[zippitydoodah68]

Actually the parasite infestation (fleas), lack of affection and food when they want it (except through hard work), temperature variations, etc...make the barn cat a misanthrope.

Every house cat owner knows that the house cat is the 'meta game mastermind'. Hell, they've engineered the system to care about their safety so much that it is cruelty to have them reproduce via the species own painful biology. Letting them out into the street is homicidal. If they get pests they inflict them on their caretaker and every other discomfort is communicated to the human caretaker willy nilly. When they want to exert themselves they can be amazingly cruel, subtle, unpredictable and unyielding. House cats win.

[fhood]

I'm not a fan of having house cats. Indoor only cats develop weird psychological issues at a rate that makes me suspect that living inside isn't all that healthy for them.

Every cat I have owned has been an indoor-outdoor cat. There are downsides. They tend to be less affectionate and more independent than house cats, but they also seem healthier and happier than the indoor cats I have known.

Also they don't need a litter box. That is a biggy.

[zippitydoodah68]

Well, having an indoor cat means keeping an indoor cat happy which is a larger problem (for the caretaker) but indicative of the meta supremacy in house cat behavior.

In all seriousness I would rather take the time to care for a house cat than to deal with the possibility of roadkill/injury, disease, pests or other accidents of nature. If the cat is a problem for you then don't own one?

[singingboyo]

On the other hand, I figure that yes, a cat (which I'll never have - allergies) is safe indoors, but if they're happier outdoors... well, maybe nature will happen, but should I really imprison the cat to save it? Not as far as I'm concerned. The cat can go enjoy itself.

The point being, it's not that the cat is a problem. It's that some of us think nature should remain natural, not be pressed into service keeping us company.