Should I let my cat out onto the roofs?

?
Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
Report

Hi everyone,

I adopted my cat when she was 3 months old; she’s now 8 months. I live in a city flat which is about 50 square metres. It’s on the third floor, which is the top floor. In my bedroom, there’s a window with access to a gutter (it’s quite wide). Since I’m on the third floor, I’m thinking of letting her out through there so she can at least get outdoors a bit... I figure she could wander around a bit, especially on the rooftops.

I’m in a flatshare, and my flatmate often shuts her door to get some peace and quiet (so my cat can’t go in there). My flatmate wasn’t here when I first got my cat, and before she arrived, my cat had access to the whole flat all the time (so there was more space!)

I’ve set her up with a top-of-the-range cat tree, she has loads of toys, and I play with her regularly. I’ve told myself from the start that once I’ve finished my studies, I’ll move somewhere with outdoor access (like a garden, for instance).

But as the days go by, I feel more and more guilty about making her live indoors, even if it’s only for now. Sometimes I get the impression she’s bored, despite my efforts to give her a stimulating environment.

Of course, I know it’s risky. And obviously, I’d be worried sick that something might happen to her. I know she could fall, get into a fight, or catch a disease. It goes without saying that if anything happened, it would be straight to the vet... But I wonder if the risks might be worth it (for her), and that she might be happier going out and taking those risks than being cooped up inside. I’d rather be the one worrying and have her be as happy as possible than lock her in just so I can have peace of mind... She’s still young (nearly 8 months), so I imagine she could get used to life on the rooftops.

Plus, I reckon there must be plenty of cats that go out on the roofs in my city, and I’ve never seen one fall or get injured in the street. Mind you, I never see any cats in my neighbourhood, so I figure they probably all live up high (there’s a lot of traffic around my way).

What do you think? Do you reckon the risks are really that high? Do you know of any examples of cats that go out on the roofs? Any accidents that happened to them? I’m really looking for opinions based on experience more than anything else, just to get an idea of the actual risks (because when it comes to "what if" scenarios, I’m already imagining everything! :D) :)

Translated from French
icon info

The forum content is sometimes translated from another language, and posts may concern countries with different animal laws. Do your research before making any decisions.

Since the forum is translated by AI, the translations may contain errors.

Write your message and upload a photo if you want to! Please remain courteous in your exchanges.

Your post will be visible to all members of the international Wamiz forum.

3 answers
Sort by:
    • Docline
    Docline Icon representing the flag French
    Report

    I once had a cat who was a pro at taking nasty tumbles from balconies or windowsills. Luckily, the falls were only from two storeys up, but there were still complications as a result; cats don't always judge the terrain that well...

    Among my current cats, the two moggies have their usual routes across the flat roofs, windowsills, low walls and so on, but if the third one tries to follow them—considering she manages to fall off an armchair in the living room—it absolutely stresses me out.

    Translated from French
    ?
    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
    Report
    Hi, first of all, thanks for your reply! I’ve taken all of that on board. I’ve had a think about it, and I’ve made my decision: she’s going to be allowed out. I booked an appointment this morning to have her spayed. As soon as that’s done and the wound has healed properly, she’ll be going outside :) I’ve had a look at the roofs around my place; a lot of them are flat, there are plenty of quite wide walls, and the guttering is similar to mine (high edges, so safer I reckon). There are also various heights of walls and roofs that’ll allow her to have a good wander. I think to start with I’ll put her out in the courtyard so she can get used to being outdoors. I reckon she’s capable of jumping onto the wall if she wants to go further :)
    Translated from French
    ProvetoJuniorConseil
    Provetojuniorconseil Icon representing the flag French
    Expert verified
    Report
    Hi there, For an indoor cat, it’s really important to make their environment as enriching as possible (toys, high perches like a cat tree, interactive dry food feeders...) and to change things around regularly so they don't get bored. To help with boredom, you could also consider getting a second pet (be careful though, when it comes to cats, introducing a new one isn't always easy – it can be a bit hit or miss). As for letting her out on the roofs: do be very careful, as ‘high-rise syndrome’ (cats falling from heights) is much more common than people realise. Especially in your case, since your cat has always lived indoors, it might be a bit risky to put her on a roof for her first taste of the outdoors. I have a three-year-old cat myself who lives indoors and has access to the roof. However, she has also lived in a flat with a balcony, and I regularly take her to my parents’ house where there’s a garden. She’s been used to the outdoors since she was a tiny kitten, which is why I let her out on the roof (to chase the pigeons!). Going back to your situation, as she’s still young, you could try to get her used to being on the roofs now, but please don’t underestimate the risks! Good luck, Julie
    Translated from French

  • 3 comments out of 3

    • Do you have a question? An experience to share? Create a post on our forum!
    These topics could be of interest to you!
    Find out more