I have been getting quite a few questions in my e-mail which pertain to the same topic: Should I keep my cat indoors all the time if I live in a very small home?
Most people who have asked this fear that they are stifling their cat’s natural roaming and playing. I do understand this, many housecats come from feral lines which naturally prefer to be outside, doing their own thing and catching their own food.
My honest answer to this is that in most cases it is much safer and much better to keep your cats indoors all of the time. I will give you some ideas on how to maximize a small space for a kitty later in this article, but for now, I wish to make my argument towards indoor cats.
I know many people prefer their cats be indoor/outdoor cats. This may be so that they do not need a litter box, or so they do not have to feed the cat so much, or simply because they feel the kitty will be happier spending some of its time outdoors. If it is possible, you should keep your cat indoors all of the time. The reason for this is that there are many diseases that a kitty can get from playing outside, from Lymes disease, to Feline Leakemia, to Rabies. Additionally, there is the chance that they can get hit by a car. Also, and I hate to bring this up, there are people out there who simply hate cats with a passion. I have known these people. These people will hurt your kitty if they come across him. I have had this happen to friends and family. It is sad and scary.
Now, I understand that you feel bad keeping your kitty in a small confined space. What most people don’t realize is that cat’s do not only consider your floor space as their only travel space. You can also add height to the picture and give your kitty lots of things to play on. You do not need to buy fancy cat trees or anything. but make sure you have high shelves and some way for the cat to jump up there. When I lived in a one room apartment, we had various furniture set out so the cat could leap from one to another, eventually ending up on a shelf very close to the ceiling. If you give your kitty a place to play and entertain himself, he will be happy.
