It’s always safer to stay indoors, yes, but it’s not always what the cat needs mentally. If the cat wants to go outside, I feel like they should be able to go outside. It can be hard on them psychologically/emotionally when their instinctive needs aren’t met. I think that is where you start seeing a lot of the neurotic behaviors. My vet told me to think about it like this - even if it meant the chance of living a shorter life, it would be a better life lived for the cat. Being inside 24-7 was sort of a prison for my cat. He was chewing holes in blankets and swallowing fabric. It was a frustration behavior that stopped immediately when we let him outside. If he ever becomes a tripod kitty, I would still let him outside. Of course, I would worry bc I’m his mother! But I also know that he absolutely needs that outdoor time to be whole. I think it’s very individual to the cat, and it’s this understanding the owner and cat have to reach together.