In or Out?

We see quite a variety of cat patients at our hospital every day. Not only different breeds and colors, male, female, big and bigger, (Spartacus and his "ample intra-abdominal fat") scardey cats and those who bump heads and purr so loudly I can't even hear their hearts during their exams. Another difference has to do with where these kitties spend their days-are they indoor or outdoor cats?

If you ask most veterinarians, I'm certain you would find we believe that indoor cats are much longer lived, especially in our suburban area. Obvious sources of doom are fast cars, as well as coyotes and other predators. More insidious are the free-roaming, non-vaccinated cats that can spread deadly diseases to our beloved friends. I think the worst would be the case of the cat that doesn't come home one day, never to be seen again. How your heart would ache, never knowing the fate of your pet, possibly injured, scared, or worse. Life span estimates have been made as dramatic as 3 years for outdoor cats compared to 12 to 14 for their indoor counterparts.

Being an indoor cat isn't without its risk, however. Because of this possibly more sedentary life style, we can create health issues every bit as serious as those seen in outdoor cats. Obesity is definitely on the rise, and with it, the wear and tear on joints as cats jump down from high cat perches or off beds and couches over the years. Diabetes, too, is more often seen in the indoor, fat cat, so proper nutrition and exercise is essential to ward this off.

Behavioral problems sometimes result from the "unnatural" confinement of indoor cats. Simple boredom may result in apparent compulsive disorders. We can see redirected aggression when indoor cats see other cats outside, don't like it, feel threatened or angry and don't have a release for their emotions. They may turn those emotions on other household cats or even their owners, sometimes quite unexpectedly and very dangerously. Litter box problems can occur, and may be a result of behavior or medical problems, often difficult to tell the difference without an examination and urinalysis testing by your veterinarian.

Sometimes we ask multiple cats to get along with each other in a close space when maybe one or more of those individuals might have preferred a single life style. Many can adapt over time, but I have seen quite a few that develop self-mutilation behaviors or chronic urinary tract problems, apparently from the stress of situations like these. Re-homing a beloved pet may seem drastic but may be in the best interest of a very stressed cat.

I mentioned before that boredom and inactivity may predispose indoor cats to problems. There is a group of veterinarians and interested cat professionals that developed "The Indoor Cat Initiative" to make cat owners aware of these issues. Their website is terrific, offering information and resources for help with the unique problems of indoor kitties. I particularly like the information about cat's natural habits and tendencies to consider when making your home suitable for your pet. Hunting prey is important to cats, so toys that mimic little birds or mice might be preferred to the shiny ball-type toys, but every cat is different. Our hospital cat, Twitchi, LOVES pens and pencils! At the beginning of the day we have to go through her kennel and find all the lost ones she has squirreled away in her cage during her nightly hunts. She cracks me up. My cats at home like the little plastic rings that come off the milk jugs. There must be a hundred of them under the refrigerator!

The keys to enjoying cats in our lives is to provide acceptable outlets for their natural behaviors and to reduce their exposure to threats. No matter where your cat spends most of his or her time, keeping the barn free from mice or sleeping in the sunshine high on a cat perch, it is important to be aware of the health and behavioral issues they can face. I think you can do that both ways, but be sure your veterinarian knows how your cat lives so they can help you with his or her unique needs. Maybe your indoor cat can avoid the diet Spartacus just had to start, the poor starving thing.

Peace,
DrReneigh