Seeking opinions from people who have cats

[tree_and_leaf]

So we are thinking about getting a cat (we've not thought much further than this, but then we wouldn't be able to do anything about it until mid September, when we get back from the States).

I would like a cat, but I am hesitating, largely because I quite like our local wildlife population (we have a lot of small birds, including a regular visit from a willow warbler, lots of frogs, and a lot of voles/ fieldmice). And, obviously, cats will do what cats do.

Someone suggested keeping the cat inside, and I know that some people do do this, but I am not entirely sure that's kind to the cat. We have a big house (four bedrooms and a study), but of course that's not remotely the same as having freedom to wander about outside, and I worry the cat would get bored/ frustrated.

What do you, oh cat-owning/ loving flisties think? I may end up concluding that I can't cope with the prospect of the cat cutting a swathe through the local wildlife, but I would rather just not have one than keep it inside all the time, if that would be bad for the cat...

Comments

[ankaret]

Ours are both indoor cats, because we live on a busy road. They amuse themselves perfectly well inside by alternately chasing and ignoring one another, demanding attention from us, and playing with the huge number of cat toys they've accrued over the years. Then again, there's two of them and I work from home - I can see that a lone indoor cat whose owners worked long hours might get bored, though once again it all depends on the personality of the cat.

Kosh did go out when she was younger, until she disgraced herself by persistently eating other cats' food and being strongly implicated in the disappearance of the lady next door's budgie. She's now fifteen and not interested in much beyond beating up her toy mouse and getting her meals on time.

[legionseagle]

I cannot help imagining a scene out of Life on Mars with Gene Hunt attempting to get your cat to cough to budgie slaughter and retreating defeated muttering, "I know she did it!"

[tree_and_leaf]

While Sam unsuccessfully tries to reason with it...

[ankaret]

I have to say, great as my respect is for the Guv, I would bet on Kosh in that situation. She made weird expandy noises like a squashed hot water bottle for some days, but never actually produced an incriminating feather.

[legionseagle]

"Say what you like about that one, she never coughed. Not a furball."

[tree_and_leaf]

because we live on a busy road

That's the other issue; we're on a quiet cul-de-sac, but it's not that far to the Halifax road, which is busy. In fact come to think of it, I'd have to measure, but I'm not sure a shelter would rehome to us (except for an indoor car).

[ankaret]

Ours do get to run round the garden on occasion, which Kosh treats as an excuse to mark everything in sight in case any other cat in the neighbourhood gets ideas and Bean uses to hang around by the back door eating grass until she's startled by the sun going behind a cloud or something similar and runs back inside.