We used to do the indoor/outdoor thing. Had one hit by a car. Then one disappeared for a while and came back. It was $200 Jack that made us change, he had a habit of getting injuries that we got tired of paying for, so we switched them to indoors. Now he’s like 17 years old, no way he’d have made that going outside.
Our oldest will be 14 soon. It’s remarkable he and his grandmother managed to last outside as long as they did, but the grandma was a VERY smart cat. She sustained a broken leg when those dogs attacked at night while they slept hidden inside a large box on our front porch. It took me a few days to find them both, as they took refuge in woods behind our house (she must’ve run interference for the grandson to run away, as he was uninjured).
The vet told us that we either keep her inside, or she wouldn’t survive the next attack. She’d have turned 17 this year, but died from oral cancer 3 years ago, but enjoyed her time (4 years) inside the house right up to the end.
Since then, I tamed and rescued two other feral cats hanging around our yard, and they’re safe and healthy inside.