Q: My husband and I are having an argument about whether or not our cat should be allowed outdoors. He says it’s unnatural to have a cat indoors all the time and unfair to the cat. I say it’s safer to keep the cat inside and out of harm’s way. What do you think?

A: Undoubtedly a cat is going to be safer inside. There are no wild animals or cars racing around inside your house (I assume!). Outside there are so many dangers to contend with that a cat is in real danger whether you live in a city or in the country.

I do, however, understand where your husband is coming from by saying it’s not fair to keep a cat inside. Cats aren’t as domesticated as dogs. They have a need to hunt, climb, scratch and bury their poop (not to say dogs don’t have similar needs, but we often do more with our dogs since they tend to follow us around). In order to keep our cats happy as indoor cats, we need to set up areas where they can use their natural desires.

Climbing trees made out of carpeting or natural rope for cats to climb and scratch will help keep them entertained. Take time to hide some of their food on and around the house and cat tree in order for them to be able to hunt. If you play a game of mouse on a string or laser light with your cat, end it with a treat so the cat has hunted, caught and eaten prey. Just ending a game of chase could end up bad for you as your cat may be excited and take the end of the hunt out on you. (No I’m not saying your cat is going to eat you in the middle of the night, just that your cat may become more aggressive after play if you don’t end the game the way it would in the cat’s natural environment—eating.)

Cats need to have appropriate places to eliminate and dig. Cat boxes are available as are a variety of litters. You may have to try a few litters to find the one that your cat likes the most. Many cats can get used to a variety of litter types, where others may be quite particular. Find what your cat likes the most and have a few cat boxes around the house to suit the cat’s particular need to find just the right spot to eliminate.

If your indoor cat starts to scratch on your furniture, use Sticky Paws (found in pet stores) or double-sided sticky tape in the areas your cat is inappropriately scratching. Cats don’t like the sticky aspect of the tape and will go somewhere else. Be sure to put a scratching post nearby so the cat instantly can turn to the right item to scratch. After a while, you can slowly move the scratching post to a better area for your décor, but you will need to wait until the cat is using it regularly instead of your furniture. When you do move it to another spot, do it slowly—just a few inches a day so the cat is barely aware of the change. Some cats don’t do well with change, and may return to old habits if the cat scratch is moved too far too fast.

Your cat can enjoy the indoors if you take the time to make the space fun. If you own your house, you may want to consider building a cat run off the house. This is a fully enclosed area where your cat can go outdoors and enjoy the fresh air while remaining safe. That way, you, your husband, and your cat can all be happy.