Do Cats Make Good or Bad Pets? Sharing your home with a furry feline friend comes with both advantages and disadvantages. While cats can be affectionate, playful, comforting, and relatively low-maintenance, they can also scratch up your couch, shed hairs over your carpet, and urinate or defecate inside your home.
A cat who has experienced living outdoors beyond the owner's property boundary may become distressed if suddenly kept totally indoors. In these cases cats may begin to display behavioural problems due to the stress of confinement and their health and welfare may be compromised.
The health benefits of cats
They can: Lower stress and anxiety. Cat owners know how one session of petting or playing with their cat can turn a bad day into a good one. Scientific evidence also shows that a cat's purr can calm your nervous system and lower your blood pressure.
But is denying cats 'the outside' also cruel? The bottom line is most cats can be totally happy living indoors – but owners need to put in the effort to provide for their environmental and behavioural needs.
Bottom line: AHS veterinarians recommend keeping your cat indoors. But the decision is yours. If you choose to allow your cats outside, take the proper precautions to keep your kitty healthy and safe.
Cons of Indoor Cats
Because cats enjoy roaming and exploring, keeping them inside can lead to boredom. Some indoor cats also experience depression and separation anxiety. To prevent these issues, you must take steps to meet your cat's needs.
Some cat owners fear that keeping their cat confined to the inside will decrease their quality of life, but most vets claim that indoor cats are just as happy as outdoor cats. Although your cat may beg to be let outside, they're most likely more than happy to be kept safe in the confines of your home.
Expect peeing on beds (get a cat urine repellent), sofa/furniture scratching (get them a claw scratcher), furs everywhere (get a lint roller), messy litterboxes, dead animals on your doorsteps, playful but painful scratching and biting, gangster catfights, marking their territories everywhere, and plenty of drama over ...
As pets go, cats are relatively low maintenance compared to dogs which need companionship, walking, training etc. However, like any pet, they do need care, and some cats need more care than others.
Scratching and clawing inanimate objects is common to cats, and they all do it. Though it's frustrating and can be destructive at times, it's also important to understand there's a purpose to a cat's scratching and clawing.
Cats Can Get Bored, Too
Cats are known for their independence. And while they may not be pack animals the way dogs are, cats are still social beings who need company and stimulation — and will suffer without it!
Because of a cat's ability to calm us, lower our stress levels, and offer companionship, they are great therapy animals for a wide variety of uses and patients. While a cat isn't a substitution for medication or therapy, there's no denying the subtle positive effect on mental health.
Cat owners were more likely than dog owners to say their pets offer companionship, provide a calming presence and help reduce stress and anxiety. Dog owners were twice as likely as cat owners to say their pet encourages them to be physically active.
Cat lovers are individualistic
Cat people are generally more introverted than dog people. While dog owners might prefer spending time outdoors and seeking out opportunities for social interaction, cat people seem to prefer spending time at home with their pets.
Female cats tend to be more independent than males. If you put in long hours at work and your new pet will spend a lot of time home alone, a female will generally handle this better than a male. Girl cats are often perfectly content snoozing and entertaining themselves throughout the day.
Most felines will be perfectly content being left alone for up to 8 hours while you're at work. As long as fresh water is available, some cats can be left alone for up to 24 hours. However, longer or more frequent periods of time away, such as full days or nights away from home can be more disruptive.
And unlike dogs, cats actually prefer smaller spaces and tend to find hideaways and corners to retreat when they need their space. Although cats may need a little less, a cat can happily live in one room only if they have everything they need.
Loss of appetite or changes in feeding habits. Changes in body language, including ears held back, tucked tail, and hairs standing on end. Meowing more or less than usual or making low-pitched, mournful meows. Lack of energy or a decrease in activity level.
Cats who hate closed doors are a universal phenomenon. It is not a sign that something is wrong with your cat, or that she needs more cuddling and playing sessions with you. Of course, it might be the case, but the truth is—they don't care about your privacy. They simply don't get it.
The risk for exposure to fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes is also greater for cats who spend time outside. These pests can transmit the agents that cause diseases, such as feline infectious anemia and heartworm.
Cats carry bacteria in their mouths, which can lead to local or systemic infection if a cat licks an open wound. Immunocompromised people are most at risk. Acquiring a disease from your cat is very rare, but to be safe, don't let your cat lick your face or any cuts on your skin.