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Indoor Cat: How to Enrich Their Lives and Expand Their World Hardcover – April 5, 2022

by Laura J. Moss (Author), Lynn Bahr DVM (Author)
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Can an indoor cat live a happy, stimulating, and active life? A veterinarian and a journalist answer this question with a resounding "yes," and offer real-life guidance for opening up your cat's world, even if they stay within the confines of your home. 

There are many myths our culture perpetuates about domestic cats: they live longer indoors, sleep all day, are easy and low-maintenance pets, and can't be trained. Even the most well-meaning kitty caregiver will be surprised to learn that these long-held beliefs aren't necessarily based on facts, but instead reflect the many ways we have adapted our feline friends to our indoor, domesticated lifestyles.

Indoor Cat, by Laura J. Moss, journalist and founder of Adventure Cats, and Dr. Lynn Bahr, a feline-only veterinarian, explores how to help cat owners understand a cat's perspective of their indoor homes, with practical ways to enhance cats' lives to the fullest and combat countless health and behavioral problems that result from indoor living, as well as raising the question: should every cat live exclusively indoors?

Together with scientific studies, expert opinions from vets and behaviorists, and firsthand accounts and interviews, this informative and engaging full-color guide strives to reach compassionate cat owners looking for new ways to care for and connect with their feline companions.
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  1. Print length
    272 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Running Press Adult
  4. Publication date
    April 5, 2022
  5. Dimensions
    6.75 x 0.88 x 8.75 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0762474653
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0762474653
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Laura J. Moss is a journalist and the author of Adventure Cats (Workman, 2017), based off the Webby-nominated website AdventureCats.org, the first and only resource for information on safely exploring the great outdoors with your feline friend. Her work has appeared on National Geographic, Fodor's Travel, Forbes, Mother Nature Network, Atlanta Pet Life, and Best Friends Magazine. Laura has shared her expertise with countless pet publications and radio shows, and she works closely with several shelters and rescue groups, including Best Friends Animal Society, the nation's largest no-kill animal shelter. A long-time self-professed cat lady, Moss currently shares her home with three rescue cats and a rescue dog.

Lynn Bahr, DVM is a graduate of the University of Georgia's College of Veterinary Medicine and founder of Dezi & Roo, a company that designs, manufactures, and sells solution-based pet products that enhance the lives of cats and their owners. She volunteers at numerous animal-related charities and causes and serves on the Fear Free Advisory Board, the Parliamentarian of the Society of Veterinary Medical Ethics, the Cat Committee of the Pet Professional Guild, and the Alley Cat Allies' Feline Forward Task Force. In 2018, she received the 2018 Pet Age Women of Influence award, recognizing her as an influential leader in the pet industry.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Running Press Adult (April 5, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0762474653
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0762474653
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.75 x 0.88 x 8.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:

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Lynn Bahr DVM

Lynn Bahr DVM

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Lynn Bahr, DVM is a graduate of the University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine and founder of Dezi & Roo, a company that designs, manufactures, and sells solution-based pet products that enhance the lives of cats and their owners. She received the 2018 Pet Age Women of Influence award, recognizing her as an influential leader in the pet industry.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
95 global ratings

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Customers find the book well-written and beautiful. They also appreciate the great information in the book.

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10 customers mention "Readability"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well-written, easy to read, and informative. They also say the chapters are arranged for quick reference.

"...This is an easy to understand and read book." Read more

"Easy to read, many suggestions on enriching your cat's life (or cats' lives)...." Read more

"...Well, this book is awesome!..." Read more

"This book has great advice, sharing the human perspective next to a cat’s perspective. I love that idea!..." Read more

5 customers mention "Content"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's content great, helpful, and comprehensive.

"The information is very valuable to any indoor cat owner...." Read more

"...just thumbing thru the book, i bought the hardback, beautiful book, great info! Buy it!" Read more

"...guides (which often recycle the same few tips), this book is full of fresh advice, and its vet-approved pedigree is downright cat-fancy..." Read more

"For feline parents and lovers, this book is helpful and informational." Read more

Enrich your cat's life, they aren't ornaments!
5 out of 5 stars
Enrich your cat's life, they aren't ornaments!
Received the book today, thought I would just read the Intro not expecting my eyes to well up with emotion. Yes, I know it's not suppose to be a tear jerker, I was surprised too.I am a 1st time cat owner, Charley sheltered on my balcony, Summer 2016. Eventually she adopted me, I let her come and go on her terms by installing a cat door. I couldn't fathom restricting her to an indoor life (as above images from the book) - the Cat outdoors is "living life" vs. Cat on the Sofa... like an "ornament".This is what the Authors (L. Moss, L. Bahr DVM) are addressing in their book "INDOOR CAT", enriching Cat lives with outdoor experiences for their health, wellbeing and overall enrichment. Leash train your cat, or get a rolling carrier This is a book every indoor cat owner should read and re-read. I know I would be miserable without my walks in nature, now I take Charley on a leash (along with a backpack carrier).[Will update review when I finish book.]
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Top reviews from the United States

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read for Indoor Cat Owners
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2024
Verified Purchase
The information is very valuable to any indoor cat owner. The analogies provided to relate the way the cat perceives its indoor world and how people would feel if they had to live an indoor only life make you rethink the environment that you have created for your furbaby. Even if you have had cats all of your life, the science of understanding WHY your cat behaves in different ways will be eye opening. We love our cats. Let's give them a happy, enriched life to enjoy with us. I don't usually write reviews but think that this book should be read by all indoor cat owners. This is an easy to understand and read book.
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M.L.T
5.0 out of 5 stars Great ideas for Indoor Cats
Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2023
Verified Purchase
Easy to read, many suggestions on enriching your cat's life (or cats' lives). l volunteer with a cat rescue which has taught me more about cats than I knew in the past, but this book added to that. So I would guess that most cat owners would find this book to be full of ideas. I especially thought it made me think about how limited the lives of indoor cats are in terms of having no choices and everyday must feel the same to them unless their guardians remember to add some changes to their daily lives. I do see how author stresses the importance of getting them outdoors but we have many Bobcats & Coyotes here. I do invite them to use our cat stroller when weather is nice, but I never force them to go in it. I highly recommend this book to ANYONE that is a guardian of cats. I also highly recommend that bonded kittens stay together. They'll entertain you and themselves for their entire life. Most adult indoor cats that do not have a playmate they grew up with end up sleeping a LOT because they are bored. People tend to care for them, pet them, but hardly play with older cats on a daily basis. Please read this book whether you have a cat/s or plan to adopt (consider adopting two).....and I'm sure it has something for everyone to learn how to improve their happiness.
6 people found this helpful
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Annette G.
4.0 out of 5 stars Good information
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2023
Verified Purchase
For a first time cat owner it was a good read
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Phaedra A. Drimmel
5.0 out of 5 stars I thought I knew everything!
Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2022
Verified Purchase
Im a cat lover, active in rescue, have 5 of my own, they have a catio outside my bedroom, the rescue is a cattery, no one is aloud outside! I thought i knew everything about making cats happy indoors! Well, this book is awesome! I met Dr Bahr years ago at Cat Con in Pasadena CA, we took to each other with our loves of cats, Im still just thumbing thru the book, i bought the hardback, beautiful book, great info! Buy it!
5 people found this helpful
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Luv2ShopBombey
5.0 out of 5 stars Enrich your cat's life, they aren't ornaments!
Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2022
Verified Purchase
Received the book today, thought I would just read the Intro not expecting my eyes to well up with emotion. Yes, I know it's not suppose to be a tear jerker, I was surprised too.

I am a 1st time cat owner, Charley sheltered on my balcony, Summer 2016. Eventually she adopted me, I let her come and go on her terms by installing a cat door. I couldn't fathom restricting her to an indoor life (as above images from the book) - the Cat outdoors is "living life" vs. Cat on the Sofa... like an "ornament".

This is what the Authors (L. Moss, L. Bahr DVM) are addressing in their book "INDOOR CAT", enriching Cat lives with outdoor experiences for their health, wellbeing and overall enrichment. Leash train your cat, or get a rolling carrier This is a book every indoor cat owner should read and re-read. I know I would be miserable without my walks in nature, now I take Charley on a leash (along with a backpack carrier).
[Will update review when I finish book.]
Customer image
Luv2ShopBombey
5.0 out of 5 stars Enrich your cat's life, they aren't ornaments!
Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2022
Received the book today, thought I would just read the Intro not expecting my eyes to well up with emotion. Yes, I know it's not suppose to be a tear jerker, I was surprised too.

I am a 1st time cat owner, Charley sheltered on my balcony, Summer 2016. Eventually she adopted me, I let her come and go on her terms by installing a cat door. I couldn't fathom restricting her to an indoor life (as above images from the book) - the Cat outdoors is "living life" vs. Cat on the Sofa... like an "ornament".

This is what the Authors (L. Moss, L. Bahr DVM) are addressing in their book "INDOOR CAT", enriching Cat lives with outdoor experiences for their health, wellbeing and overall enrichment. Leash train your cat, or get a rolling carrier This is a book every indoor cat owner should read and re-read. I know I would be miserable without my walks in nature, now I take Charley on a leash (along with a backpack carrier).
[Will update review when I finish book.]
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2 people found this helpful
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personal odyssey of the self
5.0 out of 5 stars Great advice for new and experienced cat owners
Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2022
Verified Purchase
This book has great advice, sharing the human perspective next to a cat’s perspective. I love that idea! It has input from a veterinarian, which other cat books don’t have so I can trust this content. I love Laura’s writing style and the cute photos in the book. I’ll be reading this as a bedtime story to my cats.
6 people found this helpful
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Genuine Redhead
3.0 out of 5 stars Not much info in here
Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2024
Verified Purchase
Pretty much stating the obvious throughout. Unless you are really ignorant of how to make an indoor space nice for a cat, this book is a waste of paper.
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LL
5.0 out of 5 stars Fresh, comprehensive and downright pawsome
Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2022
Verified Purchase
The purrfect guide to your little house panther! "Indoor Cat" invites readers to consider what our feline friends really need for healthy, happy lives. Unlike other cat guides (which often recycle the same few tips), this book is full of fresh advice, and its vet-approved pedigree is downright cat-fancy (OK OK I'll stop). My favorite part: a DIY guide to constructing a kitty window box for just $35. The tortie cat sitting next to me votes this book 4/4 paws.
5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Rachel Woodisse
5.0 out of 5 stars Gives Indoor Cats a Voice!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 28, 2022
Verified Purchase
I was very pleased to see someone qualified had written a book about the indoor cat. It was interesting to read a book that looked at the indoor life of a cat and how it can affect not only their physical but mental health. We all know how we felt in the pandemic when many of us were locked in our homes with only an exercise allowance in which we could go outside for an hour, we now know how that affected our mental health and how good it felt to be outside if only for a short while.
Imagine being a cat shut indoors with no mental or physical stimulation for most of your life? How sad and depressing never being able to express your real self……..sadly this is true of many indoor cats, but it’s also fair to point out that many indoor cats have fabulous lives and some experience getting outside in some form, be it in a catio, safe enclosed garden area or even being walked on a lead in a safe environment. This book has many tips and advice on how to make your indoor cats life better and happier and that’s a winner for me.
This book will educate and inspire cat carers to make their cats lives better and does not wish to cause controversy in the big debate about whether cats should be allowed to roam free or stay indoors 24/7 but rather put across the cats point of view which I have not read so well expressed in many cat books I have read.
If a cat carer buys this book and does just one thing from this book but hopefully more, how much happier that cat will be :)
Well done to both authors you have given the indoor cat a voice!
Customer image
Rachel Woodisse
5.0 out of 5 stars Gives Indoor Cats a Voice!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 28, 2022
I was very pleased to see someone qualified had written a book about the indoor cat. It was interesting to read a book that looked at the indoor life of a cat and how it can affect not only their physical but mental health. We all know how we felt in the pandemic when many of us were locked in our homes with only an exercise allowance in which we could go outside for an hour, we now know how that affected our mental health and how good it felt to be outside if only for a short while.
Imagine being a cat shut indoors with no mental or physical stimulation for most of your life? How sad and depressing never being able to express your real self……..sadly this is true of many indoor cats, but it’s also fair to point out that many indoor cats have fabulous lives and some experience getting outside in some form, be it in a catio, safe enclosed garden area or even being walked on a lead in a safe environment. This book has many tips and advice on how to make your indoor cats life better and happier and that’s a winner for me.
This book will educate and inspire cat carers to make their cats lives better and does not wish to cause controversy in the big debate about whether cats should be allowed to roam free or stay indoors 24/7 but rather put across the cats point of view which I have not read so well expressed in many cat books I have read.
If a cat carer buys this book and does just one thing from this book but hopefully more, how much happier that cat will be :)
Well done to both authors you have given the indoor cat a voice!
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3 people found this helpful
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Bramble B.
5.0 out of 5 stars Should I adopt a cat.?
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 9, 2022
Verified Purchase
This book (at least) shonuld be compulsory reading for everybody who likes to adopt a cat.
I am shocked how little I knew about cats!
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jahrvn
2.0 out of 5 stars Condescendingly written but good content
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 23, 2022
Verified Purchase
This book is confusing and troubling. I couldn't work out if this book is in favour or against indoor cats. It reads much like the authors are telling humans off for having relationships with cats because it has ultimately negatively impacted the cat as a species. The authors seem to be saying that free-roaming is not ok for cats but at the same time the only way for a cat to be truly happy is for the cat to be outdoors in a natural environment. As such, a lifestyle and relationship with humans is therefore always going to be substandard because it's unnatural and as a result the best we can hope for is mimicry of an outdoor lifestyle but it will always fall short for cats. The authors describe cats as captive animals which begs the question: should we be even entertaining the idea of cats as pets at all if they are doomed to a life they were never meant to live?

The book outlines the problems facing people who want to keep cats as pets and really the problem with any animal under human care. No other animal under human stewardship is given as much freedom as the cat. In the UK, cats have a "right to roam" meaning they can go anywhere, do anything and the owners are not responsible for their actions. Many people defend this passionately and often say it's in a cat's nature to hunt, roam, etc. which it certainly is. It is also true that cats are not truly domesticated especially in the same way that dogs are. However, I am now questioning why other animals in our care who would be fine without us and capable of returning to a wild state are not given the same consideration. For example, horses are nomadic herd animals and yet it's apparently ok to confine them to stabling some or all of the time by themselves. Rabbits naturally burrow underground and many still live in hutches or themselves indoor only. I would argue most small rodents have zero interest in humans, many have poor eyesight and most likely view us as a giant terrifying hand that picks them up every now and again. Even dogs who are probably the most domesticated species would (if left to their own devices) form packs and travel long distances. Now dogs are confined, many of them dislike other dogs and have to deal with just two walks a day if they're lucky as opposed to constantly being on the move.

I would encourage the authors and other people to cast their research net more widely. Scientific American published a post called "Bambi or Bessie: Are wild animals happier?" which says that there is no evidence to suggest that wild animals are happier than well cared for domestic animals. The University of Lincoln recently discovered that cats that used to have unsupervised access outside of their homes seemed to show signs of improved welfare with a confined outdoor space, which indicates that happiness is not just about cats being able to go outside but also feeling safe is highly important too. Therefore, if you cannot provide a safe space then your cat may have reduced welfare even with outside access. Furthermore, there is research that suggest cats living in rural areas are actually more likely to be hit by a car due to the fact they don't encounter them as often and therefore never learn to stay away from them. This is directly contradictory to the many rescue organisations who only rehome cats to homes away from busy roads and people who maintain you shouldn't have a cat if you cannot provide safe roaming space.

I believe animals and humans benefit from the relationship we have together. Of course, some animals suffer terribly as a result of humans but on the whole I believe it to be an inherently good thing. If living alongside us didn't benefit cats then they would never have come near us in the first place. The move indoors for cats is the evolution of the relationship. Dogs never used to live indoors either and years ago would have been left to exercise themselves much in the way indoor/outdoor cats do. The way we keep animals is always going to evolve and change but the authors make cats sound stuck in their past and incapable of true happiness if living indoors. I believe them to be highly adaptable creatures capable of tremendous happiness even if they live indoors. The authors likened the COVID19 lockdowns for humans being similar to cats living indoors. I would urge the authors to remember that cats are not people and do not have the same motivations as people therefore the comparison although seemingly very similar is actually full of holes.

I've read this book and my honest feelings are despairing and guilt-ridden. I do not feel reassured for having read it. I feel guilty for having a cat as a pet at all. He was indoors only for almost 6 years before I invested in a small outdoor cat enclosure for him. The RSPCA doesn't really recommend lead-walking for cats but this book does. I tried that to as a way to provide safe outdoor enrichment but it proved unpopular with my cat.

I guess we all have to decide what is better. A natural life or a compromised life. Ok, it's not as black and white as that but if your cat, dog, horse, rabbit, guinea pig, rat, bird or lizard HAD to choose a life indoors or a life outdoors, what would they pick? Indoors with the security, protection, health care and companionship with people or outdoors with freedom to act as nature intended and with mother nature to treat you how she saw fit. Is "the wild" better? As wonderful as it is, I'm not sure it could be argued as better.

There are pros and cons to indoor cats and cats allowed to roam which is why it's difficult for experts to recommend one over the other. Ultimately I did not like the tone of this book and I will always believe that on the whole cats are better off for their relationship with us and our partnership will continue to evolve. If your a passionate cat owner who has educated themselves and has already invested time, money and effort into your cat, this book has nothing new to tell you but it will make you feel like a bad person. If you have an indoor cat who lives in a room with no windows, light, toys or human interaction and you think that this is ok, then you will learn a lot from this book.
9 people found this helpful
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