.jpg)
Photo by Lisa Huber
Want to ensure that your kitty lives a long and happy life? Make him or her an indoor cat.
Indoor cats live on average 12 to 17 years. The lifespan of an outdoor cat is only about three years according to The Everything Cat Book by Karen Leigh Davis.
Even though your instinct may be to want to let your cat roam your neighborhood, there are many dangers for outdoor cats.
The Humane Society of the United States lists the following common perils for outdoor cats in this article on their Web site:
- 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
As the Humane Society's article states, your cat can have plenty of fun indoors. Make sure your kitty has a wide selection of toys. Play with him or her with string or a cat dancer. If you have one cat, if your kitty is amenable, you can get another cat to be his or her friend. Many cats are somewhat social and like having a companion. Two cats can play together and get good exercise by chasing each other around the house.
Cats love to sleep and by keeping your cat indoors, they will have plenty of safe places to catnap. You can purchase beds for your cats at the pet store, or create comfy places for your kitty to sleep with old blankets and quilts.
Indoor cats can spend hours enjoying outside by looking out the window. Be sure there are at least a few windows in your home that your cat can perch near and watch the world go by.
If you are worried that keeping your cat indoors will encourage them to sharpen their claws on your furniture, get them a scratching post. If your cat is reluctant to use the scratching post, try sprinkling some catnip on it. If your cat still persists in scratching your furniture, there are products such as Feliaway that you can apply to your furniture to discourage scratching. You can also trim your cat's claws to protect your furniture.
Some cat owners don't want to keep their cats inside because of litter box odors. If cat owners are vigilant about scooping the litter box every day and changing out the litter weekly, odor should not be a problem. Try keeping the litter box in an out of the way place such as the basement where you won't notice the smell as much. Your cat will thank you for keeping their litter box clean.
Lastly, a cat's favorite place is usually their owner's lap. Enjoy a cozy night indoors during the coming winter months with your kitty. One of the best things about cold winter mornings is waking up with a warm cat curled at your feet. Think about how much happier your kitty will be safe and warm indoors with you!
Comments