Calling all cat owners... opinion please!

[minkyrra]

I'm a big cat lover but I don't think for one minute you should take cats on holiday with you.

Cats are independent creatures and get used to their surroundings.

Are you thinking about taking your cats but keeping them indoors during the holiday?

Or will you let them go outside in the hope they'll return to you after exploring a place that's foreign to them


Either way is wrong - that's why it's best to keep cats at home.

My cats are kept indoors all the time.

Yes, in an ideal world, I would love to be able to let them out but ideal this world is not.

As long as the cat is given enough to keep it entertained and it has never experienced outdoor life, then I don't see a problem with keeping a cat indoors.

Leaving a cat at home while going away isn't as easy as it sounds. Not everyone will have someone nearby who would be able to pop in to feed, water, clean and check on the animal.

If not, then at a cattery, they will be kept in a place that is new to them, surrounded by strange cats, in a confined space - an area far smaller than they would have had access to, had you taken them on holiday with you and kept them indoors...

Something I am curious about, is how easy it is to transport cats happily for any long distance by car.

You couldn't keep them in a normal travel/carry box for the whole journey because they are going to need a litter tray and it would be unfair keeping them contained for so long

I suppose those with a big enough car could use a cage.




Something I hadn't considered would be the use of a body harness on the cat.

laughs

It could then be taken out for walks.

When my cats were young, I did attempt to introduce this item to them and was shredded for my troubles.

[mobymatt]

My cats are kept indoors all the time.

Yes, in an ideal world, I would love to be able to let them out but ideal this world is not.

As long as the cat is given enough to keep it entertained and it has never experienced outdoor life, then I don't see a problem with keeping a cat indoors.

Leaving a cat at home while going away isn't as easy as it sounds. Not everyone will have someone nearby who would be able to pop in to feed, water, clean and check on the animal.

If not, then at a cattery, they will be kept in a place that is new to them, surrounded by strange cats, in a confined space - an area far smaller than they would have had access to, had you taken them on holiday with you and kept them indoors...

Something I am curious about, is how easy it is to transport cats happily for any long distance by car.

You couldn't keep them in a normal travel/carry box for the whole journey because they are going to need a litter tray and it would be unfair keeping them contained for so long

I suppose those with a big enough car could use a cage.




Something I hadn't considered would be the use of a body harness on the cat.

laughs

It could then be taken out for walks.

When my cats were young, I did attempt to introduce this item to them and was shredded for my troubles.

My apologies Minky and to the original OP - I'm guilty of allowing my opinion to be clouded by my personal circumstances in my world (which is an ideal one ).

Living in the idyllic, picture postcard rural retreat that is...cough..er..Birmingham I am unused to such fanciful notions of keeping a cat indoors at all times.

I have been cat-less myself for a couple of years but my brother is the owner of a big, fat lazy lad called Sooty. Sooty spends most of his time indoors but that is by choice rather than by design

Luckily me and my brother only live a few minutes apart so can always arrange for the most important member of that household to be looked after whenever my brother and his girlfriend go away on their hols.


I now leave this thread thoroughly admonished with my tail between my legs

[dragonmist]

I would love to let our cats out again. We have a large garden, and miles of open parkland around us. However, we lost 3 cats in the space of a few weeks last year. One we think died of natural causes. One went out, and dragged himself back 5 days later full of shot. I assumed at the time he got shot by accident. He recovered and a few weeks later sneaked out through an upstairs window, and never came back. A week later the 3rd cat went missing. It seems the gamekeeper on our area doesn't like cats. I complained to the Head keeper, and was told that the Estate was a "Game Reserve" and we shouldn't be allowed to keep cats.
Tally so far in 41 years..... cats killed by Gamekeepers - 11.
Pheasants killed by cats - 0.
Vermin killed by cats - countless - which benefits pheasants as less eggs get stolen.
We are often attacked by pheasants, and so are the cats, but we could be prosecuted if we clouted them with a lump of 2 X 4 in defence.
I wouldn't take mine on holiday, as they are masters at getting out. I would hate to lose them in some strange place.

[Fantasticlife]

I had shredded wallpaper too, however i bought a really cheap and inexpensive free-standing scratching post and I put her toys on the base of it. She loves to try and make out its a tree and will make straight for the sisal rope that it is covered in to sharpen her claws. My living room is more like a cat playpen but i don't have any damage now. Keeps her amused and exercised for hours in betwen sleeping of course!

[minkyrra]

I had shredded wallpaper too, however i bought a really cheap and inexpensive free-standing scratching post and I put her toys on the base of it. She loves to try and make out its a tree and will make straight for the sisal rope that it is covered in to sharpen her claws. My living room is more like a cat playpen but i don't have any damage now. Keeps her amused and exercised for hours in betwen sleeping of course!

We have a three tier scratching post/level er...thingy for them to play on. Which we have had since we got them as kittens.

They finally have given up sharpening their claws on the wooden window frame in their room.

Yes their own room as they have to be locked away at night because of the budgie

We also have a bark scratching plank in the living room, which they don't scratch their claws on but like to rub against.

They are still young cats, and as they are getting older they are becoming less destructive.

I think it is because they are indoor cats that they see the whole house as their playground.


Hypnotoad - sorry, I didnt mean to sound bossy.