I’m not trying to argue letting cats outside is a good idea, but “insane” is an overstatement. Where I am there are a lot of cats in the rural areas and nobody almsot keeps them inside, yet everything is fine.
Unless you live in an area that has native small wild cats, then feral or pet house cats are an invasive species that destroy small mammal and bird populations. And if you live in an area where small wild cats are native, then it’s probably best to not let house cats compete with them and reduce the wild population. There’s really no ecological argument to allow house cats to roam in any environment.
I’m not trying to argue letting cats outside is a good idea, but “insane” is an overstatement. Where I am there are a lot of cats in the rural areas and nobody almsot keeps them inside, yet everything is fine.
A big thing they didn’t mention is at all is lifespan.
“The average life span for an outdoor cat is only two to five years of age while an indoor cat’s life span can reach seventeen years of age or older.”
Source
So even if you ignore the ecosystem thing, I personally think that my cat living an extra 10 years on average is worth it.
Yes, that’s very important! And it’s why you should keep your cats inside if you really love them
Unless you live in an area that has native small wild cats, then feral or pet house cats are an invasive species that destroy small mammal and bird populations. And if you live in an area where small wild cats are native, then it’s probably best to not let house cats compete with them and reduce the wild population. There’s really no ecological argument to allow house cats to roam in any environment.