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All animal welfare groups agree that the best place for a house cat is in a house.  The average lifespan for a cat that is allowed to roam freely out of doors is only five, while indoor cats can live well into the upper teens.  Outdoor life increases a cats risks greatly.  They may be injured by cars or other animals, or they may contract disease from other cats.

Even if your cat is already outdoorsy, it is possible to bring him back in.  You may feel like this is a cruel restriction of freedom, but ultimately it is the best option for your beloved cat.

The key to making him an indoor cat is to make the inside of your house as interesting as the outside, or more so.  Buy plenty of toys.  Cats especially enjoy exploring, so get cat condos.  You can find very good deals for these on ebay.  Be sure to buy toys that he can play with by himself like catnip mice, toys on elastic that you hang from a doorknob, or a ball in a round track.

Spend time playing with him as well.  Get toys that will get his hunting instinct going, like feathers on the end of a stick or the fishing pole toys.

Another great way to stimulate an indoor cat is to hide dry food or treats around the house.  This way, he has to go hunting for his food and he will be entertained for hours tracking down every piece that he can smell.

To give him a sense of the outdoors, leave the tv on nature programming while you are away.  Also, make sure he has lots of access to windows, so he can watch the squirrels and birds go by.  And, since he will be used to scratching on tree bark, you will definitely need some scratching posts or you can say goodbye to your nice couch.

Finally, if you just can’t bear to keep him indoors, outdoor enclosures made specifically for cats are available.  If your local pet store doesn’t have any, a quick search online should bring one up.