Explorer's Hub

Some cats watch the world through the window.
Others step into it.

At GAT, we believe every indoor cat carries a quiet curiosity — a pull toward the world beyond the window. It's about opening the door, slowly, at their pace.

Beyond the Window.

In this guide

• → Understanding Your Cat — know your cat before you explore
• → First Outdoor Steps — calm exploration, at their pace
• → Travel Together — stress-free cat travel
• → Indoor Cat Lifestyle — a full life, indoors and beyond
• → Gear & Safety — the right gear changes everything
• → Travel the World with Your Cat — one city at a time
• → Beyond the Window Stories — the window is just the beginning
• → What Science Says — research & press on cats
• → Further Reading & Resources

🧠 Understanding Your Cat

know your cat before you explore

Before the harness, before the first step outside — you need to understand your cat. Every cat is different, and the best adventures start with knowing who you're exploring with.

• → Is My Cat Ready To Explore Outside? 7 Signs to Look For
• → Signs Your Cat Is Curious About the Outside World

🐾 First Outdoor Steps

calm exploration, at their pace

Your cat has been watching the world from the window for months. This section is for the first steps outside — how to read your cat's signals and build confidence gradually.

• → Can Indoor Cats Enjoy the Outdoors Safely?

Explore calm outdoor gear →

✈️ Travel Together

stress-free cat travel

Cats can travel. They just need the right preparation.

• → How to Travel with Your Cat Stress-Free
• → How to Reduce Cat Anxiety During Travel
• → Traveling with Your Cat by Train
• → Traveling with Your Cat by Plane

Explore travel carriers →

🏠 Indoor Cat Lifestyle

a full life, indoors and beyond

An indoor cat is not a limited cat. This section is about enrichment, mental stimulation, and the small daily rituals that make indoor life full and satisfying.

More guides coming soon.

🎒 Gear & Safety

the right gear changes everything

Here we break down harnesses, backpacks, carriers, and travel bags — not as products, but as tools for better experiences.

• → How to Harness Train a Cat Without Stress
• → Is a Cat Backpack Actually Safe for Cats?

Explore all GAT gear →

🌍 Travel the World with Your Cat

one city at a time

A series of city guides for cat explorers and their humans — one destination at a time.

• → Exploring Amsterdam with Your Cat — Chapter 1
• → Exploring Paris with Your Cat — Chapter 2

More cities coming soon — London, New York and beyond.

🪟 Beyond the Window Stories

the window is just the beginning

Stories from cats and their humans. Including Prisma — the orange cat who started it all.

• → Why Some Cats Love Looking Out the Window

Read Prisma's story →

🔬 What Science Says

research & press on cats

Science keeps discovering what cat lovers have always known. Here we curate the most relevant peer-reviewed research, veterinary guidelines, and press coverage about cats — organised by topic.

🐾 Outdoor Access & Controlled Walks

• 2024 AAFP Indoor/Outdoor Lifestyle Position Statement · Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery, 2024
  Official statement recommending controlled outdoor access — harness and leash walks — as a way to provide a more stimulating environment while minimising risks.
• Uncontrolled Outdoor Access for Cats: An Assessment of Risks and Benefits · Animals (MDPI), 2020
  Comprehensive review analysing whether cats need outdoor access and how to meet those needs through enrichment and supervision.
• I Want Them to Live Their Best Lives: Owner Experiences with Walking Their Cats · Animal Welfare, 2025
  Owners who used positive reinforcement described training as effective, reporting their cats performed natural behaviours even on a leash.
• Feline Obesity Is Associated with Indoor Confinement and Increases Risk of Obesity at an Early Age · Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2026
  Indoor confinement as a risk factor for early obesity and the effects of outdoor access on weight.

🏠 Indoor Cat Wellbeing & Enrichment

• A Systematic Review of Social and Environmental Factors and Their Implications for Indoor Cat Welfare · Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 2019
  As urbanisation increases, more cats are kept indoors and the effects on welfare are poorly understood.
• The Impact of Environmental Enrichment on the Cortisol Level of Shelter Cats · Animals (MDPI), 2024
  Cats in enriched environments showed cortisol levels nearly 50% lower than those in less resourced environments.
• Environmental Enrichment for Indoor Cats · Compendium on Continuing Education for Veterinarians, 2010
  Foundational framework by Herron and Buffington organising the cat's environment into five key systems.
• AAFP and ISFM Feline Environmental Needs Guidelines · Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery, 2013
  Official guidelines covering the five pillars of the domestic cat's environmental needs.

😾 Cat Behaviour & Emotions

• Attachment Bonds Between Domestic Cats and Humans · Current Biology, 2019
  Cats form secure attachment bonds with their owners comparable to those of dogs and children.
• Tools for the Approach of Fear, Anxiety, and Stress in the Domestic Feline: An Update · Veterinary Medicine International, 2025
  Updated review of pharmacological and behavioural tools for managing fear and anxiety in cats.
• Cats Just Want to Have Fun: Associations Between Play and Welfare in Domestic Cats · Animal Welfare, 2023
  Frequent play is associated with better quality of life, fewer behavioural problems and a stronger owner-cat bond.

⚖️ Obesity & Physical Health

• Overweight and Obesity in Domestic Cats: Epidemiological Risk Factors and Associated Pathologies · Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery, 2024
  Sedentary indoor life with low environmental stimulation as a predisposing factor for obesity.
• Overweight and Obesity in Dogs and Cats: Welfare, Behaviour Impacts, and Recommendations for Veterinary Practice · Animals (PMC), 2025
  In France, cats without outdoor access rose from 29% in 2006 to 41% in 2020–2022, coinciding with an increase in obesity.

📰 In the News

📚 Further Reading & Resources

We believe in honest, well-researched content. Here are the books and sources we trust.

Books

• → Think Like a Cat — Pam Johnson-Bennett
• → Total Cat Mojo — Jackson Galaxy
• → The Cat Whisperer — Mieshelle Nagelschneider

Trusted Sources

• → International Cat Care — icatcare.org
• → ASPCA Cat Care — aspca.org
• → Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery — peer-reviewed research

Looking for more? Visit our full blog.

Explore Gatario →