this post was submitted on 29 Jul 2023
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There is no difference between a domestic cat and a wildcat, as in they're able to interbreed because they're genetically the same species. So if you're in a region where they would naturally exist (effectively all of Eurasia) then it's perfectly fine to let your cats go outside.
TLDR: It's only bad to let your cats out if you live in the Americas or Australia.
It's bad because of the sheer number of them. A single cat can kill over a million animals over its lifetime I believe. A single pair of cats can produce around a thousand cats over the course of a few years, so that adds up. I love cats but they're absolutely an ecological disaster if left unchecked.
If you want to read more about it
I don't disagree with you that cats kill lots of animals but a million over its lifetime is way too high. If you assume a 20 year lifespan, that's 50k/yr or a bit under 140 per day, every single day. The wikipedia article cites one study that claims ~90 animals killed per year, which seems much more reasonable.
If left unchecked yes, but if it’s someone’s pet then it won’t be unchecked. I still believe that all pet cats should be neutered (until we have the stray population down anyway) but if they have been neutered then you shouldn’t force them to live their lives indoors (again if you’re in the natural ranges for the wildcats they descended from). Cats have extremely large territorial ranges so unless you live in a mansion your cat will not have enough space if they are stuck indoors 24/7.
Neutered or not they will still kill for fun, that's what cats do. And they have lots of fun. Indoor cats have a longer lifespan and are generally healthier than outdoor cats. Also, with the proper stimulation and environment, they're happier indoors. You don't need a mansion, you need high shelves, scratching posts, hiding places, etc. The amount of space is less important than the quality.