Some cats live indoors by choice or necessity. Cats Protection and the RSPCA publish guidance on what an indoor cat needs to stay healthy and content. This article summarises that guidance on when a cat may need to stay in, what to provide, how to play with an indoor cat and how to make balconies and windows safer. It is general welfare information from UK charities and does not replace advice from a vet or a qualified behaviourist.
When a cat may need to stay in
Cats Protection says there are many reasons to keep a cat indoors. A newly adopted cat is better staying in for a few weeks to settle, and a cat diagnosed with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) needs to be kept indoors, away from other cats. A cat that has always lived inside may find going out frightening. Owners who want to protect wildlife can consider keeping a cat in only at dawn and dusk, when it is most likely to hunt, and playing with it to allow its hunting behaviour. Feral cats cannot be kept indoors because they are not socialised to people or the indoor environment.
The charity cautions that life as an indoor cat can be stressful for cats used to going outside. If such a cat shows signs of stress and has no medical or physical reason to be kept in, it suggests considering allowing outdoor access. It says adult cats used to the outdoors find the adjustment difficult and that in an ideal world all cats would have outdoor access, which is not always possible.
Is an indoor life cruel?
Cats Protection says that as long as a cat has the space and essential items to express its natural behaviours and is not frustrated by being unable to go out, there is no reason it cannot live a happy life as a house cat. It notes that indoor cats can live as long as outdoor cats: a healthy cat can expect around 14 years, and the charity says there is currently limited evidence that either lifestyle produces a significantly longer lifespan. Both carry different welfare risks. It adds that the indoor environment predisposes to obesity and to diseases related to a sedentary lifestyle, such as diabetes and lower urinary tract disease.
What an indoor cat needs
The RSPCA lists the basics of a cat-friendly home: a comfortable, dry, draught-free and quiet bed, a litter tray with a deep layer of litter kept separate from eating and sleeping areas, somewhere to hide, toys and space to play, and high places such as shelves. It says indoor cats need more to keep them entertained. Cats Protection adds several specifics:
- puzzle feeders to make food time more interesting;
- plenty of interactive toys;
- cat-friendly shelves and climbing places, with a hidden treat to encourage exploration;
- plenty of scratching posts, because scratching leaves the cat’s scent on objects, which is reassuring, and helps keep claws in check for cats that do not go out;
- a catio, if possible, to give secure garden access;
- in multi-cat homes, a set of essentials for each cat (bowls, litter trays, beds) plus a spare, and areas where cats can get away from one another.
The charity warns that if indoor cats cannot express natural behaviour, the resulting stress can lead to spraying or scratching in unwanted places, obsessive grooming or physical illness. This site’s guides to litter tray set-up and cat body language cover related points.
Play for an indoor cat
Cats Protection explains that hunting is not driven by hunger: the stalk, pounce and kill sequence releases feel-good hormones called endorphins, so play matters for mental stimulation and fitness. It says older cats will enjoy playing three or four times a day, and younger cats 10 times a day or more, with very short games of one to two minutes being fine. Suggestions include fishing-rod toys, cardboard boxes, catnip toys and swapping toys regularly, and it warns against leaving a cat alone with toys that could be shredded and eaten or that it could get tangled in. Feeding biscuits through a puzzle feeder or a plastic bottle with biscuit-sized holes makes dinner a challenge and slows eating.
The charity says indoor cats need more entertainment than outdoor cats and that a lack of play can be redirected onto people as play aggression. It recommends toys that keep distance from the body, such as fishing-rod toys or thrown balls, instead of fingers and toes. If an adult cat suddenly shows play aggression, it advises a vet check and then a qualified behaviourist. A wider look at enrichment is in this site’s article on games and enrichment.
Health checks and safety indoors
- Vaccination, microchipping and parasites. Cats Protection says indoor cats still need vaccinations and boosters, because germs can enter the home, plus microchipping in case of escape, and flea and worm treatments, because fleas can arrive on clothes and bags.
- Household hazards. The charity names wires, toxic house plants and bouquets, medications, cleaning chemicals and kitchen scalds or burns.
- Balconies and windows. It warns that an open balcony or window may entice a cat but that any cat can fall, and that young cats under two are especially susceptible to “high-rise syndrome”. If a balcony is used, it suggests wire mesh or netting from ceiling to floor or a sturdy cat-designed window screen, removing hazards, always supervising the cat and ensuring it can return inside. Loose netting can entangle a cat or leave gaps for escape.
The bottom line
Cats Protection and the RSPCA say an indoor cat can be content when its home replaces what the outdoors would supply: places to climb, hide and scratch, food that requires effort, and frequent short games. Cats used to going outside may find the change stressful, and indoor life brings risks of obesity and inactivity that need managing. Vaccination, microchipping, parasite control and safe windows and balconies still apply, and a vet or behaviourist should be consulted about persistent stress or behaviour changes.