My lovely cat disappeared last Tuesday morning. I have her on the security cameras going out the gate at 8.40 am and she never came home. I have walked for miles calling and searching but no sign. Have rang local rescues etc. No sign. Anyway I rang again with a view to adopting 2 kittens and was told it would be EUR160. And as they are too young to be neutered that cost would fall on me too. I always neuter my cats so that didn't bother me but I couldn't believe the adoption fee. And one rescue wouldn't give me any as I live by a road. Eh surely all houses are by a road? And I live by a smaller road. Milly slept inside etc and never had a care in the world but it seems that counts for little. I'm very annoyed to be honest considering the absolutely appalling animal welfare record here.

Sounds like a good rescue to me who won't rehome to somebody living next to a road -why not have the cats indoors if you've already lost one by going outside? Or build a fully enclosed run?

We will have to disagree I'm afraid. I dont think its fair on a cat to be indoors all the time or enclosed in a run. My cat had the garden and loved to spend her days lounging around it. She loved hunting the rabbits in the field by the house even though she ate like a horse. Every evening she came in and slept til morning. Be sure that many cats here in Ireland are lucky to get a regular meal as they are seen to be able to fend for themselves.

It seems an outdated idea to me, to let cats out to be stolen, or killed on the road etc. People used to let dogs out to roam too and that's now (thankfully) frowned upon, I look forward to the day when it's the same with cats. My sister in law has had 4 cats in the last 10 years or so. 2 have been killed on the road and 2 disappeared and now they're looking for another one. They gave the cats the best of food and vet care and on the surface look like great pet owners - but they don't seem to realise how dangerous it is to let a cat out :-(

>It seems an outdated idea to me, to let cats out to be stolen, or killed on the road etc

Tigger2 is it really such an outdated idea?  I must admit it's nearly 10 years since we lost our beloved cat to old age but I only knew one person who kept their cats indoors.  It's only since coming on CD more regularly that I've heard of owners who build runs etc to keep their cats enclosed.  I do recall reading somewhere that many US owners keep cats inside but I would have thought that the majority of pet cats are given freedom to roam at will (during the day at least).  Are there perceived differences between 'moggy' owners and pedigree cat owners?

I've lived in places where I wouldn't own a cat for reasons of safety (main roads etc) but I also wouldn't keep a cat if it meant it had to stay enclosed at all times.  I think I can understand why some people aren't happy to take the risk but from a personal perspective I'd rather be without a pet at all. 

My cat's an indoor cat ... only the last couple of years when I inherited her from my Mum. Mum lived in a quiet place a long way from a road ... I don't, so for the cat's own safety she's kept indoors. Also there are a lot of other cats near me and I regularly hear them fighting at night - another reason to keep her in. Plus I think I'm doing a huge amount to protect our song birds by keeping her in. She seems very happy and content, and is kept busy entertaining the 5 dogs :-) (she's definitely a moggy!)

What nonsense!  I have a pedigree Mainecoon and he has the freedom of outdoors whenever he wants via his catflap.  I would never have an indoor cat as I think that is the very worst form of cruelty.  All we seen at our vet's practice was over-weight, half demented cats which were all indoor cats.  Poor things which had over-groomed themselves from boredom, over-ate through boredom, aggressive because they could'nt express their inner hunter, the list was endless and all were indoor cats.  I would rather run the risk of fights or RTA's and give my cat a full life than have mine live forever like an ornament.  I had to search for quite some time when looking for my boy as most breeders want their kittens as indoor cats but Axels breeder understood where I was coming from and I did keep him indoor till he was just over a year old but once he got freedom, there's no stopping him.  And I love how much his attitude change when he got out, sort of like he matured properly and the muscles he's got, phew!
Edited to add, I agree that in some situations like living on busy roads and built up areas then keeping them in must be the only solution but I am lucky that I live right on the edge of town with quiet roads nearby.  Common sense must prevail.

Have you done all you can to search for Milly ?. If she only went last Tuesday then it's still quite early days when it comes to cat's and warm weather. She could be happily lying in a nearby garden being fed by somebody else. Have you put up posters, notes through doors asking people to check in garages and sheds etc ?. I wouldn't be replacing her with kittens just yet - she could be home at any time.

I am on the fence on this one. I have been fortunate to have most of my cats living to old age except one who had feline aids (cant remeber the medical name) Yes she must have caught it from another cat whilst outside , to our knowledge she was not a fighter and was neutered
2 of my cats were indoor cats for the first couple of years of their lives and the when I moved became able to come and go. One of my current cats a ginger moggy recently broke his leg possibley being hit by a car we dont know and more recently we have had two very serious attacks from another cat on my burmese

I must say I am seriously thinking that any future cats may be house cats if I can make the set up right for them
but it is hard when you are used to having your cats as practically free agents
My neighbours have two norwegian forest cats which have a beautiful run on the whole back of the house and seem very happy a friend as an alternative arrangement with some special roll type edging for the top of her fence which prevents hers getting out of the garden or others getting in. Not sure how it works but her cat seems content in her house and garden.
btw I have both pedigree and moggies and treat them no different.

> I would rather run the risk of fights or RTA's

How Callous! If only your cat could understand those risks and make it's own choice, I'm sure he would ask you to safely enclose his garden for him. I know a lot of house cats and none have the problems you mention, I would think these are a very small percentage of the housecat population and probably a drop in the ocean compared to the amount of cats that are maimed or killed outside.

> I had to search for quite some time when looking for my boy as most breeders want their kittens as indoor cats

I'm very glad to hear that most breeders care about their kittens welfare :-)

What nonsense!  I have a pedigree Mainecoon and he has the freedom of outdoors whenever he wants via his catflap.  I would never have an indoor cat as I think that is the very worst form of cruelty.

All the Maine Coon breeders I know would NEVER consider selling a kitten to somebody who would let the cat out to roam. It's not just a question of dangers such as cars, dogs, being stolen etc, it's also all the diseases which you cannot vaccinate against such as FIV and FIA. Far more cruel to let the cat out to get injured or infected, than to be kept safe indoors. It's perfectly possible to keep them happy. Do you have your cat blood tested every 3 months to check he isn't running around outside infecting other cats with fatal diseases?

Both in the Sweden and the US generally speaking cat rescues will NOT rehome to people who will allow the cat to go outside. It seems to be a very outdated British idea. Then of course the vets can go on to make lots of money from fitting new feet on the cats who have got the chopped off by combine harvesters, or the owners can have a regular supply of nice new cute kittens, when the previous one vanished or died.......... And the dog fighters have something to practice their dogs' skills on. Cynical perhaps but I've seen far too much first hand. :(

I have called to every house in an 8 mile radius, rang vets, rescues. Have posters up in all the surrounding towns and local area. I've been walking the fields in case she is down a burrow. I've put a lost cat ad on the local radio. I wasn't looking to get any cat or kitten for a couple of weeks but was just checking out the process involved. I live on a quiet rural road surrounded on 3 sides by fields for as far as you can see. I think there are far worse homes to be quite honest.

dont give up my love, years ago my black cat called pebbles went out and did not come back.At the time there were 15 other black cats missing in the area, i was beside myself and i was about 14 years old, anyway on xmas eve i came home from shopping with my mum and she was sitting in the garden(3 weeks she was missing)took her to the vets who said that she was locked in someones house and survived by licking condensation off the window,
she may come back
jo

Is your cat chipped?
I only ask as my sister found a moggy a couple of years ago and didn't know where it came from and started to look after it. Once i realised that she hasn't made any effort in searching for its owners i took the cat (very fed up with my sibling at this point) to the vets and got it scanned.. Luckily the cat was chipped and we located the owners who lived over 50 miles away.
The only logic that could be put to it was that the owners neighbours came into our area a few months before and the cat must of got into the vehicle somehow..
They were so very happy to see their cat again :-D...

What nonsense!

This is, I am afraid is the sort of comment that makes me mad. It is not a polite or considerate way in which to start off a post. I don't care less whether you have an opinion on the way I treat my cat. What I do care about is manners, in which you would appear to be lacking judging by these first two words of your post. The reason I keep my cat inside is not to inflict the

very worst form of cruelty

as you would appear to be accusing me of, but to keep her safe. She is an elderly cat, much loved by my Mum who in turn was much loved by me. By still having my Mum's cat I still feel I have a living link to her. She is indoors because she is not used to living close to roads, so I would guess has little or no road sense. She is not used to living somewhere with a high number of other cats and dealing with territorial issues which she would undoubtedly have to deal with if she were to be let out here. She is certainly not overweight ... unless you consider 3kg to be overweight! She is mentally stimulated by playing games with me and having the roam of the house and company of the dogs.

I will base my opinion on working in a boarding cattery and seeing all manner of cats coming in.    Indoor cats are getting more popular before anyone says it's cruel.    Currently the cattery has over 130 boarded in there as it's Scottish school holidays now.

Most of the pedigree cats we board are indoor cats and I would say of those, 95% are the most wonderfully natured cats going.    Of the other cats that come in, there are some of the nastiest creatures going.  My manageress has already had 3 hospital visits due to infected bites & scratches.

My own 5 cats, 3 Selkirk Rex and 2 BSH, have access to my garden only when I am here.    As for temperament, they are wonderfully natured creatures, they'd have to be as some are shown and are handled by strangers at a show, in fact one is a Grand Champion, she wouldn't be that if her temperament was nasty or if she was overweight.   My heaviest cat for weight is the Gr.Ch. and also my male BSH, both are 4.7kg which I don't reckon comes anywhere near being overweight.

Make of that what you will.

I've had indoor cats, my Burmese, they wouldn't have been safe around here if they'd gone out, they were far too friendly.   I decided to have indoor cats after seeing my neighbours lovely friendly black cat get PUNCHED off a wall for no reason than the adult scumbag who'd been stroking her felt like it.  I called my neighbours who managed to retrieve her, she was so badly injured she hadn't been able to crawl away.  She lost her spleen and it was touch and go as her liver was also damaged. 

My two Burmese were so active and busy, kept the dog in his place and had a great life, the oldest one PTS to prevent suffering at 181/2 the vet said it was very unusual to get a cat in that was older than 10years :(

Seeing the number of cats that go missing around here, it's a very sensible thing to keep them in these days, the roads/world have changed but cats haven't.

Hope your cat turns up soon safe and well.

Im 24 and have grown up with cats all my life. Our family home has a train track at the bottom of the garden and a main road out the front. We have never lost cats through anything but old age/illness. Neither have my grandparents who live down the road.
The cats have always come in at night time and never strayed much further than the gardens. Just like my dog wouldnt be very happy if i never let him off the lead;i dont think the cats would be happy if they never had freddom to roam and explore as cats do.

Last tuesday was not that long ago. Have you asked people or put up posters getting people to check garages and sheds? In this hot weather the cat may have gone in somewhere to get away from the sun and got locked in

Hi Christine,

I currently live on a farm and have grown up with cats, the beloved moggies :-)...They've been allowed to roam where they like, but they've never ever gone anywhere near the road. Never ever lost a cat ourselves to road incidents or any feline transmittable disease - very few cats around here.
I have no idea really how i'd think about letting cats out if i lived near a main road at all. I know lots of friends with cats who live in all types of areas and some have lost them to road incidents and most due to old age/illness.

My question really is that you say your cats go outside in your garden when you are at home only, how do you keep them confined to your garden only? Do you have netting up? Or is this something your cats have never had the desire to do?
I only ask as i in time would love to have a pedigree cat(you know what i think about yours ;-) )and wondered how people do this as i know from reading so many posts on here that a lot of decent pedigree cat breeders will only sell to homes where the cats are indoor cats only or do what you do..

I won't be having another cat once our old lad gone.  have some mad women in house behind us who locks him in her house if she spots him out so have now had to make him an indoor cat.  He doesn't like it much and neither do we.  Only way could have another if was an indoor only cat and thats a very different set up and pet to a free range cat so we won't be having one again.

We've always built fully enclosed runs from the living room out onto the garden. In the old house it was really easy as we had patio doors. In this bungalow it was a bit harder (won't go into all details as not relevant, but main reason being no patio doors) but my husband built a run in the front garden and the entrance to that is via one of the living room windows. We have a bay window so the cats easily jump up onto the window sill and leave via the window. Of course, we realised the dogs would do the same (the Papillons and Cavalier -and I've even had Malinois do it) so he built a ladder down the window with sides on so everyone can get in and out safely without falling.  I can't post links to personal websites here of course but if anyone wants to see photos of both the old run and the new one, PM me and I will give you the URLs as I have a lot of photos online of them. We only use it in nice weather of course -partly because it would get too cold otherwise to leave the window open, but also because the cats don't WANT to go out otherwise. If it's as much as gets really windy everyone comes running in. The run's not big (at a guess something like 20 ' x 20') but big enough for the cats to run and chase flies, watch birds, climb up the sides etc -but they prefer to just bask in the sun to be honest.