Living With Cats in Multispecies Communities

Abstract Living with companion cats necessarily involves making decisions related to their lifestyles, including the question of whether they will have outdoor access. Human companions to cats often, and understandably, make choices based on what they feel is best for the cat, though conservation organizations draw attention to the negative impacts of cat predation on local ecosystems and therefore communicate the importance of choosing to keep cats indoors. Though companion cats only represent one segment of the cat population, their close ties with humans offer unique possibilities for dynamic interspecies work and allow us to think in new ways about what it means to live sustainably in contemporary multispecies communities. A multispecies approach encourages the crafting of new ways to live and think together, announcing a shift away from conventional, dualistic assumptions and toward attentive, collaborative practices with companion cats that also respond to the needs of the broader community.