Whether cats should have outdoor access involves genuine welfare trade-offs between behavioral enrichment and safety risks that depend on individual circumstances.
This is a genuinely difficult welfare question with no single correct answer. A bored, frustrated indoor cat with no environmental enrichment may have worse welfare than an outdoor cat despite shorter lifespan. Conversely, an outdoor cat in a high-traffic area faces serious safety risks. The welfare calculus must be made individually, considering the specific cat's behavioral needs, the local environment, and the owner's ability to provide indoor enrichment. Outdoor access also creates welfare costs for wildlife that must be acknowledged.