Considerate Cat Owner Hesitant To Let Her Cat Outside, Turns To Reddit For Advice

Picture this: You have a cat. You love this cat. This cat also enjoys going outside and strolling around its immediate environment, or does he? Well, he meows at the window when he sees the neighboring cats prancing about outside.  You, as a caring and doting cat parent, can only wonder to yourself: 'Should I be letting my cat outside? He seems to really long for some quality friend time with the neighboring cats.' Then you might be the original poster of this cat advice-seeking thread we came across today.

OP has recently observed that her cat often stares out of the window meowing in the direction of the cat with free reign. We think it makes sense that OP felt that perhaps this meant that her cat wanted a playdate, but fortunately for her, there is Reddit to turn to get advice and hear from other cat parents! So let's hear what the cat-folk of Reddit had to say on the matter. 

Author image for kalila courban kalila courban
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  • 01
    Rectangle - Posted by u/MainAsk434 6 days ago My 1 year old, indoor only cat always cries and meows when she see the neighbor outdoor cats from the window. Am I being cruel for confining her?
    via MainAsk434

    "Posted by u/MainAsk434 6 days ago My 1 year old, indoor only cat always cries and meows when she see the neighbor outdoor cats from the window. Am I being cruel for confining her?"

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  • 02
    via MainAsk434
  • 03
    Font - MainAsk434 OP +2 · 6 days ago · edited 6 days ago Some backstory for context: I adopted her when she was about 7 months old (she is turning 2 in May), as a rescue from the northern california wildfires. She is completely healthy and very friendly with cats, dogs, and other people, but she does get spooked from fast movements or loud sounds. I've spoken with Bella's owner (the black kitty in the video), and he says it's generally safe to let his cat out when they choose to go. However, I d
    via MainAsk434

    A little context is always good. 

  • 04
    Font - There is one other cat who interacts with my cat through the window, a white shorthair named snowball. However, I'm told by Bella's owner that snowball is a menace. He often hisses at my cat, but my cat continues to cry for snowballs attention whenever he comes. Bella and snowball do not interact, but they don't seem to have any conflict either. My cat is young and kind of stupid, she just loves to run to people for attention. I worry that her naïveté to the outside world will result in h
    via MainAsk434

    "My cat is young and kind of stupid, she just loves to run to people for attention. I worry that her naïveté to the outside world will result in her injury, or even worse, some terrible accident where she dies. I can't tell if I'm being overprotective or irrational."

    We say, neither!

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  • 05
    Font - But I do let her outside with supervision, for those who commented that I am denying her certain aspects of life by keeping her in. I don't completely confine her, I walk with her upstairs to the top floor of my building on sunny days and sunbathe together. She usually just naps and stays close to me. I take her to Santa Cruz, where my partners parent's live, and she explores their house and sees the ocean on the drive over. She actually really likes car rides, to my surprise! I can promi
    via MainAsk434
  • 06
    Font - sra19 +3 · 6 days ago No you're not being cruel, you're protecting your cat. I also have an indoor cat that cries at an outdoor cat that likes to visit, and, at least with my cat, she is so vocal because she's safely separated from the other cat by glass. I've opened the door a couple of times to see if the other cat needs food, and my girl scurries behind me and gets quiet until the door is shut again. Then she resumes her chatter right at the door.
    via sra19
  • 07
    Human body - SaltPersonality +1 · 6 days ago Even if she went outside, she'd still cry at the window when she saw them. Cats are very territorial. They're getting too close to her space.
    via SaltPersonality
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  • 08
    Font - prairiepanda +3 · 6 days ago My cat was showing very similar behaviors, but he was afraid of the outdoors. What he was really crying for was the cats outside. I got a second cat, careful to choose one whose personality matched his well, and haven't had any problems since then. They are both indoor cats, but they just love the company of other cats. If you really want to give your cat some outdoor time, though, you could try harness training her so that you could take her for walks. Altern
    via prairiepanda
  • 09
    Organism - Amardella +2 · 6 days ago She's yelling at the other cats to stay out of her territory, not saying hello or asking you to let her out. My good friend had to put a cardboard in the window where her cat used to see other cats cause it stressed kitty out to think those other cats might come into HER house! She was geared up to fight 24/7 and couldn't even sleep for protecting her territory. (We have TNR'ed "community cats" in our neighborhood.)
    via Amardella
  • 10
    Font - MediocreGround995 +2 · 6 days ago If you think that Bella really wants to be outside, get a large dog crate and firmly fasten it to the ground with stakes or weights. Put her in it while you're outside doing whatever. This way, she's safe from the reach of the other cats, she can safely sightsee the birds and butterflies, and you can take the cage back inside, if you get the metal ones that fold down. I wouldn't let a cat outside near wild raccoons, they're absolutely dangerous and rabies
    via MediocreGround995

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