I am really against letting cats run loose. Something can easily happen to them (get attacked by a dog, hit by a car). Also, they attack wild-life. I am all for a cat taking care of your mouse problem, but outside of your home attacking wildlife (especially songbirds) is very different. Keep your cat in door or under supervision.

This is one that I'm really struggling with at the moment so I'm really curious to see the final outcome of this poll, and I's appreciate any advice from other cat owners as this is my first time having a cat...

My kitten, Milo, is about 5 months old and he had one of his back legs amputated after he was hit by a car (we found him just after it happened and took him to a vet). It was in the countryside, where he was obviously free to wander, but he was very used to being handled so he wasn't a wild cat. Anyway, nobody came looking for him and he needed a home and somebody to pay for his operation, so we took him home to the city with us about 2 months ago. Right now we keep him indoors, and recently started giving him about an hour a day supervised in the garden. I really don't want to leave him free to wander because, although he gets along just fine with his 3 legs, I think he would be at a disadvantage if left to his own devices in the big bad world "outside the house". However, lots of other cat owners I know are telling me that I'm being over-protective and it's not fair to keep him cooped up all day! I really want him to have a happy life but I feel like I need to look out for him too... it's such a dilemma!!

My cat started out as an indoor kitty, then I moved to a house with a huge fenced in backyard and he became the king of all outdoors. Now that I'm in LA I keep him inside. There have been too many missing kitties around here, fast cars and coyotes. No thank you!

No, never! They are indoor cats ONLY...one of them is fine with that, but the other ALWAYS tries to escape. He's gotten out a few times before and I've nearly had a heart attack.

There are many disadvantages to letting your cat outdoors- they can catch so many diseases, get hurt, and be taken in by somone else, so many reasons you should only let your cat be inside!!

My cats love to go outside! They get very angry if I don't let them. We live in the country, and they've never killed anything, so I don't worry. And when they want to come inside, they let me know. I'm all for keeping my cats safe, but I'm not going to keep them caged up. I think it would totally decrease their quality of life. They're animals. They need exercise and adventure, too.

Kiki tee, you are not being cruel by keeping him inside. I picked "strictly indoors only", even though we have harnesses for taking cats out into the back yard, because even with our being willing to take them outside under supervision, none of them are interested (even though the oldest used to be a big fan of trips outdoors and the youngest was found out in the middle of nowhere).

Mabess, you only think they haven't killed anything. Also, our cats are not caged up, and they get their exercise and adventure too; however, with it being indoors, that adventure doesn't include being eaten by the large predators that live in our general area, nor does it include getting fatal diseases from other cats.

emalove I've got the SAME issue! I'm forever freaking out if we doddle bringing in the groceries because I'm afraid Cliff's escaped. He hasn't yet. My semi-feral that I adopted hates the outdoors. I've tried taking them out on a kitty harness and Cliffy wants to go further than the harness and Tabs won't go out the door. I just don't want anything to happen to them such as coyote's, disease, fights, raccoons, or cars. For a long time it was commonly thought that indoor kitties live longer, but that research is slowly unravelling. The issue is that although outdoor kitties can suffer disease that indoor kitties don't, indoor kitties are more likely to be obese, and get diabetes or go into renal failure. Right now it's about 9-12 yeas for outdoor, and 15-21 for indoor. For my peace of mind it's strictly indoor though.

Oh - and as far as my kitties getting exercise, they chase each other for hours on end (and they love it in the middle of the night!) as well as I tease them with the laser light and that gets them going too.

Right now I'm hoping that, because of his missing back leg, he'll never develop enough spring or strength in his jump to get over our back garden walls. Then I could put a catflap going out to the garden so he could come and go as he pleased, but never get further than the garden.

The results of this quiz (for once) make me happy. It's nice to see so many safe kitties! Our townhouse has an atrium in the middle. The cats love it because they can get fresh air, see birds and butterflies, and still be safe! I call it the "catio".

I personally cannot stand when people get kittens/cats, and they let them roam freely without a yard/fence, and let them be "outdoor cats." One of my neighbors across the street has a white & grey cat that freely roams the neighborhood 24/7...I see them feeding her and bringing her inside briefly often, and the cat was not here until they moved in. Often, I have a near-miss with this cat when I am pulling out of my driveway or down my street, and several times I have seen this cat in my garage acting shady, which is dangerous, especially because I have two indoor dogs of my own, and I am unsure what diseases this cat may have. I struggle with what to do in this situation, because I want to call animal control or somehow get this cat a safe home/environment, but I don't want to be "that neighbor."

Whoops, hit the wrong button...I never, ever let my baby go outside unless I am right there with her and that is just on my porch or maybe in my backyard (but we just rescued a puppy so not lately). She was a rescued stray, the runt of the litter and she is just fine being inside.
I couldn't stand having her out there alone. She isn't equipped for it and I brought her in to take care of her, so letting her run around outside is ridiculous. She is perfectly healthy and happy and I intend to keep it that way.

I really don't like when people let their cats roam free. We have a couple in our neighborhood and they cause so much trouble! They're forever sneaking under our porch. I'm really worried our dog is going to encounter one of them under there one of these days, and they'll scratch his eyes or something! And one of them was hanging out next to a bush in our neighbor's front yard, and we were walking by and didn't see it. When we walked in front of the bush, it reached out and scratched my daughter's leg! Plus, I get pretty tired of finding and picking up cat poop in my yard.

If you believe it's inhumane to "coop up" a cat, don't domesticate them!

I so agree with bgirl. I do not have a cat (my husband and son are allergic to them) and I do not like when neighbors leave their cats outside to roam freely.

There is a leash law for cats and dogs and when it comes to cats people forget the leash law. I hate going outside to find cats laying on my cars and scratch marks on the cars from the cats. I have said something to the neighbor that my family were allergic to them and I did not like them on my property but she has chose to ignore me after she was the one to ask me if they bothered me.

So what do I do? Do I be the ugly neighbor and call the pound? I can't even let my dog outside to use the restroom without him chasing the cats. I should state that my dog when let out only to potty, does not leave our yard but goes and does his business and comes straight back in. Why can't cat owners do the same with theirs. Keep them inside!

I should add, though, that I'm really talking about suburban areas. My MIL has an outdoor kitty but they live in a really forested area, so they don't have nearly as many neighbors and I'm sure her cat doesn't bother people as much.

I have 2 inside that only go out on leashes, lol.
Then one that is all outside. She was not happy
inside and would run out all of the time. She
also developed some bad litterbox habits that required
she live outside. She does have a collar and an elec.
door so that she can come into the garage when she wants.
She never leaves our yard and is much happier outside.

I should add that she is 16 years old now
and she pretty much stays in the garage when it
gets too cold for her to be out. We also have
a fenced in pool area and that is somewhere she
spends most of her time if she is outside. So
really she does not roam free.

Leopard - Then, that's not really any different than what most people do with their dogs!

What I really don't get, is we used to have neighbors that would let their cat roam free. And she would b*tch to me when other people's dogs got out of their yards! She was worried they might hurt her cat, but here I was thinking at least your cat isn't having to deal with those animals in her OWN yard!

Yes, my cats are treated like dogs! lol!
I would never allow my kitty to go into
someone else's yard! But there are people
around me that let their cats go all over
and it does bother me. Plus there are strays
wandering about. I do feel bad for the strays
and I do put food out in my woods for them at
times. I don't like to see them suffer
when there is no food for them in the winter.
Having the elec cat door with the radio collar
keeps them out of my garage and gives my Molly
a safe place to be.

When I used to have a cat, we found her outdoors. She was a stray, perhaps a teeny bit feral, but we did let her come into the house and she's been indoor/outdoor. Unfortanutely, she's no longer with us because the dogs in the house got in a fight with her. My father didn't even think that the cat would NOT get along with the dogs, especially after quite a long time of having the house to herself.

Both, mostly indoors though. Our kitties do not leave our yard though. They're great about staying home in the fenced-in back yard.

Jennifer, I don't think it's inhumane to keep them indoors, I'm happy as anything to know that Milo is safe and sound in the house, especially since his disability makes him more vulnerable than most cats. It's other people who've been telling me that it's wrong to keep him indoors, that's why I was interested to read what other peoples opinions are, especially since he's my first cat and I've only had him 2 months. So I'm really happy to read of so many people with happy, healthy indoor cats! I'm only interested in what's best for him.

Kiki tee - My comment wasn't directed at you! Or anybody here, specifically. It was just a general observation in response to something that I've heard a lot of cat owners say.

I wish I could. I know that he'd love to go outside, but when I left for college my mom had him declawed, unfortunately.

mominator - animal control codes are different from one jurisdiction to another. There may be a leash law that includes cats in your area, but not everywhere. Where I live there is no leash law on cats.

An inside cat is a safe cat. I do not believe in letting cats outside to roam. There are too many troubles they could get into; wild animals, other cats, diseases, weather, vehicles, god knows what else. Think about this: Mother Nature strikes whenever she wants and sometimes without warning..if a disaster happens and your kitty is out and about, you may never see him or her again!

If you MUST let your cat, try training them when they are kittens to use a leash and only let them in your yard on a leash. Watch them, too! Anything can run into your yard! Or try setting up a fenced in run for them to use so that they are protected at all times.

Also, declawing is bad bad bad!!! If you won't train the cat not to use your furniture or put Soft Claws on them, then you shouldn't have a cat! Declawing cause problems later in life because cats walk on their claws. Also, if they ever accidentally escape they are screwed!

My first cat loved to go outside, especially when we were outside with her. During the day, she treated us like her doormen, meowing to come in or go out. She always came inside at night and never went outside on Halloween or July 4th. When I had her, the neighborhood wasn't very developed and there were plenty of farmfields for her to explore. In the past few years, housing developments are shooting up and traffic is increasing, so we keep our current kitty indoors only and he's perfectly fine with that. I think it all depends on where you live and if your neighbors like cats

my cats have always been indoor out door, and I've never really had a problem, they've all been exceptionally healthy and long living... I call them in every night though, and they come in when its rainy or snowy... except the newest one who loves the rain and the snow... strange cat...

but yeah, and our road isn't very busy but it isn't quiet either, and we've never had any of our cats have car accidents...

and as for killing wildlife, they have bell collars so usually it gives them away, every now and then they get a bird or a bunny, but its not very often...

oh and we also live in an area where there are sometimes cyotes foxes and such, and yet none of the cats has ever been attacked...

Only on porch when I'm outside with her and I watch her the whole time!

I could never have an outdoor cat, last thing is I'd need to see mine flattened on the road.

our kitties are stricly indoors, but i am toying with the idea of taking them on a leash in the backyard, but i doubt i will-- too much of a "tease" to make them want to go outside more often i fear

I'm so tied on this issue.

We let our cats out in our backyard when we lived in a house and they usually stayed in the yard. However, we moved and now have decided we want them to be indoor kitties -- but it's not working out! My cats are so used to the outdoors that they literally make our lives a nightmare if we keep them indoors for too long.

I don't know if you can reform them to indoor cats.

I feel bad for cats that have to be indoors, unless you live in the city or on a main road,
but cats are meant to be outside and thats were they should be not couped up in a house.

I totally understand the instinct to keep your cat indoors, but my cat is indoor/outdoor. When I first got him, he was an indoor cat only, and not only was he mean (attacking anything that moved, pretty viciously) I think he was a little OCD. He would do things like bat at a flap of a box, blindly staring at the wall, until I moved the box away. I moved, and ever since he has been outside, he is a completely different cat. He is a crazy hunter outside, and a completely sweet kitty inside. He is completely different and happier cat. Just food for thought.

I live in the city so outside all the time isn't an option.I do putt him on a leash and let him lead me around the backyard every now and then. I would like to get him trained enough so he can go for walks with the dogs. That would be fun.

Milena -- him being a "crazy hunter" outside is one of the things to avoid. Songbirds are facing enough of a problem through loss of habitat. They shouldn't have to deal with well-fed cats just looking for something to kill.
Esk4's idea of putting a belled collar on them seems like a pretty good one! It doesn't protect against cars though...

Mine are strictly indoors as all my cats have been. It would be hard if they were always dashing towards the door but they don't even bother with it. Sometimes when I'm sitting out on my bedroom balcony, they will come outside and investigate and enjoy the sights and sounds. My cats are happy and healthy and I can sleep at night knowing they are safe. They happily play and tear around all night so I know they get plenty of exercise!!

kikkie tee - I think you're doing the right thing by keeping Milo indoors especially since he would be at a disadvantage outside. This way, he is safe and happy and so are you.

if you live in an urban area, letting your cat out isa very bad idea for several reasons. Disease, Feline lukemia, procreation (you dont want to contribute to an already bad population issue)other animals attacking, other people (a collar wont keep someone from 'rescuing' your cat permanently), cars, ticks, mites, etc. Indoor cats live longer. If your kitty seems bored inside, socialize it and take it for a walk (you can leash train them from a young age) or let it walk around in your backyard with you, but never let them roam free.

My two babies are sterilised and tattooed and I could never ever keep them inside! They just love going out and do cat stuff like just sit and observe, fight with the other cats or bring stuff home like mice or birds.
I think the most natural thing for cats is to be able to freely go in and out. Mine are very spoiled cause they do like they want (they have their own door!) Usually during fall and winter they get lazy and go out only for a short time, they hate wind, cold and rain! During spring and summer they are often off for the whole day. We have lots of outdoor cats in the neighbourhood so they get a chance to socialize too.
I love to see that they are so free and happy. They are so cute cause they got used to the sound of my bike so if they are outside, they come and say hello to me when I come from work.

We have a large Maine Coon Cat. Kitty is allowed to go out in his 8 x 8 enclosure, the "Catzebo", my husband built this spring for him. He has a "Windoor", which he has finally learned to open on his own. It is locked at night. I have had cats in the past that were indoor outdoor but always in at night. They lived to be 17 and 23. Kitty is a shelter cat who was approx. 16 months when he adopted us. Even though we live on a large piece of property there are animals that could attack and eat him. Plus the road, even though it is quite a bit from the house. We decided it was better to have the enclosure for him.

Sorry Jennifer, I saw "cooped up" in inverted commas so I just thought you had skimmed through my (overly lengthy) comment and got the wrong idea. Didn't mean to come off so defensive!

Having read all of the comments though I'm feeling happier about keeping him indoors, especially since he gets half an hour in the morning and again in the evening supervised in the back garden. I agree with AimeeB, the last thing I'd want is to see him flattened on the road on my way home from work some evening, he doesn't have a great track record with cars after all. He's down one of his lives for sure Thanks for the advice LeE

My kitty is indoor only. But that's the way she was brought up, so she is used to it now.

My cats are indoor only but I do let them sit in the backyard with the dog. The fence is too high for them to get out and they like to sit in the sun for a little bit before coming in. I couldn't imagine letting them out of my yard.

I let my cat outside. He's such a chciken that he never ventures further than the neighbours yard. But I think it depends on what type of cat you have and where you live.

I forgot to mention we also have a cat door so the cats can come in as the choose... and no we don't get alot of other animals in that way... infact I can't remember it ever happening...

why so many in door only cats? when i was young all my cats were indoor/outdoor. it worked fine.

so tell me why so many indoor only?

My cats are mainly indoor simply because we don't have the land to let them roam free and it's not fenced outside. I've taken them outside under my supervision and with belled collars and that helps. They love to climb trees!

But I'm definitely thinking about harnessing them and putting them on leashes too. Especially since it's dark when we get home and they're black cats!

Anyone have any harness recommendations?

My two older cats are allowed to go outside. we do have a fenced in area but they love to explore!! Its good to let them out once in awhile so they can run and get fresh air! They do not go far what so ever and i am always checking on them!! Otherwise the younger cat does not go out due to he would run away