IndexArticles
12th Nov 2008
By Susan Shoring, Secretary of Gold Coast Cat Club
As the kitten season approaches, it’s time for potential new owners to make the all-important decision of how to house their new furry family member. Gone is the era of cats automatically going in and outdoors, replaced with new consideration for the welfare of both cats and the Australian wildlife
The decision is easy when one considers the dangers awaiting cats outdoors:
o Stealing of cats: yes, this does happen – especially with purebred cats, but pretty or extra friendly cats are also frequent targets.
o Cruelty: sadly there are quite a few individuals within every community who just don’t like cats nor appreciate the value of a furry life.
o Poisoning: people who don’t welcome a neighbourhood cat using their garden as a litter tray or simply coming onto their property sometimes bait the cat – or trap it and take it to the local pound.
o Dogs: some particular breeds are particularly unfriendly towards cats and kill them. Others might just want the fun of a chase, but with an older cat, this can be equally deadly.
o Cars: the single biggest threat to your cat outside. Regardless of breed or age, cats just don’t possess much in the way of road sense, especially if running because of a chase or being frightened in some way. This is financially expensive if the cat survives; emotionally devastating if it doesn’t.
o Other Cats: unlike dogs who are ‘pack animals’ and generally enjoy other canine company, cats tend to be very territorial and do not welcome other cats within their boundaries. Confrontation usually leads to a fight, including some very disturbing noise and inevitably results in physical damage to one or both of the cats, usually an abscess which can mean expensive veterinary bills. At worst, it can also cause the transfer of infections such as Feline Leukaemia and Feline AIDS.
o Snakes, Paralysis ticks, Toads, Spiders – all can be lethal to cats.
o Council Laws: state that your cat must be confined to your property at all times. As the cat doesn’t really know or care where the boundary to your place is, it’s unlikely to remain at home.
So, it doesn’t take a genius to realise that if you love your cat, it deserves nothing less than to live entirely indoors. There are a few drawbacks to this lifestyle but they are able to be managed if the owner is aware.
Indoor cats tend to become overweight so you do need to provide adequate exercise for puss. Keeping the cat at an ideal weight will also ward off diabetes and urinary tract disorders.
A tall scratching post placed near a window is ideal. Cats love to watch outdoor activity, especially of the feathered kind, and a scratching post with several levels will see plenty of use. Cats use these posts for scratching to remove the sheath over each nail on their front paws, which is an essential motion for cats. Watch outdoor cats and you will notice that they like loose-barked trees that they can stretch full-length up against and ‘sharpen claws’ and that’s what you need for your cat inside. The post will also have the added benefit of keeping the cat away from your furniture, as well as providing exercise when the cat has its ‘silly time’ of racing around the house madly! You can also increase interest by fixing dangling toys to the various shelves on the post.
Interactive play using a wand-style toy, or toys on string, are great for owners and cats to have fun, providing all-important exercise for puss as well. It is essential to provide plenty of entertainment and stimulus. Just five to ten minutes of vigorous interactive play with your feline each day will go a long way towards preventing obesity. A simple ping pong ball on bare flooring or even a crumbled paper ball can provide plenty of amusement and a workout too.
Remember to provide diets designed to promote chewing, as the indoor cat is not out hunting and thereby munching on things that promote dental health. You can help by providing cheap quality red meat to chew, raw bones such as chicken wings, and dental dry biscuits.
Adding two cats to your household is ideal as they will exercise each other and provide constant company and play for one another.
Owners of indoor cats know that the main extra undertaking in confining your cat inside is litter tray duty. Although not the most pleasant task performed for your cat, it is essential because cats are very clean and they do not like to use dirty or smelly litter trays. Shop around for kitty litter to find the one that suits you best, avoiding clumping litter and crystals until the cat is over the age of 12 months. Your local pet shop will be able to show you a large range of litter and trays. Some litters need a daily change, some last a week, and others can last up to a month, but solids must always be removed as soon as possible. A litter tray should be bleached once a week to prevent it from retaining smells, and to encourage continued patronage of it by your cat. The advantage to this litter duty is that you will notice immediately if there is any change whatsoever in your cat’s bowel or bladder habits, which is extremely important in giving early warnings of potential serious conditions. A change may merely indicate food intolerance but it’s always safest to contact your vet for advice, thereby gaining treatment nice and early if it is an illness.
If you really feel that the cat is missing out on what you perceive as a ‘normal cat life’, you can always invest in an outside enclosure. This involves having a ‘kitty flap’ installed into a suitable window or door, and then having an enclosure attached, containing shelves for sleeping and climbing; these structures are limited only by your imagination and budget! There are commercial companies that make cat enclosures, supplying them either fully installed or flat packed, or the home handyman can go to the nearest hardware store for ideas. Your cat can now enjoy fresh air while remaining totally safe. One hint: avoid putting them over gardens as they can become large, smelly litter trays and disease traps if put over soil, whereas concrete bases will make the bottom of the enclosure easy to clean, as well as often keeping fleas and ticks away.
Best of all, an indoor-only cat means you will also have a more family-friendly feline. Instead of the cat’s world revolving around the mischief it can get into outdoors, it is focused totally on you and your household activities. No longer will your home be used just for eating and sleeping by your kitty! You will help extend its lifespan without all those outside dangers, and you will save plenty of money from your household budget in the process, rather than helping your local vet towards an early retirement. And never again will you have to worry about where your beloved cat is!
