Should my cat be an indoor or outdoor cat?

[pampurredpuss]

I understand the views of some people that they think it is not fair for a cat to be kept indoors. It is a hunter, afterall and should do what it was born to do. All animals should be free to come and go as they like and not be trapped in the confines of a house.

But I know the world is a big and sometimes not so nice place and for cats there are many dangers out there.

The road, being the first to come to mind - Cats have no road sense and why should they, their ancesters were here long before the car or even man stepped on the earth, so why shouldn't they just take a leisurely stroll across the road? A car doing just 20 miles an hour will kill a cat.

Another danger is other cats - Feral cats or other household cats that haven't had any inoculations against cat flu, etc. can pass their diseases onto your cat, even if they are fully up to date with their inoculations. Your cat will not be 100% immune and could still become infected.

Other wild animals - Foxes, dogs, birds of pray are all hazards to your cats.

And then, of course, there is the other danger, humans - people who do not like cats coming into their gardens and messing in their flower bed. I understand this, I don't like it either, but there are ways of deterring a cat which are harmless. I've heard of people spraying bleach on a cat, putting out cat food with rat poison in it, shooting at the cat with an air rifle, etc.

Cats will adapt to whatever enviroment you put them in, and quickly settle in to a life of a warm lap or snuggled up on your bed. By all means let them go out in the garden for a look around, to smell and to climb but be there with them and share the experience.