by Caroline Garlick

Created on: October 26, 2008

This is one of those issues which depends entirely on the cat, the owner and the circumstances, so of course I can ony speak from personal experience, but I keep two male cats indoors, and I really don't think they could be happier.

I'd never known anyone to keep an indoor cat, and when I adopted my first cat from a rescue centre, I was slightly apprehensive when I was advised to keep him in. I was told that he had been taken in by the centre when a local farmer had called the vet to announce he had caught a wild cat in a trap, and wanted it put down. Luckily for Murray (and for me!) the vet was sensible enough to realise that this was no wild animal - it was a eighteen-month old, terrified cat, in need of care and attention, and not a lethal injection.

The lady at the shelter felt sure that Murray would struggle with life as an outdoor cat. He was timid, so if he got into a fight with another cat, he could be seriously injured. He would have little or no road sense, having apparently roamed for some time in a rural area. No-one could know how long he'd been a stray for, but overall, she told me he would benefit from the peace and tranquility of a happy, indoor home.

Within days of bringing him home, Murray became the most affectionate and contented animal I, and others who have had the pleasure of meeting him, have ever known. However, I continued to be concerned that keeping him inside was somehow unfair, particularly when he perched on the window sill and watched the world go by. I rather fancied he was pining for adventure, so, after much deliberation and internet research on the pros and cons, I let Murray outside. He certainly seemed to appreciate it, and on his first few excursions I stood by the door like an anxious mother at the school gates, awaiting his return. He never went very far and usually returned within about half an hour, so I was assured that I had done the right thing. I began to let him out more regulalry, leaving the front door open whenever I was in the house.

A few weeks after Murray had started going outside, he suddenly began to urinate in the house. He had been litter-trained at the rescue centre and he had never had any problems in using the tray at home until now. He had also been neutered before I got him. I spent a long time and effort in researching the reasons for the sudden change, trying out all kinds of treatments and tips to prevent it, and got nowhere. Eventually, I called the shelter I got him from. They immediately asked

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