Indoor vs Outdoor Cats: Making the Best Choice For Your Cat
While many cat owners choose to keep their cats indoors, pointing out the dangers that lurk outdoors, others feel they are depriving their cat by forcing them to remain inside. Let’s break down the concerns surrounding indoor vs. outdoor cats to help you make an educated decision!
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It’s a long-standing debate among cat owners, sparked by genuinely wanting to provide the best situation for our furry friends.
Should you allow your cat to go outdoors or not?
Is there a safe way to allow your cat outdoors?
Is a life indoors depriving your cat of the joys of sunshine and fresh air?
There are many considerations on both sides of this debate, each worth careful consideration.
In order to make an educated decision, we must consider the pros and cons of each side of the debate.
Risks Associated with Allowing Your Cat Outdoors
There was a time in our past where cats would roam freely outdoors and we, as a society, thought nothing of it.
What changed?
If there is one thing that can be said about the human population, it is our ability to continue learning and evolving.
Over the years we have made many choices to improve our family’s health and safety.
We stopped using lead pipes in our homes, developed safer vehicles, improved our ability to keep food safely with refrigeration and more.
In the same way, we have changed the way we care for our pets to improve their lives.
Cats that spend time outdoors statistically have a shorter lifespan due to the risks that they face.
According to a document from the Humane Society, the average lifespan of an outdoor cat is 2 to 5 years, while a cat living a healthy, happy lifestyle indoors can live for 18 to 20 years.
What are the risks responsible for the significant difference between the two?
Vehicles/Roadways
Whether you live in the country or in a city centre, local roadways will present a serious risk for your cat.
There is a longstanding myth that cats instinctively know how to avoid vehicles and busy streets, but this current be further from the truth.
In fact, many cats are killed on roadways each and every day.
In addition to the risk of being hit while crossing a busy street, your cat may choose to seek shelter under or in the wheel wells of a vehicle.
Many people have learned of this risk and make a point of checking, but they are often hidden and would be easy to overlook.
Wild Animals and Loose Dogs
Outdoor cats are often hunted and attacked by wild predators including coyotes, foxes, racoons or wolves.
Living in a residential where wildlife is less prevalent doesn’t mean your cat is safe either!
Loose and stray dogs also pose a big risk.
A dog may not even mean to harm your cat; however, rough play can lead to serious injuries or death.
Related: ‘10 Essential Items for RV Camping with Your Cat‘
Toxins and Poisons
There are dangerous substances that your cat may encounter while outdoors. This includes antifreeze and poison baits set for rodents.
Antifreeze is known for being pleasant to the taste (for cats, unless you’ve tried it yourself… I wouldn’t recommend it), encouraging cats to drink a lethal amount.
Even if your cat doesn’t ingest a toxin directly, they may hunt rodents that have just eaten poison baits
Disease and Parasites
Any time that your cat comes into contact with unvaccinated animals or those who aren’t properly cared for, they are at risk of picking up something dangerous.
This includes, but isn’t limited to:
- Fleas
- Ticks
- Worms (intestinal worms, heartworm, ring worms, etc.)
- Ear mites
- Upper respiratory infections
- Feline Leukemia (FeLV)
- Feline AIDS (FIV)
- Feline Distemper (panleukopenia)
- Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)
These conditions range from a moderate annoyance to life threatening.
They may also bring these conditions home to any other cats (or other pets, depending on the condition, potentially even including humans) living in your home.
Trees
It’s one of the most common story lines involving a cat in our society today – the cute cat that gets stuck up a tree and rescued by a fire fighter.
However, trees can pose a significant health and safety risk for your cat.
In the event a cat is unable to climb down (or afraid to) they may become weak and dehydrated, stuck in the tree for days.
Some may even be weak enough to fall from the tree, leading to serious or fatal injuries.
Animal Cruelty
I hate that this is a consideration, however, it’s a very real concern.
Loose, roaming and stray cats are at a high risk of experiencing animal cruelty including being shot with BB guns or arrows along with other forms of torture.
In addition to these horrific acts, there are the individuals who will trap roaming cats with the intention of abusing or killing them in the name of ‘sport’, citing the fact that the cats are causing them ‘distress’.
Declawed Cats – Additional Risks
While I don’t promote declawing here on Shed Happens, you may have adopted a declawed cat (or had the procedure completed prior to knowing the risks).
Declawed cats are missing their main line of defense, their claws.
For this reason, they are an even greater risk of predators than a cat with claws to defend itself.
Can An Indoor Cat Be Truly Happy?
The biggest concern of voiced by those who support allowing your cats outdoors is the fact that you are denying them their natural desire to be outdoors.
This includes limiting sunshine, fresh air and their hunting instincts.
These concerns aren’t entirely unfounded.
Cats that aren’t given the mental and physical stimulation necessary are subject to depression, frustration and weight issues.
The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention found that in 2018, approximately 60% of cats were overweight or obese. There is no denying that it’s an issue!
However, these concerns can still be addressed while avoiding the risk associated with allowing your cat to roam outdoors.
It is important to ensure that your cat has items in the home that encourage them to ‘be a cat’ including cat trees, scratch posts, cat hammocks, and hiding places.
Furthermore, they need toys that encourage them to hunt, chase and pounce.
Toys with fur and feathers represent prey, allowing them to respond in the same way that they would tracking prey in the wild.
In addition to these opportunities to ‘hunt’ and ‘stalk prey’, you can also provide your cats with additional benefits of being outdoors by supplying cat grass.
This aids in digestion and provides essential vitamins including B vitamins and niacin.
Related: ‘The Benefits of Cat Grass for Your Feline Friend‘
Bring Your Cat Outside Safely with These Solutions
Another option to provide your cat with the benefits of being outdoors without the risks is to provide supervised and restricted time outside.
This doesn’t mean simply opening the door and allowing your cat out ‘as long as you’re watching’, cats are sneaky!
The first, and most cost-effective option is to use harnesses, leashes, and tie outs.
Cats can be trained to walk on a leash in the same way that a dog does, enjoying the great outdoors while their owner is close at hand.
However, it is important to note that you should NOT leave your cat tied out unsupervised. This may leave them at the mercy of nearby predators.
Another option worth consideration is the use of outdoor cat enclosures.
These range from commercially purchased options to DIY ‘catios’ created by cat owners around the globe.
You may choose to have an outdoor enclosure separate from your home.
However, some cat owners set up outdoor options that allow their cats to more elaborate structures that are connected to the home, allowing for access at their leisure.
NOTE: If you are providing an open access enclosure, it is necessary to ensure that it is structurally sound, protecting you cat from predators. If there is a weakness, a predator WILL find it.
Indoor vs Outdoor Cats: The Final Recommendation
The big question remains, should we allow our pets outdoors?
Where do I stand on the indoor vs outdoor cats debate?
While I agree that there are benefits to allowing your cat to enjoy the great outdoors, I don’t believe that it is worth the risk to allow your cat to roam outdoors unsupervised.
That being said, our cats (Pippen and Jinx) are allowed outdoors regularly on their leash.
This allows them to enjoy walking through the grass in our yard, basking in the sunshine and even relaxing in the hammock with Mom, all in a safe and supervised way.
I recognize that there are benefits to spending time outdoors, but they do not outweigh the risk associated with unsupervised time outside.
If you do have a cat that was previously an outdoor cat and are training it to stay indoors, be patient!
This is something that your cat will have to adjust to, and it takes time, but it can be done in most cases. Set guidelines and restrictions and stick with them.
Where do you stand on the indoor vs outdoor cats debate?
Have you ever tried to train a previously outdoor cat to stay indoors? If so, we’d love to hear your advice!
I always had indoor cats but they had a large balcony to go on to also, my one cat lived to 15 years old. Unfortunately there are so many risks today it is safer in so many ways although I have noticed more and more people using a back pack with a window for cats and taking their cats with them that way which I do think is very clever.
There are so many great ways to allow your cat to enjoy the outdoors with you while protecting them from the risks associated with being an outdoor cat!
We have taken in a few stray cats in my life and not one of them wanted to go back outside once they learned how nice life on the inside can be.
As far as limiting the sunshine and fresh air, all of our cats would take turns sitting in an open, screened window. Our only cat that tried to hunt would make bird calls from the window to the birds outside. But she was also the only cat that had never lived outside. The rest was content not to have to work for their food.
Exactly! Ours both love being indoor cats. They are living the high life and they know it. Pippen was an outdoor cat before I took her home, caught on the streets and taken in by our local shelter. While she enjoys her time outdoors on her leash (her favourite outdoor activity is watching the birds from my hammock, snuggled up in my lap… not exactly typical outdoor cat behaviour lol), she doesn’t try to get outside. She knows that she has a good life.
Very informative post. I’m not actually a cat owner, but I’m really against outdoor, free roam, cats. I used to live in a city and more than once I witnessed cats being hit by cars. I had to get rabies shots when a cat outside attacked me and my dog. I also hate how bad for wildlife outdoor cats are. I, however, love the idea of owners giving them time to explore the great outdoors on a leash or in some way contained.
Our cats LOVE their leash time. Especially our fluff ball, Pippen. She comes running to me the moment I take her leash out.
I know that some worry that going out on a leash will train your cat to want to escape. The one time she did get out the door, she stopped dead on the front stoop and SCREAMED until I came to get her. Facing the outdoor world without Mommy there had her completely overwhelmed. She hasn’t tried since, and I’ve had her for 11 years.
I don’t have any cats, or pets for that matter, but I would worry if my cat was outdoors roaming all the time. There are quite a lot of hazards when you actually think about it, aren’t there? Saying that I would want the cat to be happy, and some cats just love the outdoors.
Thanks for sharing!
Aimsy xoxo
Aimsy’s Antics
There are. That’s why our cats get outside time on a leash. It allows me to keep them safe while they still get to spend time outdoors.
One of my friends has cats and I’m constantly asking her things like, ‘don’t you worry when they’re out all night’ and ‘doesn’t it scare you that you don’t know where they are?’. Having had dogs most of my life I can’t imagine having a pet I call family roaming free outdoors with all of the potential dangers. I think the way you do it with supervised outdoor time is probably the best way to keep them healthy and happy as well as safe x
Sophie
The way I see it, it’s my job to keep my cats safe. I don’t see any way that I can do that while allowing them to roam all hours of the day.
This is such a great and informative post. When we adopted our cat, they told us that he was bottle-fed as a kitten and therefore doesn’t know predators and should not be allowed outside. So he has always been an inside kitty.
That’s definitely something worth considering when making your decision. A cat that was raised indoors like that likely hasn’t developed the survival skills necessary to live outdoors even if you were comfortable allowing them out.
I get deeply tired by the ranting of some people on social media about indoor and outdoor cats. They forget that the whole world isn’t like their specific world. In the USA there are predators I don’t get in New Zealand and yes my cats all go outside, and enjoy the garden. The worst predator is mankind (and look at the way we are treating the planet right now).
No I will not lock my cats inside, they would hate it and the stress would probably kill them, regardless of the fact I have a house with enough room for them. NO I do not worry, Yes I do care about my cats and to be honest it is the personal choice of each individual to decide for themselves and no amount of peer and social pressure will make them decide otherwise.
In the UK I have a friend who lives near a main road and, of course, her cats are indoor cats, friends in New Zealand have indoor and outdoor cats. If I told them to change their attitude I can just imagine the responses I would get.
Honestly, I do believe that everyone has a right to their own decision, hence the mention of the cons of keeping a cat indoors (such as depression and obesity). That being said, my reader base is 80-90% Canada and US and there are far too many risks here not to discuss the risks of allowing a cat to run loose. I am a firm believer that we have to consider where information is based for 99% of what we read online. For example, if someone is constantly mentioning a predator that you don’t have in your area of the world, that concern obviously wouldn’t apply. Living in a border city, much of the news I here is US based and I have to make those same decisions as to how their information and advice apply to us here in Canada. Information regarding the indoor vs outdoor cats debate really is no different.
Indoor only for my furbabies unless they are on their leash and harness. I have a catio under construction. Not only is there too much risk to our furbabies but there’s the damage to the environment too.
I’m not a fan of the “like a dog” description when it comes to cats, but this is one area where I think the rules should be the same requiring leash laws for all pets and having managed colonies for ferals. And giving cats the same access to public as dogs have.
I know not every area has the same risks and different cultures have different issues to deal with but in a city anywhere or in most of the US I vote for indoor only.
I agree, I’m not usually a fan of ‘like a dog’ either but this is one area where it fits. Ours only go outside right now if they are on a leash and harness, however, I have always wanted to build them a catio. Maybe some day!
I really love cat harnesses for safety, and they help cats enjoy the outdoors. But my favorite outdoor solution is a built in catio that is solely designed for a cat’s roaming nature. There are a lot of outdoor solutions for cats now days!
We have moved too often to set up a catio to date, but it’s something we’ve definitely talked about when we decide that we’re going to settle in one place. For now, the cat harnesses have been a great solution! Pippen LOVES hers and even comes running when I get it out. Jinx is a little less excited about it but she has accepted that putting it on means she can come outside with us so she doesn’t fight it any longer.
My two cats are both indoor cats. My fiance’s family has always had cats that have gone outside and unfortunately something awful has happened to nearly everyone of them, I just could not do that to my cats so they stay indoors with plenty of scratch posts and we play with them loads!
I personally couldn’t forgive myself if something happened to our girls. There are FAR too many risks here that I’m not willing to take. That being said, they do love their time outside with us on their harnesses.
This is such a great, informative post. I’m not a huge cat lover but what can happen to a cat outside has always worried me.
There are so many factors to consider. We’ve even had news reports the last few years around here of coyotes coming into town and taking small dogs… Definitely not something that I would be comfortable risking with our girls.
Until I had a cat, I always felt sorry for indoor only cats. However, once I learned more about the dangers outside cats face, I decided our (formerly stray) cat would be an inside cat. We tried taking him outside on a leash, but he did not like it very much. I wish I would have known about catios back then.
Jinx took a long time to adjust to her harness – some cats never do. We were lucky with Pippen. She’s a former stray that we rescued and she embraced the fact that her harness meant that she could come outside with us.
We think inside is best, there’s too much that can go wrong outside.
That’s how we feel here too. Especially in the house that we are now at. This town has a pretty big stray cat problem and we’re just off the main road.
I am all for indoor only. I think it is fine when people take them out with a harness or in a stroller if the cat enjoys it, but they need supervision just as a toddler would.
That is our approach with our cats as well. They LOVE being out on their harnesses, but I can’t justify letting them run loose with all the dangers around here.
When I brought a cat into my home for the first time almost 45 years ago, I chose to have her live indoors only because of all of the dangers outside. My Persians are required to live indoors in their contract. I’ve thought about harness and leash training them, but they are almost 9 years old now. A catio would be wonderful!
It definitely took some work and adjusting for our cats to get used to the harnesses. That being said, it was more about time than anything. I found just letting them wear the harness around the house for a while helped a lot, as they had the chance to see that it was nothing to be afraid of.
Ah this was very helpful, I have three cats at home in U.K… I will link this website to my mother she will love the information. My cat oreo loves to sneak under the covers and is defo an outdoors cat, cant keep him in LoL x
We had a cat named Spook as a child that we had a hard time keeping indoors. He had been an outdoor cat for so long that it was HARD trying to convince him to change his ways.
I’ve never had a cat or thought about getting a cat so most of this has never crossed my mind. I’ve always worried about outdoor cats though. I think I’d always be too scared they’d be in an accident x
It’s definitely not a risk I’m comfortable with here where I’m at. These risks are all very real here – from coyotes wandering the area looking for food to a major highway not far from my house.
Cat is really very amazing pet and lovely for everyone. This cat is really looking so cute. you have shared very good concept of cat making choice for indoor and outdoor. Thank you for sharing this amazing post.