Within towns and neighbourhoods, many owners let their cats outside, some of them roaming hundreds of metres away from their homes. Is it worth potentially risking it all for something that isn’t strictly essential?

 

Cats that are allowed outside are exposed to many hazards, from predators such as owls, poisons from plants and insecticides, and cat fights which may lead to infections such as Feline AIDS and Rabies. As well as this, in urban areas, it is more common for cats to be hit by vehicles, or be abducted by well or bad-meaning people. 

 

However, keeping your feline friend inside has been linked to an increase in depression and lethargy, which can cause issues such as obesity. In this case, you may want to explore other options, such as a recent trend to walk your cat like a dog.

 

Nonetheless, many in the veterinary field advise against this. Cats are very different from dogs, and should be treated differently. Walking your cat on a harness has been proven to increase stress in cats, due to their high amount of territoriality. Even if you do manage to get your cat in a harness and willing to walk, it is essential that you steer clear of any parks or anywhere where there are vehicles, people, or pets.

 

In any case, you should consider the environment where you live. If you live near a busy road or in a busy city, you should refrain from going on walks with your feline friend, or even letting them out of the house (especially if you don’t have high fences). However, in a less urbanised environment, your cat may thrive outside. Although the immediate fear of disease or abduction may come to mind, boredom can become unbearable for your cat and be more damaging than just letting them out to play.