is better for the Cat than the house or on the street: what is told by scientists?

Jun 5, 2020

Most of experts agrees in opinion that cats who live only at home are healthier and live longer as are protected from the risks connected with walks. Nevertheless, for domestic cats there are also risk factors which need to be considered.

Cats on a Fence at Night a Beautiful Photo — *of the Photo of Elena Коршак*

Какие dangers trap cats of the house and on the street?

Charitable the organization for protection of animals of The Blue Cross conducted a research, in the course which it became clear that dangers to which domestic cats are subject (falling from balconies and from windows, burns got in kitchen and access to cleaning and washing to means, and, therefore, risk of poisoning) – the second in prevalence the reason for which kittens and puppies get to veterinary clinics. And in one research (Buffington, 2002) provided the list of dangers to which are exposed cats as houses, and on the street.

the cat scratches furniture or marks at home.

What to do?

Independent walks – the huge risk for life and health of cats, is the fact. Therefore, if the owner is not able to provide safe walking, it is necessary to minimize risks "imprisonments within four walls".

Cats quite are capable to adapt to life only at home, especially if they live so since the childhood. And at all it is better to hold elderly cats and disabled cats only at home. But it should be taken into account that the cats who got used to live on the street can experience difficulties in adaptation to life indoors, especially if get to the house adults (Hubrecht and Turner, 1998).

Growth of number of cats who are kept in quality of pets in many cases is connected with representation of people that cats do not need walking and that they can live in the small room and be content with a tray. However, to minimize the risks connected with keeping of a cat of the house it is necessary to provide to a cat 5 freedoms .

The cats living houses need bigger attention from the owner, than the cats having access to the street. It can be explained with the fact that such cats need additional stimulation as they live in poorer environment (Turner and Stammbach-Geering, 1990). And the owner's task – to create to a murlyka the enriched environment .

If you decided to provide to a cat access to the street, take care of that it was safe both for her, and for other animals. For example, it is possible to equip in the garden a safe corner for walking of a cat from where she will not be able to escape, or to walk her on a lead.