Difference between a house cat and outdoor cat...

Why does it matter what you label them as? ?

If they go outside at all then I'd not say they were house cats.

Bloody hitched - typed long reply - gone!

Not to label them but because they will need different things, like different vaccinations and diffeent food. You are right though they have gone eslewhere without me seeing so need to check with the vet.

Why would they need different food?

When cats go out doors they can acces vegetation that they can't indoors so if they need to dislogde hair balls for example they can eat grass outside but they can't if they are indoors. Although reading it back I'm just wondering if it is a con job by the vets that they need different food if just indoors but then again he advised they didn't need as many vaccinations so it might not have jsut been a rip off...

All cats should have basic vaccinations to cover against flu and enteritis. If they are going out at all they should also have the leukaemia virus vaccination too. Even if they just go out in the garden occassionally.

Also if they go out then they will need flea treatment, they don't need to go far to pick up fleas. Any cats that have the opportunity to catch mice or might eat other animals faeces should be wormed.

When I first had a cat we lived in a flat so she was a house cat, when I moved she went outside. We never had a problem. Maybe I'm just a bad owner ?.

I don't advise different foods for indoor or outdoor cats.

I can understand the injection bits but I think the food bit is a con.

My cats still had the vaccinations when they were kept in the house just to be on the safe side.

I think the indoor food is sometimes lower in fat because indoor cats generally don't get as much exercise as outdoor cats.

I wouldn't worry about the food but I would get them their jabs and consider flea & worming treatment. Stronghold is good - a spot on flea & worming treatment.

This. They go in catteries so they need to have them anyway.

Cheers all. They have some vaccinations but there was one that the vet said not to worry about because they were indoor mayeb that was the leukamia one then? I didn't want to ring up and sound like a complete arse on the phone trying to work out what they needed. But they get their check up in Feb and was thinking ahead.

I always flea treat them anyway because fleas aren't just restricted to cats!

My mum's cat very rarely goes outdoors, and when she does, just follows my mum around the garden for 5 mins. The vet said she does need a lower fat diet, plus outdoor jabs - if she goes anywhere in the garden another cat has been then she is as exposed as if she stays outdoors 99% of the time.

Same