Lifelong friend keeps claiming cat owner is mistreating their feline because she keeps the cat indoors only, keeps secretly trynig to let the cat out "to play", leading to a huge blow-up: '[She] and I are no longer friends'

We know indoor-outdoor cats are a debate in the cat world, but can we all agree that forcing an indoor cat to go outside is definitely the wrong thing to do?

Personally, we support keeping cats indoors as much as possible. But we do see the other side of it. The cats that we have, we have all had from very young ages. It was early enough to change their habits so that staying only indoors wouldn't feel unnatural to them. But we can imagine that with other cats, it would be somewhat different. We can see how a stray rescued cat might have a problem with being locked indoors all the time. We can see how a cat that has been an outdoor cat their whole life might not take quite so easily to having it taken away from them.

We get that deciding to make an outdoor can an indoor one would be a difficult decision, and sometimes an impossible one. Everyone will have to do what is best for their individual cat, in their specific circumstances, preferably while consulting a vet. It's not an easy decision to make, we know. But you know what is? When your friend tells you that their cat is an indoor one, do not attempt to let the cat out without their permission because of the side that you take in this debate.

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"Me [27F] with my friend/future roommate [26F] (5 years) Keeps saying I am ab**ive to my cat because she is inside. Has tried to let the cat out several times 'to play.'"

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Picture of a cute cat with a blue collar.
Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.
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via Unsplash / Tracy Anderson

Picture of a cute cat with a blue collar lying on a windowsill.
Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.
If even at this point, when this person is not even living in your house and sharing your space yet, they already act as if they have any rights when it comes to your cat, trying to let the cat out without your permission, then you know for a fact that they would try to do it when they are living there. She seems to have no care about your boundaries and the rules that you set for your cat. She thinks she knows better. We call this entitlement. And stupidity. We're glad you decided not to let her into your home, because that was the only right decision to make.
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via Unsplash / Tracy Anderson

Picture of a cute cat with bright green eyes.
Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.
It's sad, to lose a friend who you have been close to for so many years. But honestly, the sooner you know who they really are, the better. We can only imagine what it would be like if she were around when you had kids or the kind of advice that she would give you about relationships or married life. This is someone who only cares about themselves, with no regard to anyone else. And these kinds of people are not the kind that you want in your life - or around your cat.
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