Keeping Cats Indoors Forever: What Their Owners Must Know and Do

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1 Keeping Cats Indoors Forever: What Their Owners Must Know and Do Francesca Riccomini BSc(Hons), BVetMed, CCAB, MRCVS, DipAS(CABC). Whatever the personal views of the individual veterinary nurse or veterinarian may be on the subject the trend for keeping domestic cats indoors throughout their lives appears to be gaining momentum. And it has to be accepted that there are some good reasons for doing so because, although there are physical and disease risks associated with an indoor only lifestyle, in the outside world cats are generally at higher risk from infectious disease and physical harm. However, avoidance of these issues is not the only important aspect of any individual s life. Quality of life (q.o.l.) is something that is constantly discussed in a range of circumstances in general practice but it seems too often overlooked when an indoor lifestyle is advocated or adopted. Obviously this is something that is notoriously difficult to assess but surely it is of paramount importance for cats that spend 100% of their time indoors? Disappointingly though, when an indoor-only lifestyle is discussed little attention is often paid to the fact that the welfare of the individual cat includes not only physical/physiological aspects but also psychological and emotional components. In feline terms wellbeing (being or faring well) means living in equilibrium (homeostasis) with the environment, which for the domestic cat comprises: Physical Social components For indoor-only cats, with the exception of the outdoor feline population, these are completely under the control of people, who not infrequently lack the information and/or will to act correctly to ensure their cat(s) equilibrium and wellbeing. N.B. cats outside the home can still have an emotional impact upon those indoors that can see, hear and smell them through windows and whenever these and outside doors are opened. 1

2 Unfortunately owners of indoor cats do not always recognise this factor and so they fail to block access points into their gardens and may even encourage others cats onto their property in the summer, even though they know that their own cats are upset by the presence nearby of intruding felines. A message that we must get over to these owners is that they should take active steps to avoid such encouragement and also to make it difficult for other people s cats to invade their gardens. How easy is it to ensure that a captive cat fares well? In order to answer this question it helps to examine The Five Freedoms, whch were adapted by Rochlitz 2005 for domestic cats in confinement: These are taken as being: Provision of: Food and water which includes a balanced diet Suitable environment in terms of space, shelter, temperature, light, noise, cleanliness Health care Opportunities to express most natural behaviours some may have to be limited (for example prey behaviour and territorial marking) Protection from conditions likely to lead to fear and distress (In Jongman E.C. (2007) Adaptation of domestic cats to confinement J.Vet. Behav. Clin. Appl. Res ) There is also additional relevant legislation in place: UK Animal Welfare Act 2006 This places a duty of care on those owning or responsible for a pet to ensure its welfare needs are met. These are taken as being the need for: 1. For a suitable environment (place to live) 2. For a suitable diet 3. To exhibit normal behaviour patterns 4. To be housed with, or apart from, other animals (if applicable) 5. To be protected from pain, injury, suffering and disease 2

3 Consultation on the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Cats 2009 The Cat Code gives more detailed guidance on the kind of measures that are needed to discharge this obligation and provides links to the Blue Cross & Cats Protection websites where there is relevant, good quality advice. However, in this respect owners must not only be aware of their responsibilities and motivated to discharge them but they also need to know where to obtain this information. Many do not appear to have this awareness or know where to obtain such advice (Defra website Then they must be able to appropriately apply this information to their individual circumstances and their own pets. This appears to be a significant stumbling block even for intelligent and caring owners. Another issue which tends to catch people out is that they fail to: Recognise that all cats are individuals Understand that their behavioural norms, sensitivities and needs differ (sometimes markedly) from other cats they have owned or met and that these will be influenced by: o Genetics, o Personality o Experiences (particularly during socialisation/habituation/social referencing period 2 to 7 weeks of age) Evidently the same applies to all pet cats but outdoor access does at least allow escape if they are overwhelmed by stressful situations or poor environment and/or management. Cats permanently restricted to the home have no such safety valve. However, it should also be recognised that the outdoor environment can be stressful and/or lacking cat-friendly facilities/resources and is not always the panacea it is thought to be. But it does at least offer the possibility of respite from stressful conditions and/or individuals and in addition it may provide the opportunity to access an alternative facility and/or necessary resources. Experience in behavioural practice suggests that significant stumbling blocks for owners of captive cats are: Lack of knowledge of feline natural behaviour & social issues 3

4 This often leads to poor choice of pet for lifestyle e.g. cats used to free ranging may not be able to adapt to an indoor-only life and multi-cat groups of unrelated adults are often under tension, although their owners may not recognise this. N.B. years of living with companion cats does not necessarily indicate that people understand feline behaviour or that of their own cats. Understanding that providing an adequate environment and lifestyle for indoor cats is not: o Straightforward or effort-free o Considerable understanding, dedication and commitment are required o Plus ability and willingness for owners to compromise Examining the individual provisions: 1. The need for a suitable environment (place to live) In this context what constitutes suitable? The environment and management regimes must provide the following: A sense of security o Engendered by non-stressful predictability o Includes catering well for the need for privacy with multiple, readily available, easily accessible refuges/hiding places including some in elevated positions for retreat and/or rest A sense of control o Engendered by a good choice of dedicated facilities plentiful and appropriate in feline terms o Respect for a cat s desire to decide what/when he wants to do something especially his ability to curtail/avoid interaction Complexity an environment that is interesting but not stressful and/or frightening 4

5 Novelty to avoid monotony but that is appropriate not stress or fearinducing Taking individual aspects of the environment the following are relevant: o Space} quantity and quality (in feline terms) matter Is the actual amount of space available restricted by closed doors, alarm systems etc? Is the available space sufficient (how many individuals share it)? Is it cat-friendly? Number and layout of facilities e.g. furniture and dedicated cat equipment? Particularly important issues are: Shelter plenty of hiding places Good use of 3 D space Latrine facilities that are appropriate in terms of each cats individual preferences, properly located and well maintained. o Temperature choice is important e.g. thin coated & elderly animals feel the cold more and people often turn their heating off when they are out or in bed. In very hot weather, especially when houses/flats are closed up for long periods, cats must be able to access cool areas if they wish to do so. o Light but also cats need dark areas to de-stress o Noise + vibration } type/intensity matters and can be a potent stressor for cats trapped indoors in a small home o Cleanliness hygienic conditions are important but it should be remembered that scent is our cats most important sense so: Familiar scent is reassuring, especially the cat s own territorial marks, but unfamiliar odours can be stressful and present considerable challenge when cats are unable to escape from them. Commonly in modern homes Cats have: Few dedicated facilities Often of inappropriate design Poorly located in feline terms 5

6 2. The need for a suitable diet Food and water (balanced diet) are important but so too are a proper understanding of feline eating and drinking habits e.g. Cats naturally eat and drink in different places They therefore need separate food and water stations Foraging should be encouraged for physical activity and interest/entertainment Many cats will not drink when their whiskers touch the bowl experiment is necessary with container design & material e.g. ceramic/glass/metal bowls; filled to top/shallow; wide dishes; heavy, stable beakers o Some cats prefer running water e.g. tap or commercial drinking fountain o Individual preferences should be tested filtered/bottled mineral water/rain water o Many cats prefer drinking in quiet areas, others like elevated locations o Several water stations should be provided one on each floor of the home Yet few owners experiment with container design, material and location of drinking stations. Therefore, for many indoor-only cats their needs are not met Cats with outdoor access may be able to make up the deficit but for indoor cats such opportunities are limited Dehydration is therefore a potential risk this is especially concerning given the: Increasing number of cats fed a solely dry diet Aging feline population Greater number of animals maintained for prolonged periods with medical conditions that increase their need for fluid 3. Need to exhibit normal behaviour patterns 6

7 Demonstrating the whole range of behaviours in the feline repertoire (below) can help to emphasize to owners just how much effort they need to make to provide well for their indoor cats. Running Jumping Playing Eating Drinking Hiding Eliminating Socialising Climbing Exploring Observing Resting Sleeping Marking Hunting Rochlitz suggests some natural behaviours may have to be limited e.g. prey behaviour and territorial marking (which often increases under stress) but: Individual needs to roam and/or hunt vary Cannot be predicted when a cat is acquired Cannot necessarily be curtailed when an indoor-only lifestyle is imposed A common problem in this respect is that indoor-only cat-owning homes rarely have sufficient, suitable facilities to cater for all of a cat s natural behavioural repertoire. Particular issues are: o Where healthy, young cats are housed with or after an elderly cat o People equip their homes for kittens but fail to re-assess & update facilities when: Cats are mature Weigh more Need more robust furniture Generally more interesting kit It can be helpful to recommend an annual audit of the cat s dedicated facilities. 7

8 4. The need to be housed with or apart from other animals (if applicable) Many people misunderstand the need cats have for the company of their own kind yet the multicat household is increasingly common even though owners are often unaware of the challenges their cats face when: o Forced to live in close proximity to other felines o Particularly cats to whom they are not related and/or only meet in adulthood Managing multicat groups as one big family compounds these difficulties and commonly imposes stress, frustration and/or motivational conflict o Signs are often unrecognised or misinterpreted by owners o Cats without outdoor access cannot escape if pressure becomes unendurable and yet many do not have other retreats they can use The situation is worse when indoor cats are forced to co-habit with pets from other species, especially dogs with whom they are not compatible or visit occasionally o Sadly owners often have a dream of a happy multispecies home and cannot be trusted to sacrifice their desires in the interests of their cats welfare. 5. The need to be protected from pain, injury, suffering and disease The definition of suffering is particularly problematic and encompasses not only physical distress but also psychological and emotional discomfort. An individual s dis-ease can be difficult to identify and understand, especially for owners whose knowledge of the species is limited and whose expectations are unrealistic e.g. Many people need to cuddle their cats in an intrusive and sustained manner, which runs counter to natural feline social behaviour As human society, family structure and personal expectations change, the emotional demands made upon many pet cats are increased. o Some individuals can cope o For others frequent intrusive interactions and handling are a marked stressor o Where escape outdoors is impossible there may be no respite 8

9 The chronic arousal caused has the potential to: Undermine immune competence & physical health Compromise psychological health negative effects upon learning and memory Adversely affect emotional wellbeing In some cats this will lead to problematic behaviour and if owners are irritated, inconvenienced or worried they may seek professional help. But behaviourists are increasingly concerned about those cats that simply withdraw and retreat, because their difficulties may never be recognised and internalised chronic arousal can contribute to medical conditions such as FIC, obesity, feline hyperaesthesia, repetitive/compulsive disorders. o Where studies exist: Environmental & social stress An indoor-only lifestyle.are increasingly being implicated as a significant risk factor in a range of such stress-related conditions. For some owners of indoor-only cats the solution seems to be an outdoor enclosure These can be a potentially useful compromise but too often: They are barren And/or intrude into neighbouring cats territories Experience suggests the current trend for harnesses, leads and walkies needs to be viewed with extreme caution. In conclusion This is an area where there is no definitive right or wrong but for those of us interested in feline welfare the trend for keeping indoor-only cats raises concerns especially in relation to: o The lack of real understanding of cats and their needs many owners have o The fact that much of the available advice/literature (particularly from the internet) is over-simplistic in behavioural terms. 9

10 It is therefore likely to engender unrealistic expectations in relation to: Management and the environmental demands owners of indoor-only cats must be able and willing to meet The compromises such owners must make to care properly in an holistic sense for cats that spend their whole lives indoors. As veterinary professionals and welfare advocates therefore it would appear that we must: o Increase our efforts to educate & inform: Ourselves Our colleagues The general public Cat owners in particular.. especially with regard to the disadvantages as well as the benefits of an indoor-only life We also need to highlight and emphasize the serious burden of responsibility that goes with imposing such a lifestyle upon a cat Leave no room for doubt when discussing the effort required Describe exactly what s involved in properly discharging the welfare obligations associated with being the owner of an indoor-only cat. Copyright Francesca Riccomini