One of the things a new cat owner may ask themselves is, should I allow my cat to go outside? This controversial topic often leads to a heated debate between cat owners and the general public alike, and you will find on one side people who think cats should never be allowed outdoor access, while others believe cats should be free to roam. So, let’s have a closer look at the pro’s and con’s of allowing cats outdoor access, and the alternatives available.
Pros of keeping your cat indoors
While hazards can be found indoor and outdoor, cats will be safer inside a house. Additionally, homes, gardens, and balconies can be cat proofed, which will make them safe for your cat to explore, and will keep them protected from most harm. Cats that are left outside to roam are on their own when it comes to dangerous situations, and will be more at risk of accidental, or intentional harm, by humans or other animals. Some common outdoor dangers to outdoor cats are:
- One of the biggest outdoor dangers to your cat is traffic. Your cat could get hit, or accidently lift to other areas when hiding in the frame of vehicles. Cats that are injured often hide away, which makes them hard to find and it could potentially end up fatal for them.
- In line with this, outdoor cats are at a bigger risk of getting lost. This is especially dangerous if the weather conditions are extreme and they can’t find adequate shelter. Extreme hot, or freezing temperatures can quickly turn fatal when a cat loses its way home.
- Natural predators can pose a potential threat to your cat, such as stray dogs. Other (venomous) wildlife could also potentially be dangerous, like snakes and scorpions.
- Outdoor cats are more likely to contract infectious diseases transmitted by other cats, such as FIP, FIV, feline panleukopenia, or FeLV. In areas where the stray cat population is dense this chance increases. Other parasites are also more likely to occur, like worms, fleas and ticks.
- General injuries like cuts and scrapes are more likely to happen to cats that are allowed to roam, compared to those that live indoors.
- Depending on where you live, cats may be seen as pests and can be caught by pest control. Depending on how strict the pest control company follows protocols, cats that get caught may be lost forever.
- By granting your cat outdoor access, you leave them exposed to people who might not be fond of cats. In extreme cases, people that don’t like cats may intentionally harm them.
- Outdoor cats are at risk of coming in contact with toxic materials, like rat poison or pesticides, which often get freely used to keep private or common areas pest free.
Pros of letting your cat outdoor
Does this mean that there are only negative points to providing your cat with outdoor access? No, there are definitely some points in which the outdoors provides an advantage to indoors, especially when it comes to physical and mental enrichment.
- Cats with outdoor access have more natural opportunities to exercise, which lowers their chances of becoming overweight or obese. While indoor cats are often limited and dependent on their owners to provide them with ample inviting exercise opportunities, the outdoors provides this naturally. It has many places to explore and movement is automatically stimulated due to all the different sights, sounds and smells.
- The outdoors provides mental enrichment. There are many places to explore with different smells and textures. There is always something to see, or do. Compared to indoors where cats are mostly dependent on their owners when it comes to providing mental enriching activities.
- Outdoor cats are more free to engage in instinctive behaviour, such as hunting and scratching without limit. The big downside to this is however that it can have consequences to local wildlife. They can catch protected and endangered animal species, or even lower the numbers of local wildlife until it becomes an issue.
In Australia the hunting of feral and pet cats has led to the extinction of at least 20 native mammals. - Some people may also find the fact that their cat poops and pees outside a pro, as this means there will be less to scoop for them. However this usually does mean that it becomes someone else’s problem. When your cat doesn’t use its own litter box, it might poop and pee in a neighbours’ garden or a children’s sandbox, which is filthy and could spread parasites. Having poop of someone’s cat in one’s garden often leads to frustration from the receiving party, and in extreme cases might lead to people harming your cat.
Your cat and it’s individual needs
Not every cat is the same, and while some might never have the urge to explore outside, other cats might have more trouble adapting to an indoor life. This can be especially the case if a cat was once allowed to roam, but now has to stay inside. Generally speaking though, especially in the UAE, for cats it’s safer to be kept indoors. The pros of outdoor access can also be achieved partly in safer ways. A garden can be cat proofed with for example the Oscillot system. Another option is to build a catio, which can also be done on balconies for those that live in apartments. Some cats even love a walk on a lead, which of course first needs to be learned in a force free positive way. And places to walk your cat should be carefully picked so they are safe, away from dogs or things that might startle them. Indoor cat furniture, like wall boards , bridges, cat wheels, and scratch poles can be used to give opportunity to exercise. Playing games daily with your cat is also a great way to provide them with exercise and mental enrichment, and will strengthen the bond with your cat.
Conclusion
Does my cat need to go outside? The vast majority of cats are fully content living as full-time indoor cats only, albeit it might take some effort from the owner providing ample ways to fulfil their needs for physical exercise and mental stimulation. It’s also what’s safest for them, and their surroundings. If your cat does get affected by not going outside, it’s advised to create a safe, enclosed, and stimulating environment on your own property to fulfil their need, while keeping them safe.
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