Why It’s Safer to Keep Pets Indoors (With Supervised Outdoor Time)

Letting pets roam freely outside might seem natural or even necessary for their happiness, but doing so can expose them to a range of serious dangers. Whether you own a cat, dog, or both, your decision to keep pets indoors with supervised outdoor access offers significant benefits for their health, safety, and longevity.

Here’s why responsible pet ownership today often means opting for indoor living — with a bit of safe outdoor exploration when possible.

Outdoor Health and Safety Risks Are Greater Than Many Realize

Allowing cats or dogs to be outdoor pets and roam freely outside increases their exposure to more hazards and preventable illnesses than you might think. At best, you could be facing a hefty veterinary bill to treat your pet, and at worst, you could lose your pet to an early death that could have been avoided. Outdoor pets are at higher risk for:

• Injuries and death from vehicles

• Injuries and infections from fights with other animals, or (for cats) being chased by dogs

• Being killed by natural predators or enemies, such as coyotes, hawks, snakes, or wildcats

• Illness or infection from animals they kill or find and eat

• Poisoning from plants, pesticides, rodenticides, or antifreeze

• Parasite infestations (such as fleas, ticks, and worms)

• Heatstroke and dehydration in hot weather

• Hypothermia or frostbite in the winter

• Getting lost without access to food, water, or shelter

• Experiencing prolonged stress or fear

• Becoming trapped in a garage, basement, storm drain, or other space

• Missing doses of important medication (for pets who need prescription food or drugs)

• Being mistaken for a homeless pet and taken to someone else’s home or an animal shelter

• Mistreatment, animal cruelty, or incidental harm at the hands of other people

Cats are particularly vulnerable outdoors due to their small size, natural curiosity, and ability to hide from their owners and other people who could otherwise rescue them. Dogs, too, are at risk in different ways. Dogs who live outdoors — even if they stay in your yard and have a dog house — can suffer from emotional distress due to isolation, lack of stimulation, and limited social interaction. They’re also more likely to develop behavioral issues, such as aggression or excessive barking.

The Lifespan of Indoor Pets Is Much Longer

Indoor pets typically live much longer than their outdoor counterparts. An indoor cat can live up to 20 years, while an outdoor cat lifespan is often only 2 to 5 years due to the cumulative dangers they face.

Similarly, outdoor cats have a significantly higher risk of disease, injury, and early death. This includes preventable diseases and illnesses such as feline leukemia, feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and upper respiratory infections — all of which spread more readily in outdoor environments.

For indoor dogs, living in your house doesn’t just extend their lifespan; it also enhances their quality of life. An inside dog is more likely to receive consistent veterinary care, companionship, and mental stimulation, which all contribute to better long-term health.

Outdoor Roaming Can Harm Wildlife and the Environment

Free-roaming pets can also pose a threat to local wildlife. Free-roaming cats kill an estimated 1.3 to 4 billion birds and 6.3 to 22.3 billion mammals in the United States each year. This level of predation has a significant impact on native wildlife populations.

Dogs can also disturb local ecosystems by chasing wildlife, digging, or spreading waste in natural areas. Even well-meaning pet owners may not realize the environmental damage that off-leash or free-roaming pets can cause.

Indoor Pets Are Easier to Monitor and Bond With

When pets live indoors, their guardians can keep a close eye on their health and behavior. Sudden changes in health, such as lethargy, vomiting, limping, or changes in appetite are easier to spot, which allows for faster veterinary intervention.

Indoor living also fosters a closer bond between pets and their humans. Inside dogs are typically better socialized and better behaved because they receive more attention, exercise, and mental stimulation. Cats, despite their reputation for independence, also benefit greatly from regular interaction and enrichment indoors to keep them active and mentally stimulated at home.

Outdoor Access Is Still a Good Thing — But Keep It Supervised

Indoor pets don’t have to live in total confinement. Supervised outdoor access offers the best of both worlds: stimulation and pet safety. Because many pets can escape or become lost even with outdoor monitoring, it’s vital to ensure that your pet is microchipped. However, you can locate your pet much faster if you also fit their collar with a small tracking device specifically designed for that use. Some ideas for safe outdoor time could include:

For cats:

• Engaging in leash training with a well-fitted harness

• Spending time in a secure “catio” or outdoor cat enclosure

• Sitting in screened porches or sunrooms

• Exploring a fully fenced backyard under supervision

For dogs:

• Daily walks and off-leash time in secure dog parks

• Regular playtime in fenced yards

• Leash training adventures in nature areas

Gradual leash training, supervised outings, and interactive playtime can help fulfill a cat’s or dog’s instinctual needs — without exposing them to the dangers of free-roaming.

Your pet depends on you, not just for food and shelter, but for protection. While it might seem kind to let your dog or cat roam freely outdoors, the reality is that doing so exposes them to a host of dangers and needless suffering, and it significantly shortens their lifespan. By keeping pets indoors and offering them safe, supervised outdoor experiences, owners provide a healthier, more enriching, and longer life for their furry companions.

Keep Pets Safe Indoors With the FACE Foundation

Established in 2006 by a group of veterinarians and concerned community members, the Foundation for Animal Care and Education (FACE) is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) public charity that provides financial grants for animal owners who are unable to afford the cost of their pet’s emergency or critical care.

Each year, many animals are brought to their veterinarian with life-threatening conditions. Sadly, many owners — especially those facing high costs of living in cities such as San Diego — can’t afford the critical care their beloved pets need to survive. They’re left with one choice: euthanasia. As a result, thousands of treatable pets are euthanized in veterinary hospitals annually. This can be traumatic for their owners, deeply demoralizing for their veterinarians, and detrimental to animal welfare and community health as a whole.

FACE’s Save-A-Life program was created to address the tragedy of economic euthanasia. FACE grantees are typically low-income families, senior citizens, veterans, military families, students, people with disabilities, or hard-working families and individuals who struggle to survive from paycheck to paycheck. If you need help paying for veterinary care that could save your pet from economic euthanasia, apply for assistance today.

FACE’s work is as important for the animals we save and the mental health of the veterinarians who treat them as it is for the families spared the heartbreak of losing their best friend. Your tax-deductible donation funds lifesaving veterinary care for beloved family pets. Give today!