So I grew up visiting my grandparent's farm where they had up to twenty to forty cats at any given time. They were there to hunt down pests like rabbits, mice, rats, and snakes. They were fed twice a day but never allowed to come inside. They were very nice cats despite never being outside. They would let you pick them up, carry them around, pet them, and feed them scraps. Most of the summer was spent finding the next litter which we would bribe the mama cat to tolerate us while we pet her kittens. They were true outdoor farm cats with no experience of being in a house.
Then we received a pair of kittens for Christmas, one for my sister and one for me. The house we were renting were feral versions of my grandparents cats but they were there to serve the same purpose. Our cats were a couple months old so they were just a little smaller than a full grown adult. We trained them to go outside to deal with their business because we didn't like litter duty. It also allowed them to climb trees and hunt. My sister's cat got ran over but mine survived and when we moved into town, he was allowed to go outside when he wanted. He had a round of houses where he got food and company.
After he died, we moved to a bigger city and had to keep our cats inside full time. It was kind of okay but they would always try to sneak outside. The oldest would run as far as he could to see what he can, and we almost lost him a couple times. The younger brother would just go out the door wander and then lay down until you picked him up to take him back into the house. They never lost that desire to run out the door even though they were very loving pets.
So I was wondering what your opinion is on cats. Should they be only outdoor or only indoor cats? Or perhaps both? My indoor cats lived the longest but my indoor/outdoor cat was probably a happier cat because he got to roam, hunt, and be adored by many.
