Do you let your cat/s go outside?

[Vintergatan]

Mosquito nets are common in Serbia, but most often they are just a net you buy and fix yourself to the window. and I do remember instances where kids would forget themselves and break through it! I was always specifically taught to watch out for them. But then, in Iceland, for obvious reason, they are not common at all, but people barely have openable windows here (my windows are so tight when they open that my CATS barely squeeze through).
I just googled to see what kind of screens you have in the US and they seem much sturdier and handier (especially when you can manipulate them, as in pull them up and down and such). Definitely seems like a good idea when you have an indoor kitty

[SilvrStar7]

My cats only go outside if they are supervised by me. As a lover of cats and a Conservation major in college, I have been caught in the crossfire many times when it comes to the indoor/outdoor cat issue. Nearly ALL animal conservation groups are anti-TNR, and approve of lethal removal of cats. They vilify cats, and many people in these groups straight up hate them. If people just kept their cats indoors, it would make life for everyone and everything so much easier. They do so much damage to wildlife and the environment that's under so much stress already. Not to mention all the sick people out there that enjoy running them over, torturing them, etc. Makes me sick to my stomach.

[fingerpaints]

I have 3 kitties, 2 are strictly indoors only (both 14 years old from the same litter) and we have our old gal who is 18, and came to us in poor condition at 13, she can't jump as she is a little weak in the back end, so we let her out in the back yard under our supervision. She just enjoys wandering around and sometimes laying in the sun so we figure why not. She is never left outside for any longer than a couple of minutes on her own though, as she is deaf and starting to go blind as well, our yard is well fenced in, but we don't want to risk another animal possibly getting in and attacking her so we keep a close eye on her.

I understand why others let their kitties outside, but think its a good idea to keep them indoors to save them killing wildlife (birds and stuff) and also they can't eat horrible stuff like bugs which can make them sick. I had a kitty for a very short period when I was younger, she used to go and kill snakes, and bring them up and leave them on the back doorstep. She didn't come home after about number 10 I would say that the snake won that battle unfortunately.

[Rhini]

So I tried to be nice to my kitty and take her outside on her harness yesterday since it was an absolutely beautiful day. Nooooope Cried, screamed, tried to crawl back into my arms. When I finally picked her back up she just shook and buried her face in my neck. So much for that!

[clones_rebellion]

I have two cats and a dog. I won't let the newest kitty out and she's fine with that. But the older kitty likes going out. I live on an extremely busy road and had a dog get killed and another kitty get hit on this road. (After 14 stitches, he was okay.) We now have a fenced in section in the back yard for the dog and older kitty. The dog can go out whenever he wants, but if the kitty goes out I supervise him anyway since we have had Great Horned owls in the area and they have been known to kill cats. I'm not taking any chances!

[bagheera86]

If there's one thing I think more people outside of the US need to invest in, its screens on their windows. I don't understand how so many people can open windows without screens and let the bugs in.

Screens are dangerous because they pop put of windows when children lean on them.  Kids don't realize that the screen won't hold their weight and they topple right through.  Also screens are damaged easily and are expensive & aggravating to repair/install. 

I think if there was another epidemic wave of disease caused by insects, we would probably have more screens...  After all, mosquito netting is hugely important in Africa but here in N. America, we crank up the A/C and spray the pesticides. 

Maybe the thing here is too not let kids hang on screens? XDD Everyone in Australia has screens on their windows! I think flat screen tvs are killing kids more nowadays though.

[FantasticFirefly]

Screens are dangerous because they pop put of windows when children lean on them.  Kids don't realize that the screen won't hold their weight and they topple right through.  Also screens are damaged easily and are expensive & aggravating to repair/install. 

  I grew up with screens, when we were little and there were a few things we got scolded to NEVER do ever. Sitting on the window sill was one (going with strangers and touching chemicals was another). Everyone in Ontario had screens on their windows, it was really strange moving to BC and I don't see screens anywhere! in ON the windows were usually closed in the summer too if you had AC cause it's hot and sticky. here the summer weather is lovely but I'm terrified of the wasps that fly in if I open the windows. Now I'm scared of a cat falling/jumping out. I want screens!

[Tilas]

My cat Garfield is an indoor/outdoor cat. He comes and goes as he pleases. We built a "cat ladder" tot he 2nd floor window just so in the summer we can leave it open for him to go in and out all he wants. In our neighborhood, we are the only people with dogs and only our one neighbor has a cat. He loves to hang out with Mittens and they sun together on the neighbors deck. Garfield is very smart, he stays within our block, and will actually look both ways before crossing the road in the rare chance he goes across the street. We've never had to worry about him, his usual "route" is to go next door and hang out with Mittens and his family, or go into the forest behind the house and hunt birds.  Very rarely he'll continue through the woods and pop out at the clinic to say hi to mom lol.

[Jinxxy]

My Kitty doesn't get to go outside. Even if he were the aloof type of alley cat with street smarts there are still way more things that come into play that you and the cat can't control (no matter how capable you think her to be)
Dogs, Disease, cars, poison, parasites etc.. These things are out of both cat and owners control.

I also like my cat to be clean and friendly and not to learn any nasty habbits like spraying. My cat is exceptionally nice to people and even dogs. While we're out on walks (yes, I walk my cat) he actually goes up to them. This exact behavior that I love in my cat could get him killed in the big bad world.

I have heard from a few cat owners that think keeping a cat indoors is cruel when cats need to "be let outside to be cats" but why does nobody make this argument for ANY other pet?

I don't feel passionately about this issue as other however (like declawing) because I know there are several instances where an owner has no choice but to keep a cat outdoors ( a feral adopt for example) and some just prefer it that way. Some people want different things from a pet cat than I do and having a pet that is part wild is what appeals sometimes.
But for me, and my own personal pets, I'd never ever think it was worth the risk!

Outoor enclosures though are something else! I would love to have one for my cat!

[Stormness_1]

Our cats are inside/outside. I'd love to keep them inside, but it's just not possible with our motley crew.

Pussa is our cat, but she's more like a neighbourhood cat, she never goes into ANYONE's house, ever. She hates the inside, but she was a rescue and won't let anyone but me pick her up either, and she won't go near anyone in a swishy skirt. Ra is a siamese/burmese mix, and she's plain crazy. If she's locked inside you come back to complete destruction, and if she's stuck inside with you, she goes completely potty, and will attack you and annoy you until she's 'released'. Our senior cat, Macbeth, followed my sister-in-law home from school as a kitten, and she's ours now, so that makes her about 19, and she's senile, the poor dear. Completely crackers. She's developed a licking obsesion, and will lick everything, including her fur until it comes out. One day inside will cause her to remove about 20% of her fur from boredom and stress, and leaves clumps of wet, black fur all over the house! not to mention we have two dogs, who are more inside-y than the cats are, but refuse to toilet inside. *sigh* rainy days are fun at our house! So we have louvres that open to leave a route out, around and down to the backyard for access 24-7. All the animals are neutered, and thankfully we've only ever had outside-related dramas with Pussa, who was hit by a car once. The cats usually hang around the yard though, so other than pussa, I'm not really worried about them, and we've never had any other dramas.

[angel_rose]

My husband refuses to let ours go out. I'd let them but he is right that it's safer not to. It's a challenge with a couple of them that try to run out all the time. They do have their own "cat proof" screened in porch that my husband built out of metal.
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[Applecrumble]

We live in a very standard neighbourhood, and our cats go out. But we need to open the door for them, because we don't have a catflap, so essentially they only go out under our supervision. They aren't really brave though, they usually come back in five minutes. But in summer, when we are outside as well they stay by our sides the entire day.

[Nana-Rena]

I love the "helpful"  cat pics-   my cat likes to help out too.  When she was smaller, she was really good at filing...
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OMG that is jsut the cutest kitteh ever! She's even smiling! Like; "Lookit! I are in ur folderz doin' ur filing "

[Vintergatan]

My husband refuses to let ours go out. I'd let them but he is right that it's safer not to. It's a challenge with a couple of them that try to run out all the time. They do have their own "cat proof" screened in porch that my husband built out of metal.
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wow, this looks great!! Well done, your husband I wish more people had the opportunity to make these kinds of things hopefully I will live to see the day when houses and apartments are not built just for people but for pets too.

[bagheera86]

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Well this is Marcus my visitor cat (after I said 'oi, home time i'm going in, i keep play time to about 10 minutes exactly each time, but our yard is I dunno, like disney land for him xD), so I'm guessing his owners let him do what he pleases? He does visit everyone though and not just me.

He wasn't around for a while, but now he's back and hanging around like a bum until dark. While I'm all OMG GO HOME OKAY? I know where he lives and it's a 5 minute walk but, I'd feel silly escorting someone else's cat home!

I don't hate him coming about (cuddles! but I make sure NOT to feed him), but I do worry, but crazy lady has moved so that's one big threat gone.