What is Better: Indoor Only Cat or Outdoor Only Cat? Or both?
Today’s big question is: Should one keep a cat inside or also let it outdoors?
To answer this question you first have to ask yourself a few questions. These are:
- Do I live somewhere safe where my cat can run around safely without being startled by a loud noise, chased by a dog or crushed by a car? Does my cat WANT to go out?
- Does she love to hunt and climb trees?
- Or is she sleeping all day long on the couch?
- Is she bored indoors all the time? Did she ever go out before on her own?
- Do I have a nice safe garden in which she could play and round around in?
- Can I make sure that she won’t run away if I let her out?
- Will I be there to make sure she can get indoors again?
If you live in the middle of a city it may be unwise to let your cat run around outside between the many people, the sounds, the cars and the traffic. A noise might startle her and she might run into the road and get killed. Or perhaps a dog will see her and chase her and maybe bight her. What will happen if she gets lost or runs away scared from the noise and strange smells?
Some people take their cats on walks even if they do live in a city.
They simply tye a leash to the cat’s neck and dragg her along behind them.
However, I do not think that your cat would appreciate it very much if you would walk her people do their dogs.
Here are a few reasons why cats don’t tend to like leashes:
- They feel caught and trapped by being tied up to you, since if there is any danger such as a passing dog, they won’t be able to jump up a tree to hide, but will have to scramble up you instead (which won’t be very pleasant for you or your cat!).
- Cat’s HATE things tied around their bodies, or necks. Unless you got your cat used to it from a very young age, most cats will never get used to being walked on a leash
- CATS ARE NOT DOGS! Cats like to have their own way in life, and the same goes in walks.
- Loud noises scare cats and if you live in a loud noisy city, then walking your cat outside in the midst of the honking and beeping might really scare the life and death out of your cat!
- Cats like to run around outdoors – but not in the streets. They like the parks, the bushes, the trees and the quiet places. If you do not live by a park or do not have a nice bushy garden in your backyard then you should consider other alternatives….
- Cats love to run, run, run! On a leash however, they cannot run, run, run unless you feel like racing after your cat into all kinds of nooks and corners, while bumping into any passerbys with your cat racing between their feet!
So what to do if you live in a city apartment and still want your cat to have fun running around and chasing things?
Here are some tips how to keep indoor only cats entertained, happy and sporty!
- Make sure that your cat has lots of cat toys to chase around after and gnaw at.
- Get your cat a high cat scratching tree, which she can climb up and down and jump from perch to perch.
- Tye a string to one of your cat’s favorite mice, treats or toys and pull it across the floor, having your cat chase after it.
- If your cat is a lonely cat, you might want to consider adopting another cat as a play mate for yours. Cats often get lonely if you are away a lot so another cat would keep your cat company.
- Have your cat run around the apartment after a remote controlled cat mouse toy.
- Put a warm, comfy cat bed on the window sill for your cat to be able to see the outside world.
- Try taking your cat for walks in a pet cat stroller.
Have a purrrrfect day!
CatsCamille
