Two of our cats died in their mid-teens of old cat illness, and we chose to have them put to sleep at home, purring on someone's lap. The other medical options

Two of our cats died in their mid-teens of old cat illness, and we chose to have them put to sleep at home, purring on someone's lap. The other medical options the vet suggested in each case would have given the cats a bit more time, but it would have been a poor quality of life for them and nothing we wanted to see them put through. The only cat that lived a short life had nothing to do with being allowed outside. He was the most unique cat I've ever encountered. He'd could use door handles, play fetch, come and get you if he wanted to go out and the cat flap had been locked for whatever reason, would wait for me at the end of my road when I walked home from work and would then wait for my to start running and race me to the front door. Sadly he was born with a condition that meant he passed away before he turned 5, but he was happy and playful every day. Losing him impacted me more than I would have believed possible. Anyway, I just wanted to say that it's not such a binary choice. As long as you don't live right next to a road with lots of traffic, cats that can come and go as they please don't necessarily live short lives. It's just idiots who think all cats can learn to live alongside fast cars that end up with young dead cats.