In New Zealand, our culture has typically been to allow pet cats to roam freely and come and go from our homes as they please. I personally love cats, however there is some anti-cat sentiment in New Zealand due to our population of vulnerable and protected native birds, which are at risk from roaming cats. Cat owners are also increasingly seeing their pets as part of the family, and becoming more conscious of the potential risks that exist out and about in the world for a roaming cat.
Which leads to our topic for today – should cats live exclusively at home?
The answer is…maybe. Or rather, it depends!
I’ll lay out what I consider to be the main factors (including what is necessary to have a happy indoor/at home cat), then you can make the decision on what’s best for you and your cat from there.
1. Road traffic
One of the most critical factors to consider is the level of traffic in your area. Cats, being naturally curious and sometimes unpredictable, are at high risk of accidents when they roam near busy roads. The probability of injury or fatality increases significantly in urban or suburban areas with heavy traffic, or on high speed rural roads. If you live in such an area, keeping your cat indoors is often the safest choice.
2. The impact on local wildlife
Cats are natural predators, and even well-fed cats may hunt native birds and lizards if given the chance. This behaviour can have a significant impact on local wildlife, especially in areas with protected or endangered species. Consider your cat’s hunting abilities (are they stealthy hunters or on the slow and lazy side?) and the wildlife in your area. If you live in an area with protected species, it’s likely best to have an indoor cat so that you protect vulnerable wildlife populations. Even one cat can have a noticeable impact on the local ecosystem.
3. Stimulation
If you’re considering having a full-time indoor cat, ensuring you can provide adequate mental and physical stimulation is crucial. Cats are natural hunters, and a lack of outdoor experiences can lead to boredom, frustration, or even depression. Cats can live indoors perfectly contentedly, as long as they have adequate mental stimulation – plenty of interactive toys, vertical spaces they can use to climb and observe their surroundings, puzzle feeders and daily interactive playtime with you. Though considered a solitary species, some social cats also enjoy having a buddy especially if they grow up with one (if they haven’t grown up with another pet in the first few months of life, they will be much less inclined to like a companion).
4. Opportunity for outdoor time
Having an “indoor cat” doesn’t mean they can’t have any outdoor time at all, it just means they can’t roam freely off your property. Cats can be trained to wear a harness and enjoy on-lead walks, which allows them time to sniff and explore their surroundings (fantastic exercise and stimulation). This works best if your cat is desensitised to the harness as a young kitten. Once done for a while, they will often stay close without the harness on if you are outside for short periods of time. If you take your cat places with you early in life, they will be happy out and about and generally a more well adjusted cat overall (we always did this with film cats to help them be confident and relaxed in different locations).
You can also set up contained outdoor spaces for your cat to explore and enjoy some fresh air. For example, you can create a ‘catio’ which is an enclosed outdoor space for your cat. These range from simple small window boxes, right through to large backyard enclosures full of exciting obstacles to climb and explore. Alternatively, you can install cat proof fences which will prevent your cat from being able to escape your property – there are various options, including roller fence toppers that can be installed on the top of your existing fencing. Finding a way to do safe outdoor time is my strongly preferred option for those wanting to keep their cat indoors full time.
5. How your cat is raised
My latest research indicates that preventing the development of your cat’s hunting behaviours in kitten-hood can help prevent hunting behaviour in adulthood. If you’re adopting a kitten and feel sure you want a cat that will roam freely outside, I suggest at least keeping your kitten inside for the first three to six months. By doing this, you restrict your kitten’s opportunity to learn natural hunting behaviours and they become poor or simply not hunters (to the advantage of the local bird population!). After the first 3-6 months, you can let them free range from the house during the day for short periods, if they aren’t interested in birds then you can gradually lengthen their outdoor time. I always prefer that cats are kept indoors overnight as they can be predatory and more likely to fight territorially at night.
6. External threats
Consider any external threats on top of road traffic that may pose a risk to your cat. For example, roaming dogs or cat-aggressive dogs in the area, other territorial cats especially Toms that may cause trouble, poison bait stations, toxic plants in the area etc. These factors may play a part in your decision about whether or not to keep your cat indoors.
Make your decision!
I hope this list has helped you consider what will work best for you, your cat and your local environment. As a final summary, my suggestions are:
- Indoor living is a perfectly good option for domestic cats, provided they receive enough stimulation and ideally have outdoor access in some way
- Offering controlled outdoor time through lead walking, a catio or cat-proof fencing is optimal to increase your cat’s stimulation and happiness
- Consider the risks in your area such as road traffic and other animals if you’re going to allow your cat to roam freely
- Prevent your cat from becoming an adept hunter if you’re going to have a roaming cat
Now go and enjoy your beautiful pet!
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