The Inside Story

By Gina Parsons

Yes, Your Indoor Cat Can Lead a Happy, Fulfilled Life
Your arms are filled with grocery bags as you open the front door. You've only taken one step inside when, launched like a mouse-seeking missile, your cat attempts to bolt through the open door. You react quickly by blocking her with your leg, stepping inside, and closing the door. Foiled again, she looks at the closed door and then up at you with those clear green eyes and gives a plaintive cry. Her desire to go outside is clear, and you feel guilty for denying her request.

Cats that have had a taste of the outdoors may hanker after the chance to bask in the sunshine, chase rabbits, eat grass, and climb trees. Even cats that have spent their lives inside may want to satisfy their curiosity with an outdoor adventure. But the outside world is plagued by deadly dangers. Contagious diseases such as feline leukemia and feline immune deficiency syndrome afflict outdoor cats with greater frequency. Rural communities provide cats no greater safety from cars. And then there is the danger of attacks from other animals or people.

"Cats that die outside are not dying in good ways. They are getting sick, being killed by other animals, and getting hit by cars," says Carter Luke, Vice-President, of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals/American Humane Education Society (MSPCA/AHES).

Outdoor cats usually die between the ages of 2 and 5 years of age, depending on gender and on whether they have been sterilized, says Luke. (Unspayed females die the earliest, following by intact males.) But a cat that lives exclusively indoors can expect to live 12.5 years on average, and many make it into the mid to late teens. Why, then, are so many owners willing to let their cats roam outside? In their minds an indoor cat is missing an essential part of life. But, say experts, with a little effort you can provide your cat with everything it needs to be both safe and happy indoors.

Anitra Frazier, cat behaviourist and author of The New Natural Cat, says, "What I believe works best is to use the 'sun through the screen method.' Take the components of nature and bring them indoors," In other words recreate the experiences an outdoor cat enjoys for your indoor cat. This may be as simple as providing access to a window, taking time out for play, or replacing a carpet-covered scratching post with a natural log.

Amy Marder, a veterinarian and animal-behaviour consultant for the MSPCA, stresses the need to keep things interesting: "What cats do outside is entertaining and exciting, and then they live in this boring house and never have the chance to act like a cat." Give your indoor cat things to play with to make the house exciting. Pulling or waving a toy on a string, for instance, can be a great outlet for those hunting and stalking instincts.

"Each cat is going to find his or her own favourite toys," says Adrienne Byers, adoption director at the Animal Protective Association of Missouri in St Louis. Offer a variety of toys and items to see what he enjoys playing with. Byers, who describes her own household as "multicat," adds, "I spent a lot of money on cat toys, but often they like simple things, milk caps and open paper bags." Variety is also very important when playing with your cat. The goal is to challenge and invigorate the cat's mind while giving her the physical exercise needed. To keep the cat's interest, don't put all the toys out at once. Rotate the toys to provide constant change.

Remember, too, that cats view their surroundings differently than we do. "Cats exercise both vertically and horizontally. Multiply a space by 20 and then you can see what the cat sees," Frazier says. Give your cat the space it craves by providing cat trees, shelves, or elevated perches.

A scratching post, the taller the better, will allow your cat to exercise vertically and scratch his claws. A large scratching post made out of a rough surface such as sisal, provides an excellent material to satisfy this need. Or you can even provide your cat with his own "tree” by placing two or three logs in a log holder. The most important consideration is stability. Cats like stretching up on their back legs and digging in with their front claws. If the post moves or tips over, the cat may become afraid and refuse to use it.

Another element essential for the happy indoor cat is a comfortable place to look outside. Cats love to sit in the sun and watch their neighbourhood. Experimenting with the furniture arrangement is another way to give your cat a room with a view. All it may take is moving a big fluffy chair or sofa closer to the window to allow the cat to sit on the back and look out. Spice up the scene by placing a bird feeder outside the window. Your efforts will be rewarded by the sight of your cat sitting poised on the back of a chair, eyes alert.

If resources allow, you can give your cat a mini-park by building an outdoor enclosure. At a former residence, Chicago cat lovers Diana and Eric Weaver attached soft wire screening onto an existing cement barrier on their patio and then placed indoor/outdoor carpeting on the floor; their cats had their own sanctuary. "They loved it!" Diane Weaver says. "They got to see everything."

Leash-training may allow your cat to safely experience the great outdoors. Buy a well-fitting harness, since this is far safer than a collar for walking your cat. Let the cat become accustomed to wearing the harness and leash inside before venturing out.

Many cats, however, may not enjoy being taken outside on a leash. "Most cats would rather stay in their own territories," says Frazier. "I once took a cat I leash-trained to the park, and he was terrified." Not letting a cat out when it is a kitten is one of the best ways to keep it from wanting to go outside. "I don't think a cat that has been a 100 percent indoor cat needs to be taken out on a leash," adds Marder. But if the cat has been an outdoor cat, supervised leash walks may make the transition easier. And contrary to what some believe, outdoor cats can adjust well to indoor life. Owners will have to outsmart their cats, however, and resist those plaintive cries during the transition. If they give in, they are allowing their cats to train them instead of vice versa.

"Realize that you and the cat are going to be uncomfortable for a few days," says Carin Smith, veterinarian and author of 101 Training Tips for Your Cat. She believes that preparation is essential when you are switching a cat from an outdoor lifestyle to one exclusively indoors. Your home should be made as stimulating as possible before the cat is permanently confirmed. Consistency is also important. Once the cat has become an indoor pet, she should not be allowed out. "If you make exceptions and let the cat out every once in a while, you are only going to prolong the misery," says Smith.

Instead, bring a bit of the outside in. Grass that is growing has a sweet taste cats love. Kits for growing kitty grass can be grown regardless of your thumb color. With water and a sunny place, tall grass grows within days. A large pot will prevent the cat from knocking it around and allow more than one cat to nibble at the same time.

Another cat, by the way, may be just what your lonely guy needs to keep things interesting. Cats are not the antisocial animals they were once thought to be, although the decision to adopt a second cat should be based on what is best for each cat and situation. "A single cat can be fine provided it has lots of things to do and plenty of interaction with humans," says Smith. "A cat that is by itself without any stimulation for 12 hours a day is not going to be very happy."

Spaying or neutering is as essential for indoor cats as it is for cats about town. The life of an unaltered cat is consumed by the urge to reproduce. "Having your cat spayed or neutered is the number one most important factor in keeping your cat contented," Smith says. "A cat that is not neutered wants to mate. If you aren't going to allow that, the cat will be frustrated."

Keeping your cat indoors will give you an opportunity to share more quality time with your cat and appreciate the characteristics that make your pet unique. You'll not only keep your cat safer from disease and injury; you’ll pick up on any symptoms of illness quicker. But most rewarding is the knowledge that you are in control of your feline family member's environment.

Gina Parsons is a writer based in St. Peters, Missouri