Is It Cruel to Bring My Bonded Tabby Cats Indoors to Live in a Small Apa... (Vet Answered)
This question has been answered by a vet
Small Animal Veterinarian
Dr. Karyn is a small animal veterinarian originally from Australia, now based in the UK. She holds degrees in Veterinary Science (2010) and Zoology. When not helping pets, she tends to her 5 cats and garden!
The Question
Is it cruel to trap my bonded feral cats I’ve been caring for and bring them inside to live in my small basement apt
Quick Info about 2 bonded ferals
📹 Vet's Video Reply (scroll down to see text answer)
Dear Paulette,
This is a tricky one, as there’s not really a ‘one size fits all’ answer, and it is very much going to depend on how ‘feral’ these cats are, how old they are, and what sort of exercise and enrichment you would be able to offer.
Obviously, there are huge health and safety benefits to keeping cats indoors, but it isn’t always something they’re instinctively comfortable with.
Some people might say that it would be out of the question to force cats that have been living free into a confined area, but that isn’t necessarily true. Some cats that have been living rough seem almost grateful for the security and comfort of an indoor lifestyle, but others are going to find it stifling, and it could cause a significant amount of stress and anxiety for both them and you.
The first thing to do, if you haven’t already, is get them assessed by a vet and make sure they are neutered/spayed and vaccinated. If they haven’t been fixed, they are really going to struggle with the idea of staying inside, and you will probably struggle with the noise and smell!
If you can create lots of hiding places, cat trees, and shelves for them to climb and explore, this will help them feel safe and provide them with a way to exercise and stretch their legs. Using calming scents and pheromones can also help to create a calm and feline-friendly atmosphere, so it would be a good idea to get those working before you bring these kitties inside.
Being a small basement apartment, it’s important that they have access to fresh air and sunlight, so you may want to think about some sort of window catio, or even training them to walk on a harness (though this might be asking a bit too much of them).
All cats will have a period of adjustment when moving to a new environment, so if you are going to try this, you’ll want to give them several weeks, possibly months, to get used to their home before deciding whether or not this is going to work.
Ultimately, you want what’s best for these cats, and it would be great if that is living with you in your apartment, but it’s also important that you’re prepared in case this is simply too big an adjustment.
If you would like to talk about this in more detail, you can make an appointment for an online consultation at PangoVet.com.
I hope that everything works out for you and these cats, as it’s wonderful that you’re looking out for them.
All the best,
- Dr Karyn