Catios — enclosed outdoor enclosures — provide indoor cats with safe access to fresh air, natural stimuli, and enriched environments that significantly improve welfare without the mortality risks of free-roaming.
Catios solve the welfare dilemma of providing outdoor enrichment while protecting cats from traffic, predators, and disease. Cats with catio access can engage with natural stimuli including air movement, bird sounds, insects, and varied light in ways that purely indoor environments cannot provide. The welfare improvement from catio access is well-supported by behavioral indicators.