Ever wonder what goes on behind closed doors? Healthy, safe cats live out their entire lives, for one thing. If you want your cat to live to a ripe old age, the best thing you can do for her is keep her inside. Allowing your cat to wander around on her own, without your supervision, makes her susceptible to any of the following life-shortening—and often painful—tragedies:

• Being hit by a car
• Ingesting a deadly poison like antifreeze or a pesticide
• Being trapped by an unhappy neighbor
• Being attacked by a roaming dog, cat, or wild animal
• Contracting a disease from another animal
• Becoming lost and unable to find her way home
• Being stolen
• Encountering an adult or child with cruel intentions

Some people believe there are good reasons to allow their cat to be outdoors without their supervision, so we've included a number of these objections along with our comments and suggestions.

"But I have a six-foot fence."

Unless you have special fencing that's designed to prevent a cat from climbing out, your cat will be able to scale your fence and escape the confines of your yard. If you do have special fencing, make sure that it can keep other cats or animals from getting into your yard to injure your cat. Some companies manufacturer ready-made cat fences and backyard enclosures.

"But my last cat went outdoors and he loved it."

Your cat may enjoy being outdoors, but by allowing him to go outside unsupervised, you're putting him at risk for a shortened life span. The expected lifespan of an indoor-outdoor cat will depend on several factors, including the type of neighborhood you live in and sheer luck. But, on average, cats who are allowed to roam outdoors often don't live to see age five. Cats who are always kept safely confined can live to be 18 to 20 years old.

"But my cat's litter box smells."

Scoop your cat's litter box on a daily basis. How often you actually replace (change) the litter depends on the number of cats in your home, the number of litter boxes, and the type of litter you use. Twice a week is a general guideline for clay litter, but depending on the circumstances, you may need to change it every other day or once a week. Wash the litter box with soap and water every time you change the litter; the use of strong-smelling chemicals and cleansers may cause your cat to avoid the box.

Up
Aggression Between Family Cats
Aggression Towards People
Caring for Your Cat
Cat Toys You Need Them
Common Cat Hazards
Common Poisonous Plants
Declawing Cats
Destructive Scratching
Discouraging Free-Roaming Cats
Eating Strange Objects (Such as Feces)
Fearful Cats
Introducing Pets to a New Cat
Kitten Behavior Basics
Kitten's Rough Play
Noisy Cats
Training Your Cat with Treats and Praise
Preventing Litter Box Problems
Removing Pet Stains and Odors
Solving Litter Box Problems
Urine-Marking Behavior
Using Aversives to Modify Your Cat's Behavior
Your Cat—Indoors or Out