Tom Alexander
The question of whether it’s better to keep cats indoors or allow them to go outside is a heated debate. As it turns out, there are valid arguments for both sides, and in the end, it comes down to deciding what is best for your cat in your specific situation.
However, for Siamese cats, there are a few other things to consider when deciding to let your cat go outside or not.
Siamese cats are curious by nature and need plenty of exercise and distraction. This is a strong argument for allowing them to go outside. It is their natural environment and a place where they can satisfy their instincts. However, there are things to consider, like safety and hygiene. There are situations where keeping them indoors is preferred.
Here we will list some of the considerations we took into account when deciding if we should let our Siamese cat go outside.
Advantages of letting your Siamese cat go outside
There are several benefits of letting your Siamese cat go outside. As for any cat it can have a positive impact on their health and behavior. Here are a couple of the pros of having an outdoors cat.
Fresh air and sunlight
Cats are living beings and need fresh air and sunlight to stay healthy. Animals are much closer to nature than humans. Therefore it’s only natural for them to spend some time outdoors, even if most of their lives as a domesticated cat is spent indoors.
Exercise
Exercise is essential for all cats to keep their joints and muscles healthy. Apart from that, getting enough exercise is the best way to fight obesity in cats which is a huge issue for domesticated cats.
Satisfy a Siamese cat’s natural curiosity
Exercise is especially essential for Siamese cats to keep them mentally fit as well. Siamese cats are curious by nature and like to explore. Allowing them time outside really helps them satisfy that need; it has a beneficial effect on their physique and mental health.
Satisfy a Siamese cat’s hunter’s instincts
Cats are hunters, and although that may seem nothing more like a distant memory for your domesticated kitty, these instincts are still powerful with most cats. Especially the Siamese breed still has very strong hunter’s instincts.
Letting your Siamese fluffy play outside and enact the hunt is very beneficial to them. It gets them the exercise they need, it satisfies their curiosity, and it’s just a load of fun for them.
Release stress
Think back to the last time you took a long walk in nature or along the beach. How did it make you feel? Relaxed, right? Your cat has that same feeling when playing outside. It’s perfect for your Siamese cat’s mental health to have some alone time outside.
Escape artists
Any cat owner who tries to desperately keep a cat inside while their fluffball can only think about escape knows that this is an exercise in futility. Often the cat wins and finds a split second in which they can escape.
Especially in a house that sees a lot of foot traffic, keeping a cat inside is often a mission impossible with kids or visitors.
If your cat has the opportunity to go outside regularly, they won’t turn into escape artists, and it relieves a lot of stress for their owners, who constantly have to watch the door or avoid having open windows.
Litterbox advantages
All cats prefer to relieve themselves in nature. There’s nothing better for cats than burying a poop in actual soil and marking territory with pee. Although you might want to keep your litterbox, you will notice that it will need cleaning far less when your cat can go outside.
Road to independence
Siamese cats are known for being very dependent on humans and need a lot of attention whenever their owners are around. Although this is a reason for owners to have a Siamese cat, sometimes you’d want them to be a little less clingy and needy.
Siamese cats who regularly go outside are much more independent than their counterparts who always stay inside.
This is mainly because playing outside satisfies their curiosity and playfulness. Therefore they need a little less interaction with their humans.
Reasons to keep your Siamese cat indoors
Although there are plenty of advantages of allowing your Siamese cat to play outside, there are also several downsides.
Hygiene
Most cats like to hide and play in the bushes. Although not as much as their canine counterparts, they also like digging around in soil and dirt. Apart from that, they are known to dig around in trash if their cat nose picks up an interesting smell.
I can imagine that you’d want to think twice about letting a cat sleep on your couch or in your bed with dirty paws. Not only will it dirty your clean sofa and sheets, but it could also potentially carry disease which could especially be harmful to small children or pregnant women.
Traffic
The number one danger for outside cats is traffic. In their playfulness and curiosity, Siamese cats may be a little less careful and will be at an increased risk of getting hit by an oncoming car.
If you live in an area with relatively busy roads, you might want to reconsider letting your Siamese cat roam free.
Siamese cats could get stolen
We hate this to be true, and it’s a sign of the world we live in today, but it’s not uncommon for Siamese cats to be kidnapped and stolen while roaming free.
Anyone who owns a Siamese knows that they are quite valuable, making them an attractive target for thieves.
Cats can get lost
Cats as curious and active as Siamese cats could quickly lose track of where they went and get lost. Especially for cats who aren’t used to being outside from a young age, this is a risk.
Many cats eventually find their way back home because, in fact, cats are very good at navigating. On the other hand, some cats never find their way back, so it is a real risk.
More susceptible to getting sick
Cats who go outside are at risk of catching a bug or disease more quickly than indoor cats. Especially purebreds like Siamese cats are more prone to getting sick. This could potentially lead to expensive vet bills.
Another potential risk is your Siamese nibbling on plants that are toxic to cats like Amarillis, Azalea, or Daffodils. However, this is relatively low risk because cats instinctively know that these plants are harmful to them.
Risk of getting into a fight
Cats who roam the streets will likely, sooner or later, get into a fight with other cats, especially if they wander into another cat’s territory.
Do you have a male Siamese? In that case, the risk is higher because males are much more territorial than females.
You might worry while your cat is away
Last but not least, some cat parents are worried sick when their fluffy baby is outside. That stress might be enough to deter you from allowing your cat some outside time.
How to let your Siamese cat go outside safely
After you have weighed all the pros and cons of letting your Siamese cat play outside with the other cats and decided that your kitty should be allowed some outside time, take to heart these tips to make sure your Siamese is well protected while outside.
Limit their freedom – if you’re worried something might happen and you have the option to do so, limit your cat’s freedom to only the garden.
Make sure your cat is chipped – If your Siamese cat makes a run for it, gets lost, or is unable to get home, any vet can read a chip so your cat can be traced back to you.
Look into getting a cat tracker – Cat trackers are fantastic pieces of equipment that allow you to track your cat wherever they go. We wrote an extensive article about cat trackers.
Make sure your cat is vaccinated – To avoid your Siamese cat being at risk for picking up diseases while outside, make sure he got the required vaccinations for protection.
Do your regular vet checkups – regularly checking your cat’s health is always a good idea, especially for outdoor cats.
Think twice if you live in an area with heavy traffic – If your cat is a real explorer who wanders quite far, we might recommend keeping your cat indoors and not put her at risk of being hit by a car.
Teach your cat to go outside in a harness or on a leash – When starting at a young age, cats can be perfectly comfortable walking on a leash or using a cat harness, giving you more control over their outside time and where they go.
Make sure they are inside after dark – Statistically, most cats get lost or hurt after dark. It’s best to make sure your cat is home before sunset. Most cats will come home when they’re hungry. That’s a good opportunity to keep your cat inside for the night.
How to prepare your cat for the outside world
In case you have decided that your want to let your Siamese indulge all the pleasures of the outside world, there is a lot you can do to prepare her for it.
This works best if started at a young age, but even if your cat is already older, we would advise taking the below approach.
- Don’t let cats go outside until they are at least ten weeks old.
- Slowly let them get used to the outside environment and keep them under constant supervision until they are about eight months old.
- During this period, you should let them get used to walking on a leash if that is what you prefer. You have the best chance of success with this if your cat gets used to it early on.
- If you have a garden, that is perfect. It’s great if they can get used to being outside in a safe environment.
- When your cats are getting used to being outside, spend time with them and play with them.
- From about two years old, you can let them go outside alone. Ensure your cat is chipped, and look into getting a cat tracker to give you peace of mind.
Things to do for an indoor cat
On the other hand, if you have decided that you’d instead not let your Siamese cat play outside, there are a few things that you can do to make their indoor life as happy and healthy as possible.
- Make sure there is plenty of opportunity for your Siamese the exercise at home.
- Clean the litter box regularly.
- Spend enough time playing with your Siamese cat; they need a lot of attention. Without distraction, it is easy for them to get depressed. Play with them for at least 15-30 minutes a day.
- It’s a great idea to regularly refresh your cat’s indoor environment by making small changes. This will satisfy their curiosity, and they always have something new to discover.
- Provide some (cat) grass for them to nibble on to clear their stomachs. This is healthy for cats, but indoor cats do not have the opportunity to do.
