When deciding on whether to keep cats exclusively indoors, or let them go outside under supervision, it should be a straightforward decision.

There are many benefits to keeping cats indoors and they far outweigh the benefits of having a cat going outside even if you go out with them.

The most obvious reason is that they are safer. They will not get hit by a car. They will not get into fights with other animals. They will not get locked in sheds or garages and not be able to get out for days or even weeks. They will not sustain injuries or other life changing traumas that can be fatal, result in the loss of a leg or other irreparable damage.

If they are indoors, they will also avoid diseases carried by other animals. Cats can become infected with various viruses including Feline Leukemia, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), and many other respiratory and intestinal viruses. The first three viruses are fatal and cause cats to suffer greatly.

Cats can also be exposed to many internal parasites, like intestinal worms and external parasites like fleas, ticks and mites. Even if they go out with their owners, cats can still come in contact with all of these contagious illnesses.

Cats may never come back home if they go outside. They can get picked up by animal control officers and taken to shelters. They can wander too far from their home and not be able to make their way back. Other people can also take a cat they see outside and keep it for their own because they don’t realize that it already has a home.

Cats that haven’t grown up inside a home can have a strong desire to continue going outside. In fact, they can be pretty persistent in trying to get outside. With some effort though, they can be trained to not bolt out of the door when it opens or meow constantly at the door. It is worth the effort to train them to stay inside.

So the next time your cat tries to go outside or you have a kitten that you can choose to not let go outside from the start, remember that cats live longer and are healthier if they stay indoors. Many cats have had to be euthanized at an early age because they went outside became ill or suffered a severe injury.