The great outdoors provides the most natural environment for cats, offering them the opportunity to explore a wide range of smells, sights, sounds, tastes and textures. Roaming outside provides cats with a physical and mental workout that releases feel-good hormones and reduces stress. So if your pets are spending more time at home during the cold, wet days of winter, or if you have indoor cats, they may sometimes become frustrated, and could benefit from extra play and stimulation inside.
Claire Stallard, Senior Cat Behaviourist at Petplan charity partner Blue Cross, notes that if cats are kept inside for prolonged lengths of time, they may scratch furniture, spray or not use their litter trays. ‘They’re not being naughty; these are just natural things they’d rather be doing outside,’ she says. ‘These behaviours could be a sign of stress at not being outdoors.’
Other signs of feline frustration include cats crying at the window or outside door, or starting to play inappropriately. ‘Young cats, particularly, might do this,’ says Claire. ‘Cats are natural hunters, so when they’re deprived of the outdoors, they might start stalking and “hunting” us when we walk past. This could become a problem with young children or older people who have more fragile skin. So you need to provide your cats with toys and activities to keep them occupied.’
