Almost all domestic cats are allowed outside unless the owners do not have a garden. Most people think keeping a cat indoors is cruel.
The bird casualties are terrible I agree. Bells around the neck are good. I am not sure I will get another cat when mine dies.
Most animal welfare advocates think cats should be kept indoors for their own safety. I felt guilty about my irresponsible behavior in allowing mine outdoors but with a dog door to the yard it was impossible to keep my cat inside.
https://iaabc.org/cat/cats-indoors-or-outdoors
As for the damage cats do outdoors, primarily to birds, that impact is less clear but still highly probable.
Perhaps there is a radically different set of values in the states. In the UK animal welfare organisations often check you have a garden before letting you adopt a cat. It’s a huge toll for the birds though.
My bird populations face a much greater threat from the many ravens, crows, magpies, hawks, falcons, owls and eagles that inhabit my area than they do from my indoor/outdoor house cats and barn cats. They kill mostly rodents, which is their job. We grow wheat and the rodents are rampant.
My house cats are more well adjusted (more confident, have better digestion, happier) when they are allowed out. Life is simply better for both of us.
In Seattle you cannot adopt a cat unless you sign a contract to NEVER EVER let it outside and some of the agencies do follow-up checks.
There are always exceptions. But non-domesticated wild animals killing other wild animals to eat isn’t an equivalent to domesticated animals killing wild animals for sport. I feel the same way about human animals who kill for fun as opposed to those to kill overpopulated herds and eat them.
There is widespread agreement that people living in suburbs and cities should not let their dogs and cats out to roam for a multitude of reasons that have to do with health and safety of the pet. People talk about the happiness of the pet as if that’s more important than the health and safety of the pet. Our pet animals depend on us to make responsible decisions, not just to let them do whatever they want all the time in the name of happiness.
Lots of folks have “barn cats” in rural areas who aren’t even treated like domestic pets. My own cat prevented me ever seeing a mouse on my property in the city. Now I have to set traps in the house so believe me, I get it.
Because of killing birds?
I think it is more for the cat’s safety than for bird safety.
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Interesting. Pet cats rarely come to any harm in the UK outside. Occasionally they get run over.
Multiple sources confirm that indoor cats live longer than cats that spend some time outdoors.
Outdoor cats live less as they are exposed to viruses, bacteria, accidents and fights.
Even in England there are studies that show correlation between longer lives and staying indoors.
https://www.thedodo.com/can-you-add-years-to-your-cats-593896831.html
I daresay humans might luve longer imprisoned indoors too but life wouldn’t be worth living. I only want my 16 year old cat to be happy for however long he has left.
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I have no choice. I adopted my cat when he was 12 years old and had been an indoor cat all his life. Also his previous owner had had his claws permanently removed (another horrible practice) so even if I let him out, he couldn’t protect himself against other weird animals that lurk around here.
I’d never had an indoor cat before and would much rather be able to let him out but it seems that most cats here are indoor cats.
This conversation reminds me of the ones I’ve had with men who anthromorphize their male dogs and refuse to neuter them. They just can’t imagine their male dogs being deprived of their “manhood.” Research pales compared to their need for their dog to fufill their idea of happiness.
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I would contend that. We’ve lost a cat when we were relatively new to a rural home. We suspect foxes took her. My brother also lost a cat to poisoning - the vet advised the cat had ingested antifreeze or similar, which had also been the cause of death for his neighbour’s cat. My mum’s cat also got trapped in a garden shed and was found around two weeks later and didn’t survive. I know of people get frustrated with cats in their gardens, defacating etc.
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I have fox and one day happened to look out my back door to see a fox dash right past my cat. I freaked out and went online to find out if fox regularly attack cats. This is what I found:
That is interesting. We were rural in that situation but only 1km from the town. The cat would have come across foxes, birds of prey (a couple perched regularly in our garden) and other cats. Here’s a short video of a fox from our garden at that house - fascinating creatures:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/EcLAKE4L956WbTPf7
Please forgive the background noise, our washing machine was on!
This discussion reminds me of the Croydon Cat Killer story:
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Oh he’s lovely! Well done for getting him on video. I want an emotional support fox now…
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He was quite bold and was frequently seen but this was the first good chance to film him. I suspect they’re not that affectionate up close!
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Me and my fox cub 2007 
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