I have owned a number of cats in my lifetime. Because I want to pay homage to them, I will name them in order:
Sadly,
it is quite a large list for someone who has been on this earth
for a relatively short time. Not that I am in anyway denigrating
the time I have spent with these beautiful companion animals -
every 
moment was a joy.
What has been sad is that the amount of time spend with them was
not as long as it should have been. The reason for this was simple:
they were out door cats (except for Mina, a safe, indoors princess
- I may be finally learning from my past mistakes).
You may
hear other people say that cats belong to wander the great outdoors.
Not true. The same thing is not said about dogs, this is why we
build fences to keep them in - to keep them off roads and from
getting lost. The same thing is true for your own beloved moggie.
This domestic creature is blamed for the deaths of native wildlife,
and while it is certainly true that they contribute towards the
death of wildlife this should more be blamed on the irresponsible
nature of the owner that keeps them out at night. After all, it
is in an animal's nature t
o obtain
prey - no matter how domesticated they are. Thousands of years
of instinctive knowledge has not eroded over time. I am not in
anyway saying that the killing of native wildlife is okay - having
been a vegetarian for twelve years I abhor the killing of any
animal. However, we are human. We have the ability to choose our
actions, whereas animals rely upon instinct. Therefore, we have
to be responsible for our pets. Keeping them indoors will help
stop the killing of native wildlife, rather than allowing councils
to impose laws that restrict ownership of pets in certain areas.
Nothing makes me angrier than people blaming the animal rather
than the dickhead owner who allows a pet to run free, stating
"oh, Flossie doesn't like staying in at night". Well,
your children might like playing with matches, but that doesn't
mean you will let them! (Some people might, but this is why I
personally believe if you need a license to keep a pet, you should
definitely obtain one before you start breeding).
Lastly, cats should also be kept indoors to keep them safe. Safe from cars, dogs (that other irresponsible owners may not keep fenced in, or just for the simple fact that your cat may stray into a backyard with a less than friendly resident dog), and sadly, to keep them safe from humans. Newspapers are always filled with stories of the inhuman cruelties inflicted upon animals by supposedly "human" creatures. And don't worry that your indoor puss won't live a life of fulfilment. My own spoiled princess loves the indoor life and never tries to stray. She chases the sun, moving between windowsills and cushions. She is safe from the elements - wind, rain, hail, heat. I always know where she is. And when we move into our own little house she will have a custom-made cat run built for her so she can explore the outdoors in safety.
As pet owners we have the responsibility of protecting our animals as well as loving them.
Please check out the following sites:
* http://www.catnip.com.au
(cat modulars)
* http://home.hiwaay.net/~keiper/indoors.htm
(an indoor cat resource page)
thanks to elsie and toby for using the piccies of their kitties