In many countries they are not part of the ecosystem though and are causing real impact on bird and small animal populations. New Zealand and Australia are both starting to put restrictions on letting your cat out at night.
I love seeing the cats in the neighbourhood when wandering around too but we don’t let our own cat outside unsupervised, even if it means we need to spend extra time on the porch watching her. Next time we own a place (currently renting) we will definitely build a catio for her.
