Why I Changed My Mind About Indoor Cats vs Outdoor Cats

I used to think an outdoor cat was a happier cat. This was what I grew up believing. We always had family cats and there was never any question of them ever being kept indoors.

That was my default belief for years. Cats belonged outdoors, they should be running through tall grass, rustling through through hedges, balancing along fences, sleeping in sunny spots in gardens, then arriving home as if they owned the whole street. Keeping a cat indoors felt cruel, almost like denying them a part of their nature.

I do not think that anymore.

My view changed instantly. It changed after the pain my then ten year old daughter went through, as well as the rest of us when our beautiful, not even one year old cat was killed right outside our home by a car. We don't live on a particularly busy street, we live on a quiet residential road that's not used for through traffic, just residents. We even have a 14 year old cat who has always gone outside and she has been absolutely fine. Grinch was the best cat we had ever owned, his bond with my daughter was unlike any bond I'd ever seen before. They were inseperable. He was only young. We had done all thr right things, kept him inside until he was vaccinated, until he had been neutered and until he was big enough. Even then he only ventured into the garden and he always came in at night. Except this one night he didn't, and the next day was the day we walked outside at 7.30am, and he was there lying lifeless on the side of the road. That's the day my view changed. That's the day it became normal to us to keep our cats indoors.

Now, if I had to choose, I would keep a cat safely indoors with safe access to the outside when possible. But indoor life should never mean bored or forgotten. Cats need places to hide, things to climb, toys to chase and plenty of love and interaction from both humans and cat companions, where appropriate. Keeping a cat indoors should mean giving them more to enjoy, not less.

Two of our cats enjoying their catio!

Plenty of outdoor cats live long, contented lives. I still know cats who seem to handle the outdoor world with confidence and luck, like our Lola. She has always gone outside, and so at the age of 14 it would of been incredibly cruel to stop her doing what she has always done. But now, any new cats of ours are indoor cats. Even with six enormous litter trays, the expense of buying the litter and the constant cleaning, not to mention the scratched wallpaper and sofas and the hair everywhere. It's still not enough to make me want to let my precious feline family roam the streets.

You see, even a quiet road is still a road. Even a friendly neighbourhood can hide dangers you do not see until something goes wrong. The roads are much busier now, the cars and bikes travel at dangerous speeds, even on residential roads. Everyone is in such a hurry constantly, they don't take their time driving past alleyways or park cars in case a cat runs out. Letting a cat roam freely means accepting risks that the cat cannot truly understand.

After having indoor cats now for a few years, its amazed me how much more you notice about them, their individual personaliiites, how they are all completely different. I used to think cats are just cats, I mean don't get me wrong I've always loved them but they always just seemed like cats, they went out side, came back for food, slept a bit then went back outside. Now, I see every aspect of my cats, I see exactly what they're eating, or not eating (if they feel a bit unwell), I see their toilets so I can spot any health issues, I see their behaviours with other cats so I can step in if there's any stress or conflict. I can ensure they get space to sleep in peace, without hidden dangers, I can spend more time with them, play with them and enjoy the way they play and interact with all of us and each other. They are much more a part of our everyday life. I am confident that not only are they more fulfilled with life and stress free but we are more fulfilled as we are more involved with them.

Outside, there may be a bully cat next door. There may be a dog that barks and chases them through a fence. There may be building work, fireworks, new cats, foxes, or a neighbour who keeps shooing them away. Cats are territorial, and roaming can mean constant conflict. When a cat goes outside, we are unaware of any of this and how much it affects them.

The best option, when possible, is indoor living with safe outdoor access. That might mean a catio, a secure garden, supervised time outside, or even harness training for the right cat.

Our catio, by no means perfect, but does the job!

Not every cat will wear a harness. Not every home can have a catio. Not every rented property allows changes. Still, the principle matters - fresh air and stimulation do not have to mean free roaming.

Ferry was harness trained as a kitten.

A safe outdoor space can give a cat:

• sun and shade

• new smells

• bird-watching without hunting

• grass to sniff or nibble

• climbing shelves or logs

• the feeling of being outside without the same level of danger

  
  

For some cats, even an open window with a secure screen can be a big improvement. They can smell rain, hear birds, and watch the world outside without disappearing into it.

Of course, there are exceptions to the rule, but if someone asked me what I would choose from the start, with a kitten or newly adopted cat, I would choose indoor life and build safe outdoor access around it.

The domestic life of a cat is already shaped by human choices. We choose when/if our cats are neutered, we choose what they eat, where they sleep, which vet treats them, and what dangers they encounter.

A cat’s instincts matter deeply. They should shape the home we make for them. But instincts do not require us to expose them to every danger outside the door, just because 'it's nature'. We have already domesticated cats and removed them from nature to exist in our homes.

Our aim should be to meet their needs without pretending cars and poison and territorial fights are part of some wonderful wilderness that they must encounter to lead a fulfilled life.

Keeping a cat indoors is hard work, it takes time, dedication and lots and lots of patience as well as sacrifice. It's certainly not the easy option, but it's the option our cats deserve, we don't let dogs roam free on the streets to face danger alone, so why do we allow our cats to do it.

Most people love their cats. Most are doing what seems right based on their home, their cat’s personality, their local area, and what they grew up seeing.

My old opinion was that outdoor access made cats happier by default. My new opinion is that safety should come first, and enrichment should be our responsibility.

Our very full cat tree!

So that's why, I am the proud owner of six cats, one catio, a very large tatty cat tree, several giant litter trays, a huge collection of cat toys and wands of all colours and sizes which lie around every floor of every room in my house as well as tatty furntiture with a multitude of rips and scratches. I have cat fur in places in my house I probably don't even realise and you know what ..... I wouldn't have it any other way .... well maybe I wouldn't turn my nose up at a cleaner!

However, my point is not to win an argument, my point is to give my cat family a loving, safe, full, and interesting life for as long as possible.