Should You Keep Your Cat Indoors or Outdoors

While your cat may seem content to lounge on its favorite pillow, sometimes you catch it gazing out the window as if it wished it could expand its horizons. Or maybe you've been caring for an outdoor cat while worrying about its health and safety -- wondering if you're neglecting it by not turning it into an indoor cat. Which living environment offers the preferable set of benefits, what potential issues might each environment pose, and what should you as a responsible pet owner do? 

Let's explore the pros and cons of indoor cats versus outdoor cats in terms of feline health and happiness, along with some ideas for striking an ideal balance between the two.

Emotional Well Being

Many believe that outdoor cats enjoy more emotional fulfillment than indoor cats. This argument sounds sensible when you consider that domesticated cats retain many of their wild hunter's instincts and desire to roam. The outdoor world lets them give these instincts free reign while providing an endless range of variety and adventure. It's easy to believe that indoor cats spend much of their time feeling confined or bored by their surroundings.

The reality is more complex. While an indoor cat can certainly get bored if it lacks stimulation, a caring owner can provide stimulation in the form of playhouses, toys, puzzle games, and simple interaction. Even a piece of string can be captivating for an indoor cat, especially when you use it to play with your feline friend. Preventing depression and boredom in an indoor cat simply requires more effort from its owner.

Physical Health

Living outdoors can prove a double-edged sword when it comes to feline health. Outdoor cats who are constantly exploring the terrain and hunting for food typically get more exercise than indoor cats. This extra activity can result in healthier weight levels and better physical conditioning. But at the same time, outdoor cats expose themselves to a wide range of germs and parasites that an indoor cat might rarely or never encounter. As the owner of an outdoor cat, you may need to give your cat elective vaccinations and additional anti-parasite treatment -- and even then, your cat may get unlucky.

Indoor cats don't run across nearly as many harmful pests and microorganisms as outdoor cats. While you still must give your kitty the necessary core vaccinations and other preventative care, you can stop worrying so much about the possibility of its contracting some exotic bug or other. On the other hand, an indoor cat that doesn't get a reasonable amount of exercise may develop pet obesity, a gateway to many preventable chronic ailments.

Immediate Risks and Dangers

The dangers of the outside world don't confine themselves to fleas, ticks, and germs. Outdoor cats face many more acute, immediate risks such as attacks by other animals (some of which might carry rabies), abuse by malicious humans, falling from high perches, or getting hit by cars. These risks contribute to the fact that outdoor cats tend to live significantly shorter lives than indoor cats.

Indoor cats may not cultivate the "street smarts" that outdoor cats might, but the fact that they rarely face the same hazards means they live a far safer life in general. Even in this safer world, however, an indoor cat can ingest a toxic household substance or get electrocuted by chewing on an exposed electrical wire. Indoor cat owners should still learn about common feline health risks in the home and minimize them as much as possible.

Cat Care and Monitoring

Watching over an outdoor cat can feel like an exercise in futility, no matter how dedicated you are to its health and safety. It's hard to bundle a cat into a carrier and take it to the vet for its vaccinations and wellness exams when you have no control over where the cat is or when you'll see it again. If your outdoor cat is sick or injured and out of visual range, you might not even be aware of the problem.

Indoor cats are obviously easy to care for and keep in sight. However, if your indoor cat leaps through the door and dashes away, you'll have the same problem as an exasperated outdoor cat owner -- with the additional worry that your furry roommate doesn't know how to fend for itself out there. This is one reason that microchipping is so important for both indoor and outdoor cats.

Smart Lifestyle Compromises

As you can see, there are pluses and minuses to both feline lifestyles. However, there's no reason your cat has to live solely indoors or solely outdoors. Smart compromise solutions include leash training your indoor cat for everyday walks around the block, setting up a smart fence to keep your outdoor cat from roaming too far, or providing your indoor/outdoor pet with a "catio" or screened porch that gives a taste of the big, wild world without the risks. You'll also find it much easier to provide your semi-contained cat with proper veterinary care and preventative wellness. Talk it over with your vet!