Cats can be happy staying at home if they have an environment that safeguards their physical and mental health and provides them with the opportunity for positive experiences and good welfare.
Cats can successfully transition from roaming to staying home all of the time, but each cat is an individual, and some may take quite a long time to adjust, and some cats just won’t cope with this transition.
Transitioning from roaming to staying at home all the time is a big change for the cat. It is important to optimise the cat’s environment, take things slowly and gradually, monitor the cat’s behaviour and welfare, and be responsive and respectful to their individuality and needs to safeguard their welfare. Effective steps must be taken to mitigate any stress experienced by cats and to assist them with the transition to staying at home all of the time, including seeking veterinary behavioural advice where necessary.
Firstly, it is imperative to set up an environment that will meet your cat’s physical and mental needs and promote good welfare, which this guide can help with! Access to a safe and secure outdoor area that increases their opportunity for choice, activity, and stimulation, has significant benefits for the cat’s physical and mental wellbeing. Providing this outdoor space may help cats who have been used to roaming outdoors cope better with a stay-at-home lifestyle.
It is important to make your home really appealing for your cat! As well as making sure they have an optimal environment, you can use positive reinforcement and reward-based training to help your cat associate being home with good things – like tasty food and opportunities for cuddles and play. Each cat is an individual and once you know their preferences you can make your home a haven for your cat.
Once you have made sure your cat has an ideal home environment, you can try to slowly increase the time your cat spends at home and reduce the amount of time they are out roaming. If you don’t already keep your cat home at night, consider transitioning them to staying home overnight first. Once they have adapted to staying home at night, you can then continue to slowly increase the time your cat spends at home by extending their time at home to include dawn and dusk and then more time beyond that. You can also try gradually increasing the amount of time that you keep them at home around mealtimes. If all goes well and your cat is coping with the transition, you can continue until they are staying at home all the time.
Expect this process of gradually increasing the time your cat stays at home to take quite a while (probably at least a couple of months). Only make changes (like increasing the time you keep your cat home) when your cat has adapted to the new status quo at each stage in the process and watch out for signs that your cat may be frustrated or stressed (e.g., changes in behaviour like being withdrawn, over-grooming, a change in appetite, increased conflict with other companion animals in the home, inappropriate toileting, aggressive or destructive behaviour, or increased vocalisation).
If your cat is showing behavioural signs of frustration/stress that do not improve or if these are serious or potentially associated with medical issues (e.g., inappropriate toileting, aggressive or destructive behaviour) it is important to seek advice from your veterinarian and possibly a veterinary behaviourist. These professionals can also suggest alternate strategies for cats who are unable to cope with containment.
Visit the RSPCA Australia Safe and Happy Cats website for more information.
