Should I Keep My Cat Indoors?

Dr. Justine Lee, PetMD

I’ve talked before about avoiding the “hit-by-car” emergency by keeping your dog or cat under control: either on a leash or by keeping them indoors. I got a lot of grief from some feline owners and veterinarians when It’s a Cat’s World … You Just Live In It came out. Why? Because I stated my opinion: that cats should be kept indoors.

First, there are several medical reasons for why to keep your cats indoors. Let the statistics do the talking: the average outdoor cat lives to two years of age, while the indoor cat lives to a more geriatric age (approximately 15 to 18). So ultimately, it depends on how long you want to have your cat around.

As a veterinarian, I’ve seen too many cats succumb to the “trauma of outdoor living”: being mauled by dogs, maimed by cars, shot by BB guns, etc., only to have pet owners who couldn’t afford to have them treated (resulting in euthanasia).

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Duane B.

8:18AM PST on Jan 17, 2013

Thank you for sharing.

January 17
send a green star

Linda B.

4:41PM PST on Jan 16, 2013

Diane L - At last someone with common sense and who is willing to think about life from the cat's point of view!

January 16
send a green star

4:29PM PST on Jan 16, 2013

Sarolta, the end of your story is missing but from what you said you have a 'big heart and you did everything you could for this cat. Try to send the rest of the story if you can.

Sarolta E K.

4:15PM PST on Jan 16, 2013

After many years of living without pets, I resumed with a dumped/lost? kitten in the stairwell of my Budapest flat-Christmas Eve- which ruled out going to Midnight Mass. I felt guilty taking her on as I thought a gafden home would be better for her.So well intentioned neighbours took her to their new home further south in the following April, after she was vaccinated/sterilized.May 1st at my Godson's high school graduation I was overwhelmed by a terrible feeling.It proved well founded. Tenzing had gone AWOL from her new home after a few days..I think she was trying to get back to Budapest - crossing two busy multi-lane roads. They gave up looking and I cycled the 20k down and began looking-over 5 days. Eventually I found her close to the train station-and we came back with the bicycle, with her in a fine mesh bag slung under one armpit-much complaining,punctuated by bouts of purring and finally the big sleep as we got closer to home. She arrived into my life as it was being turned on its head.
We now live in a humble cavehouse in the north-east part of Granada region, Andalucia...and yes, there have been additions- Kismet, my Pizzeria rescue, was so dehydrated and malnourished that I really picked her up so she could die knowing some love, affection and going with dignity. She is still here - has a comment for everything - both tender and tigress - and with "bubbly guts"- digestion problems. She was naked from the waist down, covered in crystalized urine and faeces when I b

Diane L.

2:34AM PST on Jan 16, 2013

Ditto AGAIN to Linda B. Cats should be allowed to make the choice about being indoors or not, providing that being outdoors is in an area that is relatively safe. I would no longer want to even have a cat if I lived in a city or congested traffic area and couldn't provide a large outdoor space that was safe. My Stepfather built such an enclosure for my Mom where her cats could go outside in the back yard, but not go over the fence to the neighbors. He removed any tree branches that would allow for an "escape", and built a high fence with inward facing chicken/poultry wire to prevent cats from leaving by jumping or climbing over the fence. In most locations, property fences can only be 6' tall, which is nothing for a cat to scale.

I've tried several times to teach a cat to walk on a leash, and I'm not a novice "cat owner", but never yet have had one comfortable on a leash where she would take more than a few steps and then collapse and go limp. I do put my smaller cat in a harness and lightweight leash when I take her to the vet because she's comfortable with that and NOT comfortable in a cat carrier. Even though she's quite acceptable of just being "carried" inside, I am still worried about "what IF" something scares her while I'm going between my car and the clinic, or what IF there is an unruly dog inside?

We can only protect cats so much and to me, it's all about "quality of life". If I had to put my cats in the bathroom and shut the door everytime I we

2:29PM PST on Jan 14, 2013

Ok, well as I said before the cats should have a choice; if they really choose not to go out but still have the opportunity to go out then its the cats choice which is fine. I have had cats for the past 35 years, all of which went out and lived to over 16 years one to 22 years. I have never heard of any cats being poisoned. Its true it can happen but I don't think its a common occurance, not enough to warrent confining them permanently. I sometimes recommend keeping cats in at night but not any more than that. Did you know also that cats and other animals can self medicate? They find grasses to help with gastric problems etc; its a bit like us trotting off to the pharmacy. A friend of mine had an elderly cat with heart disease. This cat used to choose to stay indoors but as it got older and ill it started to go in the garden and sit in the sunshine. I'm sure going outside helped to make the cat feel better. Just like us when a bit of fresh air and sunshine can do a power of good.

January 14
send a green star

Hella G.

7:55AM PST on Jan 14, 2013

Linda B, I live in the UK. and if you do your research you will find that poisoning is not such a rare occurrence.Check out this link:
.http://www.rspca.org.uk/allaboutanimals/pets/cats/health/poisoning/antifreeze
Apart from antifreeze,pesticides containing Metaldehyde(a common active ingredient of slug and snail pellets)plus rodenticides can all kill cats.
Anyhow, as I have already explained, indoor cats can lead a very stimulating Life-as a matter of fact, I know quite a few who have access to the outside, but choose to remain indoors 99% of the time...

1:23PM PST on Jan 13, 2013

Well, I am not sure where you live? It seems that poisoning is common in the USA? It rarely happens in the UK. I look at it from the cat's point of view. Cats are indpendent unlike dogs who enjoy walking with thier owners. Cats need to explore, climb etc; to have a full life. It depends if you want them to have a life worth living with risks, or a life stuck indoors bored. Sometimes you have to think outside the box and use your imagination to provide the most fullfilling life possible. Sometimes that means building a run in the garden or not having a cat at all. Unfortunately we can't ask cats what they want, just like other animals, but we can observe their natural behaviour and make the best decision from that. No animal on this planet is designed to live permanently indoors, every living thing benefits from the wonderful fascinating world we live in and to deprive them of that is wrong.

January 13
send a green star

9:32AM PST on Jan 13, 2013

I agree with the writer of this art! Indoor cats,provided they get enough attention and stimulation, are v. happy cats! Why is it ok. to let cats roam everywhere,but not dogs?! Sensible,caring people wouldn't dream of sending their dogs(or small children, for that matter) out on their own, so it has always astonished me why we should treat cats differently. I lost count of the nr. of outdoor cats friends have lost- who knows what has happened to them-stolen, run over, abused,poisoned.That's all acceptable, is it?If you have an enclosed garden, and the cats can't get any further than that, then by all means let them out,but otherwise it is a highly irresponsible action.
Linda B., it's rather nonsensical to say that it is risky for US to go out too,so by the same paradigm we shouldn't worry whether our cats are in danger.For obvious reasons we HAVE to go out,our feline companions don't! We are their guardians and should do everything to protect them from harm!

5:48AM PST on Jan 13, 2013

I think its ok if you can build a suitable run in the garden, at least the cat has some freedom. I don't think walking a cat on a leash is suitable because cats like to be independent unlike a dog. I'm not sure how cats could decimate a farmers stock? Maybe chickens could be affected but if they were housed properly this wouldn't be a problem. I am based in the UK, It does seem that people have a different attitude in the USA. It is mainly un neutered male cats that get involved in road traffic accidents because they wander more and will chase other cats accross roads so yes, neutering is essential. As far as disease goes i've not heard of cats carrying plague? Its' down to the owner being sensible,.If you want a cat you should provide outside independent exercise, if you can't do that then don't get a cat.