Evidence-based analysis of the welfare trade-offs between indoor and outdoor cat keeping and how to optimise welfare in both environments.
The indoor versus outdoor debate in cat welfare has no universal answer. Outdoor access provides environmental enrichment, natural behaviour expression, and physical activity that are difficult to fully replicate indoors. But outdoor life exposes cats to mortality risks and infectious diseases that dramatically shorten expected lifespan. The welfare analysis must be individualised: a rural cat with garden access and no road nearby faces very different risks from an urban cat in a high-traffic area. The goal is maximising positive welfare while minimising harm — often achievable through supervised outdoor access, enclosed garden spaces, or well-enriched indoor environments.