If you’re considering containing your cat to your property there’s never been a better time to do it than now. With many of us spending more time at home than ever before, you have an opportunity to ensure your cat’s transition to an indoor lifestyle is as smooth as possible.

There are many misconceptions about cat containment, but science tells us it’s one of the best things you can do for your cat.

Is indoors really better than outdoors?

Did you know a cat contained indoors can live up to four times longer than a cat who is free to roam? (Australian, Veterinary Association, 2014). Keeping your cat indoors protects them from:

• Being hit or run over by a car
• Being attacked by a dog
• Fighting with other neighbourhood cats
• Acquiring a serious infection such as FIV
• Eating toxic plants or poisons
• Being stolen or abused
• Picking up ticks or fleas
• Being bitten by a venomous snake.

Suburban environments are full of dangers. Even if you think you’ve got the toughest cat in the neighbourhood, it only takes one accident for you to lose them. A contained cat is a safe cat. And a safe cat is a happy cat.

Spend quality time with your cat during isolation

Chances are you’ve been spending more time at home than usual. This is the perfect opportunity to spend quality time with your cat and help them adjust to their new life indoors. Many cat owners think it’s natural for a cat to roam, or cruel to keep them inside. But just like dogs, with adequate love and care cats lead happy and fulfilling lives at home.

Purchasing some cat toys (or even making your own) is a good start. Spend some time with your cat by playing games that allow them to display natural behaviours such as stalking, luring and pouncing. If your cat has never played with toys before this might take some getting used to. Our recommendation? Get yourself a wand toy – we’ve never met a cat that doesn’t like them!

We also recommend creating some high spaces and hiding places for your cat to retreat to throughout the day. You could even occasionally hide treats in these areas as a little surprise. This helps keep their environment interesting and fun.

Spare time on your hands? Build a cat enclosure!

Under Stage Three and Stage Four restrictions, there’s not a whole lot to do on the weekends. If you’ve got some extra time and a backyard, why not build a cat enclosure? There are many ways to do this. You can build one from scratch, purchase one online or cat proof your fence, leaving your kitty free to roam your yard without fearing they will escape.

If you don’t have the time, space or money to invest in a cat enclosure, a good alternative is a cat bed that you can attach to the inside of your window. This will give your cat a great vantage point of the great outdoors while keeping them safe inside your home.

For more tips and tricks on transitioning your cat to the indoors, visit Safe Cat Safe Wildlife.