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Cats should be kept inside the house or confined in the backyard.
As long as their basic needs are being met, cats can live just as happily in confinement as when allowed to roam free.
Research shows a cat that is allowed to roam free may have a shorter life span than a cat that is confined to its property.
Cats that are allowed to roam free can have a large impact on our native wildlife. Cats are opportunistic hunters, stalking and preying on many species of native wildlife and other small animals.
Disadvantages of free-roaming cats
Free-roaming cats are more likely to:
- Contract disease from other animals
- Be injured by vehicles
- Be injured by other cats fighting for territory
- Be attacked by dogs
- Become a victim of animal cruelty
- Be exposed to parasites, disease and poisons
- Have a negative impact on our neighbours (e.g. digging in the garden/pot plants, scratching vehicles, being noisy during night-time territorial cat fights, contributing to nuisance dog barking, or the simple fact that our neighbours may not want a cat entering their property. Certain behaviours may result in legal action being taken against the cat owner.)
How to confine your cat
If your cat has never been contained inside the house, bring him/her inside at short intervals during a quiet period when few household members are around. Provide some treats or food as a reward. Gradually increase the amount of time that the cat stays inside until they adjust to the new surroundings.
The following suggestions will help your cat become accustomed to living inside the house full time:
- Provide some bedding near a window. Cats spend the majority of their time sleeping and they especially enjoy the sunlight.
- Provide a litter tray in an area away from the cat’s food and in an area secluded from busy household activity. Cats prefer to toilet in private and away from their food and water bowls.
- Provide some "hidey holes". Cats sometimes like to sleep in secluded areas; a cardboard box may provide feelings of security and a quiet sleeping area.
- Provide some stimulation while they are awake so they don’t get bored. A variety of toys are commercially available or you may use home-made toys such as toilet rolls, balls of aluminium foil and pegs.
- Provide a cat scratch post(s). Cats sometimes use furniture to sharpen their claws/nails. A scratching post will help avoid damage to furniture. These are commercially available or you can make your own with wood/metal wrapped in pieces of carpet.
- Provide indoor grasses such cat grass, cat nip and cat mint. Seeds may be purchased from some pet shops or plant nurseries. Cats like to chew on the grass, and it also helps with their digestion.
If you are unable to keep your cat(s) inside the house full-time then you should consider an outdoor enclosure or cat-proof fencing. This will keep your cat(s) inside your premises and may also assist with keeping other cats out of your property. These are commercially available or you may build your own.
If you can’t provide full confinement of your cat(s), then keeping him/her inside between dusk and dawn is the next best way to protect your cat and the environment. Many of our native wildlife are nocturnal and cats allowed to roam at night may hunt to prey on these species.
Encourage your cat to return to your house at dusk by regularly providing their food at this time. They will then become accustomed to returning home at dusk especially when they become hungry. Release your cat in the morning daylight hours.