In the UK, there are an estimated 12.5 million pet cats, with 26% of UK households having at least one cat. Studies have also suggested that there are an additional 250,000 unowned or feral cats. Urban development and closer living spaces in cities and suburbs has led to increasingly frequent interactions between cats. This can have both positive and negative consequences. Keeping a cat indoors can mitigate many of the negative consequences of going outside, but this is not a simple solution to keeping your cat happy and at ease. There are several considerations and requirements needed to have a healthy and happy indoor cat.

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Why Keep Your Cat Indoors

It probably comes as no surprise that outdoor-going cats are more likely to become injured or diseased. Individual risks will depend upon the immediate vicinity of your property. But road incidents are of big concern to many cat owners. Thankfully, road injuries are not inevitable, but they have the potential to be life-altering or fatal. The busier the road, or faster the speed limit, the greater the risk to a wandering cat.

More common causes of trauma are from other animals, most likely other cats, but occasionally dogs or some wildlife. With cats living in increasingly close quarters, fighting among cats is a common cause of trips to the vets. Aside from the wounds and abscesses that can result from cat fighting, exposure to other cats also puts your cat at risk of disease transmission. Both feline immune deficiency virus (FIV), which causes feline acquired immune deficiency (AIDS), and feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) can be transmitted through bite wounds. Both viruses can lead to a compromised immune system and a reduced life expectancy.

Other diseases that can spread through contact with other cats include the various causes of cat flu. Both cats and dogs can transmit multiple parasites between them, such as fleas and ticks externally, or roundworms and hookworms internally. Most outdoor-going cats choose to toilet outside of the house. This results in them digging around in the dirt to bury their poo, as well as coming into contact with other animals’ poo. These actions expose them to the eggs of these internal parasites.

Both within the UK and abroad, there is an increasing awareness of the impact of pet cats on wildlife

Globally, increasing human activities and developments have led to a decline in many wildlife species. Within the UK, several bird and small mammal species have shown concerning declines in the last few decades. As cats are natural hunters, many domesticated cats continue to catch prey, even if they don’t need to do so for food. This is an added strain on populations already under pressure.

For some cats, there may be a medical benefit to keeping them indoors. Individuals with visual or hearing impairments will likely be safer kept indoors. As your cat ages and mobility declines, it may also be best to keep your cat indoors; as they may have a reduced capacity to run away from danger if it arises. You may find your cat naturally becomes an indoor cat as it gets older so its needs as an indoor cat need to be met.

Meeting the Needs of an Indoor Cat

Cats are resource animals. They require access to important resources to make them feel content, at ease, and prevent stress. These resources are water, food, a toilet spot, and a place to hide. Regardless of whether your cat goes outside or not, you should always provide at least one of each of these resources inside your home. In a perfect world, you would provide one of each per cat, plus one spare, so that each cat always has a choice.

When your cat is kept exclusively indoors, then aside from these resources, you also need to think about ways your cat can exhibit the full range of its natural behaviours. As predators, cats generally like to roam and explore within a territory. They are natural climbers and utilise various methods to scent mark their home turf. In an indoor environment, these facets of their behaviour need to be catered for. And it can be harder to provide this level of enrichment for them.

Indoor-only cats are more likely to become overweight or sedentary. Therefore, the calorie intake of an indoor cat needs to be closely monitored. Without adequate stimulation, they can also become bored or stressed. Stress behaviours can manifest as over-grooming or inappropriate urination. If these occur, your vet can ensure that there is no medical reason for these behaviours and provide advice on how to manage this.

An Ideal Indoor Home for a Cat

Cats like to view their surroundings from a vantage point. Although they aren’t going outside, having access to a view through a window or door gives them the stimulation created by activity outside. Providing a raised platform, bed or post also provides a raised view which cats prefer. Having multiple platforms at different heights again offers choice.

Scratching posts allow cats to mark their territory as well as provide the benefit of stretching and activity. Scratch boards and posts typically come in a range of styles, shapes and heights. Many incorporate raised beds, in the form of cat towers. These items need to be sturdy enough not to sway or topple when your cat uses them or jumps onto them. They also need to be in an unrestricted part of the house where they can be used day and night.

Due to reduced ability to wander, hunt and interact with other animals, it is important to play with your cat

This can be directly, in the form of interaction with toys and cat wands. Or indirectly, through the use of puzzles and feeding devices; which require interaction and manipulation to achieve the reward of food. Playing with your cat is great for bonding and boredom alleviation, as well as keeping your cat’s mind and body active.

Grooming and training are other ways to bond with your cat and provide some interest across the day. Like dogs, many cats can be trained to respond to commands or perform tasks, although they often need more time and encouragement to achieve this. If your cat is in the majority and has the catnip gene, then catnip is a great addition to both playtime and training, and can be used as an enticement or a reward.

Cats are hygienic animals, so keep everything clean

With regards to resource provision, litter trays should be scooped out at least daily and given a thorough clean at least weekly. They should also be placed in a private or quiet part of the house to minimise disturbance. Food and water bowls should be cleaned daily, and also placed in a part of the house with less foot traffic. If your pet is prone to inactivity or weight gain, food can be provided through methods that mimic hunting. This can include making your cat search for food by changing where it is offered or hiding it inside feeding toys. Food puzzles also slow down eating and make your cat work for the reward.

The Hybrid Option: The ‘Catio’

It is easier to keep an indoor kitten into adulthood than it is to convert an outdoor-going cat into an indoors-only cat. You may have success by gradually increasing the time it is kept indoors and decreasing the options for going outside. If you are concerned that your cat will not cope as an indoor cat, or you simply want to give it controlled outdoor access, then a catio may be the way to go.

Unlike leash and harness training, which provides your cat outdoor access only with their owner, a catio is an enclosed outdoor space that allows controlled roaming without the need for an owner to be present. Catio designs are as varied as your imagination. The only restrictions are size and budget (and in some cases, council bylaws regarding consent for construction). DIY-minded owners can self-build, but nowadays there are a myriad of companies offering standard and bespoke designs.

Catios typically allow for fresh-air flow and may have a mesh that allows insects inside

They should prevent access by birds and other mammals though. They should also be weather-proof, providing shelter from both overheating and coldness. As with inside the house, the resources of food, water, toilet and a hiding spot should all be provided within the catio. Multiple platforms or towers at various heights again provide interest and a raised vantage point.

Catios can be free-standing structures that require transfer of the cat inside. More typically though, catios are constructed to sit alongside the side of the house. They are ideally connected to the inside with a cat flap so that your cat has the choice of being inside the house or outside in the catio. One of the benefits of a catio is that your cat has access to the outside aromas which provides an added level of enrichment that is lacking in an indoor environment.

What is important to note is that depending on the structure and design of the catio, your cat may still be exposed to fleas and ticks from the environment

If other cats can come close to your cat through a mesh, then they may still be exposed to the cat flu viruses. Your vet can advise what vaccinations and parasite control are recommended for your cat depending on its lifestyle risks.

Conclusion

Cats can have a fulfilling life as an indoor cat. However it takes extra effort to ensure your cat’s physical mental needs are being adequately met to prevent boredom, weight gain and stress. An indoor lifestyle reduces the risk of trauma from road accidents and cat fighting, as well as limiting disease exposure. Not all cats will suit an indoor lifestyle. And not all households can provide optimum measures to satisfy an indoor cat. A catio may provide a half-way house between an indoor and outdoor lifestyle and can be a good alternative to complete enclosure inside.

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