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09-16-2012, 03:21 AM
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Location: Near Nashville TN
7,201 posts, read 13,584,298 times
Reputation: 5423
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Some people argue that indoor cats are bored suffering miserable cats. Here's the proof they are not. If they are, it's the owners fault for not having things for them to do indoors.
Here is our sunroom. It was getting little use since the kids, including the grandkids, grew up and moved on into their adult lives.
I change the room around every so often so it's all new to them again. These pics were taken over the past few years. From the day we got them to now.
Zebulon likes to claw this cat-condo and sleep in one of the Apts.
This is still one of their favorites. It's in the diningroom. They can view what's going on in the busiest room in the house.
Phaedra in the fake fall foliage.
Zebulon plays with some toys.
Looking out the window. He can see both small ponds and the wildlife they attract.
In the old Zinger RV. Their first trip in an RV and it was a long one.
Playing tiger in the jungle.
Sharing a favorite toy.
A fun box.
Warn out from a day of heavy playing.
So the answer is NO! Indoor only cats are not suffering by being kept safe and secure indoors.  They are protected from diseases and parasites, both external and internal... not to mention animal predators, cars, sadists and those who would poison and shoot them.
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09-16-2012, 06:43 AM
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Location: Lehighton/Jim Thorpe area
2,095 posts, read 2,879,014 times
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I love this! Wish I had the room for that kind of habitat. My cats make their own fun, plus we play with them. Where I live it is safer to keep them indoors!
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09-16-2012, 07:36 AM
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8,448 posts, read 16,075,391 times
Reputation: 14666
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My cats aren't bored. I play with them every day, and that stimulates them to play with one another, or to play solitary games.
I was looking around my apartment late last night. My living space is tiny but...everything is arranged for the comfort and entertainment of cats. It wasn't done in any deliberate way, it has just evolved that way over the years as they let me know how they like things.
The furniture is so placed that a cat can race around the entire apartment without touching the floor. There are numerous elevated perch areas. Down at floor lever there are any number of spots where a cat can creep and stalk and dash out of to pounce.
Toys: in toy boxes to be fished out, in piles in their specific Spots, scattered around when in use....and of course the ubiquitous cardboard boxes....several are permanent, plus there is one permanent box fort. The rest of the boxes come and go.
Lots of window space with varying views, there is a bird diner on one of these (outside)windowsills for Cat TV (and a mouse comes up on the sill to eat the seed at night), and in the winter, there is another hanging from the porch.
But...because I play with them every day and always have, they have well developed imaginations, and can and do entertain themselves quite a lot.
Love the pictures!
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09-16-2012, 02:45 PM
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774 posts, read 1,433,654 times
Reputation: 1740
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Love the pics, my cats aren't bored either in our home. They're happy, safe and very active, they have condos, water fountains, good food, and have all kinds of places to hide, sun themselves, race around and are just plain happy cats. Thanks for the pics, they're great.
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09-16-2012, 02:48 PM
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35,103 posts, read 46,720,431 times
Reputation: 62400
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We have 2 cats, one indoor and one outdoor for now and neither is bored as far as I know. They each have their special toys and they play with them when they are not napping or pestering the dog or licking my feet or attacking my husbands hand under the blanket.
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09-16-2012, 03:00 PM
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Location: Planet Eaarth
8,954 posts, read 19,358,525 times
Reputation: 7193
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09-17-2012, 02:00 AM
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Location: Near Nashville TN
7,201 posts, read 13,584,298 times
Reputation: 5423
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MatildaLoo
I love this! Wish I had the room for that kind of habitat. My cats make their own fun, plus we play with them. Where I live it is safer to keep them indoors!
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Even part of one room would work if it has a window. We enclosed the front porch recently. It's not all that large - something like 8' X 16'. Not just for them but for us to enjoy. We already added a large cat-condo in one corner and one of those cheapo red and yellow plastic play things. It's all glassed in with jalousie windows and a few large plants. They love it out there also. |
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09-17-2012, 02:10 AM
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Location: Near Nashville TN
7,201 posts, read 13,584,298 times
Reputation: 5423
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Quote:
Originally Posted by catsmom21
My cats aren't bored. I play with them every day, and that stimulates them to play with one another, or to play solitary games.
I was looking around my apartment late last night. My living space is tiny but...everything is arranged for the comfort and entertainment of cats. It wasn't done in any deliberate way, it has just evolved that way over the years as they let me know how they like things.
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 Even a small apt or home can be a playground for cats. We have curtains instead of blinds so that they can enjoy all the window in the house. All the windows have broad sills which also helps. I would love to play with them but since they grew-up, they don't care to play with those feather and elastic string toys anymore. Their play now consists more of chasing each other through the house like mad maniacs - up and down the cat trees, under and over the beds and other furniture, around the large tropical plants. zooming from room to room until they're breathing hard. I find it odd that they lost interest in playing with toys as most of my past cats kept at least some interest in playing with something on a string, crinkled up paper and that sort of thing.
Quote:
The furniture is so placed that a cat can race around the entire apartment without touching the floor. There are numerous elevated perch areas. Down at floor lever there are any number of spots where a cat can creep and stalk and dash out of to pounce.
Toys: in toy boxes to be fished out, in piles in their specific Spots, scattered around when in use....and of course the ubiquitous cardboard boxes....several are permanent, plus there is one permanent box fort. The rest of the boxes come and go.
Lots of window space with varying views, there is a bird diner on one of these (outside)windowsills for Cat TV (and a mouse comes up on the sill to eat the seed at night), and in the winter, there is another hanging from the porch.
But...because I play with them every day and always have, they have well developed imaginations, and can and do entertain themselves quite a lot.
Love the pictures!
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It sounds good to me!
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09-17-2012, 02:22 AM
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Location: Near Nashville TN
7,201 posts, read 13,584,298 times
Reputation: 5423
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More pics
Quote:
Originally Posted by Grandpa Pipes
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I understand completely. My husband and I would be devastated if anything happened to one of these kitties. They'er kind of like our children. When you have them indoors since their kittenhood, you really can get attached. You can form a real relationship with each of them and really get to know each little personality. Here are some more pics of their lives.
Each has a shelf on the cat-tree in the RV.
Here Zephyr snoozes in the window of the RV.
This is the safe outdoor enclosure my husband made for them. They can go in and out from the bedroom window. This is the view from the window. It has three shelves and a tree trunk to climb and claw. They go outside on the hottest and coldest days. Only rain keeps them inside.
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09-17-2012, 02:33 AM
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Location: Near Nashville TN
7,201 posts, read 13,584,298 times
Reputation: 5423
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CSD610
We have 2 cats, one indoor and one outdoor for now and neither is bored as far as I know. They each have their special toys and they play with them when they are not napping or pestering the dog or licking my feet or attacking my husbands hand under the blanket.
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I think indoor cats can become bored if the owner works full time and there is nothing for the cat to do all day. Or little for it to do. I can see behavior problems developing when an animal is lonely and bored for days and months on end........
We have a large cage that attaches to the window of the RV so they can go outside. This is looking through the RV bedroom window.
This is the cage we used:
Anyone with a deck or back yard can easily make a safe outdoor enclosure for their cats.
They always have fresh kitty-salad to munch on. It helps pass the furballs.
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