Cat owners face a dilemma dog owners never do: whether to let their pets outside. There's no question that dogs must first be trained properly, and then are allowed outside in a fully fenced area and are also taken out on lead and walked regularly. Unfortunately, cats don't have it quite that down pat.

One cat owner was discussing this very point, saying her nine-year old cats have always been allowed to go in and out of the house. She understood the dangers all too well (having lost a beloved 11 year old cat recently who simply disappeared one day and is still missed desperately), but also the benefits of fresh air, freedom and pure fun. In fact, she compared it to something we would all concur with, saying that her kids would be safer if she didn't let them outside either, but it would probably make them weird.

Problems were cropping up, though. City by-laws that required cats to be kept on the owner's property and concerns that the animals might be digging in her neighbor's gardens were noted. Although the owner was not convinced that it was her cats who were actually using her neighbor's flower bed as a litter box, she was loathe to put a strain on good relations.

What to do? Are there any safe ways to let your cats outside, yet keep them safe and your neighbors happy?

Yes, in fact, you've got a few options. The simplest is to supervise the cats when they go out--but this will only work if you are willing to commit the time and have a way to entice the cats back to you when they begin to venture from your yard.

If that's not possible, you can build an enclosure in your yard. It can be a prefabricated one (from somewhat costly to astronomical) or a do-it-yourself job. A quick google search for outdoor cat enclosures will give you quick a variety of structures from which to choose, and they range from enormous backyard gazebo-types to balcony and even window-based lookouts. Usually the structure consists of a wooden or steel framework with mesh walls and ceiling.

If you have a fully fenced yard (from which the cats can't escape by going under the fence) you might also try putting a smooth rounded cap that runs around the top of the fence. One cat rescue worker did that with PVC pipes (the ones without holes in them) which are regularly used for sewage or water. They come in 3 inch to 5 inch diameters, and when split in half lengthwise, fit over almost any fence railing. To keep it in place, drill holes on either side of the piping and use screws to fasten. As long as there are no trees that the cats can use, they will not be able to get over the rounded fence top. This is a cost effective solution as you can cover some 20 feet of fence at just over $10.

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