I used to feel that I would rather have my cats live a short, happy life than a long, miserable life. When I realized after several years that I had only one cat survive past 5 years, and all the others died horrible deaths (cars-run over by or mangled up in, poisonings, gunshots, disease, etc.) I began attempting to keep them exclusively inside. Of course, some cats are obsessed and will successfully escape. One of my cats was adopted by a stray, and she darts out after dark occasionally. I try to catch her but can't always. On those nights I sleep on the couch so I can hear her scratch on the door when she returns. I have her three grown kittens (another consequence of roaming cats-reproduction!) and only one of them goes outside - on a harness and leash. He loves his "walkies". I need to make a few comments, though, that I would feel I must make even if I were an outdoor advocate. First of all, to all the people who mentioned "letting their cat get to know the area before they're allowed out unsupervised" - I think y'all are operating on the false assumption that it's dangerous for your cat to roam MAINLY because he may get lost if he doesn't know his way around. In fact, cats NEVER "get lost". They don't return because either they have been carried away, injured too severely to come home, or killed. So letting them "get to know their surroundings" is a useless and dangerous idea. Also, to the people who think they are lessening the risk by only letting their cats out at night - cats are nocturnal. This is their "howling time" and they are much more likely to encounter danger then than in the daytime. They are also harder to see so their chances of getting hit by a car are increased by their invisibility and their mobility at night. Alot of their predators are also nocturnal. Cats who are outdoors during the day are most likely snoozing somewhere. I don't advocate loose cats day or night, but if I were forced to make a choice I would rather have my cats out during the day. After all, we frequently see the unfortunate tragedy of a dead cat on the side of the road on the way TO work in the morning, but seldom if ever on our way home FROM work in the afternoon. And, to add two more cents worth, I think declawing is just as cruel and horrible as letting cats roam. A quick P.S. - alot of members (including me) seem to be from Dallas/Fort Worth! When I lived in Denton, I learned that Denton County had the highest rabies rate of any other county in Texas nearly every year (including this year so far!) This was one of the factors making me convert to indoors only.