Yes, that's the point I was trying to make in my reply.

MaryL

I still say the invisible fence thing is your best bet. If you
cordoned off your yard at it's outskirts, that should be enough to
keep your cat from having any unwanted effects.

                            IBen Getiner

Many places here in the US and lots of places in the UK are quite safe
enough to let cats go out, even if it's just in the owner's garden or on
their property. If I had a yard, I'd certainly get a nice big enclosure
for it so my kids could go outside. I'd never let them roam off my
property, but that's because there's too much danger here for that.
Cars, dogs, bad people, poisons all over, etc.
Also, I wouldn't want to bother my neighbors.

England, IIRC, has no natural predators to kill cats. Here in the
States, even in rural areas, your cat is in danger from coyotes, bears,
possums, and even raccoons. In the UK, there is a lot less natural
danger to cats. If a UK'er lives in a rural area, about the only danger
to their cats is other people and their idiocy (IIRC, even the
antifreeze there is now the icky kind cats won't lick). There is little
chance a cat will get sick if it is vaccinated (rural areas would have
less dense cat populations, so less chance of picking up a disease from
a cat fight) and parasites can be controlled.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, of course. Mine is that the risk
here (and in any city or suburban neighborhood with cars and dogs) is
too high to let my cats out unsupervised. However, I would not
generalize that every single area in the world is unsafe for cats to be
out. (Especially since being on Usenet and seeing all the UK'ers and how
it is there. It really opened my mind on the subject.)

For the record, I would never let my cats out by themselves if I lived
right by a street. As far as the OP goes, IMO, it is irresponsible to
allow a cat to freely roam right by a street with cars (you cared enough
to post that you wanted to train the cat, so the road *is* a danger in
your eyes). Get an enclosure for the yard. Take the kitty out on a
harness and leash. But letting the cat roam by itself right by the road
is asking for a dead cat. (As to loving it enough to let it be itself, I
suppose you'd love your three year old enough to let him or her play all
by themselves, too, eh? No? Wow. You must not love them. Or maybe you
love them enough to keep them safe from harm even if it isn't always the
most happy thing for them. Compromise.)

Dogs would prefer to be able to go all over unsupervised, too. We don't
let them. I will never understand why people seem to think that cats
should be able to roam, but dogs should not. But, that's just me, I
guess.

I just wanted to put out my 2 cents that not *everyone* who lets their
cat go out is automatically irresponsible.

One big important factor is "is it legal to let your cat roam where you
live?" because in my county in my state, leash laws do exist for cats and
you can be fined. I also know of someone in FL who kept getting fined by
animal control when they caught his cat outside unrestrained.  Even on his
own property.

(...)

Yes, although there do exist vets who suggest that we should be
mindful of the potential problems of an indoor life for the cat. Seem
to be in the minority though. Regardless, I consider the discussion to
be fundamentally a moral or philosophical one, and as such one where
the vet has no particular authority. That the pet food chaps hop onto
the bandwagon I just find a tad absurd. Anyway, I'm sure Iams can deal
with the loss of $5000 or so I might have potentially spent on their
food over my cats' lifetime...! Advertising works.

Yes. I think this is compounded by the fact that many people assume
that the cat is a low maintenance pet, and one that requires
relatively little interaction - certainly as compared with a dog. This
can cause problems for indoor cats; if they don't really want to be
indoors, and are not being interacted with often enough, then they
will be looking to the great outdoors for fun 'n' frolics. Cue
doorframes shredded into matchsticks and piss up the curtains. And
that's just the owner.

(...)

Nor the human, indeed.

(...)

I think leash training seems like a fair compromise, but fencing is
ideal, given a large enough garden.

I've mused on whether to try to leash train my cats. I think this
might succeed with one of 'em, though I suspect the other would remove
my liver with his teeth before I got the thing within 5 feet of him.

Which I find odd.

And yet I'd say that risk-benefit tradeoff IS the argument. Or the
crux of the matter, anyway. In fact, it's the crux of all the big
catfight issues such as declawing or neutering.

But if someone is going to keep fluffy indoors, then I at least hope
that fluffy's owner will take all necessary steps to keep the clawed
one happy and amused. To not at least consider the indoor-oudoor
issues is verging on cruelty.

Steve.

Well-said, Alison.

(...)

Paranthetically, I wonder how close to a complete hunting outlet
indoor play is? 'Complete hunting outlet', hmm, sounds like a gun
store.

Well, they aren't indoor cats if they go outside! (Though I guess it
depends how regular 'regular' is).

(...)

A fenced garden of reasonable size is probably the ideal solution.
Unless one fears eagles or crashing communications satellites.

Which is OK, as long as you don't force them to listen to Norwegian
minimalist avant-garde jazz, I guess.

But seriously - semi seriously anyway - there are whims and whims.
Good and bad.

Whimsically,
Steve.