Ideally all cats would be allowed access to the outdoors to express their natural
behaviour. However some cats need to be confined to the indoors. The decision on
whether to keep your cat inside should be assessed on your cat's personality,
health, previous experience, home, local outside environment and your own
preferences. If kept solely indoors, your cat should be provided with ways to
exhibit its natural behaviours to ensure its welfare, reduce dependency on you and
avoid undesirable behavioural issues. Here's how.
One: keep them occupied.
It's important to allow your cat opportunities to exhibit their natural
hunting behaviour, as it keeps them mentally stimulated and releases feel-
good hormones called endorphins. Without this, your cat may suffer from behavioural
issues such as aggression, scratching, spraying, overgrooming, house soiling and
depression. Their hunting behaviour can often be triggered by toys which move
and attract their attention such as fishing rod toys.
Depending on the age and mobility of your cat, it's best to play with them for
one to two minutes, five to 10 times per day. You can also keep your cat amused with
other toys, climbing towers or activity centres and create interest at mealtimes
by hiding biscuits in puzzle balls or enrichment toys, to give part or all of
their daily ration. However it is best to introduce these gradually to ensure
they have enough to eat and don't become frustrated. And swap them regularly to
keep things interesting.
Two: safe places. Without access to the outdoors, your cat
is unable to escape some of the disruptions that can occur in the home,
such as building work, visitors or other pets. This can create stress, so it is
important to always provide your cat with easily accessible places to hide,
which will help to make them feel safe and secure. A hiding place can be
something as simple as a cardboard box with large holes for access and a
blanket. Alternatively you could offer space under a bed or in a wardrobe with
the door left ajar, remembering your cat should not be disturbed while it is
hiding. Cats feel safer if they can view their surroundings from a height.
Providing extra vertical spaces they can use increases their territory and helps
them feel secure. This is a common coping mechanism for cats that feel anxious or
fearful. These can also double up as sleeping places. On average, cats spend
about 16 hours intermittently sleeping throughout the day and will prefer warm,
comfortable and safe places to rest.
Three: feeding. Cats like to eat and drink away
from their litter tray as it's more hygienic. However many people don't
realise that cats also like to have each of their food and water bowls in
separate places too. This stems back to the cat's evolutionary past when they would
eat in a different area to avoid contaminating their drinking source with
the remains of their prey. Eating and drinking can be vulnerable activities
for your cat, so try placing bowls slightly away from
the wall where they can sit facing their surroundings.
Four: indoor risks.
It's important to remember to keep cupboards, washing machines, tumble dryers and
toilet lids closed to avoid any risk of injury or drowning. Cats are very
susceptible to poisoning and a number of household items, including some plants
and flowers such as lilies, are toxic and should be kept safely away or out of the
house. Any potential escape routes should be
fenced over with a strong wire mesh or screen or simply kept closed. It is
recommended that you microchip your cat, even if they live indoors, to increase
the chance of them being reunited with you if they escape and go missing. They
should also be vaccinated and neutered.