Tasha and Others

Percy, an Indoor-Outdoor Cat

If you have a cat, you will probably hear a lot of different ideas about whether he should be an indoor-only cat, an indoor-outdoor cat, or an outdoor-only cat. An “indoor cat” is one that is kept strictly inside the house at all times. An “indoor-outdoor cat” is a cat that lives inside, but that is let out depending on the whims of the cat and the owner. An “outdoor-only cat” is one that is left outside of the house all of the time. (A purely outdoor cat might be a “feral” or wild cat, but for purposes of this discussion, the cats are domesticated pets.) There are many differing opinions, so I thought I’d interview a few people who own cats. Here’s what I heard on the subject:

LLB: “If there’s distance from the street and no predators about (like raccoons or coyotes), I’d say outdoors is fine for cats–as long as they come in at night! However, there are a lot of cats that do their share of killing birds. Even if they live partly on store-bought food and partly on mole or mice entrails, once they get a taste of Tweetie, the party’s over. These days I’m much more partial to indoor-only cats. I wouldn’t turn my cat loose outside, despite the fact that there is wonderful flora and fauna; there are just too many predators lurking out there.”

EW: “My cat likes to go outside to roam the neighborhood, hunt, eat grass, and observe activity. I think he also likes to experience the weather, even when it’s wet, cold, or snowy. The downside is that he can get fleas and tapeworm, and get dirty from the streets. He has also had a few run-ins with other cats. He brings in birds, chipmunks, and mice, both dead and alive. The upside is that he gets more active play time outside, and I feel like he’s less bored than if he were totally confined to the indoors. I would like to keep him as an indoor cat, except that he’s expressed so much interest in going out that I finally gave in. Now he has me trained to let him in and out whenever he pleases. A kitty door would help, although it would allow the transport of hunted animals into the house. I think you have to consider the personality of your cat, your neighborhood, and your tolerance for dealing with the hazards of an outdoor life.”

SLB: “I don’t let my cats outdoors because there are too many dangers, more so for cats than for dogs. There has also been a greater increase in dogs attacking cats. They might be harder to catch, but once caught, they are easier for people to abuse than dogs. Cats are also easier prey. They are more easily hit by cars because they’re not seen by the driver and are more likely to think they can “sneak” across the road. A lot of diseases and illnesses cats can get are from attacking and/or eating smaller animals like mice and birds, or just from other cats. My cats’ vets have been less pushy about vaccinations when they know they are strictly indoor cats.”

PKA: “I’m a cat owner who lets my cats in and out. But I don’t think the question is so much about cats as it is about humans. It’s unfair and unnatural for cats to be indoors for their entire lives. I realize the arguments are for the cat’s health and safety, but for many cats it would be a life of imprisonment. Humans want to keep their animals safe and long-lived for themselves as much as their pets. I’m sad when my cats kill birds and I would be really sad if they were hit by a car, nabbed by a coyote, or got some weird disease from outside. But that’s the circle of life and that’s the way life should evolve. I don’t want to live in a sterile, false, protected environment and I really don’t think they would either.”

SB: “I believe that all vets now recommend that cats be kept indoors. Owners who feel that their cats are missing out in not being in a more natural environment outside, among the trees and on the grass, are taking a big chance exposing them to the dangers that lurk, particularly cars and coyotes. We lost many cats this way when they were indoor-outdoor cats, until we finally made our last few cats indoor-only cats. When they looked out the window, it was as if they were looking at a television, as they had no experience with what it represented.”

SD: “Indoor cats are physcialy and emotionally hindered in respect to movement. They tend to be obese, and their skin, coat, and spirit are not that of an outdoor cat. Their sprit is even worse if they are declawed. Even though an indoor cat can live twice as long, what’s life if you can’t live it to the fullest?”

LJB: “There is no contest. Cats live longer, and are ultimately happier and certainly healthier living indoors. There are predators everywhere, bad kids who like to torture cats, coyotes, cars. Not to mention diseases, injuries, and fleas. When a cat lives as an indoor-outdoor cat, the family cannot keep track of him. Also, if the cats are fond of the family, they will bring home presents. Not Godiva® chocolates, but mice, rats, and lizards. Of course cats would like to go out, and many people think it is cruel to keep them indoors. Ours look out the window longingly and have learned the “stalk the bird” pose–ears up, body low to the ground in the attack position. It comes naturally, even when they are indoors.

JD: “Our cats are strictly outdoor cats because I’m allergic to them. They have a nice cozy shed behind our house, and we feed our cats regularly, but we don’t usually let them inside.”

EA: “Our responsibility is to keep cats safe indoors. Cats have more fun outside, but at some point it’s not worth the real risks and dangers of having cats die. It’s irresponsible to let cats go outside because of the dangers of other cats and predators. If you adopt a cat that has already been outside, it takes awhile for the cat to get used to being an indoor-only cat, but eventually they do get adjusted, especially if you create interesting environments for them indoors. You can even put a tree in your house! The key thing of an indoor cat is to never, ever let him out. Cats don’t always get along with each other, but it makes a huge difference for them to  have another cat to curl up with inside.”

In conclusion, it seems like the vote is almost 50-50. What do I think? Like this article, my feelings are split. On the one hand, I love to see cats play in trees and crouch in the grass. On the other hand, I’ve had at least three cats die from roaming around outside. Cats do love the outdoors, but humane associations agree that an indoor life is far healthier for them–they’re safe from outdoor hazards, and their people tend to pay closer attention to them and notice signs of health problems earlier. An indoor-only cat lives an average of 10 to 14 years, whereas a cat who’s allowed to roam is likely to survive just 2 to 5 years. But what is life without adventure? It’s hard to weigh that against cats having a safe and healthy environment.