"Cats in flats "

I love cats and I'd really like to have one as a pet, but unfortunately, my boyfriend and I live on the fifth floor in a flat.
I've always though the idea of house pets who never went out was a bit cruel, what does eveyrbody else think?
I grew up in the countryside with cats who could roam the fields and it just doesn't seem right, even if they've never been out.
would be interested to find out what everyone else thinks

We also live in a flat - 2nd floor, with a big open balcony. He has a cat door to the balcony, but I don't let our cat outside because we face onto a busy-ish road - but more than that, we back up onto indigenous bush with lots of little wildlife - and he is just too good a killer! Even with only access to the balcony, he catches/kills birds and even bats (he somehow manages to get the bats mid flight when coming low for flying insects, and he chooses to bring the bats in alive in the middle of the night so they careen in terror around the ceiling).

He can't help his hunting / killing - no cat can, so he fills his days in the house hunting bugs, house geckos, the plants/fallen leaves, his cat toys, and us (we are ambushed from behind furniture & plants all day / every day - its very fun). So he still enjoys himself, we enjoy him, and the little furry, slithery and flying creatures in our little piece of wilderness have a better chance to live. But they better stay away from the balcony!

BTW he is a garden variety shorthaired tabby cat from the spca, so he is as close to 'natural' as you can probably find.

Hi Katy,
I live in a flat with my cat and we haven't any problem. The cat stays always at home, she has her toilet (sorry, Im talking abaut my cat as a girl... she's name is Morgana and she's my best friend!!), her toys.. and then, I know that the pets that live in house live more time and stay in good health...
So, don't worry about this!!!

Bye

and I can assure you that he's very happy. Since Persian is a genetically-modified race, its caracteristics made it an indoor race. Imagine those hair outside!! It will be like hell to brush
My veterinarian told me that when a cat has never been outside, it can't miss it. And I can confirm that mine is not so proud when he goes outside in his basket! The noises of the street are a bit scary to him.

ps : sorry if I make mistakes. I'll try to improve my english.

I am in agreement with cats having a normal outdoor life. I have a 2yr old Persian cat who started life as a house cat until I adopted him a year ago, he now loves going outside, he spends more time out than in, through his own choice. Yes his fur gets tangled I comb him and he goes to the 'hairdresser' every couple of months to get properly groomed and he loves being bathed and made a fuss of. Whether it's a Persian or any other breed,at the end of the day, they're still cats!

I hadn't thought about choosing a different race, I suppose a 'bred' race would be happier indoors all the time, more so than an English moggy anyway!

I see it the same way you do.

I've got two cats and I have a flat on the ground floor. My cats are outside all day and I would not want it any other way.

The nature of a cat is hunting. They love to catch mice and birds and locking them inside the flat would not allow them to have a natural life.

If I were you, I would probably not get myself a cat. If you still were to get one, you'd better get two to make sure one isn't bored. You've also got to think of a couple of things - who will look after your cats when you're on holiday? What about the costs (vet, vaccines, operations they might need, sterilisation etc.)? Costs for food, cat stray etc.
Your flat would have to be big enough, as well.

There is lots of things to be thought of and I personally would not buy a cat if I couldn't offer it the life it deserves.

What about looking for a flat on the ground floor in a rural area without much traffic in front of the door?

although I can see the other point too - Pesians sound perfect as lapcats, but then they are more expensive and the costs are higher. It's a big responsibility!