This is a question I am asked regularly, and after yet another phone call reporting the death of one of my darling cats I decided to add a wee bit of information regarding the indoor/outdoor issue! If you decide to allow your cat outdoors PLEASE always bring them in before dusk.
In the end this is a decision each owner must come to after giving the issue due consideration. Some people actually think it is cruel to keep their cat indoors only, which is not at all true. Indoor cats are kept safe from traffic, poisons, many accidents, unpleasant neighbours, and theft!
Granted time needs to be put into making sure there is adequate stimulation to keep a busy Devon Rex occupied, but knowing they are safe and sound makes any effort well worth the time and expense. There are other alternatives, such as a safe outdoor area, or cat proof fencing.

An Indoor Only Cat Will Need
	A Good Scratch Pole/Cat Condo With a large base to make it steady, tall enough to allow your cat to fully stretch, so at least 800 to 1000mm tall. Platforms to perch on and hammocks to lounge in are also great. The fancy polar fleece fabric is not good for areas where the cats will be scratching., carpet or sisal (rope) are best. this masterpiece on the right was built for two of our Devons by their new family, it has everything a cat could desire, nice and tall, with a hammock, swing, scratching poles and hideaways! The box bottom right serves as a step up and even opens as a toy box. Cat Tree patterns
	Grass Indoor only cats require grass to nibble. You can quite aesthetically grow a pot of cat grass for them.
	Toilet Box It is recommended that each cat has a litter box, so two cats two toilet boxes. I also find that with multi level homes it is best to have a litter tray on each level. It is equally important to keep these clean. As mentioned elsewhere on my web site, wood pellets are ideal, reasonable litter and offer great odour control. OR Toilet train your cat to the human toilet Several of my kitten owners have successfully toilet trained their Devons to use the human toilet (not quite able to flush and wipe!) Although there are expensive kits out there, using a $2 Shop tin tray under the seat with litter and gradually making it s smaller and smaller works! The cat will progress to just jumping up and using the toilet with no tray
	Company Devons are social creatures, they need and love company, so an indoor only cats especially needs lots of human company, and if there will be longish periods without their humans it is best to consider having a second cat or an indoor dog as company
	Stimulation Again Devon Rex are intelligent, active cats, if they cannot get out to hunt, they will need toys, and time spent retrieving etc while you are home with them. Toys that make noise like rustling paper, crinkle sacks and tunnels are wonderful. For fun ideas to make your home more inside cat friendly go look at this fun home for cats!. Wisecracks Laken Velder, pictured on the right is happy with his interactive mouse!
	A Harness For safe walks outside. I am happy to get kittens used to their harnesses from an early age if they are going to be wearing one in their new homes.
	Catnipis wonderful for some cats, you can buy the spray or toys filled with dried catnip, our Devons seem especially partial to the felt mice filled with catnip and oddly the green and red mice are more cherished than the blue and yellow? The response to catnip is genetically controlled so some cats truly feel no effects while others go quite silly!

For lots more information on keeping cats indoors only, please visit the Indoor Cat web site, it is very informative and inspiring

Safe Alternatives To an Indoor Only Cat
	Outdoor Play Area With some effort and financial outlay it is possible to allow your cat the best of both worlds. You can build an outdoor play area or purchase a used large aviary, this can be accomplished without being unsightly, and even joined to the house, so available for use by your feline friend at their convenience. Wisecracks T Gal on right is still keen to explore beyond her boundaries!
	Cat resistant fencing, nothing not totally enclosed can be totally cat proof, they are amazing athletes. However electric fencing above an existing fence, can work wonderfully well and is what we use. It is important to make wires alternating live and earth. Our kittens are used to this system which we run 600 mm higher than the existing fence (pictured on the right) one shock and they avoid it, it also serves as a visual barrier. There is some upkeep making sure growth is kept cut back to avoid alternate escape routes! I have read that tilting the electric fence extension inwards (not unlike jail surrounds) is even more effective.	.