Whether cats should have outdoor access is a major debate in companion animal welfare. Evidence-based approaches balance individual cat needs with safety and wildlife impact.
Cat outdoor welfare is genuinely complex: outdoor access provides enrichment, exercise, territory expression, and hunting fulfillment, but dramatically reduces lifespan through accident, disease, and predation risk. Indoor-only cats without adequate enrichment experience welfare harms from under-stimulation and stress. The optimal welfare solution is typically enriched indoor life combined with supervised outdoor access — a secure garden enclosure (catio), leash walks for adaptable cats, or supervised garden time. This balance maximizes behavioral welfare while substantially reducing accident and disease risk.