Stressed and depressed cats may develop behavioral issues like litter box issues, destructive scratching, fighting with other family pets, or even aggression toward humans.Īlso Read: 5 Visual Signs of a Stressed Cat and How to Help Pros Of Letting Cats OutsideĬats that go outside enjoy the freedom to express natural behaviors. Inactivity and overeating lead to weight gain, which can contribute to health problems like diabetes and arthritis. This can cause cats to become bored, stressed, and depressed.Īlso Read: What To Do If Your Indoor Cat Gets Outsideīored cats often lie around much of the day, and the most exciting thing to do is visit the food bowl over and over for a snack. The biggest issues for indoor-only cats are lack of mental stimulation, lack of exercise, and the inability to express the natural behaviors that make a cat a cat. Behavior problems (urine marking, little box avoidance, destructive scratching).Inability to express natural behaviors like hunting, climbing, scratching.Exposure to bad weather and temperature extremes (heat stroke and hypothermia)Ĭats that go outdoors naturally get more exercise as they explore.Īfter reading that long list of potential outdoor dangers, it may seem like a no-brainer to keep your cat strictly indoors so you can keep her safe.īut a life entirely inside can bring hardships to cats, including the following:.Infectious disease from other cats or wildlife, including feline leukemia virus (FeLV), feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), feline distemper, feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and rabies.Parasites like fleas, ticks, and intestinal parasites.Injuries (falls, eye injuries, torn nails, etc.).Being harassed or abused by humans or other animals.Poisoning (slug and snail bait, rodenticides, herbicides, fertilizer, antifreeze, and other poisons).Predators/wild animals (coyotes, wolves, hawks, owls, and other dangerous wildlife).Some common hazards for outdoor cats include: Outdoor cats even have a shorter lifespan than their indoor-only counterparts. The outside world poses many dangers to cats, whether related to human activity, other animals, or the environment. Let’s examine the pros and cons of letting your cat outside. Staying inside may help to keep cats safe, but an indoor-only lifestyle has some downsides. Many experts recommend keeping cats indoors to protect them from the dangers of the outdoors.
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