I don't understand. Are cats not a part of nature? Wouldn't letting them be outside be the natural thing to do, letting nature do its thing even if birds are killed? They are animals, it doesn't seem right to me to lock them in a house for the majority of the time. They probably want to be free, they're supposed to be outside like other animals
Cats (Felix catus) are a domesticated variety of the African Wildcat (Felis lybica). This process occurred c. 10,000 years ago. The cats which reside in our homes are different from their wild ancestors on a genetic level which effects their temperament. They also have decreased cranial volume.
All this to say that domestic cats are, in fact, not a part of nature, in fact they are classified among the top 100 worst invasive species by the Global Invasive Species Database. This is why their presence, and predation, in the environment is so devastating.
As of 2016 cats were implicated in the extinction of 63 species, this is 26% of total distinctions attributed to invasive mammalian predators. That's 40 species of bird, 21 species of mammals, and 2 species of reptiles. They are considered a threat to the continued existence of 420 species.
I don't even know how to begin to describe the impact domestic cats have on the environment so here's a huge list of various studies across the globe.
Do you believe that dogs should be allowed to free-range, to come and go as they please wherever they please? What about ferrets? Rabbits? If you've answered "No" to any of these, then why are cats exempt from the basic rules of courtesy other domesticated species are held to?
The idea that "cats want to be free" is an example of anthropomorphizing, or ascribing human emotions to animals. Cats do not have a concept of "freedom," they do not yearn for something they don't understand.
That being said, controlled time outdoors can be a good form of enrichment for some cats - this means on a harness and leash accompanied by a person, or in a secure enclosure like a catio. However while some cats may enjoy this others have no interest in, or are actively avoidant of, the outdoors and shouldn't be forced.
