The risk of your outdoor feline becoming a stray as a result of careless wandering is a very serious concern.
PETA recommends keeping cats indoors owing to various health risks that cats face if allowed to roam around freely outdoors, for example Feline Aids, a highly contagious and incurable disease, being one of the most prevalent concerns.
According to regional director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa, Adrian Goslett, homeowners who live near busy streets or next to neighbours with vicious dogs should consider keeping their cats indoors.
“There are two main concerns with keeping a cat inside your home; the first being the health and wellbeing of your pet and the second being the resale value of your property.
ALSO READ:
Why your house number should be clearly visible
“While the latter is important, the former ought to take priority.
“You can always stage the property when it comes time to sell,” Goslett said.
To help homeowners prepare their homes for their furry loved ones, RE/MAX of Southern Africa provides some tips on how to keep both cat and homeowner happy indoors:
- Child lock your storage units:
Cats are explorers by nature. If you take away their ability to roam the streets, they will roam your wardrobes instead. To keep your cat from napping alongside your imported china, put child locks on easy-to-open cupboards and store all valuable, breakable and/or chewable items in these cupboards.
- Provide indoor entertainment :
A bored indoor cat is the surest way of coming home to shredded curtains and tattered toilet paper rolls. Make sure your cat has enough to play with inside the house so that they don’t ruin your furniture instead.
- Clean daily:
While cats might be known for their personal hygiene and cleanliness, keeping them in your home still requires a substantial amount of cleaning. Keeping a litterbox indoors can lead to some pungent odours, so be sure to clean this out daily. Sweeping up cat hair will also become a daily challenge. Stock up on lint rollers and rubber brooms to make sure you’re able to deal with the never-ending fluff problem.
- Watch for warning signs:
While some cats will have no problem living indoors, others will become agitated by the confined living situation. Luckily, your cat will portray certain warning signs if they are feeling uncomfortable, including not eating or eating to excess, relieving itself outside of its litterbox, and trying to sneak outside at every opportunity. If your cat shows all these signs, then it might be better to find a home in a safer neighbourhood where you can allow your cat to roam freely during the day.
Have a story?
Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor) leighh@caxton.co.za.
Also follow us on:
