I'm a little late jumping in on this topic, but I agree that beloved pets should be protected, but provided a good quality of life as well. I personally think an all indoor lifestyle is best, but there have been some cases where the cat absolutely wants to go outside, so I think enclosures are the best idea for that option. That way they can enjoy the great outdoors with less danger. I was always saddened to see poor little kitties trying to huddle together to keep warm when I lived in IN. The weather there is so harsh! I doubt that any cat would "want" to be outside in terrible weather. Most people's "outdoor" cats seemed to live short horrible lives. Not really by their choice either. Here in CA the temps are quite mild, so being an outdoor animal isn't quite as bad weather wise. Here's the scoop on my kitties. My husband and I are owned by 2 DSH cats, both indoor only. A local stray has adopted me as her "foster mom" as I give her food, water, shelter and vaccinations via the stray/feral program. Oh, how I hate leaving her outside(and I can tell she wants in because she's practically glued to my door when I open it in the morning to feed her), but we just can't have another cat inside with our 2 and one has a behavioral problem. As for our 2 indoor cats, Marius came to me as a stray in very poor condition. He has absolutely no desire to go back outside, probably because he associates it with his previous horrible life. He looks out the window, but when we open any doors, he's nowhere to be found(unless Crookshanks, the stray cat, is around). Scooter is the same way. He likes looking out the window, but doesn't find venturing outside to be his thing. We've even attempted to bring them outside on leashes for a brush and walk around, but they just "glue" to the ground, or head back for the door. This is perfectly fine with me, because they have enough stimulation inside to keep them happy. I think indoor cats can be as happy or even moreso than outdoor cats. Although, if someone wants to let their cats outside because they think it's good for them, than that's fine under supervision, and precautions. Outdoor enclosures are a great idea!