Is It Cruel to Keep a Cat Indoors All the Time? The Full Answer!

It is not Cruel to Keep Cats Indoors, these are the reasons why:

Keeping cats inside provides them with safety from dangers such as predators, cars, and disease.
Indoor cats are healthier and live 3 to 4 times longer than outdoor cats.
Staying indoors does not cause boredom or behavioral problems in cats—lack of proper care does.

As a new cat owner, you might be wondering: is it cruel to keep a cat indoors all of the time? Should I let my cat outside to play, hunt, and burn out some energy?

This topic is hotly debated between cat owners—rightly so, as it’s literally a life or death decision. As someone with nine happy, healthy indoor cats, I urge you to keep your cat indoors.

I know from experience that outdoor cats face life-threatening risks. They have the chance of being injured by cars, neighbors, and other animals. Deadly, contagious diseases can spread among outdoor cat populations. In addition, cats hurt the environment when they’re allowed outdoors.

Too many cat owners have a story about their cat who never returned home—and that is completely preventable.

In this post we’ll discuss why you should keep your kitty inside the house, and how to keep them happy without letting them roam the neighborhood.

It is not Cruel to Keep Cats Indoors—It’s Essential For Their Wellbeing

Keeping cats indoors isn’t cruel. It’s essential to their health and well-being.

I admit, keeping cats indoors takes more effort. It’ll probably mean scooping the litter box more often, and it definitely means playing with your cat to keep them from getting bored.

But being a pet owner comes with responsibilities, and spending time with your kitty isn’t really a bad thing!

Letting Cats Outdoors Risks Their Lives

My family once took in a cat who’d been raised outdoors. She was three years old, and died the very next year from Feline Leukemia, or FeLV. If she’d been kept inside, she’d probably still be alive today.

FeLV is just one life-threatening risk you take when letting your cat outdoors, though. There are a number of safety risks to letting your cat outdoors, whether you live in the city or the middle of nowhere.

Risks to Letting Your Cat Outside

1.Outdoor cats can be hurt by predators and cars.

Even if you live far from the road, there’s no guarantee that your cat won’t try to cross it. Staying in a wooded area may seem safer, but areas like this tend to have more predators.

2. Outdoor cats annoy the neighbors—and may face retaliation.

Not everyone likes cats, and nobody likes picking up after another person’s pet.

Even if you don’t care about your cat getting into your neighbor’s garden, it might be enough to put your cat in danger if your neighbor decides to relocate your cat, bring them to a shelter, or even hurt them.

3. Outdoor cats harm wildlife.

Outdoor cats aren’t only a risk to themselves, but to the environment. This can be seen in bird populations killed by cats, which include endangered species.

4. Outdoor cats can catch fatal illnesses like FIV or FeLV.

These are two contagious and deadly diseases that your cat can catch and spread through sharing space with other ill cats. If they are not neutered,spayed, or get into fights, they are even more likely to catch FIV or FeLV.

Even vaccinated cats aren’t entirely safe, as the vaccines aren’t 100% effective.

5. Unfixed outdoor cats multiply.

Female cats can have an average of 12 kittens every year. Those with bigger litters will birth even more kittens.

This isn’t to mention males, who can impregnate multiple female cats in a short period of time. Just two outdoor cats can produce a giant family very quickly, and the resulting kittens are often unwanted and uncared for.

Benefits to Keeping Your Cat Indoors

1. Indoor cats live longer.

Sadly, outdoor cats have an average lifespan of only 2-5 years. For indoor cats, this number surges to 15-17 years.

2. Indoor cats are just as happy as outdoor cats—if not happier.

As long as cats get proper socialization and playtime, they thrive indoors.

Playtime doesn’t have to be extensive—30 minutes of playtime a day, broken into 10 minute intervals, is perfect. When they’re properly cared for, indoor cats are happier than outdoor cats, because they face less stress in their everyday lives.

3. Indoor cats have closer relationships with their owners.

The more time you spend around each other, the deeper your bond with your kitty will be! Playtime is also a great bonding experience for you and your cat.

Provide Playtime for Indoor Cats

The biggest reason that cat owners have trouble keeping their cats indoors, or even think it’s cruel to do so, is that cats get bored without stimulus. They need to hunt, scratch, and act on their instincts.

Luckily, they don’t have to go outdoors to do these things. Scratching posts and cat trees will take care of their scratching instincts, and the rest you can provide with 30 minutes of playtime a day.

When playing, be sure to vary the types of toys you use—and keep in mind that toys for cats don’t have to be anything fancy. My cats love playing with household items like clothes hangers,hair ties or chasing light reflections from my phone. You can make an extra-fun toy just by stuffing some catnip into an old sock!

To keep your cat from getting frustrated or bored of doing the same thing again and again, break playtime into 10-15 minute intervals throughout the day. This also makes things easier for you to fit this time into your busy life.

I typically play with my cats before each meal. It keeps us all on a schedule, and it means they get to eat directly after catching their “prey!”

If You Can’t Keep Your Cat Inside, Do Your Best to Mitigate Risks

Sometimes, you can’t bring your cat inside full-time. Or maybe you’re feeding strays, like me, and want to keep them as safe as possible even though you can’t adopt them yourself.

Here are some things you can provide to keep your outdoor cats as safe as possible:

Spay and Neuter. This ensures you at least aren’t adding to the outdoor cat population. It also makes your cat healthier in general—even indoor kitties benefit from being fixed.
Keep the Claws. Declawing any cat is inhumane, but for outdoor cats, the effects are even greater as they have no way to defend themselves.
Vaccinations. Tell your veterinarian that your cat goes outdoors, and ask them about the vaccines your cat should have.
Flea and Heartworm Preventative. Keeping your cat on a flea and heartworm preventative will keep them healthier, and keep both of you happy as well. Fleas are annoying and difficult to get rid of, especially inside your home.
Regular Check-Ups. Of course, any cat benefits from seeing the veterinarian regularly. But it’s even more crucial for outdoor cats, who are more at risk.
Collars and Microchips. Consider getting a collar, microchip, or both for your outdoor cat. This helps prevent them from getting lost.
Shelter. Lastly, be sure to provide adequate shelter for your cat. Allow them indoors during harsh weather and overnight, or buy or make them a shelter to keep them from the elements.

Keep in mind, though, that while you can reduce risk, the best thing for your cat is to be kept indoors. If you must let them outside, it’s better to do so through supervised, contained methods like on a leash or with a catio (cat patio).

There is also no way to keep your cat from hunting, as this is their natural instinct.

Feral Cats Can’t Always Be Brought Inside

There are many success stories when it comes to bringing feral cats indoors. However, it’s without a doubt a stressful transition for a cat to make.

Feral cats are not people-friendly, and it can take them months or even years to adjust to being indoors and around a human family.

We do have to balance out these stressors when we talk about bringing feral cats indoors, and balance them against the risk for the cat. If a one-year-old feral lives near a busy roadside, for example, it is probably worth it to bring them indoors.

But what about a ten-year-old feral who’s terrified of humans, and has lived in a relatively safe environment his entire life? Is it worth it to bring him indoors where he will spend a year completely terrified? And what about the other cats in the area?

In most places, there are too many stray cats to adopt—and it takes a lot of resources to make feral cats adoptable.

That’s why many rescues and cat organizations opt for TNR, or Trap, Neuter, Return. This controls the outdoor population and keeps colonies in check.

This helps the stray cats, prevents the risk of homeless kittens, and also helps native wildlife by keeping the cat population to a minimum.

Writer: Katelynn Sobus

I am a freelance writer who specializes in the pet industry. My full bio