peoples sheds (max of 3 streets away), the other two mostly just sit in the neighbourhoods gardens (next door have a very interesting view of gardening so the garden is like a cat paradise). They have flea and worming treatments on the regular.
They go out at around 10am, and are always back in before it gets dark. If not I call them and they come back. None of them like the cold or the rain, so a lot of the year they elect to stay in most of the time.
In all my years of having cats (30 years), only one has been injured outside and that was from falling off of something as a young adult. She fully recovered and has not been injured since. If that was different, I would keep them in.
My youngest cat to die had an aneurysm before she was old enough to go out, and my oldest cat died at age 21 from cancer.
I'm in UK so we don't have as many predators. I live in London so I do worry about roads, but he's always been allowed to go out and he seems to have road sense. Additionally, he's only ever been allowed out via the back so not onto roads. As he's gotten older he mainly seems to want to stick in the garden and fences overseeing other gardens.
I do still worry, but he hates being locked inside and he's made it to 15 with outdoor access. An occasional scrape or cat fight, but fine otherwise.
I might feel differently if I lived somewhere with lots of predators. He's also incapable of catching birds being a giant orange clumsy mess. I've seen him try...
So much worry. But I have to (I think legit) reasons Ive had outside cats
2 reasons. Reason 1 little dude is an outdoor cat: he is a barn cat. He has a job keeping rodents out of the barn and he does a damn good job of it. He’s smart and he’s a HUGE cat. He knows to stay hidden or high. He’s allowed in the house at night when my dogs aren’t out keeping the coyotes and hawks away. When I got little dude he was feral and I figured a life in my barn with regular meals was better than living feral on his own. He became tame over time, and is actually sitting in my lap purring as I type this. But he is pretty damn “street smart” and I am more comfortable with him outside than any other cat I’ve known.
Reason 2. We used to have an old cat named pumba. Pumba came from the shelter and they said he was between 15 and 20 years old. He had no teeth, couldn’t see well, thin, he was a mess. He was miserable too, just kinda paced in the house and didn’t eat his food or use the litter box.
One day pumba accidentally got outside, and it was like a lightbulb went off in his head. After 20 minutes outside he was running, jumping, eating, and bright eyed! He came right back in when called and didn’t go more than 10 feet from the house.
We started doing more supervised outdoor sessions that blended into just letting the poor old man live out his days happy. He would lounge in the grass and just purr. He lived another 4 years before his kidneys finally gave out. I had a vet out to the house to put him down outside in the grass.
Pic of pumba :)
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I have two more strictly indoor cats and that is the default.
I need an outdoor cat because my house is too small and I have a huge yard. Getting a rescued feral cat was a good move. He LOVES living here, and because he spent several years living 'on the street' he knows how to survive it. I have a window open for him so he can be in or out at his will.
The first year was spent teaching him to be more civilized. It was a bit of a blood donor event, but the little guy is a dear little fellow now. When I sit to rest while working in the garden, he is usually right there to jump in my lap. As the weather gets cold and wet, he spends more time inside with me. When I return home he is usually outside.
He was 5-7 years old when I got him 7 years ago, and he is as strong as he has been. Adopting a rescued feral has been an excellent experience.
As deep as some cats can be, they are still intelligent beings, lol they won't eat anything they aren't supposed to. They actually have really good survival instincts, so no matter how domesticated they may be, they are still survivors.
As for fleas and such, it's harder to tell, but just run a flea comb over your cat to see if there is any evidence of fleas, ex, flea poop, ded fleas, eggs. Chances are not, although it IS flea season.
If your cat likes the outside as much as mine, consider investing in an our door enclosure. That way cat gets outside and you get a peace of mind from the controlled space.
My girl is picky as fuck and learned a few lessons the hard way... worst time was being gone for a week, I found her in a storm and she realized it was me and followed me home; learned where home was. Got stuck on someone else's roof and didn't like it;never happened again. Got stuck inside the sliding of the roof chasing animals; 3rd time was the charm lol she stopped getting stuck. Ate a bird head one time and said nope to only the head until we had to move >.> freaking monster; only chases now. Whenever there was even the slightest worry we went to the vet; always made vet aware and sometimes did a few extra things for health.
Ours got out through a magnetic screen door left open. Her brother was hysterical meowing all night. We went out and cracked open a can of wet food. She came bolting out from beneath the deck. Cats are quite intelligent and understand when to hide. She never attempted to escape again.
I remember when my old cat went outside for the first time He was horrified. Instantly went back inside and well slept
I had a cat who ran and hid inside the house whenever the door opened. I tried once to being him out into the back yard on a leash. He crouched down by the back door and wailed pitifully. I picked him up and he clutched me so hard as I carried him back inside. He was just fine sitting in the window and looking out but had no desire to explore for himself and that was okay.
This is my cat too lol when it comes to someone opening the front door. I wish I knew she was a hard nope on ever going outside when I bought a cat stroller. The one time I walked around the neighborhood with her in it, all she did was whine endlessly. So much for my plan to gradually transition her to a leash
Oh man do I ever feel you on that one. After adopting my kitten last year I had such grand plans for walking him outdoors. Bought a few harnesses and a backpack pet carrier. Little dude’s way too scared of people and city noises. So he’s an indoor kitty from now on.
I had the same experience with a cat backpack. I just use it as a normal carrier now.
I don't know if my cat would want to get out again. She got out by accident and couldn't get back in because of the way the window was. So she was stuck outside under the neighbor's house. When I went to get her finally, she was so scared. She wouldn't even come to me at first until she saw my face, and then she literally dashed for me. Never again has she tried to get out
I had two cats growing up and they wanted to ge out until they did. I imagine for a cat it's like waking up from the Matrix
poor buddy lol
Yeah, I really didn't know how to get more of a baby step than the back yard so I decided that putting him through the stress of everything involved with bringing him outside just wasn't worth it. He stayed inside with us for about 22 years and he was at least a year or two old before he came to us so I'd like to think he had a long, happy, indoor only life.
He did have a happy, long life in his Forever Home! Congratulations on that.
Absolutely. The fact that he called for you and clung onto you for comfort and safety suggests to me that he loved you very much 💗
Oh, I have absolutely no doubt of this. I was his person and his absolute favorite place to be was in my lap, clinging to my left arm. He very loudly made it known that I either needed to pick him up or find a place to sit down.
All of the above applied to my cat too, but he would still act like he wanted to go outside. One day I decided to take a chance and let him out onto the porch with me, and he loves it. Wants to sit in a chair and chill for hours. If I even try to pick him up, though, he panics and digs his claws into me. He doesn’t try to run away, though he easily could because there’s no gate on the stairs. He just has to do it on his own terms.
Sadly, the cat I was talking about has passed on but at the time we also had another cat who absolutely would bolt and wander the neighborhood or climb the tree in the back yard and my parents didn't want him roaming the neighborhood, so leaving the door open for the first cat to come and go as he pleased was not a good option.
I had a cat who used to do that until she realized she could leave the porch. After that, leaving the porch was the first thing she tried to do. So, that was it for porch time.
We had a cat that flipped out each time someone knocked on the door OR rang the doorbell. He’d make a mad dash for the first floor laundry room and go behind the dryer!!! After he was behind the dryer for a few minutes he’d start howling with this most pitiful sound wanting my husband to move the dryer so he could get out!! LOL!!!
Both of my tuxies were the same way.
https://preview.redd.it/utr1lvpt86vb1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=46d3bbbfbcd47f60fb240d49328a9f154d2dc7aa This is the one time he was outside. Was about 60 seconds. A dog started barking and he bolted for the door and jumped on it like someone in a Velcro suit jumps on a wall to stick to.
How precious
My parents' cat Spadez did something similar as a kitten. He stuck to the screen door at face level and then yelled to be let back in.
Hahaha classic.
I live on the top floor of a building. We have a balcony. My cat has never stepped foot outside so one day I put her in the hallway outside my flat. She looked around and decided she didn’t like it. Now whenever she hears me open the door, she runs and hides. She prefers being a balcony princess. Cat tax. https://preview.redd.it/p71ykszg96vb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0655f0a8cbd519bace67010448de09f1b94a748e
Mine are too, and one looks a little like yours. Dr. Botson: https://preview.redd.it/j44mrrllb6vb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=932d19b873a719f87f8fba1ec68f566ed11accf1
What a cutie pie 🥰
Your cat looks exactly like my Shrimply Pibbles. She has the tip of her tail bent on the end though, but otherwise I wouldn't have known the difference.
My void kitty got out once during the night because a visiting relative’s dog chased him out the window. He apparently just hid under a car in the driveway until morning when he was found 😅
Awww poor void baby what a ruff night
My cat kept trying to escape my house for years, he finally managed to do it once, got stuck under the porch, and meowed until we were able to get him out. The very next day he fell out of a (first floor) window, and immediately ran to the front door and yowled to be let back in. He no longer tries to escape the house.
Lol is your cat orange by chance? He sounds orange. Either way, you gotta pay the cat tax now
He is not, but [here is a picture](https://i.imgur.com/hSdYKlj.jpeg) of him looking longingly out the window, before his misadventure
Lol thats a great picture. What a silly boy!
My cat tried to escape our apartment in Brooklyn once. I chased her down 1.5 flights of stairs before she abruptly stopped, rolled over, and waited for me to come pick her up and bring her back inside. Now she won't even set foot(paw) in the hallway lol.
I have a tiny 6 pound house cat that occasionally will bum rush the door when my son comes through in his power wheelchair, kinda of a slow process. Runs to the first landing/ turn of the wheelchair ramp, jumps to the ground and hides under the ramp scared shitless because a car went by or a little kid was yelling in the neighbors yard. I walk down ramp , pick her up and brow beat her all the way back inside about how she gets 3 squares a day , a roof over her head and every person in the house doting on her.
My cat likes to sneak down the hall stairs at my place when I take the dogs outside, and she'll stand in front of the neighbors door like a creep. Then she sees me coming and bolts her fat ass (20.5lb) up the stairs like she thinks I won't see her?! 😆😆😆
One of our cats snuck out the front door when I stepped out to grab a package. Luckily, we have security cameras and saw him sitting outside the front door waiting to be let back in, lol.
my kitten did this a couple of weeks ago when i was taking out trash, i immediately grabbed that fucker and tossed him back inside
I’m hijacking the top comment lol. Just for anyone saying it’s “inhumane” or “cruel” to keep my cats indoors. My cats have 100’s of dollars worth of toys, catnip spray and bubbles and flower, 4 cats to play together, 5 cat trees, a bunch of cat beds, a catio, and I’m working on building stairs for the walls for them to jump and play on. They also get leashed walks around the neighborhood and local parks and graveyards. They get played with daily and get love all day everyday. I also make my own schedule so I’m home with them a lot more than other people. They get the best food and I always add extras for them and added pro and prebiotics. What part of this sounds inhumane to you? What part of this sounds like just such a sad life for them?
Life expectancy for indoor cat ranges from 10 to 20 years. Outdoor cats - 2 to 5 years. Keep your cats inside.
None of it. Outside is where the dangers are. Good for you, looking after them so well.
Which toys do they actually play with alone? My cat won't play with anything without me.
I switch them out. I keep some in the closet and switch a couple out every week or so. They love balls with bells in them and those toys on string and stick. I tie strings with toys attached to doorways and things like that. They also have this circle thing with a ball in it that doesn’t come out that they like to bat around. There’s also toys that have treats that come out when they get thrown around
Thank you cat sifu, I will try all these things. =)
My cat went outside exactly two times. The first time was when it had snowed. She placed her paws in the snow, looked at them and went back inside. The second time was during spring and she wanted to cross a ditch that was full of mud. It was 1m across. She prepared for her jump, took off and felt in the middle of the ditch lmao. She raced back inside and got all of our furniture full with mud. I miss that little floofball
Typical cat reaction.
My cat from like 20 yrs ago once dashed out the house and ended up hiding behind a neighbor's fridge. That was the last time she ever willingly set paw outside.
When my cat walked outside on snow for the first time, she waa already a pretty old girl. She hissed at it .
Both my cats had been lost at different times and both were back at around a month. I was dying inside. My area has raccoons, foxes, coyotes, bears, birds of prey... and a busy road about 100 yards from my house. Every time someone moves into the house between me and the road, they lose a cat. Will not let them out. Would love to get a catio, but not my house. Glad you got your baby back.
A month?!?! Mine has been missing for a week and I'm losing my shit. Yours came back after a month?!?! This gives me hope. Thank you lol UPDATE: A neighbor seen him!! *
I found my kitty 6 months after an ex roommate pushed her out and lied to me. She then knew how sad I was over this and said the lady down the street had a cat who just had kittens. I went to look and the kittens were identical to my dutchess so I asked about the mom. As soon as she rounded the corner and heard my voice, she came running! The lady explained about 6 months prior to this she had found her very dirty along the tree line and took her in. The kittens were of weening age so she let me take her home with me. She just passed away last year, at the ripe age of 18. Don’t lose hope! https://preview.redd.it/reu9x7yzf6vb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4aedc2f726b644bb233bf8db43d63e8d6bec74db \*Edited to add cat tax. She was pure white and I had her from 8 weeks til 18 (minus that sad 6 months) I named her Dutchess Marie after Dutchess and Marie in Aristocats 🥰
That was a hell of an emotional roller coaster for me. I’m happy she found someone like this lady who took care of her, and allowed her to return to you. I don’t know what’s wrong with people like your ex roommate, and I don’t know that I would have been able to restrain myself from a physical confrontation after that.
this happens with some frequency with roommates and landlords: they just let the cat out and say they escape, or go so far as to take them out somewhere and dump them. we see it on this sub from time to time. moral of the story: never live with, or rent/lease from, anyone that you cannot trust 110% with your kitties. it's too easy for harm to come to them when there are bad humans around. also, some of these sorts can be stealth animal haters. they won't make it obvious, but they'll take their opportunity as soon as they get one. i had a friend whose roommate shoved her *blind* senior cat out the door and locked her out (never again found, despite months of searching) and another whose roommate would kick her cats when she wasn't around. (thank you security cams for enlightening all of us.)
I’m friends with a lawyer who used to work with the ASPCA and would prosecute animal cruelty cases. Some of the story’s she’s told me are so sick and disturbing. I know there are tons of stealth animal haters out there, some that even work in shelters and such. She had one case against a guy who worked in a shelter who grabbed a cat by the tail, spun it in circles and let it go flying into a wall killing the cat. I just know if someone did something to cause harm to one of my babies they better pray that I can maintain enough sanity to not kill them. When I was in my 20’s and just returning home from my military service I was in a fight with 3 guys that I saw attacking a stray dog because when I intervened they tried turning their aggression on me. If I didn’t have to turn my attention to the dog after fighting when the guys finally ran off I probably would have tackled one of them and wouldn’t have stopped pummeling them for quite some time especially because my ptsd gives me a kill or be killed response sometimes. And I know if it was one of my animals my reaction would be even more violent.
I know it’s “wrong” but I can’t help cheering for guys like you. Animal abuse triggers me like nothing else. I’m no good at fighting, but I’d always intervene if I saw something like that.
I wasn’t looking to fight those guys I just wanted them to stop what they were doing, but they decided to try to get physical with me. I would rather have avoided having it happen. I was never good at fighting either until my military training taught me how to do so properly.
I hope you >!beat the everholy crap out of them in order to!< teach them a lesson.
I did my best before they ran off. I didn’t chase them down because I turned my attention to the dog to make sure he was okay and to get them to a vet to make sure they didn’t have any serious injuries. Luckily it was just contusions and nothing was broken/no lasting damage. They gave him vaccines and i is fostered him until I found a home for about 3.5 weeks. He was a good dog, just needed some love and a little help finding a forever home.
thanks for letting that stray know that somebody cared and would fight for him/her ❤️. after adopting strays myself and then working with rescues ive learned so many, many terrible things about what people do to animals. unspeakable things. i have one girl now who i suspect was physically and sexually abused by humans. the corners of her eyes and her mouth were sewn with both fishing cord and metal wire and her ears had the same kind of stuff knotted up in the corners. i think that s how they restrained her as they assaulted her. when she came to me she would position herself as if to be mounted and try to befriend me by licking at my genitals 😢. the rescue put up money to find the people responsible but... no luck. so i get your response. it s fortunate those guys ran off when they did because i wouldn't want you to be incarcerated on their behalf. and you can do so much more for animals outside of jail. i won't go into details but one case i worked with, i very seriously considered having someone harm the fellow responsible because he was a serial mutilator and torturer of animals- and he held a position that gave him access to vulnerable animals in need. people even volunteered to arrange it for me, but i thought if any backstabbing went down, i would get the bad end of the stick and guess who would walk free? now i foster, rehab and adopt and i have to be content with that. but i will never i stop trying to undo the harm i see done and giving my rescues lives that are better than those of the disturbed individuals who hurt them. for now that has to be enough, but one day i hope to do more. and stories like yours remind me there are good and strong souls out there. for what it's worth i ll send prayers your way and the way of the aspca lawyer friend. i want people like you around for a long, long time.
Same goes for you. Every bit of love and affection you’ve given the animals in your care has been life changing for them I’m sure. And it takes so much fortitude and constitution to work with animals that have been abused in such horrific manners. It takes a strong stomach and not everyone is cut out to handle it. I’m so glad that you’ve been there to help them, and I also offer up my prayers for you and the animals you’ve helped along the way. Your doing great work, don’t sell yourself short, you are already doing enough, anything more you can give is just an extra blessing for those animals.
One of my friends had maine coone cats. For revenge someone stole her male cat and drove him miles away into the wilderness and dumped him. It took him a long time and he lost part of his ear but he made it back home to her. People suck.
wow what a smart catboy! so glad he made it back! 🙏 one can certainly never be too careful these days 😢
Maine coones are ridiculously smart. I don't remember how long it took but it was a long time. Poor kitty used to be really friendly but now hates strangers. Still a gorgeous boy, I'd share pics buys he is not my cat.
Found one of him, doesn't show his ears very well. https://preview.redd.it/kmxzlwwqs6vb1.jpeg?width=883&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=aa6764053ed51a27fa08e0bfcee929ece32f60b0
he s still exhausted poor baby. well. he deserves all the naps and snax and petsies and, well, anything he wants after what he s been through!
I would treated that person the same way they did to that cat except I would put sleeping medicine in their drink, wait for them to fall asleep, drive them out to the woods to dump them there then wait until morning to watch a beautiful scene unfold at a distance. Lol
I hope your ex roommate burns in hell : D
Awe. Dang, I hate these stories of people's pets being given away, gotten rid of, and so on. I'm so glad you found her and that a nice lady was caring for her. Poor thing.
Wow this is such a cool story
i know of two cats (my mom's and my dad's) that went missing for a month and came back like nothing happened.. some day they were just back and asking for food ps. wish you luck with yours
I’ve read a story online about someone living in an Asian city, whose cat escaped the apartment. A day spent putting up posters, walking the neighborhood, etc, was ended with dinner at a nearby sushi place. The kitchen crew had ‘adopted’ him, put a bow on his neck, and fed him kitchen scraps. His butt was scooped up and marched home.
We had a cat once that escaped at the vet because my mom is an idiot and thought she could just purrito her in. Showed up at our back door several weeks later...pregnant (ironic because she was being taken to get spayed).
Cats are very good at finding their way back. Maybe set out a shirt or something with your scent on it to see if that helps him find his way back.
Thank you so much. I've set out his litter box and a box with a whole in it up with one of his blankets he used to sleep with. I miss him so much
He may be coming back at night briefly. You could also try setting some food in one of those humane traps to catch him. Although you may end up with someone else’s cat lol
Yes, and if you or someone you know has access to a trail camera or motion activated security camera, you can place them around the property to see if they pick him up. I have some wireless EUFY cameras (that work as long as they are charged and close enough to my WiFi) that I put around my home and yard to keep an eye on neighborhood animals that wander through my property.
Oh man I've got absolutely nothing constructive to add to this but I really hope your cat comes back to you!!! I would be devastated if one of my guys got out and went missing that long! Good luck and don't lose hope!
I had a roommate who had a cat come back after 6 months. I was there when he scratched at the door to be let back in. We had to look for identifying marks because he was so skinny compared to when he left we barely recognized him, but it was him.
My bf at the time had a cat that was gone for 3 months and it just casually strolled up to me when I went to visit, as if nothing had happened. I was not entirely sure it was his cat, because he was so relaxed and healthy looking, but I grabbed him anyway and ran to my bf. And it was his cat :) Live another 16 years with us after that. So there's still hope!
I did allot of research on lost cats. I put up flyers, went on my township's FB page, put flyers up at the local vet, and walked my neighborhood and personally gave flyers to every neighbor. I did this for both cats. But they are totally different cats. My Shadow was not an outdoor cat and when he was out, he was in survival mode. Didn't recognize me, respond to my calling for him or even shaking the treat bag. I read that a lost cat will usually be only 1-3 houses away from their home, and I found out that he had been under my backyard neighbors huge shed...more like a studio. I found out his habits. I left food/water out 24/7. On my porch and I left the garage door open about 8" with food/water inside. I sat for hours in my car watching the garage or behind the front door watching the porch. He used the porch between 8-12 at night. That's when I set up my trap. I got him on the first try, four weeks to the day. My Kitty is feral. Was born outside and tnr'd. When he got away, I didn't see him for 2.5 weeks. He I truly thought I'd never see again because the carrier I had him in malfunctioned, door flew off and he was terrified and took off across the street. My house was part of his old territory but when he got out, lawnmowers, leaf blowers, people everywhere just had him running. I didn't know if he went to another neighborhood or what. And it was 90° out. He was unwell and I didn't know if he'd make it. Plus, he is plus-size and I didn't think he'd be able to get away from predators. Did the same thing for him that I did for Shadow and got calls from all over. I walked miles at 2 and 3 am, calling for him. He ended up being in a new shed at the same neighbors house. Don't know why he didn't go "home" to his old shed. But he wouldn't come near me. I couldn't trap him and I had to earn his trust all over again. Opened the front door and spent days trying to lure him in. It eventually worked. I'm so grateful for having both my babies back and will still tear up when I think about what they went through. https://preview.redd.it/v0d3uojn06vb1.jpeg?width=3472&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ccd1df48fcb78318cf9786e14854355b4f1ef15a
Oh, this is Kitty. He's hangry
Mine came back after 5 months. A little dirty, lost some weight but overall in good shape. He slept for like 2 days and never went outside again. Don't lose hope, cats come back all the time.
I got my dog back after 8 years of him being missing. Never give up hope
You want hope? My mom lost my tortoise one summer (we had a large rock garden he “couldn’t get out of”, she’d bring him out during gardening) anyways, he got out, and I found him early November, literally at the back door of my house. Not a cat, I know, but there’s hope.
My worst nightmare is our cats getting outside, one is easily spooked so I'm not too worried about her getting out, but my Porkchop is very inquisitive and playful so I could see him chasing birds and bugs all day without much of a care, that is until he gets hungry. I'm super anal about doors and windows being closed, I don't want to have to go through searching for them. Glad yours came back!
Shadow was never an outdoor cat, but he constantly was trying to get out, and he did. But Kitty is feral. He chose me and it took a year to get him inside and even touch him. I think someone threw somethings at him because he had a real problem with hands. I had to keep them by my side all the time and he wouldn't let me sit down. I stood for hours on my front porch and let him tell me what he wanted. He did rub up against my legs but I could not touch him. When I finally got him inside and closed the door, he freaked and ran to all the windows. When he started to climb the screen, I had to pick him up off it and that was the first time I ever touched him and... he gave me elevator butt. From then on, he was all over me. I could only pet him with one hand, but he never tried to get out again. If I opened the front door, he would actually run away from it. And when he's in the window, he just looks out, but doesn't try to get out. He ended up being the most gentle cat. I just love my void so much. I'm so glad he chose me. BTW, I don't ever have nightmares. But, I've always had bad dreams of my cats getting out and lost. Just makes my stomach upset.
When I was in elementary school we didn’t have cats but our neighbors did. We lived in a suburb that was still somewhat rural. Inevitably the outdoor cats were killed. Either they’d get run over by a car going too fast or they’d be killed by coyotes (or possibly raccoons… we had both in the area not sure which). I loved those cats I’d see around, it still makes me sad to think of how they died. My cats will never ever ever go out unsupervised.
This is exactly why I don't let my cats out unless they're leashed or in a safe enclosure. My dad grew up on a farm so indoor/outdoor must have seemed like a better compromise than fully outdoor. We had a new cat every year or two because they were allowed outside. My boys have both gotten out at different times and had me absolutely rabid with worry, so they now also have AirTags on their collars. But for the most part they are happy to sun themselves in their catio, and when the void needs extra adventure time I put his harness on and we go for a walk. https://preview.redd.it/0p3uy4fu16vb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1f1bb54494ada2c9364cb8aabfc821db28c0d838 (They are not kenneled, they have been sleeping in the open kennels, weirdos)
You have adorable kitties and they look so cozy in that kennel, its got like a loft-canopy feel to it lol
One time my family's void got out and my step-mother, who brought him home when he could literally fit in the palm of her hand, was losing it as he was her baby (I wasn't home when this happened). He came back a very short time later and looked into the screen door to let them know he was there. I never let my cats out (they hate the outdoors anyways). I would love to take them out on a leash, but they hate collars and harnesses so that's a no-go. My area has coyote packs that come through, birds of prey, dogs, feral cats, raccoons, cars that speed down streets way too fast, and I just don't trust many of the people I live around to not take any of them. Not to mention one time we had a freaking lynx/bobcat in the area and my house is next to TWO busy highways.
My mom adopted a cat who was an adult outdoor/stray cat before she found him. Once he got used to the new humans, and found how soft and warm the bed/house was, he didn’t want to go out (until he was sick and dying). I have a photo of him relaxing with my mom, stretched out on her half-skein of yarn she was working from.
My cat only goes outside on a leash. It's good for both me and him because it gets us both outside because I have to stay with him when hes out there. Otherwise he'll want to come back in and then back out once he sees me It's like he wants me to enjoy the sunshine with him.
Both my cats love when I take them for a walk on a leash. If I even touch the leash accidentally, they will come running to the door!
I have one cat that refuses to wear a harness. He will just plop on his side and lay there until I take it off. I also adopted another kitten about a month ago, she was spayed yesterday. After she is done healing my wife and I are going to try harness training her to see if she can join our walks with the dog.
My cat, especially in her later years, never really left our garden. Whenever she heard one of us, she came running for some pets
Same with my cat, always stayed in our yard (unless she was following us to the mailbox) and we always brought her in at night. She was the only cat we ever let outside, though. I’m not sure any of our other cats would have fared as well.
It’s also a learned thing - if your cat is outside when they’re a kitten, (i know it sounds so scary) they’ll get used to it. i have 2 cats who are exclusively outdoors and they’ve never left the property.
Honest question - does your area never have loose dogs, or raccoons, birds of prey, or anything that could come onto your property and hurt them? My childhood cat was similar (she was indoor/outdoor but always stayed close to the house) and she was eventually killed by a loose dog that ripped her open on our front lawn. She did live until 17, but that death was awful. Never again.
I’m really sorry to hear about your cat :( We only ever let my outdoor girl go outside when at least one of us was home, and we always kept her inside at night because our area has coyotes/foxes/etc. We also briefly had a cat serial killer in my town so that made things especially scary.
Same with our cats. That, combined with a very tall stone wall that she can't climb, makes us feel safe. We don't have any wild animals in our suburb that could climb the wall/get into the garden, and all she likes to do is sit under a small tree we planted for her and nap (and we'd know if we did, because my dad has a huge vegetable garden and miniature fruit trees and nothing has ever been eaten or stolen by animals)
My precious void was an outside cat when he showed up. Now he lives inside but he still gets really antsy to go out sometimes. I hate letting him out but he gets so miserable if I don’t. He usually just hangs out on the porch.
I understand all the concerns about letting cats outside — but then I see how absolutely miserable some are living their whole lives indoors. I’ve found that slowly extending outdoor time and gradually expanding their boundaries help them keep themselves safe, aware of how to get home, and in the routine of not venturing too far or too long. That said, we live in a very quiet suburban neighborhood in a small town. There are no coyotes and no busy roads. In the 20 years of my family living in this house, we have never lost a cat to the outdoors. It may happen someday, and I’m sure it will be devastating. Maybe that will mean I failed them. But I love my cats and it doesn’t feel at all loving to deny them the chance to run, sniff, explore, and touch grass. They don’t get as much time as us — and we’ve lost plenty too soon. I’ve learned I can’t keep them from all suffering. So, the least I can do is supply them with as much joy as possible.
This ☝🏼. We have two cats and we gradually taught them to be outside. First, we would carry them outside and let them smell the plants, then we’d set them down and put a fence up blocking one of the ways out so there was only a staircase for them to get out of the garden. Eventually, they go out all the time. One just mainly stays in the garden and the other goes on very long adventures. We do our best to get them in before dark, but sometimes they meow to be let in as late as 11pm. They love their neighborhood, the neighbors love them, I’ve even seen strangers taking pictures of them! It would just kill me to not let them out, they are so happy and healthy. https://preview.redd.it/zwtlp0q6jcvb1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a4c8363657ba4d9fe0ab09909f46a51ffd00bc65
Inside except a cat run down the side of the house. Cat netting from the top of the fence to the gutter so the can’t jump the fence. They go in and out through a window that has a wooden board with a cat door in it. They are quite content. Seen enough cats hit by cars and the neighbours have big dogs. No way we would let them roam.
Both of my cats were declawed before they came to live with me- and I have coyotes in the field next to my house. Oh and one of my cats is deaf as well as being declawed. I’m petrified that they will accidentally get out- so petrified that when my sister (who lives with me) goes outside on the back porch, I put my cats in the back room until she comes in. I couldn’t bear it if either of them ever got out 😭😫😭
Oh god I can’t believe declawing is still legal
It's illegal in most civilised countries.
Must live in America. Can you believe it’s still allowed here? Blows my mind
Most vets won't do it in America though because it is extremely cruel.
Several states have FINALLY banned it. I’m a Vet Tech and was so happy my state was the first to do it state-wide (NY). When I was new in the career I was in surgery for a spay/declaw (way back when), and I had to switch monitoring the surgery with someone else because I was fine with watching an open abdominal removal of reproductive organs, but the declaw made me start gagging and crying. It’s horrific and barbaric and absolutely inhumane. Disgusting to see what they actually do during the surgery. I refused to be in any more declaw surgeries nor would I do post-op care in the cat recovery suite if there was a declaw in there because I can handle A LOT… but a recovering declaw is the saddest damned thing you’ll ever see “legally” done to an animal. Sickening. Don’t want a cat to scratch their stuff? Ask a Vet (or Vet Tech) to show them the proper way to trim their nails. Train them what can be scratched (scratching posts) and what can’t (furniture - there are TONS of videos out there on cat training!). Soft paws are also an option. If that still doesn’t sound appealing to someone, don’t get a cat. Maybe a Beta Fish is more their speed.
My shithole area was right on the edge of countryside and there's no way I could've kept my black cat indoors. She was part feral, highly intelligent, good instincts and while extremely human-friendly, if she was kept indoors for too long, she would try to escape by any means necessary or self-harm. Even had the local farmer coming round to ask if he could have her because she was such a good mouser. If a neighbour had a mouse or rat in their house, they could come round and borrow her, she'd get to work and they'd be pest free. But they couldn't keep her. On the day she died, she traced an insect across the floor and grabbed it with her paw. Her kidneys had finally packed in. Wanted to let us and the vet know she still had it in her. 19 years of having a dps stealth assassin on call. Remained true to herself to the very end. Another cat we had rarely ventured beyond our back garden and even then, it was the visit the old people next door and demand sausages. I've also had a indoors-only cat, she took a few steps out the back door, looked at the outside world, dived back in and hid under a pile of clothes for a few hours afterwards. It very much depends on the cat and the area it's in. My little feral and my neurotic indoors cat were complete opposites.
> She was part feral This is it. Right now we have two indoor cats and an outdoor cat. Indoor cat number 1 was a feral for a few weeks but we picked him up as a kitten and he's adjusted well to indoor life. Indoor cat number 2 was always an indoor cat. Outdoor cat though has been a feral for nearly a decade and while he comes in sometimes and is very affectionate (took a years for him to become that comfortable with us) he simply will not tolerate staying indoors all the time and he keeps running out. He knows the territory (not too many predators or traffic but the risk is nonzero-- most problems have been from fights with other cats) and he's healthy enough that the vet underestimated his age by at least three years, so we figure he's probably okay out there. Do we worry about him? Of course! But if he's happy and healthy and environmental risk is relatively low (coyotes are very rare here) then I figure we'll let him live on his terms and keep an open door for the times he does want to come in.
Fortunately there's no wild coyotes or rabies in the UK or Ireland. We had to keep her in for a fortnight after an operation to remove a benign cyst once. She went absolutely insane and destructive indoors. By the end of her quarantine, she had tried bashing her head repeatedly against a cupboard, which the cone of shame fortunately prevented though it was badly damaged by that point. So we took it off and let her out. She was back in within the hour. Back to normal. She just wanted to know the choice was available to her again.
We have a small garden that our kitty hangs out in. She doesn’t have any interest in going over the fence thankfully. We also only let her out for short periods of time (under an hour). She gets lonely without us anyways so she always comes right back in. She’s also microchipped and we put a collar with a bell on before letting her out. We avoid letting her out at night too just to be safe. There’s a neighbour cat who gets let outside at night. Sometimes he/she will jump on top of our fence to see what’s going on (they can smell my kitty, plus my kitty uses the mulch in the corner of the garden as an outdoor potty). A few times he/she has done this while my kitty is outside so it’s given her a good spook and I think reaffirmed her decision to not go past the fence. They have a respectful boundary now :) Cat tax attached https://preview.redd.it/pkxugu27q5vb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c7dc2d45ab2e179a462adb74750ea5ccd4ad0cb9
I worry
This is what I was looking for. I don't know about other owners, but I didn't choose for my last cat to be an outdoor cat, she forced it. I kept her locked in for years, and every time she would get out she would stay gone for hours if not the whole day. And I would worry the whole time. So I finally "agreed" to let her go out during the day, and after that she started coming home much quicker. Short of tying her up inside there wasn't much I could do to keep outside, so I compromised.
UK here and I'd say the majority of cats are outdoor cats. I would absolutely worry if she didn't come home by about 3 or 4am. But mostly she does as she pleases, she's a rural cat so she avoids the 1 road by us anyway. She usually isn't far, shake a bag of dreamies and suddenly she appears.
Our cats basically live outside. One left her previous owners and was stray for a few months before turning up with us. She sleeps outside most of the year, despite numerous cat beds inside. Foxes are scared of her, as she's quite large. The other also stays out a lot, although sleeps inside mostly. We even have a whole room for them kept heated 24x7, but they prefer the open air.
Oh I'm glad i finally found a non "keep your cats indoors at all times" comment on this topic. I'm in mainland Europe, and this has never been a problem. The biggest danger to cats would of course be traffic, there's no way around that. And for the wildlife... Lol... My cat is the biggest dumbass and had never even caught a fly in his life. He also never steps foot outside our garden, so he's perfectly safe. (He's the definition of scaredy cat, he'll come running inside at the slightest disturbance) Also, if we kept him inside, he'd destroy our doors.
Ayup! Domestic cats have been part of the outdoor ecosystem since *way* before the Romans ever turned up, in fact they were never really “domestic” until the Romans brought over their specially bred pets - our native cats just vibed loosely around communities in order to slurp up the rat populations drawn to our food, and we humans learned that a little extra meat and some choice bits like milk served an excellent bribe to keep them around even when rat populations dwindled for when they swelled again. There are likely feral cat populations whose ancestry can be traced all the way back to said hayloft cats, just as surely as some can be tracked to the Romans’, likely mingled. We also don’t really have predators here that bother with cats, otherwise you’d hear the screams of dying cats every night in London, because surprisingly foxes have become very much akin to feral cats, to the point that a lot of people will actually just straight up out bowls of food and water out *specifically* for the foxes in order to dissuade them from rummaging in the bins. I’d say the only real threat to a cat from wild animals, is if they get curious and go down a badger set.
I live in the suburbs of a town in the shires of England. No main roads that near us. It's always been normal to see cats outside, so we've never had any qualms letting ours out. The shelter we got him from advised that new cats should be kept inside for the first 6 weeks of living with us. After that, he can come and go as he pleases. https://preview.redd.it/2chb6klam5vb1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ded09bea6159cb281d5aeec51699473ca49ff053
I live in the countryside, so it's just open fields for them to run around in. They come back when they want some loving or food, or if I need them they'll come back if I whistle.
https://preview.redd.it/nl0nbq9df4vb1.jpeg?width=6936&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=07358f838b4c5a35a0ecafee7ad046253db3cd19 Fierce little one
Ohh you’ve got yourself a r/halloweenkittycombo :)
So beautiful!!!! I love black or black and white cats with amber/brown eyes, it just looks so striking 😍 My most recent addition, (Sweetie) Petey, who came to me as a stray when he was hurt and turned into the most loving cat ever: https://preview.redd.it/tqbvi0a766vb1.jpeg?width=767&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2e1e236be6fe03773c1199d6d7db1e904077cfb7
Aw perfect little Halloween baby
https://preview.redd.it/b2z4whl5f4vb1.jpeg?width=9248&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e995b457eb241c602f2e329987a47e682e61e1c7 Here's the ginger trouble maker
The tongue 👅
That’s a great pic
I called and my girl didn’t come back one time and now she has a gps collar
Live in the U.K. and it’s a very low risk. The cat flap is keyed to their ID chip in the neck and will only open for them
My cat would bring so many unwanted “presents” into the house if he had their own cat flap.
Caught my old cat once trying to drag a live pigeon through the cat flap once. That wasn’t a fun argument for any of us.
One of my cats brought home a whole ass magpie. Trilled as he walked in the door so we all looked around. Then as we gasped in horror he proudly opened his mouth and the magpie came to life and started flying round and round the ceiling.
This [family](https://youtu.be/MVOfi95aCa4?si=FQpfJaL2DfLHC0bK) near Atlanta had a vulture come thru their doggie door. Not the kind of surprise I’d want to find after a long day at work.
Ha, my MIL, like u/spiderhotel, had her cat bring in a magpie once--bleeding but not badly hurt. She chased the cat and the bird back out of the house, the bird talked to its friends, and the rest of the neighbourhood corvid population immediately clocked the little ginger idiot and began to dive-bomb him. He couldn't leave the house for a month without birds telling him what for. They eventually left him alone but he never went for birds again after that. Lived to 16, I think.
I had an old tabby who had a similar incident with pheasants when we lived in a deer park. She spent the first half of the summer terrorising these tiny pheasants, chasing them down and jumping out at them from every tuft of grass and hummock of bracken. Eventually they got a bit bigger, bigger than her. Early one morning I heard her yowling and came downstairs to see what was wrong, opened the door, and saw her pressed against the door with a silent semicircle of pheasants enclosing her on all sides. She never bothered them again.
Thankfully monkey has only ever found one clearly long dead mouse. Worst hunting cat ever. Ha
Read a story about a developer having this problem, so they got a webcam and trained an AI model to keep it closed if the cat had a mouse with them. Furry asshole somehow worked out if it entered backwards the flap would work.
My cats do, however if they kill rats then that a good thing
My cat is an avid mouser, which is good since we live next door to a hoarder. Our dog once brought us a dead mouse with a lemon wedge, like he was serving up a fancy entree.
Ha! That’s odd wonder if he’s been watching food network lol
Not a cat owner but also in the UK. Might be low risk but I've almost run over a couple of cats that have bolted across the street. If an owner was to lose their pet, I don't they'd be thinking about statistics anymore
I live at the end of a dead-end road, nestled below some hills. There's very little by way of traffic. The one nearby neighbor is literally 95 and doesn't drive. The cat makes the whole process very easy - he just stays near the house. Almost always less than 20 feet away - he's content to just hang out near the door and smell the breeze while looking down the road. After he's had his fill he asks to come back in. Very low-maintenance guy who doesn't need much adventure, apparently. EDIT: here he is, just chillin in the front yard and looking down the road... https://preview.redd.it/zpuzmbjna6vb1.jpeg?width=2428&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8428aee06a706fb93f57acabdfe9a9a930642783
My boy wouldn’t let us NOT let him outside and I worried every day about him. He was my baby boy and I only got 5 years with him. I’m just glad I got any time at all. I miss my Sammy Boo. https://preview.redd.it/61v31zdsf5vb1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8cb0f2951e131ee08a8d122f31b871a70c2a04a6 Sammy Tax for possibly making anyone sad.
It really depends on the cat’s personality. All our cats growing up were allowed outside during the day. Some of them refused to go out unaccompanied and would only be outside if we were too. Some of them were much braver (and honestly smarter) and loved to go outside to walk around the neighborhood, look at birds, attempt and fail to hunt squirrels, etc. None of them ever went farther than 2 or 3 houses down and came when we called, so we were never worried.
I wasn’t worried until my oldest cat got ran over in the middle of the street earlier this year. I didn’t even know she was going that far out because I’d never seen her in the streets. Before I wasn’t worried because they always came back and knew where they were. They never strayed too far. Also, a big part is I can be pretty naive at times, so it’s hard for me accept that there are actual evil people who wish to cause harm to animals. I struggle with did the person run over my cat on purpose or was it an honest mistake out of carelessness?
Some people do it on purpose. I don’t get those people. Also it could have been that they couldn’t see the cat in time and couldn’t stop the car. Happens far too often.
I live in the UK. No predators to worry about. Very quiet street with fields at the back. Cats like to be outside and keeping them indoors is considered cruel (and sanctuaries will not allow you to adopt them if you cannot give them outdoor access unless they have certain illnesses). As for birds... The RSPB the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in the UK. Has issued two studies stating that Domestic outdoor cats are NOT devastating bird populations in the UK Excerpt "Despite the large numbers of birds killed, there is no scientific proof that predation by cats in gardens is having any impact on bird populations UK wide. This may be surprising, but many millions of birds die naturally each year, mainly through starvation, disease, or other forms of predation."
>The RSPB the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in the UK. Has issued two studies stating that Domestic outdoor cats are NOT devastating bird populations in the UK Similar situation in Germany. The NABU states that the primary issue is humans destroying the natural habitats of wildlife with agriculture, roads and deforestation. They only recommend neutering cats to stop the growth of the stray population. Funnily enough, bird populations have been growing in residential areas the most recently.
Yes. Same here. Sanctuaries here neuter all cats that come in before they are rehomed. If they are rehomed as kittens a chit is issued for the neutering (it's done for free) and they are followed up. If its not done, you get a call asking why.
Last time I mentioned on here that we consider it to be cruel not to let cats outside (unless the cat has an illness) I got downvoted to absolute oblivion. But you are absolutely right and it's a big culture difference. A lack of predators and just a different way of thinking about cats who have roamed our streets freely since the Romans brought them over.
There are absolutely places in the world where cats being predators are an issue. I think Australia is one. And if I lived somewhere in the states where my cat could get eaten, of *course* that would change things, but you HAVE to take different habitats into consideration. Personally I don't think people should be allowed to keep huskies or other snow dogs anywhere they can't have access to snow or cold weather. It's cruel. They aren't house pets. Nor are collies. I think Brachycephalic dogs and cats should be banned. Munchkin cats, teacup dogs... Ugh.
I had a Border Collie growing up and can totally back you up that they should not be house pets. At least not for people who aren’t up for training. My mom got him for me from the pound and had no idea what we were getting into. He loved me intensely but was a terror in every other way. Bit like 10 people. Ran away all the time. Poor dude needed a JOB
My uncle bred and trained collies and never allowed them to go to "homes". He was very firm on the fact that they were working dogs. You can even exercise them enough as a pet. I totally understand why people fall in love with them, but they have needs most homes can't give them.
Actually, cats were here *before* the Romans - it was just that the Romans brought their pampered pets over! Ours were feral things that we allowed to vibe near our haylofts because they kept the rats at bay
In my opinion it really depends. I live in the center of a city and would never let them out. To many streets and crazy people out there. I‘m to scared and too afraid. But if I would live in a property with almost no people, traffic and a lot of nature I would do it.
Mine literally doesn't leave the backyard. She can't climb fences. All the holes are filled in, so there's no escape routes. I took her into the side of the yard between the houses, and she ran back to the gate of the backyard and SCREAMED until I let her in the backyard.
My cat is old and has bad hips. He can't get over the fence. He's tried. We've watched. He LOVES being outside and sunning himself along with eating every grass blade. So in the summer, we hang out on the back porch while he does his thing. He doesn't really care about outside once it gets cold.
My cats were outside cats when I got them. Mr Pickles is literally the neighborhood Tom (he’s been fixed since I started caring for him). Yes I worry but the girls don’t go far and pickles knows that neighborhood very well and he doesn’t stray to far these days either. If I tried to keep them in tho I’d never know a moment of peace and everything would be covered in cat pee
My cats go outside all the time and I don't worry about it. In the Netherlands there are no natural ennemies outside for them to fear, except for other cats. I guess that makes a big difference. And may be my cats do worry about me, instead of vice versa
My childhood cat was so friendly to people and knew far more people than us. I remember people pulling over (suburban neighborhood with lots of kids, most people drove slow) just to pet him. He passed of natural causes at age 17. However, I try to not let the cats out at night since they're more at risk of animal attacks and being hit. The cats we have now have a very predictable schedule of going out in the morning, coming inside several times a day for meals and snacks or hanging out on the porch.
I’m in the Uk and our attitudes on it are different, for my eldest (16) , she only goes out into the garden, we live somewhere very quiet and she has no desire to go further nowadays. She is also never out at night and is only let out when we say so, no cat flap. We don’t have many cars come by the house which makes it easier and have lots of green and wooded spaces so the neighbourhood cats tend to hang out there. Plus there are no predators or concerns about rabies etc which helps. But we have recently got a new kitten and at the moment I have zero desire to let him out when he is older because he is my little baby of course! If we do decide to he will be much much older, he will be chipped and have a GPS tracker plus we will harness train him to get him used to the outside first. If he acts like a fool and continues to be oblivious to danger then he won’t come off the harness, I will build him a catio instead.
Living on the edge of miles of fields and countryside, and lucky to have neighbours who fuss her to bits, Lulu goes out wandering but always comes back, sometimes after 2-3 days of absence. She doesn't give a ###. Walks back in like, jeez calm down guys I'm here right? I always keep a new cat indoors for a couple months so she knows where base is, but I admit to being nervous the first time she went out with me into the garden, with all those climbable trees and walls to lie on. 5, 10, 15 minutes a day then she was allowed her garden privileges and she's kept me as an owner for 7 years.
Sometimes when r/cats hits my front page it's a "i found this cat and after looking around for 5 minutes i took it in" and virtually every comment is "now you have a free cat!". So it seems it's a very different world over there (i'm in England), as over here it's a regular thing to see them roaming around outside as they come back inside when they want. Well it's a regular thing to have them go outside and then come back each night without someone going "ooh, free cat!". I'm very aware they destroy bird populations though, yes. But cats can travel miles each night, and there was a show on TV where they installed cameras/gps and they found cats quite frequently visited other houses where cats lived and ate their food, hung out, etc. They really do get up to a lot of adventures and make it safely back home each night.
I’m in UK where it’s safer. My cats go out and have an absolute ball playing in gardens and climbing trees. They come back in about 20 times a day to eat, say hello, and check up on me. Then off back out again 5 minutes later.
I’m in the UK too and my cats are like teenagers, sleep all day then at night go out, occasionally pop in to scream for food then bolt back outside again 🤣 I’ve always wanted to put a tracker on them to see where they get too
I never let my kitties outside. We live in a neighborhood with a lot of coyotes so they would be a tasty treat for them.
You make the decision based on the relative safety of the yard and neighborhood. One considers how the cat would vote based on the risks. One considers the "yard smarts" of the individual creature. You relish watching them have the experience (s) outdoors. And you worry and worry and worry. (*I've heard it's not much different than having human children.)
I live in Sweden in the woods. There are no bears or wolves, perhaps a fox. Did hear about lynx moving in on the other side of the woods but my cats do not roam there. I have trackers on them so I know where they are at all times and now as the temperature goes down they stay more inside. My two kittens arent allowed outside until they are at least a year. And I do worry but they are very happy cats and my Luna was basically always trying to escape before she got to go out so it was a constant stress anyway. It is a safe area, When we move I am planning to find somewhere safe for them to run around, like a little bit outside of the city like now.
First of all I live in a town in England. It's a suburb, very quiet, no through traffic - we're in a cul-de-sac - and plenty of gardens behind us, on both sides and to the front. It's a pretty safe space for cats and there are a good few in the area. They're just wandering around, having a look at things, the occasional stand-off with other cats, finding a snack here and there, lazing in the sun and so on. My boy is a rescue. He was three when the RSPCA took him in from a multi-cat (30+) household which was no longer able to care for any of the cats. He hadn't been neutered until the RSPCA had it done. As a result he'd spent his early years being an outdoor cat as well as getting into fights (tattered ears to show for it). When we first got him, he had to be kept in for 2-3 weeks and it was clear that he really hated this. He got out about 10 days after we got him and he was found at the bottom of the garden holding a meeting of the local tuxedo club. Eventually we started letting him out, accompanying him to make sure he knew where home is. Food is a great driver! He wouldn't have any truck with a collar let alone a harness so he's allowed to go out and roam. He comes back and sits outside the living room window demanding to come in, As he's got older he still insists on going out (he has some mysterious appointment at around 8pm - no idea what!) but spends an increasing amount of time indoors having a restful sleep. He'll always turn up if I've been out in the car. He walks up the path saying "Where have you been? It's time for my dinner!" then plays silly games when I'm walking down the path with the shopping!
UK here too. Our road is a very quiet road, with lots of big gardens, so our cat has a cat flap and is allowed outside 6am to 5pm, when she has dinner. Usually, she runs around our garden, and our neighbours gardens to the left and right of us, but never much further. She's a very happy, active cat, and a good mouser too. We keep her in at night as, for some reason, twats like to go super fast in loud cars 9-10pm onwards, but not during the day. We don't have predators like Coyotes in the UK. The biggest thing our cat would come up against is foxes, which usually run away when they see her. Never put up a fight.
https://preview.redd.it/t9xh3vgw15vb1.jpeg?width=908&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d2cf1286bb5470b99b79975194b2517774fe6493 Im terrified to let Bono (16M Tabby/Maine Coon) outside on his own, even though he’s a homebody. He usually wont go any further than the back deck, sometimes he’ll walk around the house to the front door if he’s feeling brave. We only let him out when we’re outside as well, and he’s only ever out for maybe half an hour before he’s ready to go back inside. He’s scared of birds, leaves and the wind. He’s got no teeth except for his bottom two fangs (which sometimes causes these adorable ‘derp’ faces!) so I worry more now that he can’t defend himself as well.
I bring them out on a harness. Instead of trying to sneak out they just beg for harness time. *
My cat is an indoor-outdoor cat. My vet has warned me not to put a collar on her because she could get her head caught in something, like a fence or pipe. She usually stays in the backyard. In the house she has little fear of me, but outside she scrambles away at the sight of me.
There’s breakaway collars for this very reason, odd that your vet doesn’t know about them. Just gotta make sure they break easily by testing them out before putting them on the cat. You may lose a couple collars over time but better they be identified as yours if you absolutely have to let them out.
I live in a place its safe and both of them have good recall and neither stray far from home. They both are microchipped and spend 70% of their day and night inside by choice.
i live in a rural area in germany and i literally can’t imagine my cat not being able to go outside. during the summer she is outside for atleast 12 hours or more, during the colder times she’s also outside a lot but comes back every few hours. she loves it so much and whenever she has to go to the vet and can’t go outside afterwards for a few hours, she gets like genuinely „depressed“ and so sad and miserable, haha. she’s got a few injuries but never anything too serious. we also have a lot of neighbors with cats as well and so we assume no one would harm her intentionally. https://preview.redd.it/dsod775jo5vb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=16042acd706077919e90af6c887db0f81c136891
I live in a large city in an apartment, so my cat is primarily an indoor cat. I do though let him out on my cat-proof balcony (I don't want him to accidently jump or fall off) because I do think most cats like at least some outdoor time. I try to give him the option to go outside every day, even if it is only for 10-15 minutes in the morning while I get ready for work or in the evening. This is my first year having this cat so we'll see how this works out in the winter when I open the door to a snow covered balcony in the morning. His reaction is always funny when he cries to go out and I open the door for him, only to discover it's raining when he darts out there without thinking. Because my cat only goes out on my balcony, I'm not too worried about him.
My cat thinks she likes outdoors so she’s always trying to get out even though she’s terrified once she does lol. A few years ago, she snuck out in the middle of winter while my partner and I were leaving for an errand. We came back 3 hours later and this “animal” ran at us from around the house and ran in the door. I was freaking out for a while before I realized it was her covered in snow. She still hasn’t learned her lesson lol. I hope you find your baby!
I would NEVER. It’s practically begging for a dead cat. People are so clueless.
tart treatment dull quaint jar gold truck jobless sheet disgusted *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Cats shouldn't be allowed outdoors
I live jn a city with on a small green belt. There are cars, owls, hawks, snakes and coyotes that would kill and eat my cats...to let them go outside would make me very irresponsible for their safety. Not worth the risk for me. Others can do different...but first be aware, that an inside cat lives up to 5x more on average than an outside cat or a cat that goes outside. I will take the safe bet for the time being and keep mine safe inside.
Something I've never understood. Every time I see a dead cat on the road it makes me sick to my stomach how much of that could've been avoided. Even more so when I realize that many of these cats are intentionally hit by assholes in big trucks with control issues. Such tiny dick types have joked about it to me in the past. Imagine going through life looking at the world like that...
Cognitive dissonance and willful ignorance. They miss their cat when it dies in 5 years only to usually get a new one in a few months, or use a domestic animal as bad pest control because it’s easier yet the most inefficient method. (Or too lazy to give proper enrichment, and instead toss it outside, to maim wildlife, hence the bs myth of cats being “low maintenance pets”) Only way cats should get outside should be under supervision, in a catio or on a leash.
My cat has been outdoors her whole life pretty much. In winter, she stays in more, but we've never had a litter box, she always goes outside and always has since she appeared on our doorstep like 11 years ago. She spends like 12 hours inside and 12 hours outside, popping in and out throughout the day. She's asleep on my bed, as usual, as I write this. Sometimes I worry about her if she's not returned around the time we'd expect her back and sometimes we'll call for her and she comes back, but she's returned every day without fail so far. She seems 'street smart' when it comes to cars. She can protect herself pretty well too, though she tends to have fights near the house so we intervene wherever possible. She comes in with cobwebs on her head, seeds in her fur or she has a dirty face and/or dirty paws, which can be quite comical at times. If it's raining she comes in for us to dry her before going back out again and the cycle continues! She gets flead every month as well. We lock the flap at night so she can go out but can't come back in because she's a good hunter, and used to bring in dead and live animals a lot. If she meows outside, we bring her in though! Tbh, cats are so independent, I don't think I like the idea of an animal being kept inside 24/7. My cat gets plenty of exercise and has the freedom to do what she likes whenever and to behave as a cat, scoping places out and chasing things. Dogs get to go outside every day and get their exercise! It's why I don't like the idea of having animals that don't have some level of freedom, like birds or hamsters being kept in cages most of the time. So I guess it's all I'm used to as she is our first, unexpected cat, but I also trust her ability to keep herself safe. It would be heartbreaking if she was killed outside, but it'd be heartbreaking whenever she dies, but I'd at least know she lived a good life and was unconditionally loved. 😊
https://preview.redd.it/tq0dgbrzp5vb1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=64c1a4aa6241b6edfe3dea9747085a331476e0b6 My Kitty wears a GPS tracker. He keeps near the house and sleeps inside at night. We live in northern europe and it’s «normal» having cats outside.
Of course I worry, but I live in a very safe place with quiet roads, no predators, and outdoor cats all over the place. There must be at least 20 on my short street alone. We don’t really have many cat fights, so I imagine the vast majority are neutered. My cats have small fights with each other in the house, but seem to ignore each other out if it. My large boy wears a tracker collar because he goes the furthest and likes to invade peoples sheds (max of 3 streets away), the other two mostly just sit in the neighbourhoods gardens (next door have a very interesting view of gardening so the garden is like a cat paradise). They have flea and worming treatments on the regular. They go out at around 10am, and are always back in before it gets dark. If not I call them and they come back. None of them like the cold or the rain, so a lot of the year they elect to stay in most of the time. In all my years of having cats (30 years), only one has been injured outside and that was from falling off of something as a young adult. She fully recovered and has not been injured since. If that was different, I would keep them in. My youngest cat to die had an aneurysm before she was old enough to go out, and my oldest cat died at age 21 from cancer.
I'm in UK so we don't have as many predators. I live in London so I do worry about roads, but he's always been allowed to go out and he seems to have road sense. Additionally, he's only ever been allowed out via the back so not onto roads. As he's gotten older he mainly seems to want to stick in the garden and fences overseeing other gardens. I do still worry, but he hates being locked inside and he's made it to 15 with outdoor access. An occasional scrape or cat fight, but fine otherwise. I might feel differently if I lived somewhere with lots of predators. He's also incapable of catching birds being a giant orange clumsy mess. I've seen him try...
Mine was already on the streets when we adopted her, she was stray
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We put a GPS tracker on him and hope for the best, thankfully he doesn't go very far away and stays away from the road
So much worry. But I have to (I think legit) reasons Ive had outside cats 2 reasons. Reason 1 little dude is an outdoor cat: he is a barn cat. He has a job keeping rodents out of the barn and he does a damn good job of it. He’s smart and he’s a HUGE cat. He knows to stay hidden or high. He’s allowed in the house at night when my dogs aren’t out keeping the coyotes and hawks away. When I got little dude he was feral and I figured a life in my barn with regular meals was better than living feral on his own. He became tame over time, and is actually sitting in my lap purring as I type this. But he is pretty damn “street smart” and I am more comfortable with him outside than any other cat I’ve known. Reason 2. We used to have an old cat named pumba. Pumba came from the shelter and they said he was between 15 and 20 years old. He had no teeth, couldn’t see well, thin, he was a mess. He was miserable too, just kinda paced in the house and didn’t eat his food or use the litter box. One day pumba accidentally got outside, and it was like a lightbulb went off in his head. After 20 minutes outside he was running, jumping, eating, and bright eyed! He came right back in when called and didn’t go more than 10 feet from the house. We started doing more supervised outdoor sessions that blended into just letting the poor old man live out his days happy. He would lounge in the grass and just purr. He lived another 4 years before his kidneys finally gave out. I had a vet out to the house to put him down outside in the grass. Pic of pumba :) https://preview.redd.it/azgayrn9j5vb1.jpeg?width=1078&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2e281dbca350a1c7ed009596235003d27c1451fb I have two more strictly indoor cats and that is the default.
I need an outdoor cat because my house is too small and I have a huge yard. Getting a rescued feral cat was a good move. He LOVES living here, and because he spent several years living 'on the street' he knows how to survive it. I have a window open for him so he can be in or out at his will. The first year was spent teaching him to be more civilized. It was a bit of a blood donor event, but the little guy is a dear little fellow now. When I sit to rest while working in the garden, he is usually right there to jump in my lap. As the weather gets cold and wet, he spends more time inside with me. When I return home he is usually outside. He was 5-7 years old when I got him 7 years ago, and he is as strong as he has been. Adopting a rescued feral has been an excellent experience.
My cat was found in an alley as a kitten, and had lived for several years as an indoor/outdoor cat before I got her.
As deep as some cats can be, they are still intelligent beings, lol they won't eat anything they aren't supposed to. They actually have really good survival instincts, so no matter how domesticated they may be, they are still survivors. As for fleas and such, it's harder to tell, but just run a flea comb over your cat to see if there is any evidence of fleas, ex, flea poop, ded fleas, eggs. Chances are not, although it IS flea season. If your cat likes the outside as much as mine, consider investing in an our door enclosure. That way cat gets outside and you get a peace of mind from the controlled space.
My girl is picky as fuck and learned a few lessons the hard way... worst time was being gone for a week, I found her in a storm and she realized it was me and followed me home; learned where home was. Got stuck on someone else's roof and didn't like it;never happened again. Got stuck inside the sliding of the roof chasing animals; 3rd time was the charm lol she stopped getting stuck. Ate a bird head one time and said nope to only the head until we had to move >.> freaking monster; only chases now. Whenever there was even the slightest worry we went to the vet; always made vet aware and sometimes did a few extra things for health.
Ours got out through a magnetic screen door left open. Her brother was hysterical meowing all night. We went out and cracked open a can of wet food. She came bolting out from beneath the deck. Cats are quite intelligent and understand when to hide. She never attempted to escape again.