Your cat can be happy and fulfilled at home, where they are safe, without the need to roam. If you put some thought into their home environment, your cat’s natural behavioural needs can be met and you’ll likely share a longer, healthier, closer relationship with your furry friend.

Roaming is risky

Why keep your cat at home? Because out in the world unsupervised, your cat faces many dangers such as busy roads, aggressive animals, disease, and toxic environments (think compost, lead paint, and plants such as lilies that are poisonous to cats). And, yes, we should protect the wildlife that become your cat’s prey as well.

I keep my cat indoors only at night

It’s a good start, but the risks don’t change. In fact, daytime is likely to be more dangerous with traffic, dogs, and more people around.

Native animals that are active in the daytime are also vulnerable to roaming, hunting cats.

The cruisy, Blue-tongued Lizard that lives under your backdoor step doesn’t stand a chance if there are cats wandering around.

10 excellent cat parent reasons to keep your furry friend at home

They can’t be hit by a car or get injured.
You know where they’ve been.
You know exactly what they’ve come into contact with.
You know what they’ve sniffed and eaten.
You are more aware of their toileting habits.
They can’t fight with other animals.
They can’t hunt vulnerable wildlife and birds.
They can’t catch diseases.
They are less likely to gift you with expensive vet bills for ailments and injuries acquired while roaming in unknown places.
They are more likely to share a longer, happier, closer life with you.

How do I transition my cat from roaming to staying home?

Find some middle ground. Don’t suddenly lock your roaming cat indoors with no outside area. Decide how you are going to contain your cat on your property, most likely with an outdoor enclosure.

Amp up the indoor enrichment activities and ‘catify’ your house. Build structures for climbing, balancing and perching. Find a variety of good toys for hide n’ chase games. Tailor it to your cat’s personal preferences.

Establish a daily routine so your cat learns what to expect. Contrary to popular belief, cats don’t mind some predictability in their lives.

If you are taking away your cat’s freedom to roam, it needs to be replaced with some structure at home to ensure your cat knows what’s coming and gets everything they need to be happy.

Enrich your cat’s home life

It’s true. Fulfilling natural cat behaviours at home is more effort for you compared to just opening the door and letting them out to do whatever they do. But it’s worth the effort to know your cat is safe and well and will live a long life.

Here are some ways to enrich your cat’s life at home.

Mimic the hunt

Cats were born to chase, catch and kill things. Simulate these actions in games.

Shake a fidget toy high in the air, land it on the floor, then drag it under the rug, wriggling it – like prey would do. Feathers and ribbons make great chasey toys.

Experiment and you’ll find your cat much prefers a twirling ribbon disappearing under a blanket than dangled in front of their face.

Use toys to imitate the chase

Alternate from barely moving to high-speed
Move it away from your cat, zigzagging left to right
Hide it under something
Excite them with rustling or crunching sounds
Hold the toy at least a metre away from their face
Make your cat wait
Mix it up, be playful and have fun!

Image: Cat playing with a toy. Deposit Photos.

DIY toy ideas

Tie feathers, ribbon or floaty, colourful items onto string and attach to a stick to wave. It’s a bird!
Tie a small wad of wool to a string and drag it across the floor. It’s a mouse.
Attach short strips of cardboard or cork to a piece of wire and jiggle it. It’s a bug.
Drag a piece of frayed rope around the room. It’s a snake.

Toys with strings or wire should be stored safely after playtime.

Laser lights are not suitable toys on their own (your cat can’t physically catch it so will get frustrated). Lasers are ok to use if followed by playtime with a real toy they can physically catch and bite into.

The reward after the hunt

You’ve played a few energetic rounds of catch the prey. Now it’s time to feed.

Play just before a scheduled meal time, then serve up their food. They will feel a fulfillment similar to when eating prey.

Then they might have a grooming session and a nap. Your cat has had it’s explosive exercise chasing prey, ‘killed’ it, eaten it, and now it’s time to rest for the next session.

This cycle is primarily all a cat needs to be happy.

Food games

Instead of putting treats in a bowl, toss a few down the hallway so your cat can chase them before eating them.

You can also try a puzzle feeder. Some cats enjoy the challenge before they eat. Others do not.

Climbing and perching

Scrambling and adventuring are important to a cat. Have a few obstacle courses and cat trees strategically placed around the house. Think about different types of surfaces to explore – carpet, cardboard, wood. Put them where they like to hang out – near the family, not hidden away.

Have a few spots around the house where your cat can perch up high and watch the world go by.

Watching prey

Cats like to watch closely before they pounce. Bird watching can be very stimulating without the need for dead prey. Sprinkle bird food outside a window where your cat is safely watching. They’ll be excited just watching the birds.

Cat TV is a thing! Try a show made just for cats, starring close-up footage of mice, moths, birds and other tantalising small creatures. Your cat will love it.

Cats can be happy outdoors at home

In a purpose-built enclosure, your cat can still enjoy the sights and smells of nature and get fresh air, but you know where they are. You have peace of mind knowing your cat is safe while protecting birds and wildlife. Install an enclosure on your patio, off an external door or window, or as a freestanding structure in the yard. Jump online and look up Catio, cat enclosure or cat run – there are plenty of options to suit your house and yard. Netting is also an option in suitable spaces.

If you are not comfortable with keeping your cat in an enclosure, consider installing attachments to the top of your fence that will stop them from jumping over and heading off into the unknown.

Image: Cat in a Catio enclosure. catiospaces.com

How much exercise does a cat really need?

Cats have evolved to move in short, explosive bursts (the hunt!) followed by rest. Dedicated playtime that simulates chasing and hunting, just a few times a day, is enough exercise for most cats.

Vets see many unwell cats that have been roaming

The majority of cats that come into Ringwood Vet Clinic (about 70%) are allowed to roam, and suffer from ailments and injuries of unknown origins.

Owners don’t know where their cats have been or what they’ve been doing. It’s hard for vet staff to manage health problems when a patient’s history is unknown.

Cats are equally as valuable as dogs

Right? Cats are incredibly important to their owners. There are many warm, furry reasons why we have them as pets. We don't want to risk their injury or death by letting them roam in unknown places, just as we don’t let our dogs roam.

It's worth taking the time to rejig your home environment to accommodate a fulltime, stay-at-home, happy cat. You can be in control of your cat’s safety and wellbeing.

Cats at home vs allowed to roam