A research collaboration between Companion Animals NZ and the University of Adelaide, Australia, is providing insight into how cats - and their human guardians - adapt to having a cat living exclusively indoors.
Why is this research needed?
Cats may live indoors for a number of reasons, including urban living, individual pet health needs, and environmental concerns. The transition to indoor living is not well-researched and raises questions for many pet guardians. This study aimed to better understand this process and provide evidence-based information about this transition in living.
About the research
The study received support and funding from Healthy Pets, the University of Adelaide, HeyRex, and CANZ. We had a lot of interest from the community, with 114 people registering their interest to participate in the study.
A total of 16 cats and their guardians carefully selected to meet criteria participated in the month-long study, which included:
A one-week baseline period where cats maintained their usual outdoor access
Three weeks of exclusive indoor living
Cat activity monitoring through wearable activity trackers
Regular behavioural surveys completed by human guardians
This approach allowed us to track activity levels and behavioural changes of the cats throughout the transition period, while also gathering insights from pet guardians about their experiences.
Research in progress
The data collected during this study is currently being analysed, with results expected to be available soon. This analysis will help us better understand how cats adjust their activity patterns when transitioning to indoor living and what behavioural changes both cats and their guardians experience during this process.
“We were delighted by how many people wanted to be part of this study - it shows a keen interest in understanding more about cat behaviour and their housing options. There hasn’t been much research in this area, so we’re excited to fill that knowledge gap.”
Looking ahead
The findings from this research aim to enhance our understanding of the transition from outdoor to indoor living for cats and their human guardians. The study is focused on exploring various living scenarios for cats, without suggesting any inherent preference for indoor living. Our goal is to provide an unbiased, comprehensive view of the factors influencing these transitions. We will share updates on the research as we complete the analysis of the results.
A big thank you to HeyRex and Healthy Pets who generously supported this programme of work.