Letting your cat outside can be a controversial topic among cat owners. There are advantages to allowing outdoor exploration, but there are also significant risks to consider.

Risks of letting your cat outside include:

Health hazards: Outdoor cats face a higher risk of illnesses, injuries, and exposure to parasites and toxic substances.

Predator attacks: Other animals can harm your cat.

Traffic: Cats can get hit by cars.

Diseases: They may contract infectious diseases from other cats, such as feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus.

Getting lost or trapped: Cats can get lost or become trapped. They don’t “run away;” if your cat doesn’t come home, it’s because they can’t or don’t know how.

Overpopulation: Intact outdoor cats result in generations of homeless cats. Spay and neuter your pets and don’t let them out.

These cats especially should not go outside unsupervised:

Declawed cats: Declawed cats especially should not go outside unsupervised because they can’t defend themselves or climb.

Elderly or cognitively impaired cats: Cats showing signs of dementia or cognitive problems should stay indoors.

Cats with serious health conditions: Cats with significant health issues should remain indoors.

Territorial cats: Cats prone to fights with other animals are safer indoors.

Kittens and cats who are in a new place: Kittens or cats unfamiliar with the area should be kept indoors.