Cats as a rule like to be able to go outside play in the trees investigation tiny spaces and generally experience new things. However there are many cat owners who do not let their cat outside and this is for a variety of reasons which are listed below.

Why you might perfer to have an indoor cat:

• You worry about your cat being knocked over
• You think your cat might get stolen, this doesn’t just apply to pedigree cats but also to your every day moggy, there are people who enjoy torchering animals, for some it could be a way to pass the time on a school night.
• You’ve not had your cat neutured and don’t want it fathering and kittens or becoming pregnant.
• Your Cat is over due it’s injections and don’t want to risk infection.
• You’ve just moved house and are still keeping the cat in so it doesn’t lose it bearings.
• You just don’t have a suitable place for your cat to access outside such as a 2 story flat or apartment.
• Some cats just prefer being inside.

There is a lot of controversy surrounding whether cats should be kept indoors or allowed to roam and many cat owners have strong view points. Your likely to find that some owners who have previously lost their cat in an accident or had it stolen are much more reluctant to let their new cat play out. So it is important that the cat receives some kind of stimulation and exercise, cat toys would be extremely beneficial to indoor cats.

For pedigree cat owners, not only have they become very attached to their cats but they also cost them a considerable amount of money and unfortunatly pedigree cats are more likely to be stolen for profit, then your regular cat.

I have 2 cats, they both can come and go as they please but it is their own personality which dictates how much time they spend outdoors. Firstly neither of them go further than about 20 meters from the house. My youngest cat (3 years) tends to like to be outside, she likes to sniff the rain. My other cat who is a year older, tends to go for little prowls and stays in the yard if it’s sunny , but she prefers to have company and lots of attention so she generally stays inside where they are people to constantly stroke her.

Checklist for outdoor cats

• Make sure they have a collar which supplies your contact details or get them microchipped.
• Try to keep them away from busy roads by letting them out of the back of the house and not the front.
• If your cat is new to outside get them a harnass and let them sniff around so they know where home is.

To ensure your cat is safe and comfortable outside why not invest in a outdoor cat house?  You can read more about the benefits of outdoor cat houses by visiting the following article.   Outdoor Cat houses

It would be interesting to hear your view on whether you let your cat roam free or not and the reasons behind it.