Road traffic is the leading cause of premature death in outdoor cats. Evidence-based approaches help owners balance their cat's need for enrichment with traffic safety.
The tension between outdoor access and traffic safety represents one of the most complex welfare decisions for cat owners. Complete indoor confinement eliminates traffic risk but creates other welfare challenges if insufficient enrichment is provided. Partial outdoor access with management strategies — night curfews, enclosed gardens, busy road avoidance — substantially reduces mortality risk while preserving behavioural enrichment. Owner decisions should be informed by individual cat behaviour, local traffic density and available alternatives. Welfare-conscious ownership seeks to meet cats' environmental and behavioural needs while taking reasonable precautions against preventable harm.