Our 16 pound cats insist on going outside. We watch them and they want to come back in in two to fifteen minutes. Once in a while they just go to the door, stick their nose out and turn around, then usually ask to try another door, it might be better out the kitchen door than the front or back door you know. They are pretty smart, and very insistent critters. They may go in and out many times in cold, rainy or hot weather. Have you ever tried to tell a 16 pound cat who thinks he is a lion, No? Occasionally we do refuse to let them see for themselves, they then make our lives miserable till the weather is not too bad to honor their request for nature and freedom.
My cat was a stray who wandered into my house one day and just stayed. He won’t go near a door to the outside. In fact, every time I answer the door, he runs away and hides under my bed. He had enough of the outdoors, knows he has it good in my house and has no desire to be outside ever again.
Our desert lynx cat Bob will stand at the open door and if there is snow on the ground, he shakes his feet. Sometimes he changes his mind and won’t go out. Once out however, no matter how cold, he’ll stay for up to an hour.
On the same subject, I remember when I was about six or seven years old and we lived in Michigan. It was winter and we'd been watching the Ice Capades on TV. I told my Dad I wanted to go outside in my bathing suit since the ladies on TV were in theirs so it was okay. He said he would let me but that I wouldn't want to stay out for very long. My sister and I got into our suits and stepped outside onto the icy and snow covered porch as Dad closed the front door. Sure enough, we weren't out there 30 seconds before we were pounding on the door begging to be let back in!