In Britain we almost all let cats go outside. Sometimes they get killed, but they always seem a lot happier than any kept-indoors cat I've ever seen.
With respect, veterinarians don't generally buy that argument any more.
The average lifespan for an outdoor cat is 2 to 5 years in the US. An indoor cat will live 13 to 17 years on average. The outdoors is laden with parasites, disease, poisons, and injury from a variety of sources. In addition, owners of indoor cats are much more likely to see health problems developing early, and get them treated.
There is a romanticized view of the domestic cat as a wild animal, with "needs". They are no longer wild animals. They are domesticated. If you are spending a minimum of effort to make the indoors a good home for the cat, it will be plenty happy, and live in that happiness on average 3x as long.
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