I feel really bad for not letting my kitty outside?

Question

Well this might be a little long, I got this my kitty about 8 months ago when she was 3-4 months old. She loves it outside, and I read online about the potential dangers and decided that most are not present in my community. Cars. She cant be hit by a car. She doesn't go far and I live at the end of a culdesac and maybe 5 cars pass my house in a whole day. But since it is a culdesac they are going about 10 mph so they can make the U turn. 2. disease. My kitty does not go too far and the houses are widely space apart, she only comes into contact whit two other cats, both of whom are very healthy. So there is no way any of these cats can contract a disease because they do not come into contact with other cats. Them coming into contact with a squirrel or raccoon is highly unlikely. 3. Harmful humans. Like I said my kitty does not go far and the houses are far apart. I know my four neighbors to my right and my one neighbor to my left who is the last house. None of them would ever hurt my kitty. 4. Poison. My community is extremely health conscience and I highly doubt there could be something to poison my kitty. Just last year we signed a petitioned to our Homeowners association to ask them to ask the gardeners they employ to stop using Round Up a very harmful weed killer. 5. Predators.The only predators around here would be coyotes whole have never seen during the day, only at night and very early morning (both of these times my kitty is safe inside.
**Continue to Update**

Answer 1

I have two indoor, declared, spoiled house cats that I always let outside, but only when I can monitor them. you always run the risk of all of the above, but it's the same with children. I don't feel it's right to let them live a boring life just to be overprotective. They were born to be outside.

1. My cats are too scared of cars, so they stay away from the road. I also let them go out the backdoor to

trick them into staying there. I have had cats in the country get hit by cars, but they were 100%outdoor and the cars were going 65 plus.

2. My cats have never detracted a disease and they are 4 & 6 been going outside all their lives. if they do, just be prepared to take them to a vet and pay for it.

3.I put collars on my cats every time I let them out

with their names and phone numbers. I also don't let them out at night or Halloween week.

4.My cats have eaten plants, but never gotten sick. again, be prepared to take them to.the vet if.it happens.

Answer 2

After losing more than one cat to cars, dogs, and heavens knows what...I learned the hard way that my neighborhood is not safe for outdoor cats. Injured and flea covered cats are expensive. I hate fleas in my house and repeated visits to the vet for injuries almost cost me a job. (how many times can you ask for time off to take your CAT to the doctor ?) So cleaning a litter box and listening to my cat meow to get out and catch that bird on the fence......is a small price to pay, IMO. I know people will brag that their outdoor cat has lived MANY years......but many more cats have met a sad and painful end when outside. I will feed ferrals (if they come to my door) but I will never again have an outdoor cat.

Answer 3

Your cat will be better off inside no matter what your arguments to yourself were. Unless you are there watching her the whole time she is outside you have no idea where she roams to and living in a cul-de-sac is no excuse. I live in one and my cat managed to get out one day and we found him almost three blocks away in a matter of thirty minutes. I have five cats and none of mine go outside at all and they are all fine with it. I actually have a feral cat that I rescued a little over a year ago and she won't even step one foot out the door anymore but she will sit there and watch the birds. Your cat will adjust to not going outside, you just need to help her by playing with her, brushing her hair, cuddling with her, petting her, just pay attention to her and she will be fine.