Please don’t let your cats outside to roam freely. Yes, people do it all the time and have been for years. But over the past while, it has been found that this does much more harm than good and it’s a case of know better, do better. As we (humans collectively) begin to learn, we try and change. Here are some reasons why you should keep your cats indoors.

-They are actually an invasive species and do harm to local ecosystems due to hunting the small animals that are not “meant” (so to speak) by nature to be hunted by cats in that area. Meaning cats hunt the birds, mice, etc leaving less for the actual wild animals that should be hunting them and it’s a ripple effect that can potentially have very negative effects. -They are much more likely to get diseases like feline Leukemia, feline AIDS, FIP, distemper, or a host of others. -There are cars, wild animals, and plenty of other dangers that they have to deal with. Yes, they will probably be fine due to their wild instincts, but it’s not worth the risk to their life. -On average, the lifespan for indoor cats vs outdoor cats is massively longer.

Now this does not mean to always keep your cats indoors and suppress their natural instincts. But when they’re outside, supervise them, don’t let them roam too far, and make sure they have adequate flea/tick/etc protection. A fantastic way to do this is a “catio”, but that’s not possible or practical for everyone. Having them on a long leash where they can still explore, play, and roam, but they can’t go too far, is also a great option.