It's finite either way.
Max would never have been Max without his absolute freedom.
It was like having Mozart and Leonardo around.
Only together in a cat suit.

Rock on Smudge!!

Lucille would literally take a door apart to get back in the house, but
Lucille was another cat.
She is only eclipsed by Max in my 50 years of kitty cats.
And that includes the likes of Woodrow T. Kitty.

Lucille was yet another stray, I named her for Frank Zappa's "Lucille";
And BB King's guitar.
Lucille was a family cat.
Both her humans have college degrees now.

One's a Magna Cum Cat
Or something like that.

And they both have cats of their own.

Cheers
H.

Right.  I want to clarify that my main concern is that the cat was
apparently very nearby for months but didn't want to come home.  That
makes me think that if nothing changes and the cat is let out again, the
same thing is likely to happen.

Clangnuts lives in the UK. You have to understand that 99% of UK cats
are

It's also worth noting that in the UK, both the main rescue
organisations (That's RSPCA and Cats Protection) PREFER to rehome cats
to indoor/outdoor homes, although they don't complain at "Indoors only".
They do however advocate keeping cats in at night.

In the USA, the Majority of rescues won't rehome to a home which is not
going to keep cats indoor only.

Speaking from experience, Robbie was sent back to the UK in January so
that he could spend the summer going in and out through the catflap and
using the garden, instead of being stuck as an indoor only cat in the
USA. He *is* much more relaxed and happy because he's allowed out.

I really do appreciate that in the USA, indoor is much safer and indeed,
used the same arguments for my cats when they lived there. I also see
how much happier they are being allowed outside.

Helen M

"It is better to live for six years in freedom than an eternity in a cage."
-Max

I'm just glad your Poppet found the way home.

You haven't referenced any of those "number of studies", so I thought to
reference a few...

Robert J. Holmes, BVM&S, PhD, MRCVS, FACVSc
Leslie Larson Cooper, DVM, Diplomate,
American College of Veterinary Behaviorists.

"Cats can be happily kept inside all the time. Many people do so and would
have it no other way. They say they have deeper and more satisfying
relationships with their cats and that those cats are healthier and live
longer. While living happily inside, cats are not getting hit by cars, being
injured in cat fights, catching infections such as feline leukemia virus and
feline immunodeficiency virus (Feline "AIDS"), being stolen, hunting and
possibly killing wildlife, urinating and defecating on neighbors'
properties, and harassing or being harassed by other animals. Clearly there
are many good reasons for permanently keeping cats indoors and outdoors in a
protected area.

An outdoor cat lives a more stressful life than an indoor cat, and stress
leads to a myriad of physical and psychological disorders.  When faced with
a challenge, the cat "gears up"; the heart rate increases, blood flow to the
internal organs increases, and stored sugar is released into the
bloodstream, ready to meet increased demands for energy. Many of these
immediate effects are triggered by the release of the hormone adrenalin from
the adrenal glands. The body is now ready to "fight" or "flee," depending on
the circumstances.  If the challenge persists, other hormones are released,
among them ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) from the pituitary gland. ACTH
in turn causes the release of still more hormones, such as cortisone and
hydrocortisone from the adrenal glands. These hormones help to continue the
supply of energy-sustaining sugars. Finally, should the perceived threat
continue, the previously adaptive system starts to break down.  Chronic
exposure to corticosteroids and other substances can cause organ systems to
start degenerating, resulting in such negative effects as decreased immune
response, stomach ulcers, and decreased growth to name but a few. Variation
in the body's response is based on the type of threat it is exposed to.

Outdoor cats on the street, or even in the country, are faced every day with
territorial disputes, threats from other animals, people, cars,
environmental noises which cause panic, and situations which generate pure
fear and stress. Indoor  cats generally live longer, healthier and happier
lives than outdoor cats - a fact that cannot be disputed."

Peter Neville, world renowned feline behaviorist:
Bristol University, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Langford House,
Langford, Avon BS18 7DU, UK
(Excerpted from: Handbook of Feline Medicine, Willis J, Wolf A; Pergamon
Press, Oxford OX3 OBW, England)

"The human/cat relationship is based on many, often contrasting factors.
Indoors the cat is valued for its cleanliness, affection and playfulness,
and admired for its highly evolved play behaviour. Although not a group
hunter, the cat retains an enormous capacity to be sociable and accepts the
benefits of living in the human family and den without compromising its
self-determining and independent behaviour.

The cat views the members of its human family largely as maternal figures.
In their company, the adult cat continues much of its kitten behaviour, such
as relaxed purring, initiation of playful and affectionate encounters and
willingness to respond to vocal and tactile cues."

Dr. Nicholas Dodman, Professor of Behavioral Pharmacology and Director of
the Behavior Clinic at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine and
internationally known specialist in domestic animal behavioral research,
states:

"Its a lot safer to keep cats indoors.  The average lifespan of an indoor
cat is around twelve to fourteen years, while outdoor cats are lucky to
reach double digits.   I personally have lost three cats prematurely to
trauma over the past fifteen years.  Two were struck by vehicles on a fairly
quiet road, and the other was killed by a roaming neighborhood dog. Because
of experiences like this I have certainly had cause to think long and hard
about letting future cats out. At present, our cats remain indoors where
they're safest."

Hugs,

CatNipped