5 tips for keeping your cat happy indoors – and why it’s important

Did you know, RSPCA research shows that house cats lead longer, healthier lives than cats allowed to roam, which are prone to injuries, illness or early death from fights, disease and road accidents.

Cats that roam are at risk of being exposed to life-threatening infectious diseases such as FIV, Feline Panleukopaenia, Feline Calicivirus, Feline Herpesvirus and Ringworm.

And we all know about the impacts they can have on wildlife, like hunting and injuring native birds, mammals and reptiles.

Cats quickly adapt to being kept indoors or within a garden. The key to a happy cat is to make their indoor lives as enriching and intriguing as the outdoors.

Here are 5 practical tips to ensure your cat is kept safe from injury and disease and loving the indoor lifestyle:

1. Give them something to climb. Cats love high places – they like to play vertically and it gives them a sense of security. Provide a tower or platform so they can climb until their heart’s content, and place it near a window so they can see what’s happening outside.
2. Bring the outdoors in. Fill your home with cat-safe plants to nibble on or wood where they can scratch their claws.
3. Play with them every day. Play encourages your cat to be active, helps maintain a healthy body weight and keeps muscles toned and strong.
4. Provide them with toys for when you’re away. Toys don’t need to be expensive, try a paper ball or box, or something you’ve made. This will keep them busy while you’re home and when you’re away.
5. Consider an outdoor cat enclosure. Either make it yourself or have a professional install one. It can be as fancy as a ‘catio’ (a cat’s patio!) or as simple as a screened porch.

Here’s why it’s important, and some other ideas you can try:

Did you know?

Microchipping your cat and registering it on Dogs and Cats Online has been required for all cat owners since 2018. The Dogs and Cats Online portal is how councils, vets, and shelters help reunite lost pets with their families. While some council’s charge cat registration fees, most don’t.

Learn more about how Dogs and Cats Online is used to reunite families at‘Your guide to South Australia’s new pet information database’.