What research actually shows about the welfare outcomes for indoor versus outdoor cats, and how to interpret the evidence when making management decisions.
The research on indoor versus outdoor cat welfare is more nuanced than either side of the debate typically acknowledges. Outdoor cats do face dramatically higher mortality risk — the life expectancy difference is real and substantial. But indoor cats without adequate enrichment also experience welfare deficits that are invisible in survival statistics. The research most relevant to welfare decisions is that which shows indoor cats in enriched environments achieve comparable behavioral welfare outcomes to outdoor cats, with dramatically better survival. This suggests the welfare question is not indoor versus outdoor but rather whether indoor environments are enriched adequately to meet cats' behavioral needs — a condition that most owners can achieve with appropriate investment.