The Indoor vs. The Outdoor Cat
 When you bring a new kitten into your home, there are many decisions that you will have to make. One of those is whether you want to raise an indoor cat or an outdoor cat. Of course, the choice is a personal one. However, in this day and age, there are many valid reasons why having an indoor cat may be better than having an outdoor cat.
First, there are many risks that outdoor cats face. In fact, the list seems to go on forever. Just consider the following risks: vehicles, unfriendly dogs, predators such as coyotes and raccoons, other cats defending their territory, angry neighbors who dislike cats digging and defecating in their garden, diseases such as feline leukemia or immunodeficiency viruses, parasites like fleas and ticks, poisons from substances such as antifreeze or pesticides, sickness from eating garbage or other contaminated foods, harsh weather that can cause frostbite in winter or dehydration in summer, and getting lost.
Indoor cats tend to be healthier and longer lived, as well as less expensive for cat owners. In 1992, the Humane Society of the United States estimated the average life expectancy of free roaming pets to be between 3 and 5 years, while indoor cats can commonly reach ages of 17 years or more.
Read more about the indoor cat versus the outdoor cat.
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