According to this cautionary post from Tales and Tails of New York, the answer is an adamant 'no', so read on to hear why!

The Tragic Myth of the "Outdoor Cat" (or Dog)

This is a powerful reminder why we all have to be outspoken advocates for keeping companion animals indoors. Sure, dogs and cats are reasonably intelligent, but just as with human children, we don't trust them to wander the streets alone. They have little or no comprehension what rules and protocols our society goes by (I.E., a road is for cars, not dogs or cats). Just last week, the bar owner down the block lost their "bar cat" to a car on Warren St. Don't assume that people are paying attention, what with their iPods, iPhones and daydreaming while they drive. Don't even assume that they care enough to stop or slow down.People have changed. It's not just cars either. There are wandering vicious dogs, cat fights, and mean rotten people. There are all kinds of pollutants (city "road dust" contains high amounts of lead for example) and disease vectors (ticks and mosquitos). And of course there's Parvo, FIV, FIPS, etc., etc. Even when there are vaccines, they're not perfect. Studies show time and again that pets let outdoors tend to have radically shortened lives. There's no such thing as an "outdoor" cat or dog. Both are creatures brought about by humans (traditional animal husbandry), and as such have no ecological niche. The harm they do to wildlife is hard to calculate, but in many places including NYS, cats are considered the top reason for songbird decline. If you've ever seen a cat stalk and kill a bird or chipmunk, you know that like man, cats hunt for sport. By letting these domesticated animals outside, we not only put their lives at risk, but other animal lives. People are fooling themselves if they think their Precious wouldn't do such things. Why should wild animals have to die so Fido or Patch can play outside? As with responsible parenting, we have to be guardian-parents, not friends. We have to do what's best for all animals, not what seems nice or convenient. Some people claim their animals will be miserable if they can't go outside. Ask them, "How miserable will they be if they're run over or set upon by a large dog or rotten kids, or contract FIV? How miserable will you be during an emergency trip to the vets?" Sure, there's an adjustment period as you wait for them to stop yowling to go outside. All life learns to adapt - that's the history of life and evolution.

This article definitely gives one pause. On the one hand, it is a New York-based blog, so Big Apple life is probably tougher on animals than say, the rurals or suburbs. Also, certainly some breeds are at less risk than others from outside adventures. A Basset Hound may be just fine bounding in the woods, whereas a Pomeranian should perhaps stick to being Princess of the Pet Bed. What do you think? Are Indoor Cats just Inmates? Or is the Great Outdoors looking not so great? Weigh in here on whether indoor life or outdoor life is ultimately better for pet health and safety!