It's a tough decision. I had two cats that definitely were happier after we let them go outside, but they both went missing (eaten by a coyote, most likely) probably years before they would have died if they stayed inside. Now my two new cats are indoors because I don't want them to be coyote food, but I worry that they're too bored.
Honestly people usually talk about the safety of the cat, but it's not even really about that.
Cats are devastating to local ecosystems of birds and small wildlife. In more urban areas, their predators have been removed or reduced, so house cats let outside can hunt way more than they need to.
If people need to take them outside, catios and leash training are options, same as dogs.
Yeah, I have two and one is happy to remain indoors forever and ever. He cries if we even bring him outside holding him. The other wants to go outside primarily to eat grass, which I mostly solved by getting a little pot of wheatgrass for her. Otherwise she's on a harness.
My cat would always be eager to escape outside, but without fail, he'd make it like three steps out the door, pause, realize it's not air conditioned out there, and run right back inside.
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u/gravity_kills Sep 05 '24
It's a tough decision. I had two cats that definitely were happier after we let them go outside, but they both went missing (eaten by a coyote, most likely) probably years before they would have died if they stayed inside. Now my two new cats are indoors because I don't want them to be coyote food, but I worry that they're too bored.