Cats evolved to live in the wild, basking in trees, scavenging food scraps and stalking small prey. Your little Mittens may be millennia removed from those ancestors, but she’s still hardwired for the great outdoors. How do you reconcile your cat’s yearning for the sensory stimulation that the backyard provides with the dangers of letting her roam free?
First, the downside is stark. “The average indoor cat lives 15 to 18 years, but outdoor ones usually only live two to five years,” says Angela Speed of the Wisconsin Humane Society.
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Traffic and predators including coyotes are just some of the dangers. Other outdoor threats include rodent poison and animals carrying parasites, rabies or other virus- and bacteria-borne illnesses, many of which can pass to humans. The ease with which H5N1 “bird” flu transmits to mammals – including documented cases in cats – has raised a new wave of alarms.
There’s an ecological toll, too. Domestic cats are the top human-caused threat to birds, killing over 2 billion a year in the U.S., according to the American Bird Conservancy.
For all of these reasons, indoor cats being allowed outside are generally on the decline in the Milwaukee area, Speed says. Still, some owners find it hard to deny a cat its door-dashing instincts. And there are some benefits to an indoor/outdoor lifestyle. Mel Kleverova Zilliox, a Milwaukee-based feline behavior consultant, trainer and veterinary assistant, says that cats with exposure to the outdoors may be at a lower risk for mental health problems. “Lack of environmental enrichment that allows the cat to express their normal behaviors can lead to stress and anxiety,” says Zilliox, adding that stressed-out cats can be aggressive, and anxiety can cause potty accidents around the house. Extra space to roam, run and jump, some researchers believe, can support cats’ physical health, too. Despite these benefits, Zilliox still does not advocate for letting your cat roam free.
Milwaukee County does require both dogs and cats to be on leashes outside, says Kate Hartlund, community engagement coordinator for Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission (MADACC). And every municipality in the county has laws that prohibit unleashed cats from being off an owner’s property.
And consider this: It’s not illegal for someone to capture a cat on their property and surrender it to animal control. Meaning, if Mittens has been stalking a neighbor’s bird feeder or pooping under their porch, they’re within their rights to bring her to MADACC. And that could be the last you see of Mittens. Because many outdoor cat owners presume the worst when theirs goes missing, MADACC says only 2% to 3% of cats it takes in are ever reunited with their owners.
Given all of the above, investing in a “catio” is starting to sound better and better.
Tips For Letting Your Cat Outside
Sate that instinct with these lower-stakes ways to let them out.
- Try low-risk outside time with leash training or a “catio” screened box.
- Bring the outside in with pinecones to play with or grass or catnip to munch.
- Keep your cat enriched with lots of playtime with wand toys or food puzzles. Give them a perch with a good view of the outdoors – bonus if there’s a bird feeder nearby.
