Good points Carole and PayItFoward! I'm in NZ now, and it is nearly unheard of to keep your cat indoors. It's seen as cruel and taking cats away from their natural habitat.

Having come from the States, I was alarmed that there were so many cats outside without collars. I thought they were strays, but Sam assured me that was simply the way things were done here. I even had a cat that followed me around university, which was excellent. I called her Buttercup and she often walked me to my religious studies classes. Since I lived across the street from uni, she spent a couple of nights and days with Sam and me.

But now that Sam and I are moving back to the States, I will be making Boo an indoor only. We will have to see how leashing goes, as Boo is generally snippy and bitey with all things dangly. But I will not let him outside in the States because it is not a cat-loving country like NZ. I don't trust the number of crazy people that find torturing animals (especially cats) humourous and I know that because of the way US cities are developed, there is more harm traffic-wise.

I can see both sides of the argument, but I think in an ideal world, cats would thrive in an indoor/outdoor environment and be allowed to do so without the constant threat of being killed by crazies or cars. It's ideal for the cats in that they have adequate stimulation and exercise. The cats in the States are HUGE compared to the cats here.