Do you let your cat go outdoors? Many of our feline friends love outdoor kitty activities, like making pawprint art on car windshields and refusing to come when called. However, you may want to curb your pet’s roaming privileges. Your furry little adventurer really is much better off staying indoors! Read on as a local Dunn, NC vet discusses keeping your kitty inside.

Dangers of The Great Outdoors

Your furball may think she’s invulnerable, but in actuality, our feline buddies are very small and fragile, and can easily be hurt. Cars, weather, predators, and other cats are just a few things that threaten your pet outside. Cats that go outside are also more likely to pick up parasites, and are at much higher risk of being lost, hurt, or even killed! It’s also worth noting that letting housecats wander is also bad for wildlife. Fluffy kills billions of birds and small animals each year!

Breaking The News

If you tell your cat that she’s grounded, she’ll probably just meow and demand to be let out. However, you don’t want to punish Fluffy for wanting to go outside. That will just make her more determined to slip out. Instead, you’ll need to more or less trick your pet into staying in. How do you do that? Start by making the front door less appealing to her. When your furball approaches the door, squirt her with water or make a loud noise. These things won’t hurt your kitty, but they will annoy her, which may make her reconsider going near the door. Cats hate being annoyed!

Making Indoor Life Fun

In order to keep Fluffy content as an inside pet, you’ll need to make your home fun and exciting for her. Offer your kitty lots of toys, and take time to play with her daily. Of course, you can always bring a bit of the outside in by setting pet-safe plants out for your cat. Cats love nibbling on plants, and peeking out at their owners from behind green leaves! If you want to go all-out, make your furry pal a catio by adding safe plants, pet furniture, and toys to a screened porch or patio. Check the ASPCA website for a list of suitable plants. Please reach out to us, your Dunn, NC vet clinic, anytime. We are dedicated to keeping cats happy, healthy, and purring!