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Should cats be allowed outside to play?

NAS71232

There are two camps.

Some say they should be strictly indoors as they kill mice, rats and the occasional bird. They say they are a threat to wildlife and it's safer for them to stay in as they could get hurt.

The other camp feels they should be able to enjoy nature and roam as they please.

What are your thoughts?

I let my cats outside. If you restrict them by keeping them in the house, they constantly try to escape and get frustrated. My Bengal cat kicked hell and she tried the door handles to get out, but I waited until she was old enough. Now she stays in the garden and couldn't be happier. If you live in a flat, then obviously, you can't let them out. That's fine if they are well looked after. They get bored indoors, especially if you live alone and go to work all day. If they are indoor cats, you need to give them another cat to play with.

There might be a time in the future where I will have to rehome them to suitable people. 

Do you let your cat out, or keep it inside?

Parents

  • We had cat flaps and the cats were allowed to go in and out as they pleased during the day, but we locked the flaps in the evening so they could not get out at night. I think that this approach allowed the cats a more fulfilling life, but didn't let them cut a swathe through the local wildlife. Five cats over 53 years and they, to my knowledge, killed four mice, one shrew, and three birds. One cat tended to bring live birds in and then let them go in the kitchen, I would let them get out of open windows and doors, they seemed entirely unharmed. We had one cat killed by a car (he was very large and fearless, he would chase dogs), the others all died of old age-related conditions, one of them lived 20 years.

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  • We had cat flaps and the cats were allowed to go in and out as they pleased during the day, but we locked the flaps in the evening so they could not get out at night. I think that this approach allowed the cats a more fulfilling life, but didn't let them cut a swathe through the local wildlife. Five cats over 53 years and they, to my knowledge, killed four mice, one shrew, and three birds. One cat tended to bring live birds in and then let them go in the kitchen, I would let them get out of open windows and doors, they seemed entirely unharmed. We had one cat killed by a car (he was very large and fearless, he would chase dogs), the others all died of old age-related conditions, one of them lived 20 years.

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