Should cats be allowed outside?
Many would say no, pointing to risks to the cat — being stolen, hit by a car, getting into conflict with other animals, getting diseases or parasites, or just not coming home. Indoor cats, they point out, live longer, on average. Also, outdoor cats can kill a surprising number of birds.
Indoor cats, on the other hand, can get issues with depression, frustration and lethargy.
The cats themselves can get a vote, of course, either by darting out under people's feet or through relentless pressure.
In an online poll this week, readers were roughly split:
Perhaps surprisingly, cat ownership has almost no influence:
Older readers are less inclined to let cats outside:
As are women:
There is little difference between dog people and cat people on the question. People who don't want or have a pet, however, were more inclined to keep a (notional) cat indoors.
More often than not, people who say that cats should be let outside are more likely to have libertarian views on other questions, and/or more openness to risk.
Unfortunately, we were unable to cross-reference with a poll asking 'Are you a cat?'
