Road traffic is the leading cause of traumatic injury and death in outdoor cats. Balancing outdoor access welfare benefits against road mortality risk requires thoughtful management.
Road traffic injuries cause acute severe trauma and pain, and are among the most common causes of young adult cat death. The welfare trade-off between restricting outdoor access and road mortality risk is genuine and location-dependent. In high-traffic areas the mortality risk may outweigh outdoor access benefits. Managed outdoor access through catios or secure gardens provides behavioral enrichment without the road mortality risk.