Tag: outdoor cat

Indoor Cats vs. Outdoor Cats: Which Is Right for You?

Posted on January 21, 2021 - 4:00 pm by
A long-haired cat walking through a front door from outside.

When adopting a cat, pet owners have a choice to make about where their cat is going to live. For some people there’s no question — they’ll be an indoor-only cat and that’s that. But some people may like their cat to have a hybrid lifestyle inside and out. To help you make the choice of what’s right for you and your cat, we’ve got the pros and cons of both lifestyles.

How Long Do Indoor Cats Live?

An indoor cat’s lifespan is typically around 10 to 15 years, which is significantly longer than the life expectancy of an outdoor cat (more on that later). This is mostly due to the safe environment that life indoors provides. Indoor cats are protected from inclement weather (e.g., rain, snow and temperature extremes), other cats and animals carrying diseases and parasites, and physical dangers like cars, predators and, unfortunately, cruel humans.

Are Indoor Cats Happy?

It’s likely a common question for cat owners — is my cat happy? Many cats thrive on an indoor lifestyle; others don’t. Indoor-only cats may be protected from the dangers lurking outside, but their confined life means they can be restricted in their ability to express natural and essential behaviors like stalking, catching prey, scratching and urine marking.

To keep indoor cats happy, it’s important that your indoor cat has the opportunity to express these behaviors and for you to — as much as possible — make the indoors as interesting and exciting as the outdoors. Some of the ways you can help enrich your cat’s lifestyle indoors include providing:

  • Scratching posts
  • A private sanctuary
  • Perches
  • Cat toys that provide physical and mental stimulation
  • Appropriate litter boxes
  • Toys that provide an opportunity to hunt

Keeping cats indoors does have a potential downside. Indoor cats are more likely to develop behavioral problems, which can put them at risk of being surrendered to animal shelters or euthanized. Providing indoor cats with enrichment activities and ensuring their needs are being met can help reduce behavioral problems.

How Long Do Outdoor Cats Live?

The lifespan of outdoor cats is typically less than 5 years. This decreased life expectancy is due to a variety of reasons, including a greater risk of injury from cars, dogs and wild animals, like coyotes, foxes, raccoons and birds of prey. Additionally, outdoor cats face increased exposure to serious diseases such as feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus from stray or feral cats who aren’t vaccinated. They also have increased exposure to diseases from other animals such as avian influenza A (H5N1, also called bird flu) which can be fatal to cats. Outdoor cats can also be exposed to poisons like antifreeze and rodenticides.

Cats are territorial, so if they come across a stray cat or other free-roaming cats from the neighborhood, territorial fighting can occur. This can result in severe injuries, infections from bite wounds and disease transmission. Fraternizing with free-roaming community cats can also increase the risk of your cat coming home with fleas, ticks, ringworm or ear mites — some of which can be a risk to the health of you and your family, too. And of course, if you have a female cat that isn’t spayed, there’s a chance of unexpected kittens.

If you’re considering adopting a cat that has spent most or all of its life outside, the good news is that with patience and slow adjustments, many outdoor cats can become indoor cats.

What Do Outdoor Cats Eat?

Cats are carnivores (meat eaters) that excel at hunting. So don’t be surprised if your outdoor-roaming cat proudly presents you with a dead mouse or bird as a “gift,” or if you find them devouring said gift on the kitchen floor. If you allow your cat to go outside but don’t like the idea of them hunting, you can try adding a bell to their collar to help announce their presence before they pounce — although this isn’t always effective. Keeping them well-fed with cat food may also help reduce their hunting urge, but remember that hunting is a natural part of a cat’s behavior.

Do Cats Need to Go Outside?

Ultimately, it’s your choice. A cat owner’s decision on whether their cat should live inside or outside depends on the cat’s health and personality and whether the cat owner can provide an interesting indoor environment or a safe outdoor environment.

If you would like to provide your cat with a hybrid lifestyle, consider building or buying an outdoor cat house, cat run or catio that keeps them safe while enjoying the outdoors. It’s also a good idea to take pets inside at nighttime so they are protected from wildlife or other nighttime hazards.

Can an Outdoor Cat Ever Become an Indoor Cat?

Posted on July 30, 2020 - 3:00 pm by
Taste of the Wild

Is a stray cat trying to adopt you? Does it appear at your doorstep day after day? Does it press against your ankles and gaze at you adoringly? If so, it’s possible that it could be happy living the rest of its life inside your home. Especially if the cat has been socialized, perhaps by a previous owner, and it’s comfortable around people.

Feral cats, on the other hand, have always lived in the wild, have never been socialized and may never be comfortable living in close proximity to humans. If this particular cat appears to be more friendly than scared, it may be possible for them to trade in the outdoor life for an indoor one.

The outdoor life comes with risks

Why keep cats indoors? The average lifespan for an indoor cat is 10 to 12 years longer than that of an outdoor cat, according to the American Humane Society. That’s because roaming cats can be hit by cars, attacked by predators, or exposed to deadly diseases or other potentially life-threatening dangers.

The first step: a veterinary exam

If you can tempt the cat into a carrier with some tasty tuna, the next stop is the local veterinary clinic. Your veterinarian can scan for a microchip to make sure the cat is, in fact, a stray and not a neighbor’s cat freeloading food and affection.

If there’s no microchip, it’s important for everyone’s safety to have the cat examined before introducing it to any family members, including your furry ones. The doctor can check for diseases, such as feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus, which could be spread to current household cats.

At the same time, the veterinarian will evaluate the cat’s health and treat any internal and external parasites, so you’re not welcoming ear mites, fleas or roundworms into your home, too. Spaying or neutering the cat can help reduce roaming and decrease the incidence of marking within your home. Now’s the time to administer vaccines and implant a microchip, just in case the cat inadvertently slips out the door.

Catproof the house

If you haven’t already done so for other housecats, make sure your house is safe for your new cat. Remove any plants that may be toxic, put away string, thread and other small objects that may be swallowed, cover electrical cords that could be chewed and make sure windows and screens are secure.

Create a cat haven

Help your new cat become gradually acclimated to its new surroundings by limiting it to a bedroom for a week or two. This can help the cat become adjusted to using a litter box. Start with unscented, clumpable litter, and scoop the box daily. For now, avoid boxes with covers and self-cleaning mechanisms. Food and water bowls should be placed as far away from the litter box as possible.

To help create a cat haven, provide with creature comforts including a soft bed and a kennel or box to hide in. Pheromone sprays or diffusers can help ease anxiety and promote calm.

You’ll also want to provide opportunities for hunting and adventure, similar to what they had in the outdoors. A cat tree, placed near a window, can satisfy the cat’s need to climb, stretch and get a bird’s-eye view of, well, the birds outside. Treats that are hidden around the room can simulate the hunting experience. And a scratching post, sprinkled with a little catnip, can provide a better alternative for sharpening nails than your furniture.

Spend plenty of one-on-one time with your new cat, so he or she can get used to your company and to being touched or handled. Encourage play and exercise with feather dancers and other toys.

Introduce other pets gradually

After your new cat adjusts to being inside, allow the cat and other pets to sniff each other under the door. You can also rub a towel on one pet and place it in the room with the new cat (and vice versa) so they can learn each other’s scents.

After a week or so, open the bedroom door and allow the new cat to explore the rest of the house when other pets aren’t around. Gradually introduce the pets during supervised sessions, and allow the new cat to retreat to its own room when needed.

With a little patience, you can help a stray cat transition to indoor living so it can feel the kindness and love that comes with being part of your family.