Cats love their freedom and most of them don't want to give it up: free-roaming cats. Outside, they experience adventure, play and hide themselves or lurk watchfully after possible prey. But life in the "wild" is not completely without danger. The experts at Fressnapf’s retail chain suggest some important tips to enable your c at to enjoy its freedom:

1. Have your cat castrated: in this way, you not only prevent unwanted offspring, but also the straying of your pet into unknown territory. Cats in heat and sexually mature cats often wander a long way from their home in search of a partner. Apart from this, during the pairing season, the risk of injury from territorial fighting is high and diseases can be transmitted.

2. Have your cat tattooed or chipped by a vet: tattooing or electronic tagging can establish to whom the animal belongs. In this way, should your cat run away or get lost, it is thus much easier to return it to you. Very important: this applied only when you also get your tattooed or chipped cat registered! Registration is free of charge e.g. with the house pet register at the German Animal Welfare Association e.V. via: www.fressnapf.de/service/deutsches-haustierregister/index.html

3. Protect your pet with preventative measures: outdoor cats are more frequently exposed to fleas, ticks and other parasites as well as pathogens than purely domestic cats. Spot-on preparations, for instance, help against ticks and fleas. Inoculations, perhaps against feline distemper, colds or rabies will protect them against infection. Your vet can advise you on all protective measures.

4. Ensure your cat has outside access at all times: if it's away frequently, it makes sense to fit a cat flap in the door. Caution is necessary with tilted windows: they are a potential injury hazard and should be protected by a wire grid. Even if your cat loves its freedom, bear in mind that it also needs to relate to you and your family! And, of course, regular feeding.

5. Get yourself a medicine chest for administering first aid to your cat in the case of bite or scratch wounds.

6. Prepare your cat for freedom: is your cat still young, knows only the house until now or is it new to you? Then give it two to three weeks before you let it out alone.

Wildcat or armchair tiger?
Cat owners, or those who would like to be, should consider very carefully if free access to their house is possible without any problems. A purely domestic cat is the better decision for people living near busy roads or rails. If you're looking after a free spirit, think about:

• having the animal castrated, inoculated, electronically tagged or tattooed
• entering the cat in the house pet register
• facilitating free access to the outside
• ensuring daily feeding and familial connection
• finding a vet in the case of sickness or wounds

Cats on the roam Cats love life in the "wilderness". But it's not without its dangers. Responsible pet owners should take precautionary steps to ensure that the cat not only survives its freedoms unhurt but also enjoys it to the full. (Photos may only be reproduced with permission and in connection with editorial text. High-resolution photos can be requested from the Fressnapf press office.)