Staying in or going out? the dilemma for cat welfare

Beloved Whiskers: Management Type, Care Practices and Connections to Welfare in Domestic Cats

“…In the present study, the frequency of neutered cats was even higher (87.7%). The high frequency of neutering in the present study was probably due to the dissemination of its preventative benefits, such as avoiding unwanted pregnancies, reduction in cats' home ranges, reduction in reproductive tract diseases, and lower frequency of behavioral problems, e.g., urine marking [4,45,46]. It was reinforced by the association between neutering and other clinical preventative care practices (frequent visits to the vet and vaccinations).…”

“…Regarding the welfare of domestic cats, an issue that frequently leads to controversies and debates is how cats are maintained, i.e., indoor or outdoor management [4,5]. In the United States, it is recommended that cats are kept indoors, being wholly confined within a residence, without access to the street [6,7].…”

“…It is expected that both management styles impose some risks and benefits [4]. For instance, risks related to outdoor cats include propagation of infectious diseases [11][12][13], unwanted pregnancies [4], motor vehicle accidents [14,15], fights with conspecifics [4], and mistreatment by people who do not like cats [16]. Outdoor cats might also impact the welfare of other animals, as wildlife due to predation [17,18], and niche overlap with wild carnivores [19].…”

“…Outdoor cats might also impact the welfare of other animals, as wildlife due to predation [17,18], and niche overlap with wild carnivores [19]. Maintaining cats exclusively indoors has been associated with behavioral problems [8,20,21], obesity [22], fights (in multi-cat houses) [4], and accidents, including burns and intoxication with cleaning products [23]. Regarding the benefits, outdoor management might promote more mental stimulation, reduce boredom and frustration of a predictable environment, and stimulate more physical activities [23,24].…”

In or out… is there a dilemma for cat welfare?

“…IT is encouraging to see the question being raised by Yeates and Yates (2017) concerning the welfare of cats being kept indoors or allowed to roam free, against the background of road kill data provided in the ‘Bristol Cats’ study by Wilson and others (2017). They face the culturally accepted norm of cats being allowed to leave their owners' properties, a common situation with the dog population until the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Control of Dogs Order 1992.…”