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[Naryar]

I'm an outdoor cat person as well.

My sister has an indoor-only kitten (well now it's a big kitten), and the poor thing meows for attention whenever we left or entered her apartment. And she works so she leaves it alone most of the day, although she tries to keep it entertained with stuff.

Indoor cats are just unnatural to me.

No, a cat should go out, scratch trees and hunt, and roam at night because it's what cats do. There's no need to argue on that : a cat needs to hunt, climb, get out and roam, like a dog needs a social hierarchy. It's in their nature.

So what if it is dangerous ? Cat fights are part of a cat's life. So does running from dangerous animals and killing prey.

Of course if your neighborhood is overly hostile to cats (lots of car traffic, bigger cats, of large dogs, etc.) then it is completely reasonable to keep him inside, but in case it isn't it is unnecessary and even cruel.

[Arcvasti]

I'm an outdoor cat person as well.

My sister has an indoor-only kitten (well now it's a big kitten), and the poor thing meows for attention whenever we left or entered her apartment. And she works so she leaves it alone most of the day, although she tries to keep it entertained with stuff.

Indoor cats are just unnatural to me.

No, a cat should go out, scratch trees and hunt, and roam at night because it's what cats do. There's no need to argue on that : a cat needs to hunt, climb, get out and roam, like a dog needs a social hierarchy. It's in their nature.

So what if it is dangerous ? Cat fights are part of a cat's life. So does running from dangerous animals and killing prey.

Of course if your neighborhood is overly hostile to cats (lots of car traffic, bigger cats, of large dogs, etc.) then it is completely reasonable to keep him inside, but in case it isn't it is unnecessary and even cruel.

Toady came in and warned us about the current line of discussion[And the quarreling attached to it]. Please respect the Toad.

...

Cat leashes can actually work pretty well if you get the cat used to them when they're young. No idea where you would buy one and my current cat isn't very enthusiastic about them since we started her too late, but its something to keep in mind if you want a happy middle ground.

...

Cats require love. Cow milk, IIRC is bad for kittens, goat milk, meat broth or water work much better[In case this didn't come up already]. Cardboard boxes are awesome. Buying a dedicated scratching post is good, although cats don't seem to go for most of the non-rope texture ones in my experience. String, preferably with a knot or something tied in/to the end are good for playing with cats. Declawing cats is cruel and usually unnecessary[Except in a few VERY rare fringe cases. Even so, you can get the claws of dogs non-harmfully trimmed or blunted, so, if you CAN do that for cats, it may be a better option for those fringe cases], I've never had a cat draw blood, even when they're semi-viciously mauling my hand playfully. Although, if a cat[Especially one who has frequent contact with the outdoors.] DOES draw blood deeply, you should go to a hospital/someplace medical and get the wound checked.

[Dutchling]

Drawing blood isn't necessarily even bad. My last cat could get quite enthusiastic when you gave him belly rubs. This mostly resulted in no belly rubs, but my brother never seemed to mind and I've seen his entire hand covered in blood once. At first I assumed the cat was angry or cornered but he clearly was enjoying it.

This may be a fringe case though . That cat was mad as a hatter.

[Robot Parade Leader]

I've been an indoor cat person, mostly because my area has bad people in it who will hurt cats if they are outside. Even if it wasn't that way, I'd be ok with an indoorsy cat. They tend to live longer, and not get diseases like feline leukemia or feline aids or anything if indoors.

Different cats seem to have different needs. I've seen cats who are aloof as all hell and don't seem to want much to do with anybody, and I've seen cats who are insanely friendly and pure awesome. Some cats are standoffish, and others go right up to you. Some like to sleep in the bed, and others won't (be careful not to roll over on your cat if it sleeps in the bed with you).  Some cats seem to only pay attention to you when you ignore them, and will only do things "their way" seeming to resent being held unless they come to you first. Others will beg to beheld and it just depends upon the cat.

Tips on cats: Any book you are reading will become a magical place the cat will wish to lay on. Have more than one book so no matter where the cat lays, you will have reading material.

[Sappho]

Yes, actually, cats do need a little bit of plant matter in their diet for fiber. I tried using a cat food which was supposedly specially-made for indoor cats with extra fiber, but my guy still got constipated. Even when he was able to poop, they came out hard as rocks. He was clearly not feeling too well. I gave him some olive oil and that helped a bit, but only temporarily. Then I realized I had let the plant he was eating die and hadn't replaced it. I re-planted it (I use lentil sprouts because they grow quickly, he loves them, and they're cheap and easy to replace and do a great job keeping him regular -- though you shouldn't give cats a lot of legumes or they get diarrhea) and he's been fine ever since. If you can get commercial "cat grass," that's great, or you can even just take some turf from outside and put it in a pot and let the cat eat what grows naturally. Do be careful what plants you let them eat, as many can be toxic, but as long as you do your research, you'll be fine.

[miauw62]

I think you can buy cat grass in some supermarkets.

Also, if your cat scratches you and it's bleeding or has otherwise broken the skin, disinfect it immediately.

[DJ]

Cow milk

It depends on the cat, actually. Where I live, kittens seem to be able to handle cow milk just fine. If you're not sure but still want to give your kitten milk, try giving it just a little bit and gradually upping the dose, all the while monitoring for problems and discontinuing giving milk if any problems arise.

[penguinofhonor]

.

[Arcvasti]

Kittens should be able to handle it because they can digest lactose, but most cats develop an intolerance as they grow up. If you want to give an adult cat milk, I've seen lactose-free milk in pet stores.

I might be thinking of it backwards then. Bluh.

[Caz]

Kittens should be able to handle it because they can digest lactose, but most cats develop an intolerance as they grow up. If you want to give an adult cat milk, I've seen lactose-free milk in pet stores.

Most humans do, too! Europeans are actually strange for their ability to digest lactose in their adult years. Most of the population of all the other countries lose this ability.

[smeeprocket]

I'm just going to say this and leave it at that.

There are not many things that ruffle my feathers. But when someone posts with fundamentally dishonest intentions, it is going to piss me off because I despise dishonesty and lying.

I lost my cool, and I should have kept it. But the intent of the post was to stir the pot to begin with.

Anyway, whatever. I'm done with it. Feel free to rebut, I won't argue anymore.

[Il Palazzo]

Peace, cat people. It is not you arguing. It's the toxoplasma gondi in you that's trying to get you eaten. Resist your mind-controlling overlords. The voices are lying. Cat urine is bad for you.

[Thisfox]

I have a lovely, happy indoor cat, three years old, full of fun, and definitely not neurotic. She has never spent much time out of doors except on a leash, or in her specially designed cat run (An outdoor cage) which is about the size of a large bathtub. The run has no floor, so we can move it around the garden, so she can lie in the grass or dig in the dirt. She sits out in her run most afternoons, watching birds. I think it contributes a great deal to her mental health.

We have never had an indoor cat before, but our last two cats were attacked by people on a regular basis (we think that's how one cat disappeared, actually, there was only circumstantial evidence though), and also we happen to like the wildlife around here. I don't know about other countries, but in Australia the native animals aren't used to a cat-like predator on most of the continent, and definitely not on the islands. A single cat can end a species. This is not a speculation: There are a few famous true stories of a single cat being released on an island, and killing everything on it. We have rainbow lorikeets, bluetongue lizards, thrushes and kookaburras in our suburban back yard, and we prefer to keep it that way. Finding dead feathered bodies every morning did suck. And you can't take the hunt out of the cat. It's just not possible.

So the result is Storm, and she's a happy indoor cat. I would know immediately if she wasn't.   

[miauw62]

Nvm