I think cats are among the foulest creatures to keep as pets.

People who keep cats inside allow them to shit in little boxes, dig and paw in the "litter," and then walk all over the house (beds, sinks, countertops, etc.) with little shit particles on their paws.

When allowed to run free outside, cats also breed like rabbits and they decimate the local animal life populations, killing all kinds of birds, lizards, etc. The amount of rodents cats actually kill is small and doesn't justify their killing native wildlife, as most half-way decent neighborhoods don't have rodent infestation problems.

Worse, by shitting everywhere there is soil (other people's gardens, etc.), cats spead all kinds of diseases, the worst of which being toxoplasmosis, which causes birth defects and can debilitate dogs who eat the catshit they find.

Therefore, IF someone has to have cats, then I think tethering them is preferable to letting them go free ... to kill native wildlife, and shit everywhere ...

Jack