It's bad for the cats too since the likelihood of getting sick, hurt or dying in an accident, fight, whatever is much higher. Some work from a gut feeling that letting them roam freely is better for them because it's more natural, but I don't think that's supported by the studies in the same way that the likelihood of them getting hurt from roaming freely is.

[–] TheRealKuni@piefed.social 29 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Agreed.

Also it being more natural is irrelevant. They aren’t wild animals. They’re pets. They’re much better fed than anything they’d compete with, so they aren’t having to worry about being sparing with their caloric expenditure. That’s also not natural.

Get a catio, don’t let your cat roam wild.

[–] 14th_cylon@lemmy.zip 5 points 3 weeks ago

it’s more natural

it may very well be, but what most people don't realize is that the natural life of wild animals is not a disney fairy tale. their life expectancy is a lot shorter than that of the household pets and their death is often nothing to envy.