Keeping cats at home

Roaming cats are vulnerable to road traffic, attacks from other animals, health conditions or disease and weather extremes. It's dangerous on the street, that's why roaming cats have shorter lifespans.

Why keep your cat at home?

• Home cats are safe from fighting, diseases, parasites and traffic accidents.
• Home cats help our environment because they can't hunt wildlife.
• Home cats make better neighbours because they aren't nuisances that trespass, soil, dig or make noise.
• Some councils have by-laws to enforce curfews. Contact your council to ask if you have cat curfew in your area.

Indoors

Most cats adapt well to staying home, especially if conditioned from an early age. However, adult cats used to roaming can have some difficulty adjusting. However, our Roam to home step-by-step guide makes it easier for you to help your cat make that transition. Roam to home also helps you settle new kittens or a newly adopted cat into indoor living.

Outdoors

You can give your cat the best of both worlds — indoors and out — by cat-proofing your yard. Cat-proofing makes sure they can go outdoors safely without escaping your property. You'll need to consider your cat's energy levels, how much space you have, how many cats you have and possible escape routes in your yard.

Popular ways to keep cats in yards are cat-proofing fences with net or roller additions, attaching cat enclosures to homes, or adding freestanding cat enclosures to a garden.

• Cat-proofing your fence
• Fence-top rollers
• Fence top nets
• Enclosures

Check out our Good cats play at home guide for more details.