I am well aware of the wild animals. We have a bobcat now, and we do not let them out when the packs are running.
My daughters cats were 15 and 5 years old when they moved out to the city a few months ago. Our last cat was 13 when she died.
The cats all stayed on our property except for the last cat who used to follow the stream to the cemetery when she caught mice for hours and was well known and loved by the neighborhood.
To me, cats are a pleasure and they also are working animals.
I brought my cats to our vet years ago. He wanted stool samples, and when I explained that the girls were all outdoor cats, he looked them over and stated he had never seen such healthy specimens of cat. A couple of years later he said that he too had started letting his cats outside too.
I understand. I have a backyard cat. It will not come in the house. It is/was a feral four years ago. I put food out for her and she would sneak into the yard to eat it. Gradually, very gradually, she began to spend more time in the yard. Now she comes right up to me when I put the food out. I would never try to pick her up.
I wish she would come in the house where it is safer. There are lots of hawks and some coyotes in the area. Maybe in a few more years.