I've never known a 100% indoor cat.

It all depends. Indoor cats tend to shed and so hair might be everywhere. Outdoor cats would maybe make someone look like a crazy cat person if there were a lot of them that is.

For me it's the combination of both. All of mine are indoor/outdoor cats.

indoor, they dont get out and bother your neighbours

Indoor cats are better. Too many outdoor cats are not spayed and come home pregnant. They can get fleas and ticks and other things from roaming out in the night and bring them home to you. They can also get sick easily or get hit by cars and get hurt by other animals.

My Cat stayed in for a year and when I moved here I started letting him go out - The traffic was really bad before - And now he's in and out -- I like him to be indoor's better - So I won't worry

It depends. I have two indoor cats and that's my preference. They actually have no desire to go out, they are happy lying in front of the window. However, it's hard to make a cat that's used to being outside stay in. As long as they are well cared for is what's important.

Indoor means a longer life for your cat and less nuisance for neighbors and drivers. I once hit a cat by accident and I still feel awful about it. My friend just lost her kitten to a car a few weeks ago. Both of my cats are 100% indoor and seem very happy with it. If I lived in a less trafficky place like the country I would let them out. My daughter would be devastated if they got killed by a car. I would be too.

indoor cats because they wont get much of a chance to get sick but if there out doors they can get the flu a snake bite bitten by the neibours dog etc so indoor cats would be best option

combination of both, winter stay indoors, summer time u need sum fresh air puss.. :)

My cats have always been indoors. I grew up in the suburbs and now live in the city. There are too many dangers out there. And indoor cats are healthier and live longer.

both. indoor are good because you can keep track of them and they will live longer and be healthier, and outdoor, because you don't need a litter box (unless you want one) and your cat is free to roam.

Indoor is better they live longer they're healthy and they don't bother your neibors or get lost, or get hit by a car. My kitten likes to explore the house and roam around, but she is sick now and with the vet but she'll be alright. I think she got sick from eating flies some of them might of had a disease so I won't let her in the balcony anymore.

The life span for a cat that goes outdoors ia approximately 3 to 4 years. The life span for an indoor cat now exceeds 12 years. You be the judge.

That depends on what you want. Outdoor are less maintenance, but you have to worry about medical issues, pregnancy, injuries. House cats are more friendly, but more work as for training them, changing littler, etc. I have one indoor and one outdoor. I like them both equally.

Indoor. There are so many dangers (disease, accident, poisons, other animals) that it is better and safer for the cat and better and cheaper for you to keep your loved critter inside.

outdoor and indoor are good. Litter boxes stink so my cat sleeps inside during the day, and fights other cats and dogs during the night. He usually kicks their ass too.

Because I live in the city, indoors is safer.

Indoor cats for safety reasoning. I live in a built up area.

For most urban or suburban areas, indoors is safer and healthier for cats. IN the country, if there is no danger, outside living can be wonderful for them.

Indoor Nuff Said

Indoor cats get sick less often, get into less fights and overall live longer.

* * * In response to http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/4279612 * * * Lynnscats: NO offense whatsoever, but you're misinterpreting the statistics. "A-cat-that-goes-outdoors" is far too general, it needs to be elaborated upon. That 3-4yr stat includes millions of FERALS who never see 2-yrs old. I would imagine a lot of them never even see adulthood. Cats placed in such harsh environments rarely survive past their prime. As a whole, the colonies multiply; but the individuals lead VERY short lives. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feral_cat breaks the stats up a LOT better. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7475469/ http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,351571,00.html also give some insight into just how big the problem is. S Dakota & Minnesota have actually legalized shooting them. It's sickening how we can take an animal out of it's environment, domesticate it, destroy it's habitat, and then turn them loose like that, only to be hunted down for nothing more than simply trying to survive. What I'm trying to point out is that for every WELL CARED FOR outside cat: Well, average them with "outside" & I'm surprised the stats aren't worse! Granted, it IS factor; but much less than being feral/abandoned/starved/etc.

Michael as much as I appreciate the information you took time to forward the bottom line is that outdoor cats don't have as good a chance at survival as cats who are kept indoors. However I was not the one who worded the question "too general". I was only trying to respond to it. I am fully aware of the horrible statistics. I suggest most of those demographics are based on cats who have been let out to roam by their owners and does not include feral, stray and abandoned cats. Since there is really no way of tracking them to determine how many exist. The information on them are at best educated guesses. The statistics I submitted are only part of the whole story as you stated and yet as you can see people do not want to know about what "might or could" happen when they let their pets outside. No doubt those are people who let their cats roam and try to justify their irresponsible and careless disregard for their pets. So I am afraid you are preaching to the choir Michael but it does my heart good to know others are as concerned about this situation as I am. Thank you so much for caring.

Mine are indoor cats, they don't get sick, they seem quite happy. I don't worry so much about wildlife getting at them, and our lease states any pets have to be indoor pets. When we lived elsewhere we found that one of the cats is extremely allergic to fleas, a contractor literally burried one of them alive while doing repair work on a basement wall. I heard his cries and dug him out with my bare hands. They don't even ask to go outdoors but they do demand kitty TV(window in the front so they can do their people watching)

i say indoor cats. they stay safe and live longer.

Indoors is safer for cats

if i would of answered this question a few years ago i would have said outdoors as its not fair them being kept indoors all thier life ,but after having several cats go missing or being stolen id never let a cat out again i still have 2 moggies that go out but only because they have always gone out and are used to it but i have 2 ragdoll kittens and i dont plan on letting them out

In the city? Indoor cat exclusively. In the country? The cat should choose whether to be indoor, outdoor, or a bit of both.

indoor