Siamese cats are an energetic and beautiful cat breed that brings joy and liveliness to their families. As you prepare to bring a Siamese cat into your life, you may wonder whether a Siamese cat would do better as an indoor or outdoor cat. Siamese cats need a lot of mental stimulation to be happy, so how can you meet those needs if your cat is indoors?
All domesticated cats, including Siamese cats, are safer living indoors than outdoors; however, there are ways to allow an indoor cat to enjoy the outdoors safely.
Read on to find out the pros and cons of keeping a Siamesee cat as an indoor or outdoor cat.
Siamese Cats Indoors: Pros and Cons
There are several pros and cons to keeping your Siamese cat indoors. Siamese cats are dog-like felines who need exercise and mental stimulation to be at their best. Being indoors protects cats from danger outside, but it can also limit your cat’s ability to fulfill their mental needs. When deciding whether or not to keep your Siamese cat indoors, it’s important to weigh these pros and cons carefully.
Pros of Siamese Cats Indoors
#1 Safety
The first and most important pro of keeping your Siamese cat indoors is that you can better protect your feline from danger. Outdoor cats face many dangers including predators, cars, other people, toxic plants, chemicals, and diseases.
When your cat wanders freely outside, you cannot keep them away from harm, but when they are indoors you can better control the environment. Siamese cats are curious and love to explore, so they have a penchant for getting into what they should not.
Indoors, you’ll have to ensure you kitty-proof the house by locking up chemicals and putting away dangerous plants or items your cat may be tempted to chew on.
If your home is kitty-proof, it is a safe place for your Siamese cat to live.
#2 Temperature Control
Another pro to keeping your Siamese cat indoors is that you can control the temperature. Outdoors, your cat will be exposed to extreme temperatures whether hot or cold, which can be dangerous to your kitty. Siamese cats originate from Thailand where the climate is typically warm and humid.
So, Siamese cats do well in warmer temperatures, but even so, they can get dehydrated or suffer heat stroke in extreme weather.
Siamese cats are less equipped for colder temperatures. They tend to feel the effects of the cold much more quickly than other breeds. Long-term exposure to below-freezing temperatures can lead to hypothermia and frostbite.
Inside, you can keep the temperature the same all year round, so that you never have to worry about if your kitty is comfortable.
#3 Diet Control
Siamese cats are at a higher risk of developing diabetes than other breeds. As such, it is important to ensure you don’t overfeed your kitty. Obesity is often linked with this terrible disease.
When you keep your cat indoors, you can better manage your cat’s diet. Outdoors your cat may get fed by neighbors, or get into the trash, so you never know what or how much they are eating. Cats also often get parasites from the rodents they eat.
Indoors, you can keep their portions completely controlled. You can also give your cat a well-balanced diet.
Cons of Siamese Cats Indoors
#1 Limited opportunity to explore
Siamese cats love to explore their surroundings. They are truly curious and active kitties. When they are kept indoors, this can limit their opportunities to explore. Your house or apartment may not offer your cat a lot of mental stimulation.
When a Siamese cat lacks mental stimulation, they may start to get into mischief. They will be more likely to open up cabinet doors and knock over knick-knacks on shelves
If you do choose to keep your Siamese indoors, be sure to offer them plenty of opportunities to explore and use their instincts to hunt as a part of daily play.
#2 Increased risk of obesity
Although you can better control a cat’s diet when they are indoors, it can be easy to overfeed an indoor cat. They will come up to you with those big, blue eyes, begging for treats. They may even meow for extra food until you can’t take it anymore. So, you give in and provide them with a little extra food. Or, perhaps, you can’t help but give your cute cat treats all the time.
Cats can become addicted to treats. These habits can lead to your Siamese cat having an increased risk of obesity, which can lead to other diseases such as diabetes and kidney disease, or even death.
If you keep your cat indoors, it is important to practice restraint when feeding your cat. You should also help your feline get plenty of exercise.
Siamese Cats Outdoors: Pros and Cons
Siamese cats need active lifestyles. According to legend, the King of Siam used Siamese cats as guards. They would jump from high pillars whenever they saw a threat, knocking down offenders and scratching their faces. Whether true or not, these cats have a lot of energy they need to expend.
They love exploring, hunting, interacting with other animals, and experiencing new things. Siamese cats kept outdoors can find more mental and physical fulfillment, but it is important to understand the risks of keeping your Siamese cat outdoors.
Pros of Siamese Cats Outdoors
#1 Exploration
Siamese cats thrive when they can explore new environments. They enjoy the variety that outdoor living can bring them. This feeds into their instincts. Outdoor cats can roam and check out many different places to fulfill their need for mental stimulation without you having to provide that attention.
#2 Interacting with Other Animals
Siamese cats also like to have companionship. They are vocal cats who enjoy following around their favorite person for lots of attention and affection. If you let your Siamese cat stay outside, they can interact with other cats and animals in the neighborhood.
Your cat can also use their instincts to hunt for small animals, which keeps them both physically fit and helps keep pests from your home.
Cons of Siamese Cats Outdoors
#1 Increased risk of injury or illness
The biggest concern about keeping your Siamese cat outdoors is your inability to keep them completely safe. Outdoor cats face many dangers. They can get hit by vehicles or injured by unkind people. Outdoor cats can also get into pesticides and other chemicals or nibble toxic plants.
They can also get injured hunting or by other cats when they fight. These injuries can be serious or lead to secondary infections. Dogs and other predators might also try to attack them.
Finally, cats can also catch diseases from other outdoor cats.
#2 Difficulty in controlling diet and exercise
Additionally, cats who roam outside don’t have set diets like indoor cats do. You have no idea how much they hunt or whether other people are feeding them. This can lead to gaps in their diet.
You also can’t control how much your cat exercises. They will come and go as they please. Most Siamese cats stay active outside, but that is not always the case.
Tips for Providing Siamese Cats with the Best Indoor Environment
With all the safety risks of letting your Siamese cat roam outside, you may wonder if there is a way to provide your cat with all the mental and physical stimulation they need while indoors.
You can! When getting your home prepared for your new addition, prepare plenty of open space for your Siamese cat to roam in your house. A special cat room is a good option. If you want to give your feline a taste of the outdoors, you could give your cat access to an enclosed patio or build a catio.
Also, create a routine for you and your cat. Feed your cat at the same times each day, and set aside at least 15-30 minutes to play with your Siamese cat every day. You can even train a Siamese cat to do tricks. Siamese cats also do well walking on a leash, giving them the exercise and mental stimulation they need.
Some owners also choose to get a second cat to keep your Siamese from getting lonely, since they need constant attention.
Siamese cats like to open cabinets and chew on plastic, so be sure to put away anything you don’t want your cat to get into. You will need to kitty-proof your home.
With these strategies, you can keep your Siamese cat happy indoors.
Conclusion
Siamese cats are intelligent, loving, and beautiful felines. They are great pets to have either indoors or outdoors. Siamese cats are easier to care for indoors. They are safer and you can manage their diets better, but they are at a higher risk of obesity. Outdoor Siamese cats have more freedom to exercise and entertain themselves, but they also are at risk of injury and illness.
Once you weigh the pros and cons of keeping your Siamese cat indoors or outdoors, you may notice there are more risks involved with a Siamese cat who lives outdoors. There are many ways to keep an indoor Siamese cat happy while giving them the freedom and mental stimulation they crave.