Updated 5/30/26 Cats are smart, and they naturally know everything they need to know about being a cat. However, they do not know about things like cars, dogs, infectious diseases, and other outdoor hazards. Like young children, cats need to be protected from dangers they can't anticipate or handle. That's why Little Big Cat recommends that cats be kept indoors, and not allowed to roam loose outside. (See our article "Indoors or Outdoors" for more information.) Now, many people think that this is cruel. They say that Nature intended for ...