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Miss_Millie

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I've always been pro-outdoor cat and have always had outdoor cats, but my current fuzzy idiot has no survival skills. Has anyone gone from indoor to outdoor cat and if so, how did it go? He's already more of a homebody by choice.
 
I've been struggling to wrap my head around it because I've had outdoor cats all my life. Do you think they need some accessible outdoor enrichment, like a catio? He has no fear of horses, livestock, going under cars - and we are v.rural so plenty of all about. He never goes far from me when we're outside, so I think a supervised leg stretch would still be okay.
 
Miss_Millie said:
I've been struggling to wrap my head around it because I've had outdoor cats all my life. Do you think they need some accessible outdoor enrichment, like a catio? He has no fear of horses, livestock, going under cars - and we are v.rural so plenty of all about. He never goes far from me when we're outside, so I think a supervised leg stretch would still be okay.
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Ours seem to do fine with just being inside and having access to the windows, sometimes slightly open. But if you can take him out for walks, that seems good too. I've considered trying harness walks with one of mine but I don't think she'd accept that, and if she does go outside I'm suddenly terrifying so she doesn't dare coming in. While still not being good at staying safe outside.
 
If hes happy inside and has no instinct of danger (wondering if its the breed i think it is, if so add desirable into the mix) its unfair to try and make him an outdoor cat as it sounds like he will be massively at risk

Id only ever have inside cats again, too many risks out there such as cars, not very nice people etc

We have 2 cats, both pedigree breeds, one of which is the breed your description sounds like. If he is that breed, reputable breeders will actually say they shouldn't go out due to their inability to sense danger

If we are in the garden in the summer, they come out on their harnesses with us if we are out but thats it

Id make sure he has plenty of toys/watch towers. Could you get him a friend who's also indoor?
 
Miss_Millie said:
I've always been pro-outdoor cat and have always had outdoor cats, but my current fuzzy idiot has no survival skills. Has anyone gone from indoor to outdoor cat and if so, how did it go? He's already more of a homebody by choice.
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Do you mean permanently outdoors, as in they never come in the house, but live round the yard / barns;
Or, they do live and are fed in your house, but also go venturing and prowling off on their own?
Got both types, and typically any purely outdoor ones (been dumped or strays) will become determined indoor cats if they get older and discover central heating / soft furnishings…..and get half a chance!
Most pet cats start off as kittens kept inside the house, then start into the garden, fields, a bit further out as they get older, generally getting the hang of things and enjoying their freedom.
Doesn’t yours show interest in going outside? Mind you, don’t blame him given this god-awful weather - probably a lot more perceptive about self preservation than you think!
 
Crazy_cat_lady said:
If hes happy inside and has no instinct of danger (wondering if its the breed i think it is, if so add desirable into the mix)

Id only ever have inside cats again, too many risks out there such as cars, not very nice people etc

We have 2 cats, both pedigree breeds, one of which is the breed your description sounds like. If he is that breed, reputable breeders will actually say they shouldn't go out due to their inability to sense danger

If we are in the garden in the summer, they come out on their harnesses with us if we are out but thats it

Id make sure he has plenty of toys/watch towers. Could you get him a friend who's also indoor?
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I'd be interested to know what breed you are thinking of. He was a stray so we don't know his lineage, but I'd hazard a couple of guesses based on his appearance. Unfortunately he despises all other cats, so a friend wouldn't be an option. He's always been outdoors, but his antics are increasingly worrying me.

Exasperated said:
Do you mean permanently outdoors, as in they never come in the house, but live round the yard / barns;
Or, they do live and are fed in your house, but also go venturing and prowling off on their own?
Got both types, and typically any purely outdoor ones (been dumped or strays) will become determined indoor cats if they get older and discover central heating / soft furnishings…..and get half a chance!
Most pet cats start off as kittens kept inside the house, then start into the garden, fields, a bit further out as they get older, generally getting the hang of things and enjoying their freedom.
Doesn’t yours show interest in going outside? Mind you, don’t blame him given this god-awful weather - probably a lot more perceptive about self preservation than you think!
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He chooses to be indoors most of the time, especially in Winter, but can go outdoors at his leisure as the cat flap is always open.
 
all of mine live indoors - there are three of them and they have a lot of space to run round in and space to be on their own if they want. they absolutely love each other. i wouldn't have an outdoor cat - too many cars and people around who don't necessarily have their best interests are heart
 
Miss_Millie said:
I'd be interested to know what breed you are thinking of. He was a stray so we don't know his lineage, but I'd hazard a couple of guesses based on his appearance. Unfortunately he despises all other cats, so a friend wouldn't be an option. He's always been outdoors, but his antics are increasingly worrying me.



He chooses to be indoors most of the time, especially in Winter, but can go outdoors at his leisure as the cat flap is always open.
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Ragdoll, they dont sense danger, which makes them very vulnerable its even in the contract my breeder gave me that they should be indoors

Can we see a photo of him?
 
Whilst I keep all mine indoors now anyway, there's no chance I would have ever let the big dumb 6kg dingus outside. Danger sense of a toddler and the survival instincts of a discarded pasty.
Previous cat Boo just decided one day she was done with going outside. Hairy Lump was indoor/outdoor before I acquired her, and again has had absolutely no desire to go back outside.
 
I’d never put a cat outside which doesn’t want to go, or which doesn’t show the necessary savvy to be outdoors. My current girl is soft and skittish and scared of her own shadow, and I’d never be able to rest for thinking she was getting close to cars or beaten up by other cats, and so she lives a happy and enriched life indoors.
 
Miss_Millie said:
I'd be interested to know what breed you are thinking of. He was a stray so we don't know his lineage, but I'd hazard a couple of guesses based on his appearance. Unfortunately he despises all other cats, so a friend wouldn't be an option. He's always been outdoors, but his antics are increasingly worrying me.



He chooses to be indoors most of the time, especially in Winter, but can go outdoors at his leisure as the cat flap is always open.
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He has a 24 / 7 / 365 cat flap? I think that’s feline Holy Grail - wouldn’t waste another second worrying - his preferences, and he’s in clover.
 
Miss_Millie said:
I've been struggling to wrap my head around it because I've had outdoor cats all my life. Do you think they need some accessible outdoor enrichment, like a catio? He has no fear of horses, livestock, going under cars - and we are v.rural so plenty of all about. He never goes far from me when we're outside, so I think a supervised leg stretch would still be okay.
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Ours like to sniff the breeze sometimes. Otherwise they have no interest in outside. The enrichment is all indoors. Several cat trees so they can be up high if they want, house is full of cheap cardboard scratchers and regular cardboard boxes for hiding in, sleeping in, tearing up. We do scheduled playtime (wand toys, mostly) a few times a day before meals (four small meals a day) and they thrive with that routine. For two very anxious cats (born feral, long time in rescue during peak pandemic) we have remarkably few real behavioural problems. Cats without mental illness could perhaps cope with less structure 😂
 
Crazy_cat_lady said:
Ragdoll, they dont sense danger, which makes them very vulnerable its even in the contract my breeder gave me that they should be indoors

Can we see a photo of him?
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I'd prefer not to share a photo of him, but if I had to guess I'd say Norwegian Forest cross, there might be some Ragdoll in there.

Chonkers said:
If the cat doesn’t seem to have the ability to avoid danger than that’s an indoor cat you’ve got.
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His level of stupid is picking a fight with the horses. He's an absolute softie around humans but likes to pick fights with other animals, regardless of their size! It's like there's no common sense wired into him at all.
 
Miss_Millie said:
His level of stupid is picking a fight with the horses. He's an absolute softie around humans but likes to pick fights with other animals, regardless of their size! It's like there's no common sense wired into him at all.
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I shouldn’t laugh but that’s funny, how ambitious of him! I would definitely be keeping such a genius indoors for his own safety
 
Chonkers said:
I shouldn’t laugh but that’s funny, how ambitious of him! I would definitely be keeping such a genius indoors for his own safety
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It's like watching a tiger trapped in a cat's body! There's no sense of danger whatsoever. He's not a good yard cat either, can't catch a rat to save his life, which makes it funnier.
 
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