An interesting article that I read this morning discusses a proposed ban on cats being allowed to venture outdoors. The Nillumbik Council of Victoria, is currently drafting a plan that will extend the current ban on cats being outdoors (7.30pm - 6am) to cats being confined indoors or within cat enclosures 24 hours, 7 days per week. Not surprisingly, the extension has been provisionally supported by both the RSPCA and the Cat Protection Society, although the Cat Protection Society notes that the proposed law must consider the conditions permitted in relation to enclosure/confinement of cats.

I for one have always been supportive of restricting outdoor cat’s behaviour, mainly due to the potential impact on the local wildlife. After all, cats will always be cats and no matter how “domestic” a cat becomes it will always have the urge to hunt. In addition to this, outdoor cats have approximately half the life-expectancy of in-door cats; more than enough reasons to ensure that both my Tonkinese cats Charlie and Milly are indoor-only cats. With proper care and consideration of the needs of an indoor-only cat, most cats can live perfectly happily indoors (you may want to read my post Top Tips to Keep an Indoor Cat Happy).

One question however does come to mind - if the proposed ban is successful, how does the Nillumbik Council plan to actually police this policy? Other than the odd cat being caught and identified by the cat catcher (is there such a thing?), I cannot imagine a great deal of non-law abiding cat owners ever being caught and reprimanded for their cats being outdoors.

I would be interested in hearing what other cat owners think of the proposed ban - please leave a comment below.

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More and more cat owners are keeping their cats indoors on a permanent basis. This can be for many reasons, such as to avoid outdoor risks such as traffic, fighting with other cats and diseases. Due to these reasons, indoor cats typically live longer when compared to outdoor cats.

Indoor cats do however have special needs that if considered will avoid behavioural problems from being indoors all the time. Below are Buzz Pet’s Top 7 Tips when keeping an indoors only cat.

Tip #1 - Litter trays

Litter trays are a fundamental requirement for any indoor cat. General rules that apply are:

• 1 tray per cat, placed in an accessible, quiet location AWAY from where the cats sleep and eat
• Most cats prefer larger trays with no cover (so try to avoid the covered trays with a cat flap)
• Litter preferences also matter (you may want to read my post on litter); if you find a litter your cat seems to like then do not change!
• Clean the litter daily, and rinse the tray each week.

Remember the better the hygiene the happier your cat (and lets face it this is not much different to us humans!).

Tip #2 - Scratching poles

Cats love to scratch and scratching is a fundamental activity for all cats; the trick is to provide the “right” options for your cats to scratch, rather than the expensive furniture! Scratching poles are great, available in a variety of colours and most these days come with replaceable covers - when the cover wear’s out, simply replace it. Locate poles near the entry of rooms and sleeping areas - cats also scratch to leave their scent.

Tip #3 - Cat trees

Cats love to be up high so that they can observe life going by. Cat trees provide this opportunity and can serve two purposes as most trees these days have scratching poles built in. Many trees have multiple levels for your cat to enjoy, some with the additional of toys hanging off each level to keep your cats amused.

Tip #4 - Toys

There are literally thousands of cat toys available, but finding the right toys for your cat can be a challenge. Try both hunting style toys such as mice and birds, and less traditional toys such as balls, string etc. Sometimes the simplest of toys such as scrunched up paper or ping-pong balls can provide hours of cat entertainment. Make sure you rotate the toys and leave them out for play when you are not home.

Another hot tip is to set up a fish aquarium at home; this will provide hours of entertainment for your cat (just make sure that they cannot get access to the water!).

Tip #5 - Outdoor Cat Enclosures

Cat enclosures really provide the best of both worlds for you and your cat by allowing your cat to get outdoors in a safe environment. There are professional ready-made cages down to DIY home-made ones; you are really only limited by your creativity (and your where you live of course).

Tip #6 - Cat walking

You can also train your cat to wear a harness and walk on a lead; this can be a slow process at first, one good approach is to allow your cat to feel comfortable wearing the harness before heading outdoors. One trick is to train your cat to associate wearing the harness with fun things such as playing with a certain toy. Similar to most training, it is best to begin this from an early age whilst your cat is still a kitten. Note that some breeds (I have had some success with Charlie our Tonkinese) will adopt walking very quickly, whilst others may take more training. Patience is the key!

Tip #7 - Indoor plants

Cat grass, cat herbs, potted plants -anything that grows indoors may well take the eye of your cat. Most cats like to graze on grass at sometime so it is worth considering setting up a simple “cat garden”.

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