How to create a cat-friendly contained environment for your cat and why it matters

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How to create a cat-friendly contained environment for your cat and why it matters

The RSPCA strongly supports keeping cats contained to their homes. And while a lot of people do currently let their cats roam, there are significant risks with this for the cats themselves, other animals, and local wildlife. The best option is to keep cats contained at home within your property’s boundaries, but this doesn’t have to mean they are confined indoors all of the time. Cats can experience a good life in a contained environment that meets their physical and mental needs – but it does take care and effort. So, what can guardians do to help cats lead a fulfilled and content life while still protecting their safety, and minimising potential negative impacts? And what can you do to transition your roaming cat to once who is safer and happier at home? Read on to find out more.

RSPCA Australia
Friday, 20 June 2025

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The RSPCA strongly supports keeping cats contained to their homes. And while a lot of people do currently let their cats roam, there are significant risks with this for the cats themselves, other animals, and local wildlife.

The best option is to keep cats contained at home within your property’s boundaries, but this doesn’t have to mean they are confined indoors all of the time. Cats can experience a good life in a contained environment that meets their physical and mental needs – but it does take care and effort.

So, what can guardians do to help cats lead a fulfilled and content life while still protecting their safety, and minimising potential negative impacts? And what can you do to transition your roaming cat to once who is safer and happier at home? Read on to find out more.

What guardians need to provide

Keeping your cat contained at home means that you as their guardian have complete responsibility for their environment. So, it’s important to make it optimal and appealing for them, including providing opportunities for your cat to have positive experiences that will promote their wellbeing.

An optimal home environment should be a safe haven and provide choices for your cat. This should include different options for eating, drinking, toileting, and resting. It should also include opportunities for them to play, and engage in their suite of natural behaviours like stalking, pouncing, climbing, scratching, hiding, and exploring (cat toys, scratching posts and playtime with you are great ways to provide these opportunities). There should also be quiet and safe spaces for your cat to retreat if they feel overwhelmed such as elevated spaces where they can observe their environment but also feel secluded and safe. Our Safe and Happy Cats resource has more detailed tips on how to do this – check it out!

If your home has an outdoor area such as a balcony, courtyard, or garden, providing your cat with access to a safe outdoor escape-proof enclosure or fenced space is highly recommended. This greatly assists in meeting your cat’s physical and mental needs by giving them a more complex environment that offers them more choice, activity, and stimulation, and allows them to experience the benefits of being outside without the dangers of roaming.

How to transition

Each cat is an individual, and while cats can be successfully transitioned from roaming to contained, it’s important to remember that every cat has their own experiences and preferences that may influence how they adjust.

Transitioning from roaming to staying at home all the time is a big change for the cat. To ease the transition, make the home environment as appealing as possible, take changes slowly and gradually, and monitor your cat’s behaviour for indicators of stress.

Once you have made sure your home environment is optimal, try to slowly increase the time your cat spends at home. If they are used to roaming at all hours, your first step could be to keep them indoors overnight. Many councils have implemented cat curfews, so this is a good place to start. Once your cat has adapted to staying home overnight, you can try gradually increasing the hours they are home to include dawn and dusk and continue to increase the time as they grow comfortable staying at home more.

One method that may help in easing the transition is using positive reinforcement and reward-based training to help your cat associate being at home with good things, such as comfortable and safe spaces, tasty cat treats, enriching cat toys, and opportunities for cuddles and playtime with you. Knowing your cat’s individual preferences helps you to make your home a haven for your cat that they enjoy and feel content in.

The process of transitioning your cat to staying at home all of the time will be gradual and, for most cats, take a while (a couple of months or more.) It’s important to only move on to the next stage of the transition when your cat has fully adapted to the previous stage.

If your cat is showing behavioural signs of frustration or stress that don’t improve or could potentially be associated with medical issues (such as inappropriate toileting, aggressive behaviour or loss of appetite) seek advice from your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviourist as soon as possible. These professionals can also suggest alternative strategies for cats struggling to transition.

Why it matters

We know how much people love their cats and want to provide the very best life possible for them. Keeping cats contained goes a long way in helping them to lead a long and happy life by reducing the risks of accidents, loss or injury commonly associated with roaming. As well as keeping cats safe, keeping cats contained at home also helps to protect local wildlife and assists in reducing the number of homeless cats, many of whom may have been pet cats who strayed and got lost, unable to return home. By doing your part as a responsible cat guardian, you can contribute positively to the management of cats in your community while also giving your cat a good life and enhancing your bond with your feline companion.

There’s a lot that goes into cat guardianship and creating an optimal environment for your cat, to delve deeper head to our helpful guide at Safe and Happy Cats.

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