Optimizing an Indoor Lifestyle for Cats
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Optimizing an indoor lifestyle for cats ■ Margie Scherk, DVM, Dipl. ABVP (Feline Practice) catsINK, Vancouver, BC, Canada Dr Scherk graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1982 and opened the “Cats Only Veterinary Clinic” in Vancouver in 1986, practicing there until 2008. She has written numerous book chapters and has published several clinical trials on feline topics; she is also an active international speaker and enjoys teaching on-line. Dr Scherk has served extensively within the American Association of Feline Practitioners, as well as other veterinary organizations, and is co-editor of the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. Her interests include all things feline, but in particular analgesia, the digestive system, renal disease, nutrition and enabling more positive interactions with cats. ■ Introduction (2), whereas in the United Kingdom the majority of cats People benefit from living with pets. As companions, were allowed outside (3) whilst a study from Melbourne, they provide stress relief, stability of routine, and im- Australia reported that 23% of cats were “mainly in- PROVEDHEALTH 9ETHOWTOBESTCAREFOROURCATSRE- doors” (4). Why are there such “cultural” differences? mains controversial, and there are cultural and regional The decision to keep a cat indoors may be practical: liv- differences in what people believe is the best way to ing on the 21st floor of an apartment building in a busy house cats. As long ago as 1997, between 50-60% of city prevents ready access to the outside. In other situa- cats were housed strictly indoors in the United States tions, it is true that keeping a cat indoors reduces the risks from wandering, poisoning, automobile accidents, contagious disease or fights with other animals (5,6), and owners may also believe that it removes the risk of internal and external parasites (e.g., heartworm, fleas). +%90/).43 /THERREASONSTOKEEPCATSINDOORSINCLUDEAVOIDANCEOF s #ATSRESTRICTEDTOINDOORLIVINGHAVEA unwanted pregnancy (assuming the pet is not spayed) REDUCEDRISKFORVEHICULARTRAUMA PREDATION and to protect wildlife. AGGRESSIVEINTERACTIONSWITHCATSAND OTHERANIMALS ANDEXPOSURETOINFECTIOUS ■ What are the effects of indoor living DISEASES on cats? s )NDOORLIVINGISNOTWITHOUTRISKS Are there any downsides to keeping cats strictly indoors? s .OTALLCATSCANADAPTREADILYTOANINDOOR There is a reality-perception mismatch if owners think LIFESTYLE ANDMAYBEATINCREASEDRISKFOR that their indoor cat’s life is free from perils, as the indoor CERTAINBEHAVIORALANDMEDICALPROBLEMS cat experiences different hazards. These include falls s !LLENVIRONMENTALANDSOCIALNEEDSMUST from balconies and windows, kitchen scalds or burns, BEMETFORSUCCESSFULINDOORLIVING ANDTHE and access to toxic cleaning products, unsuitable food WELLBEINGOFEACHCATNEEDSTOBEEVALUATED (e.g., onion, garlic) and plants (3) (Table 1). Studies REPEATEDLYOVERTIME comparing mortality of cats housed indoors with those s 0REDICTABILITY FAMILIARITY ROUTINEAND allowed outside are not available in the North American HAVINGASENSEOFCONTROLAREKEYFACTORSIN veterinary literature (7). However, cats have not been REDUCINGSTRESS selectively bred to be indoors 24 hours a day, and many s /FFERINGOUTDOORACCESSDOESNOT do not adjust to living in close contact with people (4). COMPENSATEIFTHECATHASPOORCONDITIONS For this adaptation to be successful, a cat must have INDOORS had complete and successful socialization to people prior to eight weeks of age (4). Additionally, because fearful traits can be inherited, some cats will be unsuited 2 / Veterinary Focus / Vol 26 n°2 / 2016 to close human contact (4). Similar concerns exist when Table 1. Comparing lifestyle risks (adapted from (3)). trying to integrate cats from different sources: this REQUIRESEARLYSOCIALIZATIONANDCATSHAVEDIFFERENTPER- Increased risks Increased risks sonalities (e.g., sociable, timid and unfriendly, active and associated with living associated with aggressive) that may be incompatible (8). strictly indoors outdoor access s ,OWERURINARYTRACT s )NFECTIOUSDISEASES A monotonous and overly predictable environment is DISEASESIDIOPATHIC &E,6 &)6 RABIES stressful (9). Cats may not be able to perform behaviors ANDCALCIUMOXALATE PARASITES that express their natural telos – their cat-like nature. The UROLITHIASIS s 6EHICULARACCIDENTS resulting psychological and physiological stress may s (YPERTHYROIDISM s 4RAUMAFALLS develop into either problem behaviors (natural behaviors s /BESITY that are unwelcome, e.g., spraying or scratching), s !LTERCATIVETRAUMA s $IABETES OTHERCATS OTHER behavior problems (e.g., obsessive grooming), or physi- ANIMALS cal illness. Signs of stress and anxiety may be overt s /DONTOCLASTIC RESORPTIVELESIONS s 'ETTINGLOST (e.g., changes in appetite, grooming, increased vocal- ization, hiding, vigilance, aggression, spraying or com- s "OREDOM s 4HEFT pulsive behaviors (Figure 1)), or subtle (e.g., decreased s (OUSEHOLDHAZARDS s 0OISONING ACTIVITY PLAY EXPLORATORYBEHAVIORINQUISITIVENESS FACIAL BURNS POISONS FALLS marking, affiliative interactions with people and other s )NACTIVITY DECREASED animals) (10). lTNESS s 0ROBLEMBEHAVIORS Certain physical illnesses are more prevalent in indoor SPRAYING SCRATCHING cats (Table 1) although it can be argued that indoor s "EHAVIORPROBLEMS cats may be more closely observed, so that behavior OBSESSIVEBEHAVIORS changes are more readily noticed, or they receive more s $ERMATOLOGICPROBLEMS FREQUENTVETERINARYCARE SOTHATDISEASESAREIDENTIlED ATOPYACRALLICK more readily than in free-roaming cats, but this is only DERMATITIS CONJECTURE/NESOURCESTATESTHAThTHEDISPARITYBETWEEN physical and psychological stressors is an illusion. Host defence mechanisms respond in adaptive and meaning- Figure 1. 0SYCHOLOGICALANDPHYSIOLOGICALSTRESSMAY ful ways to both” (11). RESULTINUNWELCOMEPROBLEMBEHAVIORSSUCHASSPRAYING ■ What cats need to be cats 2EDUCINGSTRESSFORCATSREQUIRESANUNDERSTANDINGOF who and what a cat is and what they need. Cats are ter- ritorial, with their territories based around essential RESOURCES MOST PROMINENTLY FOOD "OTH MALES AND females mark their territories with olfactory clues: spray- ing urine, rubbing against objects and scratching vertical surfaces (which provides both olfactory and visual sig- nals). Resource areas may be time-shared, so cats cir- cumvent confrontation by avoiding contact. Fighting is a last resort and occurs when escape is impossible. Cats REQUIREPRIVACYFORHIDING SAFETY OBSERVATION UNDIS- turbed rest, and sleep, whilst vantage positions allow cats to avoid or evade intruders, predators and other threats. Socially, cats may live on their own or in groups. Colonies consist of related females and their offspring, with males visiting for reproductive purposes, although they may help to provide care for related young until they are mature, either sexually or socially (12). Terry Curtis/Margie© Scherk 3 / Veterinary Focus / Vol 26 n°2 / 2016 lIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlIIII /04)-):).'!.).$//2,)&%349,%&/2#!43 lIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlIIIIIIIIIIIIIlIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlIIIIIIIIIIIIIlI The ”Five Freedoms”, first described in 1965 to define CATSEATANDMAYINTERPRETINQUISITIVE VERBALORRUBBING farm animal welfare*, have more recently been adapted CUESFROMACATASAREQUESTTOBEFEDREWARDINGSUCH for cats, as follows (3): actions with food reinforces the cat’s behavior, and the 1. Provision of food and water: a balanced diet that owner feels needed and cared for. We inadvertently train meets the animal’s nutritional needs at every life stage, cats to ask for food and they train us to respond to their and fresh water. boredom or other unmet needs by feeding them. 0ROVISIONOFASUITABLEENVIRONMENTADEQUATESPACE and shelter, with sufficient light, low noise levels and Neutering (males and females) reduces energy re- no extremes of temperature. The area can be indoor- QUIREMENTSBYBETWEEN MOSTSTUDIESINDICATE only or with outdoors access. 20-25%). Additionally, feeding induces release of neu- 3. Provision of healthcare: vaccination, neutering (steril- rochemicals that make the cat feel good, and eating ization), parasite control, individual identification (micro- becomes a solace for negative experiences (distress, chip, collar), and prompt access to veterinary care. fear) or boredom. In a multi-cat household, if the cats 4. Provision of opportunities to express most normal are stressed due to incomplete socialization, they can behaviors, including those directed towards conspe- express this by overeating, especially if they cannot cifics and humans. achieve and maintain a comfortable spacing. 5. Provision of protection from conditions likely to lead to fear and distress. /BESITYISAHUGEPROBLEMINCATS/NESTUDY DETER- mined that the risk factors associated with overweight or While the vast majority of cats kept indoors will have OBESITYWEREFREQUENCYOFFEEDINGANDNEUTEREDSTATUS ADEQUATEFOODANDWATER ANDILLNESSESADDRESSEDWHEN regardless of whether cats were indoors or outdoors. noticed, many do not have the ability to express normal Cats fed 2-3 times daily were more likely to be overfed cat behaviors. This may result in distress, fear, undesir- than those offered ad libitum feeding. While contradict- able behaviors and potentially illness. Typical cat behav- ing the findings of other studies, this reinforces the iors include play, investigation, observation, hunting, importance of owner education regarding the amount feeding, drinking, grooming, scratching, traveling, scent and type of food to