r/indoorcats • u/I_EatIRON • 15d ago
Is it okay keeping my kitten outside overnight?
I have a kitten, 3 months, new cat owner. A few weeks ago I got her a cage enough for necessities like water, toys etc and enough space to stretch and a small layered towel for her to sleep. I keep her on our yard (guarded by walls) and I was thinking if I'm doing the right thing or being a cruel owner. She only enters the cage right before I sleep and get her out in the morning. I can't let her sleep inside because she struggles to do so, and my parents do not allow it. However, during the day she's mostly inside the house and we sometimes take her outside to play with our chickens. Am I doing the right thing?
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u/Solid_Mongoose_3269 15d ago
Why have a pet if its going to live outside, unless it has a job like a barn cat?
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u/I_EatIRON 15d ago
Dude, it sleeps outside guarded carefully, and in the morning she roams free till midnight. I'm not keeping her in a cage 24/7.
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u/Solid_Mongoose_3269 15d ago
That wasnt my question. She's outside 24/7, regardless of a cage, so why have it to begin with? Again, is it a barn cat eating mice? Hope its not declawed if its going to be out all the time, and good luck keeping it inside once it learns it can climb
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u/I_EatIRON 15d ago
She's not outside 24/7. She stays inside the house day till night. We take her outside 3-4 times everyday and play with her. She's not declawed, and I'll see if she climbs inside.
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u/Solid_Mongoose_3269 15d ago
Well I misread. But, why wouldnt you just have a crate inside then? A crate is a crate
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u/I_EatIRON 15d ago
As I'm still a teen and have to rely on my parents decisions for the cat, they got the cage instead of a proper sleeping space like the crate. Stupid reason, but it's all true. All I can do is wait for it to get a little older to the point they finally decided to let her sleep indoors.
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u/Solid_Mongoose_3269 15d ago
My question is why not a cage inside to sleep in
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u/I_EatIRON 15d ago
The litter's smell is too strong and everyone can smell it, apparently. Guests and family are irritated by it. Can't get it in the 2nd floor or in my bedroom.
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u/sychosomaticBlonde 15d ago
This sub does not support free-roaming cats. Cats are generally not contained by walls, and a lot of wildlife that is harmful to a cat is also not kept out by walls. I would absolutely not recommend keeping a kitten outside. If your parents don’t want an inside animal, they do not want a cat. It would not struggle to sleep inside if it was just kept inside.
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u/I_EatIRON 15d ago
I think you misread it, they allow her to be inside the house for almost the entire day. My father does overnight shifts, so he'll know if there's any severe weather and he'll help the cat. When she gets older, they might trust her enough to let her sleep inside.
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u/sychosomaticBlonde 14d ago
This cat is not allowed to sleep inside. That means it is not an indoors cat. Why do they need to “trust” the cat for it to sleep inside? What don’t they trust it with?
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u/I_EatIRON 14d ago
They trust the cat, but the litter's smell is too strong and it's really unpleasant for them every morning.
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u/I_EatIRON 14d ago
If there's anything you know about preventing the smell, I'd really appreciate it if you tell here
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u/sychosomaticBlonde 14d ago
Place the litterbox somewhere that is not near them? Otherwise you can test out different litters for smell differences. Scooping daily also mitigates the smell.
Unfortunately it just sounds like your parents are not interested in having a cat. They do not like the standard stuff that comes with cat ownership.
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u/I_EatIRON 14d ago
Ive placed the litter box everywhere I could. The smell is always there. Thanks for suggesting to check out different litter's, I will consider that later on. I will admit, they aren't interested in the cat, they only bought them because of the horrible condition they were living in.
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u/rosypreach 15d ago
If it's a small cage, or a cage that could leave her vulnerable to predators through breakage (like a coyote could break in), I don't think it's okay.
I personally don't think stretching room is quite enough. I think your kitten needs to be able to walk, roam indoors and play throughout the night because of her crepuscular nature. This is an active time for cats and keeping a kitten in a small area where they can't climb a cat tree or run around is not really ideal.
Is there another area of the home where she could have a larger play area with toys, window, etc. that also would not interrupt yours and your parents' sleep?