Choosing a kitten ? Indoor cat or outdoor cat?

Posted by Jennifer on September 26th, 2018

Choosing a kitten – Indoor cat or outdoor cat?

This is going to be one of the best days of your life! Today you are going to pick up a cute new fluffy kitten together with your kids!

You can already picture yourself driving home with that tiny meowing little creature wrapped in a blanket on the backseat getting all the attention in the world from your kids.
There is nothing more adorable than a little kitten, but before you got to this day, what made you decide which cat to choose?

How do you know which kitten is the right one for you?

First, you need to look at your future cats’ surroundings. Will the cat spends a lot of time indoors because you live in an apartment, or should you pick an outdoor cat that can freely roam the fields around your farm?
Some cats are better suitable to be kept indoors and other cat breeds love their freedom and will take every opportunity to get out of the house.

Examples of typical indoor cat breeds are the Russian Blue, Persian cats and Ragdoll cats.
These are all breeds with a relatively low activity level and therefore making it ideal for indoor cats. These cats are happy to cuddle up in their cat bed close to the radiator and fall asleep.

Typical outdoor cats are those cats with a higher activity level. Examples of cat breeds who make ideal outdoor cats are the California Spangles cat, the Pixie-Bob, the Ragamuffin or the Burmese cat. All cats who would love to go outside and explore their territory.

Besides how you live, you also want to think about the aspects of cats who spent most of their time in the house vs. outdoor living.

Cats who are outside will encounter other animals, which can lead to flees, worms or ticks. They also are exposed to the risk of getting infected with a typical cat disease like feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), which is equivalent to AIDS or could fall pregnant if they are not neutered.

Then depending on where you live, cats have the possibility or getting involved in an accident. Especially if you live alongside a busy road like I once did. One of my own cats was hit by a car and unfortunately did not survive.

On the other hand, when you pick an outdoor cat you will give the cat the opportunity to explore itself to its fullest.
Outdoor cats also get plenty of exercises and get the opportunity to follow their instincts and mark their own territory. A very interesting documentary was made by the BBC. They made a documentary ‘The secret life of the cat‘ where they tracked several domestic cats to see what they are up to when they were outside. Worth a watch for every cat lover!

Another big plus is that you will notice that the litter tray of an outdoor cat needs less regular cleaning. They do their business while outside.

Could be a thing you might want to consider, especially if you are asthmatic, allergic to cats or just don’t like the idea of scooping poop from the cat litter and changing the litter box.

These are just a few things you should consider before deciding on picking up a kitten. First, decide between an indoor or an outdoor cat, then look at the cat breeds which fall into those categories.

And finally, select the cats which have the best character which fits your family and your conditions. This way you will pick the best possible kitten you and your family will enjoy for many years to come.

Enjoy your new fluffy family member!