Inside/outside

Cats — indoors all the time, outdoors some of the time?

Where do you fall on the question?

Sure, dogs get to go outside, but then any responsible dog owner will make sure they are either on a leash or at least being watched while they are romping around the great outdoors.

Christie Keith in an article in the San Francisco Chronicle said it's dangerous to let your cat outside.

They risk being hit by cars and attacked by dogs. They can pick up fleas and infectious diseases, or eat something toxic. And they can be targeted by neighbors who don't like their vegetable gardens being turned into litter boxes or bird lovers who object to cats using their bird-friendly backyards as a hunting ground.

Those dangers are so undeniable that virtually all cat experts recommend cats be kept indoors at all times. But can a life spent in the house really be as healthy and happy as one spent playing in the fresh air and sunshine?

She suggests giving the cat the opportunity to experience the outdoors while being safely confined, such as the cat-equivalent of an aviary. And it doesn't have to be complex.

Keith even said that cats can be walked on a leash.

If you're among the most ambitious of cat owners, you might want to train your cat to walk on a leash. Jean Miller, who co-authored "Walk Your Cat: The Complete Guide," says it's not as difficult as most people think -- and a lot more fun.

I know it is true; I have a friend who would take her cat to the park.