At Cat's Club Benidorm we rehome almost all our cats as indoor cats, and we know that idea bothers a lot of people at first. "Poor thing, stuck inside a flat." We get it. But after years of rescuing cats around Benidorm and across the Marina Baixa, we've seen too many road deaths, too many fight wounds, too many cats who went out one afternoon and never came home. A well looked-after indoor cat lives longer, stays healthier and, yes, is perfectly happy. The secret isn't the size of your flat. It's what you put inside it.
Why we rehome cats to live indoors
This isn't a fussy preference. Out here on the coast, life is genuinely dangerous for a roaming cat: the N-332, urbanisations packed with summer traffic, poison, fights that turn into abscesses and FeLV or FIV scares. A cat who lives indoors avoids nearly all of it. That's why window and balcony protection is a non-negotiable condition of adoption for us, not a polite suggestion. There's a concrete reason behind it.
Vets call it "high-rise syndrome". Cats do fall from balconies and windows, and they're badly hurt or killed. The belief that a cat always lands on its feet unharmed is a dangerous myth. In the high-rise flats that half of Benidorm lives in, an open unscreened window is a real hazard. A proper net or screen removes it completely.
A flat seen from below: cats need height
A cat doesn't measure its world in square metres of floor. It measures it in things to climb on. If your flat is small, think upwards. A tall scratching post by the window, a cleared shelf above a cabinet, the top of the wardrobe left free so they can survey everything from up high. For a cat, watching the street from a good perch is almost as good as being out in it.
Here's what genuinely transforms life for an indoor cat in a flat:
- Vertical space: a tall cat tree, shelves, or a raised spot by the window to bask in the sun.
- Plenty of scratching surfaces, both upright and flat. If you don't give them somewhere to scratch, they'll use your sofa, and that's on you, not the cat.
- A window perch: most cats' favourite hobby is watching pigeons, gulls and neighbours go by.
- Floor-level hidey holes: a box, a basket, the gap under the bed where they feel safe.
- Routine: food, play and litter cleaning at roughly the same times. Cats are creatures of habit and predictability keeps them calm.
Play isn't optional
A bored indoor cat puts on weight, gets anxious, or starts tearing round the flat at four in the morning. What's missing is the hunt, so you provide it. Ten or fifteen minutes twice a day with a feather wand, a toy mouse or a length of string works wonders. Here's the bit people miss: let them actually catch it. Let them stalk, corner and pounce on the "prey" at the end. A game that never ends in a catch just leaves them frustrated.
Hiding biscuits around the flat, using a puzzle feeder, or splitting meals across a few bowls also gives them a job to do. And if you're out at work all day, give serious thought to adopting two cats who get on. They entertain each other in a way we humans simply can't match.
Summer indoors: the heat gets in too
Summers here are fierce, and a closed-up flat can turn into an oven. Heatstroke is a genuine risk indoors as well as out. Always leave fresh, clean water, ideally in a few spots; many cats prefer a fountain, because moving water tempts them to drink more. Drop the blinds during the hottest hours and leave a cool tiled area where they can stretch out. A fan with the room in shade helps. Never shut a cat in a car or a sun-trap glazed balcony, not even for a minute.
Watch for the warning signs: panting, drooling, very red gums, listlessness. If you spot them on a hot day, cool the cat with damp cloths and ring the vet straight away.
A netted balcony: the next best thing to going out
Nearly every flat round here has a terrace or balcony, and a properly secured one is the best gift you can give an indoor cat. Fresh air, filtered sun, street smells, birds to watch. With netting fitted edge to edge, your cat gets its own slice of the outdoors with zero risk of a fall. For us it's also exactly the protection we ask for at every adoption, so you win twice over. If you're working out how to enclose yours, we've got a separate guide on just that.
And if you fancy it, we could really use your hands
Everything in this guide is what we teach every family who fosters a cat for us. Cat's Club doesn't have a shelter: we're a group of volunteers, and we run entirely on a network of foster homes. No fosterers, no rescues, it's that simple. If you've got a flat with a quiet corner and a balcony that could be netted, you're exactly who we need.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cruel to keep a cat indoors in an apartment?+
No, as long as you provide enrichment. A well looked-after indoor cat, with height, scratching posts, daily play and routine, lives longer and healthier than a roaming one. It's not the size of the flat that matters, it's what's inside it.
How much space does a cat need to be happy in a flat?+
Less than you'd think. Cats measure territory by height, not floor space. A small flat with tall scratching posts, a window perch and things to climb works perfectly well for a happy indoor cat.
How do I stop my cat overheating in summer in Spain?+
Fresh water in several spots, blinds down during the hottest hours, a cool tiled area and shade. Watch for panting, drooling or very red gums: these are signs of heatstroke and need a vet immediately.
Do I need to secure the balcony if my cat lives indoors?+
Yes, it's essential. Cats fall from balconies and windows and are badly injured, the so-called high-rise syndrome. At Cat's Club we require window and balcony protection on every adoption.
Is it better to have one cat or two in a flat?+
If you're out for long hours, two cats who get on will entertain each other and get bored less. For a single cat home alone all day, daily play with you matters even more.
If reading this made you think "I could give a cat that," let's talk. Adopt and give a cat a forever indoor home, or become a foster home and help us rescue the next one, which is our greatest need of all. Get in touch and we'll talk it through, no pressure. And if you can't foster right now, a donation by Bizum to +34 659 04 14 71 or through Teaming helps us cover the vet bills. Every cat safe inside a home is one less cat on the street.
